Has Blizzard surrendered to the powerful RMT lobby or are there other forces at work behind the company's recent decision to introduce a loophole that allows players to buy in-game gold and items with real-world currency? According to a recent post on World of Warcraft, the sale of the Guardian Cub is meant to test the waters of fighting rampant account compromises.
Blizzard claims that gold farming is actually not as common these days, but instead most of the gold that is sold through third-party services comes from stolen accounts. The idea of bypassing third-party gold sellers by providing a cash shop pet that could be resold or traded in game was meant to be a creative solution to the problem.
"Players can buy one for the purpose of trying to sell it in-game, creating the potential for players to exchange real money for gold in a way that does not lead to account compromises. Of course, all that comes with the pretty important caveat that demand for the pet will be finite, and there's no guarantee you'll be able to find a buyer," Blizzard writes.
The company says that it doesn't expect this will solve the overall issue, the success or failure of the unique pet will help Blizzard determine if this approach is worth pursuing further.
Reader Comments (49)
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 7:09PM Eamil said
Since pet collections are going to be account-wide after the next expansion, the fact that this pet isn't given to all characters on your account isn't that off-putting anymore IMO.
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 7:19PM Skiim said
What we don't know is if RMT style pets will fit into the account-wide category.
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 7:28PM Nenene said
And if you believe that, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn I'd love to sell you.
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 7:37PM Apakal said
Blizzard gave into the RMT lobby when they announced the DIII Auction House. It was only a matter of time before they started shoe-horning similar systems into their other games.
And let's not pretend like this is the only pet they're going to offer to the system. I'm sure they've got a healthy stockpile of unique pets to offer through the service to keep the market alive.
I can't wait until I can just buy a level 90 Panderan Monk. Screw leveling.
And let's not pretend like this is the only pet they're going to offer to the system. I'm sure they've got a healthy stockpile of unique pets to offer through the service to keep the market alive.
I can't wait until I can just buy a level 90 Panderan Monk. Screw leveling.
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 8:20PM yeppers said
@Apakal
It's going to be an interesting year for Blizzard. Per Blizzcon, they're giving D3 to people who buy a year of WoW. Seems they're really selling the Diablo IP short... maybe expecting bad reviews? Either that or their hopes on the Panda Express Expansion (PEE) are low...
Reply
It's going to be an interesting year for Blizzard. Per Blizzcon, they're giving D3 to people who buy a year of WoW. Seems they're really selling the Diablo IP short... maybe expecting bad reviews? Either that or their hopes on the Panda Express Expansion (PEE) are low...
Posted: Oct 24th 2011 2:26AM TheJackman said
@Armaros 25 bucks and yeah the offer include a ingame mount as well they going for those people!
Reply
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 7:54PM smartstep said
Yeah right. Sure.
Blizzard does this not to aquire more revenue and profits, but because of care about player's accounts security.
How nice, how caring. Not.
Really I am still amazed that they release such ridiculous statements.
Guess there must have been some people believe PR c*ap-talk like that :/
Seriously...
For account security - there is so much that can be done to make accounts more secure, but still nothing changed in YEARS in that regard. Well making accounts more secure (coin lock, not allowing 'password saving' , mandatory one-time passwords, always asking additional question apart of password when logging, captchas,etc) cost money and then cannot be use as excuse to make RMT so... :/
Really pathetic PR-talk by Acti / Blizz imho.
Blizzard does this not to aquire more revenue and profits, but because of care about player's accounts security.
How nice, how caring. Not.
Really I am still amazed that they release such ridiculous statements.
Guess there must have been some people believe PR c*ap-talk like that :/
Seriously...
For account security - there is so much that can be done to make accounts more secure, but still nothing changed in YEARS in that regard. Well making accounts more secure (coin lock, not allowing 'password saving' , mandatory one-time passwords, always asking additional question apart of password when logging, captchas,etc) cost money and then cannot be use as excuse to make RMT so... :/
Really pathetic PR-talk by Acti / Blizz imho.
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 8:21PM (Unverified) said
@smartstep
couldnt be said better, Blizzards password security is a total joke. If they really cared about stopping gold coming from stolen accounts they should do something about that instead
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couldnt be said better, Blizzards password security is a total joke. If they really cared about stopping gold coming from stolen accounts they should do something about that instead
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 8:33PM smartstep said
@(Unverified)
Not only 'charity' is tax-break, when they sold mount for 'charity' they KEPT 50% of revenue for themselves. I wonder how many people were aware of that.
20 e per mount - 10 e directly to blizzard pocket , then second 10 e used to get tax-break.
Seriously if you ever gonna do charity do it DIRECTLY to some charity organisation or even directly to some person that need help.
NOT do it through game company...
Yeah I think I might seriously overestimate people's awarness...
Reply
Not only 'charity' is tax-break, when they sold mount for 'charity' they KEPT 50% of revenue for themselves. I wonder how many people were aware of that.
20 e per mount - 10 e directly to blizzard pocket , then second 10 e used to get tax-break.
Seriously if you ever gonna do charity do it DIRECTLY to some charity organisation or even directly to some person that need help.
NOT do it through game company...
Yeah I think I might seriously overestimate people's awarness...
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 8:38PM Azaetos said
@smartstep
Couldn't agree with you more. When Blizzard decided to make people go to BattleNet they automatically gave account thieves half of the access puzzle to your account. Brilliant, what dingbat thought of that.
I played WoW for years and never had one spam email trying to rip my account and then shortly after Blizzard went to BattleNet I was inundated with them. Hell I still receive 1 or 2 everyday now, thanks Blizzard.
I've been long done with Blizzard as a company and I couldn't care less if they brought out the greatest game in the world, I will not play it.
It's pretty sad that people buy into this sort of company 'we're doing it for you' bs. Blizzard needs a big wake up call, here's hoping that will be SWTOR and GW2.
Reply
Couldn't agree with you more. When Blizzard decided to make people go to BattleNet they automatically gave account thieves half of the access puzzle to your account. Brilliant, what dingbat thought of that.
I played WoW for years and never had one spam email trying to rip my account and then shortly after Blizzard went to BattleNet I was inundated with them. Hell I still receive 1 or 2 everyday now, thanks Blizzard.
I've been long done with Blizzard as a company and I couldn't care less if they brought out the greatest game in the world, I will not play it.
It's pretty sad that people buy into this sort of company 'we're doing it for you' bs. Blizzard needs a big wake up call, here's hoping that will be SWTOR and GW2.
Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 10:31PM Ehra said
Yeah, if Blizzard cared about account security they would do something like offer players the ability to purchase a key fob (at a loss to Blizzard, mind you).
Oh wait. They did.
Nothing to see here, more mindless, rabid QQ from people that don't know squat about the topic (which is hilarious, you'd think they'd at least pick SOMETHING up while reading a news site devoted to MMOs).
Reply
Oh wait. They did.
Nothing to see here, more mindless, rabid QQ from people that don't know squat about the topic (which is hilarious, you'd think they'd at least pick SOMETHING up while reading a news site devoted to MMOs).
Posted: Oct 23rd 2011 12:15AM SgtBaker1234556 said
@smartstep
They are in the habit of sending authenticators (keyfob-onetime password generator) free for those who get their accounts compromised.
They were also first MMO with the said devices, they were also first to offer the key generators in smartphone versions (iphone and android).
So, nice rant bro, too bad you don't know what you're ranting about.
Reply
They are in the habit of sending authenticators (keyfob-onetime password generator) free for those who get their accounts compromised.
They were also first MMO with the said devices, they were also first to offer the key generators in smartphone versions (iphone and android).
So, nice rant bro, too bad you don't know what you're ranting about.
Posted: Oct 23rd 2011 2:07AM (Unverified) said
@Azaetos : let me guess, the email address your battle.net account uses is also used for other things?
I get mountains of phishing spam. I also use different email addresses for everything (since I have my own domain).
I have never gotten a single piece of spam to the address which is used for battle.net (and nothing else).
I have gotten mountains of spam to addresses used for various website registrations. And also for the accounts I've used for several MMOs - but not battle.net.
Reply
I get mountains of phishing spam. I also use different email addresses for everything (since I have my own domain).
I have never gotten a single piece of spam to the address which is used for battle.net (and nothing else).
I have gotten mountains of spam to addresses used for various website registrations. And also for the accounts I've used for several MMOs - but not battle.net.
Posted: Oct 23rd 2011 11:06AM Lockisezmode said
@SgtBaker1234556 That's funny because I know that most of my friends in a couple of different WoW guilds have been hacked despite having different types of authenticators from the apps to the physical copies. The problem WoW has is shit security that makes it ridiciously easy for anyone to brute force their way in. I luckily was never hacked but when I know 75 people who have been its a pretty damn high ass number considering how many other games we play with no issues whatsoever. Keep thinking that its always the players fault because even those of us who don't work in IT to know how full of shit you are.
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Posted: Oct 23rd 2011 11:20AM Ehra said
@Lockisezmode
Wait. So you're upset at Blizzard because the authenticators don't make your account 10000000% safe on its own? Are you equally upset at every other game developer that hasn't developed the perfect security, hacker-proof and user stupidity-proof system?
No? You mean you're just pissed at Blizzard for no good reason? Oh, ok.
Reply
Wait. So you're upset at Blizzard because the authenticators don't make your account 10000000% safe on its own? Are you equally upset at every other game developer that hasn't developed the perfect security, hacker-proof and user stupidity-proof system?
No? You mean you're just pissed at Blizzard for no good reason? Oh, ok.
Posted: Oct 23rd 2011 1:04PM SgtBaker1234556 said
@Lockisezmode
So, all the. security experts in this thread, care to explain how the "shit security" with authenticator on the account can be brute forced?
As you've also undoubtedly seen, the Battle Net login also uses your authenticator and on top of that (if you get your login wrong couple of times), it'll start wanting you to solve a captcha as well.
Of course WoW as anything else these days is still vulnerable to phishing, keyloggers and brute forcing (if you're not using two-factor authentication). But then again, your online bank is probably just as vulnerable.
In the end a bad password is a bad password, not matter how you look at it. No amount of caps substitutions can help you. This xkcd actually puts it rather elegantly: http://xkcd.com/936/
Also, please let me know how other games are solving this? Lot of you guys are claiming Blizzard is somehow behind the curve on account security - let's hear some concrete examples on better implementations?
Reply
So, all the. security experts in this thread, care to explain how the "shit security" with authenticator on the account can be brute forced?
As you've also undoubtedly seen, the Battle Net login also uses your authenticator and on top of that (if you get your login wrong couple of times), it'll start wanting you to solve a captcha as well.
Of course WoW as anything else these days is still vulnerable to phishing, keyloggers and brute forcing (if you're not using two-factor authentication). But then again, your online bank is probably just as vulnerable.
In the end a bad password is a bad password, not matter how you look at it. No amount of caps substitutions can help you. This xkcd actually puts it rather elegantly: http://xkcd.com/936/
Also, please let me know how other games are solving this? Lot of you guys are claiming Blizzard is somehow behind the curve on account security - let's hear some concrete examples on better implementations?
Posted: Oct 23rd 2011 1:16PM SgtBaker1234556 said
@Lockisezmode
Also, please calm down - there's no need to all your expletives. We're talking about video games and account security.
I realize WoW is a red cloth to most of you on this site, but tone it down a bit and maybe we can make a discussion out of this? Eh? How about it?
Reply
Also, please calm down - there's no need to all your expletives. We're talking about video games and account security.
I realize WoW is a red cloth to most of you on this site, but tone it down a bit and maybe we can make a discussion out of this? Eh? How about it?
Posted: Oct 23rd 2011 6:46PM Ehra said
@SgtBaker1234556
There's no point in attempting to have a reasonable discussion about this. Blizzard has some of the most rabid, irrational anti-fanboys I've ever seen. Blizzard could say the sky is blue and these people would complain about them wasting time to say something so obvious instead of "fixing" the obvious flaws with their games.
Reply
There's no point in attempting to have a reasonable discussion about this. Blizzard has some of the most rabid, irrational anti-fanboys I've ever seen. Blizzard could say the sky is blue and these people would complain about them wasting time to say something so obvious instead of "fixing" the obvious flaws with their games.
Posted: Oct 23rd 2011 10:18PM (Unverified) said
@(Unverified)
Some of us had accounts before Blizzard decided to force us to use Battlenet and to keep that account we had to use the email we ORIGINALLY gave them.
Reply
Some of us had accounts before Blizzard decided to force us to use Battlenet and to keep that account we had to use the email we ORIGINALLY gave them.
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