Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[ArenaNet president defends microtransactions and in-game RMT in Guild Wars 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/guild-wars-2-president-defends-microtransactions-and-in-game-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/guild-wars-2-president-defends-microtransactions-and-in-game-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/guild-wars-2-president-defends-microtransactions-and-in-game-rmt/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
MMOs have to make money; that's a fact of life (and of business) ArenaNet President Mike O'Brien knows quite well. In an interview with VentureBeat, O'Brien explained how the studio is handling the monetization for Guild Wars 2 and blasts RMT companies for their practices.

O'Brien addressed why Guild Wars 2 is being offered not as a straight free-to-play title but as a retail product with an up-front cost. "The answer is we're really focused on creating the highest-quality MMO, not the lowest-cost MMO," he replied. "I think Guild Wars 2 is one of the best values in gaming, period. Where else can you get this many hours of enjoyment, of content, of polish, of replayability, for $60?"

He also took the opportunity to expand upon his own blog post covering microtransactions from a few weeks ago. "Creating a microtransaction system that doesn't upset or alienate your player base is straightforward, once you clearly define what's in-bounds and what's out-of-bounds," O'Brien stated. He says that ArenaNet wants to be "open and honest" with players regarding the in-game store options and promises that these will be "non-essential additions to the game and convenience services" only.

O'Brien also had strong words about the shady practices of RMT companies, practices that ArenaNet is trying to combat by offering its own in-game RMT system. "Where there's a real profit incentive, someone out there in the world will lie, cheat, and steal to make that profit, " he said. "By letting players trade directly with each other, we take the power away from RMT companies and give it to the entire playerbase."

MassivelyArenaNet president defends microtransactions and in-game RMT in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbetabusiness-modelbusiness-modelscash-shopfantasyguild-wars-2gw2in-game-storeinterviewitem-shopmicrotransactionMicrotransactionsmike-o-brienmike-obrienmonetizationncsoftreal-money-tradingrmtventurebeatTue, 22 May 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: The truth about lockboxes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-perfect-ten-the-truth-about-lockboxes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-perfect-ten-the-truth-about-lockboxes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-perfect-ten-the-truth-about-lockboxes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
Call them lockboxes, lootboxes, super packs, gift packs, treasure boxes, mystic chests, or Chupacabra's lunchpails, but these virtual boxes of mystery, fame, and fortune are all the rage in MMOs these days. Few studios have resisted the siren's call of such easy money, much to the dismay of many-a-gamer.

The idea is that a game will dish out to players free locked treasure boxes that require purchased keys to open. The allure of the box's mystery prize is often too strong to resist, especially when there's the possibility of a huge reward inside. The result too often is strong buyer's remorse and studio glee.

There's been a lot of conversation around lockboxes here on Massively, so I wanted to dedicate this week's Perfect Ten to dissecting the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth of these items for you.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The truth about lockboxes

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: The truth about lockboxes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcasinoChupacabracity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxcrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomgamblinggift-packsguild-wars-2gw2humorlockboxlockboxeslootboxlootboxeslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromystic-boxmystic-chestncsoftoddsopinionp10paragonparagon-studiosperfect-10perfect-tenperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwereal-money-tradingrmtroundupsci-fistar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestosuper-packsuper-packssuperherosuperheroesthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtreasure-boxesturbineturbine-entertainmentThu, 17 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Learning from EQII's free-to-play model]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-tattered-notebook-learning-from-eqiis-free-to-play-model/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-tattered-notebook-learning-from-eqiis-free-to-play-model/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-tattered-notebook-learning-from-eqiis-free-to-play-model/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EQII marketplace
What a long way EverQuest II's come! If you had said back in 2004 that the game would not only go free-to-play but have microtransactions and emerge largely intact, I probably would have run to get my pitchfork. But here we are in 2012, and EQII's website has a huge green button that says "Play Free" in big letters, with a long list of special deals on station cash and Marketplace items.

In this week's Tattered Notebook, I want to look back at the evolution of EQII to see how it successfully transitioned while gauging where it's headed down the road when it comes to its payment model. The official move to free-to-play might seem like the final hurdle, but I think we still have a few more around the bend.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Learning from EQII's free-to-play model

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Learning from EQII's free-to-play model originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playnimbynot-in-my-back-yardopinionreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsoesonysony-online-entertainmentstation-exchangetattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookSat, 12 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
With just over a week to go until Diablo III is released, Blizzard revealed the final details of the real money auction house, released some fantastic new class wallpapers, and launched a TV advertising campaign. Meanwhile, Torchlight II showed off the impressive final result of its earlier armour design contest and encouraged players to produce armour mods when the game is released.

Heroes of Newerth released a brand-new community-inspired MidWars game map this week to lend official support to the popular unofficial game mode. League of Legends revealed upcoming champion Varus with a full run-down of his abilities and a great art spotlight video. Dota 2 fixed some bizarre bugs and introduced classic hero Phantom Lancer. Rise of Immortals revealed details of its upcoming immortal Nauria, the Angel of Agony. Finally, Wrath of Heroes announced the controversial addition of health potions to its microtransaction store.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 screenshot
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

The ArenaNet post about microtransactions in Guild Wars 2 reveals that the "gems" currency will be bought with real money and be available for purchase with in-game gold in GW2. But people seem to have forgetten that Runes of Magic's cash shop operated this way three years ago. I've been playing RoM since closed beta, and the cash shop is one of the reasons RoM is so different from other F2P MMOs of its era.

Frogster eventually removed the ability to buy diamonds with gold because of fraud, so I'm curious to see how ArenaNet handles that issue. My time in RoM has shown me that there are other issues involved here, issues of security, players gaming the system, botting, and pay-to-win debates. In other words, there's more at stake here than whether cash shops sell gear or items toward gaining power.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetauction houseauction-housecash-shopdiamondseditorialf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivegemsguild-wars-2gw2item-shopjeremy-strattonmicro-transactionsmicrotransactionsncsoftop-edopinionpay-to-winrantrantsreal-money-tradingrmtromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentselling-powersoapboxtaboreathe-soapboxWed, 21 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Battle.net Balance boots up]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/battle-net-balance-boots-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/battle-net-balance-boots-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/battle-net-balance-boots-up/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Battle.net
Diablo III may not be out yet, but that's no good reason not to be filling up your virtual coffers for the day that it hits the streets! Blizzard has thrown the switch on Battle.net Balance, activating its online payment service that allows players to charge up their Battle.net funds to purchase various Blizzard game services.

The new Balance system can be used to buy World of Warcraft game time (although you can't set up a recurring subscription with it), in-game pets and mounts, paid account services in WoW such as character transfers, digital copies of Blizzard titles, and the opportunity to buy and sell items on Diablo III's auction house. It's important to note that not all regions will be able to participate in Diablo III's real-money transactions, however.

Once real money has been funneled into Battle.net Balance, it cannot be converted back into cash. Blizzard does state that in some regions, players will have an option to get cash back on Diablo III auction sales via PayPal. The company also mentioned that there is a cap on how much any player can have in his or her Balance account and that there are potentially region-specific expiration dates for Balance funds.

MassivelyBattle.net Balance boots up originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle.netbattle.net-balancebattlenetd3diablo-3diablo-iiidiiigame-timemicrotransactionsmountmountspaypalpetpetsreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsubscriptionsvirtual-walletworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard kills Diablo III's RMT to appease South Korea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/blizzard-kills-diablo-iiis-rmt-to-appease-south-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/blizzard-kills-diablo-iiis-rmt-to-appease-south-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/blizzard-kills-diablo-iiis-rmt-to-appease-south-korea/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Diablo III
Blizzard Entertainment made waves last year when it announced that Diablo III would be supporting real-money trading (RMT) through its in-game auction house system. While it proved to be a divisive topic among fans, apparently it was too much with the South Korean rating board, which sees such activities as potentially violating the country's anti-gambling rules.

The board was quoted as saying that "the feature involving for-cash trades between users was not included in the presentation to the rating committee, and therefore it was not subjected to any scrutiny."

To appease the board and pave the way for release, Blizzard has dropped the RMT auction house for the Korean version. The ratings board has warned the company not to sneak in the feature in a future patch and gave the title an 18 rating for the country. Interestingly enough this makes South Korea the first country to slap a rating on Diablo III to date.

MassivelyBlizzard kills Diablo III's RMT to appease South Korea originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1818-ratinganti-gamblinganti-gambling-lawsauction-houseblizzardblizzard-entertainmentd3diablodiablo-3diablo-iiigamblinggame-ratings-boardkoreanratings-boardreal-money-tradingrmtsouth-koreasouth-korea-ratings-boardFri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard's Battle.net Balance boasts big business]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/blizards-battle-net-balance-boasts-big-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/blizards-battle-net-balance-boasts-big-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/blizards-battle-net-balance-boasts-big-business/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Battle.net
Choo choo -- the Blizzard Micotransactrain is leaving the station! Whether or not you're aboard with Blizzard's increasing fixation on monetizing all aspects of its games, this train is certainly picking up steam. Its next station is called Battle.net Balance, and with it comes a whole new paradigm for the Blizzard empire. (Many apologies for using the word "paradigm.")

In effect, Battle.net Balance is a virtual wallet where players can purchase -- or "charge up" according to Blizzard's parlance -- points to then spend on items and services in World of Warcraft, Diablo III, and elsewhere. Diablo III players who earn Battle.net currency in-game can save those points through the service to spend later. The system can also be used to pay for WoW gametime.

However, the system comes with an important caveat: Once you've converted real-world money into Battle.net Balance, there's no getting it back as cash. So if you've got plans to make a living playing Diablo III, you might want to think again (although "certain regions" will be able to cash out via PayPal).

Battle.net Balance is heading our way in the near future, and if this affects your game, you might be interested to read the informative FAQ that goes into more detail.

MassivelyBlizzard's Battle.net Balance boasts big business originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle.netbattle.net-balancebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcurrencyd3diablo-3diablo-iiidiiimicrotransactionsmicrotransactrainpaypalreal-money-tradingrmtuniversal-currencyworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 09 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: It's a tactical online action MOBA-RPG MMO!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/not-so-massively-its-a-tactical-online-action-moba-rpg-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/not-so-massively-its-a-tactical-online-action-moba-rpg-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/not-so-massively-its-a-tactical-online-action-moba-rpg-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
Enigmatic online game Land of Chaos Online launches this week, blending elements of MMO and MOBA gameplay into a third-person team deathmatch. League of Legends' competitive season two is underway, and this week Riot launched its season two competitive gaming website with an article on all the recent major developments. Heroes of Newerth saw some interesting competitive action of its own over the weekend with some surprising upsets in the finals of the North American Star league.

This week we learned that Diablo III beta testers will soon be getting a taste of the real money auction house, and fansite DiabloFans has been digging inside the game files to unearth details of the Mystic follower and her array of equipment enchantments. Blacklight: Retribution opened its closed beta on Thursday 1st December, and Path of Exile received a huge patch as it draws closer to release. Bloodline Champions launched a charity pack containing a limited-edition avatar and title, with all the proceeds going to gaming charity Child's Play. Rise of Immortals reveals upcoming lion immortal Kavashiir and shows off its new crystalline creep models.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other big online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: It's a tactical online action MOBA-RPG MMO!

MassivelyNot So Massively: It's a tactical online action MOBA-RPG MMO! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betablacklightblacklight-retributionBoubouilecho-gathchogathclosed-betacompetitive-gamingdiablodiablo-3diablo-3-betadiablo-iiidiablo-iii-betafeaturedgrinding-gear-gamesheroes-of-newerthhonkievland-of-chaos-onlineleague-of-legendslocoloco-evolutionlolnaslnewsnorth-american-star-leaguepath-of-exilepetroglyphreal-money-tradingriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsrmtrois2-gamestournamenttribestribes-ascendvideozombie-studiosMon, 05 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard elaborates on Guardian Cub sales]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/blizzard-elaborates-on-guardian-cub-sales/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/blizzard-elaborates-on-guardian-cub-sales/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/blizzard-elaborates-on-guardian-cub-sales/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

WoW
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.

MassivelyBlizzard elaborates on Guardian Cub sales originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentgold-farminggold-sellingguardianreal-money-tradingrmtthird-partyWorld-of-WarcraftwowSat, 22 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark Jacobs: 'I've never been against F2P']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/mark-jacobs-ive-never-been-against-f2p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/mark-jacobs-ive-never-been-against-f2p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/mark-jacobs-ive-never-been-against-f2p/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Warhammer Online screenshot
In a brief interview today with MMORPG.com, Mark Jacobs, now president and creative director of City State Entertainment, discussed his thoughts on the F2P model and real-money trading.

Jacobs is best known to gamers for his previous roles with Mythic Entertainment and Electronic Arts on such games as Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online, and his opinions on the subject of gold-farming are infamous, possibly even extreme. We can't be the only ones who remember the early days of WAR when a crusading, irony-immune Jacobs spammed players' screens with popups whenever gold-spammers were banned. But in this interview, Jacobs aimed to set the record straight: He's against gold-farming specifically and how gold-farming hurts legitimate players, not the free-to-play model.
I've never been against F2P. What I was and still remain strongly opposed to is gold farming in games, especially MMOs that weren't designed from the beginning to handle those kind of transactions, and also to the groups that seek to profit from such transactions. What I really dislike isn't so much the gold farming/selling itself, but certain behaviors that occur in games where this happens.
He goes on to suggest that the F2P model has surged to prominence due to the weak economy and "a lack of really interesting MMOs," noting that we're due for a shift in the market but that the success of Star Wars: The Old Republic (and its "license to print money" IP) will determine the viability of the subscription model in the future.

Jacobs has plenty more to say in the full interview over at MMORPG.com.

MassivelyMark Jacobs: 'I've never been against F2P' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecity-state-entertainmentdaocdark-age-of-cameloteaElectronic-Artsf2pfarmingfree-to-playgold-farminggold-spamminginterviewinterviewsmark-jacobsmythicMythic-Entertainmentreal-money-tradingrmtstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorwarwarhammerWarhammer-OnlineTue, 11 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard introduces RMT loophole in World of Warcraft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/blizzard-introduces-rmt-loophole-in-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/blizzard-introduces-rmt-loophole-in-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/blizzard-introduces-rmt-loophole-in-world-of-warcraft/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pet
Normally, the introduction of yet another pet in Blizzard's online pet store wouldn't raise any eyebrows. This time, however, the company is making one small change with a vanity pet that could have huge consequences in the game itself.

World of Warcraft's newly announced Guardian Cub is on its way to the pet store and will retail for $10. The difference between this and other pets available in the store is that the Cub will not bind to the player who purchased it but rather will remain bind-on-equip -- and tradable -- until it is used. Effectively, this turns the Cub into a $10 currency item that can be traded for in-game gold, a fact that Blizzard openly acknowledges in the pet's FAQ:
While our goal is to offer players alternative ways to add a Pet Store pet to their collection, we're OK with it if some players choose to use the Guardian Cub as a safe and secure way to try to acquire a little extra in-game gold without turning to third-party gold-selling services. However, please keep in mind that there's never any guarantee that someone will purchase what you put up for sale in the auction house, or how much they'll pay for it. Also, it's important to note that we take a firm stance against buying gold from outside sources because in most cases, the gold these companies offer has been stolen from compromised accounts. While some players might be able to acquire some extra gold by putting the Guardian Cub in the auction house, that's preferable to players contributing to the gold-selling "black market" and account theft.
Player reaction has been strong and varied, with many seeing this as a full endorsement of RMT in WoW.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

MassivelyBlizzard introduces RMT loophole in World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-marketblizzardgoldgold-sellinggold-tradingguardian-cubonline-storepetpet-storepetsreal-money-tradingrmtstorevanity-petworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 11 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nexon takes Mabinogi offline to combat RMT]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/nexon-takes-mabinogi-offline-to-combat-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/nexon-takes-mabinogi-offline-to-combat-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/nexon-takes-mabinogi-offline-to-combat-rmt/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Mabinogi - some cute avatar with a samurai sword
Mabinogi fans aren't having the best of weeks, as their MMO of choice has been down for the count since October 4th. ThisIsGame.com reported that Nexon took the free-to-play fantasy title completely offline in order to deal with unauthorized real-money trading and implement new security measures.

Players were warned of the downtime approximately one hour before it occurred, and though there's no time table for a restart, Nexon has said that it will compensate customers accordingly.

"We have found lots of RMT [resulting] from workers and auto players during the last holiday. So we are working on [an] investigation [...] and proceeding [with] broadscale system maintenance to root it out," the company said.

MassivelyNexon takes Mabinogi offline to combat RMT originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfree-to-playgold-farmingmabinogimabinogi-offlinemmo-industrynexonreal-money-tradingrmtMon, 10 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nexon, NCsoft refuse to fully cooperate with South Korean MMO gambling probe]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/nexon-ncsoft-refuse-to-fully-cooperate-with-south-korean-mmo-ga/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/nexon-ncsoft-refuse-to-fully-cooperate-with-south-korean-mmo-ga/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/nexon-ncsoft-refuse-to-fully-cooperate-with-south-korean-mmo-ga/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Casino marquee
South Korean MMO makers are under the Game Rating Board's microscope for allegedly obstructing an investigation related to MMORPG gambling. The ratings board has questions regarding real-world money transactions that offer a chance at valuable in-game items, and a veritable who's who of Korean development firms are refusing to fully cooperate, according to This Is Game.

NCsoft, Nexon, and HanbitSoft are just a few of the companies mentioned in the report, and while the publishers have given up item names, costs, and other details related to the transactions, the companies are thus far refusing to divulge information on payout percentages.

GRB chairman Soo Keun Lee says that his organization is simply trying to determine the legality of RMT transactions using a set of gambling standards adopted by South Korea in 2008. "Game companies ask us why GRB tries to touch their business model and [they] refuse our request[s]," he said.

MassivelyNexon, NCsoft refuse to fully cooperate with South Korean MMO gambling probe originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsf2pfree-to-playgamblinggame-rating-boardhanbitsoftncsoftnexonnhnrandom-numbersreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtrngsoo-keun-leesouth-koreasouth-koreanThu, 22 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you in favor of developer-sanctioned RMT?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-developer-sanctioned-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-developer-sanctioned-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-developer-sanctioned-rmt/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Money money money money
The Ottawa Citizen recently did a story on real money trading in MMOs, and it started some interesting conversation here on Massively.

There are some who feel that the only way to truly eliminate the problem is to legalize it, so to speak -- cutting down on stolen accounts, shady deals, and ripped-off consumers by creating official channels for everything. Others argue that it won't help and that making real-world cash a part of the player economy is a terrible idea in general.

It's a discussion that can be approached from plenty of different directions, so what say you? Should developers create official channels and be done with it, or keep working to eliminate it altogether?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are you in favor of developer-sanctioned RMT? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-theftdeveloper-sanctioned-rmteconomygold-farmingopinionreal-money-tradingrmttdgthe-daily-grindTue, 06 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The dangers and allure of real money trading in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/03/the-dangers-and-allure-of-real-money-trading-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/03/the-dangers-and-allure-of-real-money-trading-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/03/the-dangers-and-allure-of-real-money-trading-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EverQuest
It's been one of the longest-running debates in the MMO industry: whether or not real money trading (RMT) helps or hurts players and the game worlds they inhabit. The Ottawa Citizen shed some light on the subject by showing how the games industry at large has dealt with the subject, from players dealing in grey market trades to studios overseeing RMT in the hopes of keeping players' bank accounts safe while lining the studios' pockets with additional income.

Two examples were given of players engaging in illicit -- and ill-advised (Massively disclaimer) -- RMT activities. One player said that he made $7,000 in 2001 by purchasing EverQuest characters from bored players and reselling them to others, even though this was against the game's EULA. He likened it to real-world corporate practices: "It was kind of like buying a company and breaking (it) down and selling off all its assets, and flipping it for more cash."

Another player admitted to spending $50 in hopes of gaining 2,000 gold in World of Warcraft, but the third-party company simply took his cash and never delivered the gold.

The article notes how games like Second Life and companies like Sony and Microsoft are embracing RMT even as the issue remains taboo in many MMOs.

MassivelyThe dangers and allure of real money trading in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eqeulaeverquestgrey-marketmicrosoftottawa-citizenplaystation-3real-money-tradingrmtsecond-lifesoesonySony-Online-Entertainmenttabooworld-of-warcraftwowXbox-360Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA implementing chronoscrolls to combat gold farming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/29/tera-implementing-chronoscrolls-to-combat-gold-farming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/29/tera-implementing-chronoscrolls-to-combat-gold-farming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/29/tera-implementing-chronoscrolls-to-combat-gold-farming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

TERA - boss fight
TERA isn't releasing in North America for several months yet, but the folks at En Masse are already taking steps to curb the inevitable tide of gold farmers sure to be washing up on Arborea's beaches in 2012.

A new dev blog released over the weekend outlines the introduction of chronoscrolls, and those of you who are familiar with EVE Online's PLEX system will probably see several parallels between the two mechanics. "If you've never purchased gold, and you're wondering why this new chronoscrolls system is a good addition to the game, consider this: Whether chronoscrolls exist or not, other players are buying gold from real-money traders. By creating the opportunity for players who already buy gold to purchase it legitimately, we help eliminate the incentive for real-money traders to target TERA," says producer Patrick Wyatt.

MassivelyTERA implementing chronoscrolls to combat gold farming originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arboreachronoscrollsdev-blogdev-diaryeconomyen-masseen-masse-entertainmenteveeve-onlinefantasygold-farmersgold-farmingpatrick-wyattplay-for-freeplexreal-money-tradingrmtteratera-onlineMon, 29 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: How gold farming really hurts the economy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/enter-at-your-own-rift-how-gold-farming-really-hurts-the-econom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/enter-at-your-own-rift-how-gold-farming-really-hurts-the-econom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/enter-at-your-own-rift-how-gold-farming-really-hurts-the-econom/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

RIFT: Sanctum under threat
Recently, Trion Worlds CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman talked to Gamasutra about how gold farming is a much bigger threat than we assume, particularly because of the large amount of credit card fraud. Those who played RIFT at launch probably recall the large wave of hacked accounts early on. According to Hartsman, the hacking attempts were so quick and so intense that the game could have been "denial-of-serviced off the internet" when it launched.

As I was browsing the Auctioneer the other day, I was reminded of Scott's statement because gold farming has sucked a lot of the fun out of in-game economies in virtual worlds. Markets early on were lively, unpredictable, exciting, and full of freedom but very vulnerable because of the growing illegal trade of in-game currency for real money. In an effort to combat the rising real-life value of gold, games like RIFT have moved away from gold toward a system of non-tradeable tokens. But while these tokens have helped to curb the value of gold and reduce the demand for third-party RMTs, they've also removed a lot of the freedom from players. After the cut, we'll take a closer look at how exactly that's happened and why it hurts the economy.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: How gold farming really hurts the economy

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: How gold farming really hurts the economy originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>currencycurrency-tradingenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedfree-marketgoldgold-farmingmarketplaquesreal-money-tradingriftrmtRMTsscott-hartsmanthird-party-tradingtriontrion-worldsWed, 10 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[North Korea employing MMO hackers to fund government]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/north-korea-employing-mmo-hackers-to-fund-government/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/north-korea-employing-mmo-hackers-to-fund-government/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/north-korea-employing-mmo-hackers-to-fund-government/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

What's a dictator to do when his third-world economy is wheezing along on its last legs? Hack some video games, of course! According to a report in the New York Times, North Korea's Kim Jong-il unleashed an army of young computer crackers on popular South Korean online gaming portals to find ways to make quick cash.

South Korean authorities claim that a squad of approximately 30 hackers operated from a base in China and were given the mission of breaching online gaming servers (including those of the immensely popular Lineage) to set up bot factories and automated farming collectives. The digital booty was then sold to gamers for a reported $6 million over two years.

Chung Kil-hwan, a senior officer at South Korea's International Crime Investigation Unit, says that the hacker group "reports to a shadowy Communist Party agency called Office 39, which gathers foreign hard currency for Mr. Kim through drug trafficking, counterfeiting, arms sales, and other illicit activities."

MassivelyNorth Korea employing MMO hackers to fund government originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bot-farmsbotscrackersculturedictatorshipfarmersgold-farmershackerslineagemmo-industrynorth-koreaoffice-39real-money-tradingrmtsouth-koreaSat, 06 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Study suggests one in three gamers has purchased virtual goods]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/study-suggests-one-in-three-gamers-has-purchased-virtual-goods/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/study-suggests-one-in-three-gamers-has-purchased-virtual-goods/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/study-suggests-one-in-three-gamers-has-purchased-virtual-goods/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Let's say you're playing an MMO with two of your mates. They could be online friends, real-world friends, or some combination of both. According to a new study conducted by PlaySpan and VGMarket, one of you has used real-world money to purchase virtual items.

The research was compiled last month and samples a pool of 1,000 gamers drawn from a VGMarket database. While the one-in-three statistic is interesting in its own right, even more compelling is the evidence that suggests 57 percent of participants purchase virtual items on a monthly basis.

You might think that social networking games are responsible for the lion's share of these percentages, but VGMarket's data show console games with online play accounting for 51 percent of the purchases, with social titles claiming second place at 30 percent (MMOs came in third, if you're curious). The study presents quite a number of curious factoids despite its relatively small sample size, and you can check out all the findings at the official PlaySpan website. It's also worth noting that downloading the full study requires providing PlaySpan with your personal info via a web registration form.

MassivelyStudy suggests one in three gamers has purchased virtual goods originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>console-gamesconsolesf2pfree-to-playmmo-industrymoneyplayspanpress-releasereal-moneyreal-money-tradingreal-world-moneyrmtsocial-networkingstatisticsvgmarketvirtual-goodsThu, 04 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The RMT problem]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/eve-evolved-the-rmt-problem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/eve-evolved-the-rmt-problem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/eve-evolved-the-rmt-problem/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Of all the problems that plague MMOs, RMT (real money trading) is perhaps the most disruptive to normal gameplay. By design, almost every MMO has some form of tradable currency that can be collected through normal gameplay. The time it takes to collect that currency has an inherent value, which varies from player to player as not every player values his free time at the same level. It's inevitable that cash-rich players who value their time highly will often want to shortcut normal gameplay by buying the currency directly for cash.

The negative impact of RMT and its associated problems is felt in every popular MMO, and EVE Online is no exception. The direct balance issues inherent in allowing players to buy ISK with cash are just the tip of a very unpleasant iceberg. Players who buy ISK from shady websites and services are the reason that the rest of us have to put up with spam-bots in popular chat channels, rampant account hacking, and macros taking up a disproportionately large cut of EVE's in-game resources and server load.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look into the problems caused by RMT, why macro-farming operations have become so wide-spread, and what CCP has done to combat this growing problem.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The RMT problem

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The RMT problem originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefarmingfeaturedhackHackedhacked-accounthackingiskmacromacrosplexreal-money-tradingrmtspamspammerssweatshopsweatshopsSun, 19 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Korea rules that virtual currencies can be exchanged for real money]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/korea-rules-that-virtual-currencies-can-be-exchanged-for-real-mo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/korea-rules-that-virtual-currencies-can-be-exchanged-for-real-mo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/korea-rules-that-virtual-currencies-can-be-exchanged-for-real-mo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The odd thing about us gamers is that we seem to think of the various doodads in our games as being real -- even more to the point, as being ours. We think and act as if we're owed some compensation if we're deprived of them. Which is silly, really -- after all, that Monster Signa isn't a real staff, that Deputy Chain Coat isn't a real coat, and all that gold isn't real money.

Except that now, in South Korea, it is. A ruling by the nation's supreme court has stated that virtual currency is the equivalent of real-world money. Even more sweeping are the details of the case that led to the ruling, in which two men were on trial for exchanging a large amount of Lineage II Adeena for cold, hard currency.

For those of you who might not be drawing the link, the core there is that selling in-game currency for real money is essentially just an exchange of currency and perfectly legal in South Korea. This could have sweeping implications for RMT operations the world over, not to mention free-to-play games and... well, online games in general. The official story is available online from both the Korea Times and JoongAng Daily.

MassivelyKorea rules that virtual currencies can be exchanged for real money originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>koreal2liilineage-2lineage-iimoneymoney-exchangereal-money-tradingrmtsouth-koreavirtual-moneyvirtual-worldsWed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Are subscription game item shops the third Trammel?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We like to keep our ear to the blogging (under)ground here at Massively because we often find interesting ideas and perspectives on the MMO industry. For instance, Green Armadillo of Player vs. Developer (PvD) just made a bold yet insightful statement about subscription game item shops being the third Trammel. For those unfamiliar, Trammel changed the way most people played Ultima Online and could be considered a paradigm shift in the industry from "harsh" PvP-enabled MMOs to safer PvE.

It's no secret that the rise of microtransactions and MMO item shops (aka real money trading or RMT) are a big change in direction from traditional subscription based MMOs. However, it now seems we're seeing the line blur between the two. Dungeons & Dragons Online, Champions Online, and most recently World of Warcraft are all subscription-based MMOs with built-in RMT. Are we witnessing the birth of the third Trammel?

As for the second Trammel, PvD calls out WoW's solo quest system. Never in any previous MMO did players enjoy such easy soloability and it seems that every triple-A MMO since WoW has relied heavily upon the solo quest system. We think PvD may be on to something here.

Continue reading Are subscription game item shops the third Trammel?

MassivelyAre subscription game item shops the third Trammel? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>champions-onlinedungeons-and-dragons-onlineitem-shopmicrotransactionsreal-money-tradingrmtsubscriptiontrammelultima-onlineworld-of-warcraftSun, 08 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Carrie Gouskos shares a couple WAR teasers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/29/carrie-gouskos-shares-a-couple-war-teasers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/29/carrie-gouskos-shares-a-couple-war-teasers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/29/carrie-gouskos-shares-a-couple-war-teasers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MMO blogger Werit recently caught up with Mythic Entertainment's Carrie Gouskos and asked her a few questions. For those of you who don't know Carrie, she's an associate producer for Warhammer Online who has worked on such things as the Tome of Knowledge, user-interface, Realm War website, and Mac client.. The interview mostly covers things she's been working on, so be sure to check it out.

While discussing the Realm War site, Carrie offered this teaser: "Actually one of the unannounced Special Projects that we've been investigating since the beginning of the year is an example of an extension of the Realm WAR. I can't spoil it now, but I would keep an eye open in the next month or so for more info." We can't help but wonder if this has anything to do with EA's May 2008 acquisition of MMO social network, Rupture.

Carrie also briefly mentions something about a "cards" page in the Tome. Will WAR be getting a trading card game? Does this signal an imminent RMT or free-2-play model? That's just speculation at this point but we'll keep our ear to the ground for you.

MassivelyCarrie Gouskos shares a couple WAR teasers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskoseaf2pinterviewmythic-entertainmentreal-money-tradingrealm-warrmtrupturetome-of-knowledgewarwarhammer-onlineweritTue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's anti RMT operation Unholy Rage bans over 6200 accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/17/eve-onlines-anti-rmt-operation-unholy-rage-bans-over-6200-accou/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/17/eve-onlines-anti-rmt-operation-unholy-rage-bans-over-6200-accou/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/17/eve-onlines-anti-rmt-operation-unholy-rage-bans-over-6200-accou/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Last week, Massively explained a bit about the war on real money trading (RMT) in EVE Online. The game's developer, CCP Games, has approached the problem from a few different angles. Central to their strategy of combating sellers of the game's currency called ISK (Interstellar Kredits) is to offer another way for players to exchange real world currency for the virtual in EVE Online -- "PLEX", or the 30 Day Pilot License Extension. PLEX is an in-game item that represents gameplay time and can be bought, sold, or traded on the open market in-game. PLEX has been integral in combating the numerous shady ISK selling websites in operation and CCP's dev blog last week showed how the playerbase is starting to embrace this system.

After all, if this practice of outright buying in-game assets with real world cash is going to happen in EVE, as with most MMOs (and regardless of what the developers try to do to curb this) it might as well be via a system the devs can regulate. It's a slippery slope, and CCP's approach to the problem does have some critics, but thus far it's been successful. PLEX has only been one facet of their battle against the ISK spammers, sellers, and the virtual armies of macro-using operations, though. CCP's operation "Unholy Rage" is a major offensive against the RMT operations exploiting the game, and is the subject of a dev blog from EVE Online's GM Grimmi.

Continue reading EVE Online's anti RMT operation Unholy Rage bans over 6200 accounts

MassivelyEVE Online's anti RMT operation Unholy Rage bans over 6200 accounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbansccp-gamesdev-blogdev-blogseconomyeveeve-onlineexploitsiskmacromacrosmmo-industryplexreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsci-fiunholy-rageMon, 17 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The fight against RMT in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's an unfortunate reality that most any massively multiplayer online game running has to cope with outside influences on an in-game economy because of real money trading (RMT). Game developers tackle the problem in different ways. For instance, Final Fantasy XI has an anti-RMT task force and Warhammer Online has a zero-tolerance name-and-shame approach to RMT. Other companies grab the bull by its horns and base their game around a virtual item trade they can regulate.

The problem of RMT has affected EVE Online just as it has other MMO titles, if not moreso given how its player-driven economy and the Interstellar Kredit (ISK) currency is central to the game. Beyond the potential revenue lost to the black market when players pay real cash for their ships and modules or buy huge sums of ISK outright, there are also issues with players getting their accounts cleaned out by the shady companies (ostensibly) selling the ISK. When that cleverly-named player "ajakdsk" links you to his ISK selling site in a chat channel, following that link could infect your computer with a keylogger, resulting in a fire sale on whatever they find in your account.

EVE Online's creators CCP Games have taken a two-prong approach to handling these issues.

Continue reading The fight against RMT in EVE Online

MassivelyThe fight against RMT in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-hacksaccount-securitybanbanhammerbansccp-gamesdev-blogdev-blogseconomyeveeve-onlinegm-grimmigoldgold-farminggold-sellersgold-spammeriskmmo-industryplexreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsci-fiTue, 11 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free Realms: Guesstimating monthly revenue using the 89/10/1 Rule]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/13/free-realms-guesstimating-monthly-revenue-using-the-89-10-1-rul/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/13/free-realms-guesstimating-monthly-revenue-using-the-89-10-1-rul/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/13/free-realms-guesstimating-monthly-revenue-using-the-89-10-1-rul/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In case you haven't heard, Free Realms just broke the 3M user mark and is averaging 500,000 new users per week. With SOE's aggressive Saturday morning cartoon advertising strategy targeting kids, it may actually continue to grow at this pace. Any subscription MMO would be happy as a pig in slop at these numbers because of the guaranteed revenue stream, but what about a F2P/RMT MMO?

We recently discovered an interesting tool to guesstimate F2P/RMT MMO earnings called the "89/10/1 Rule." This rule says that 89% of your players won't spend anything, 10% will spend the bare minimum, and the remaining 1% will spend extravagantly.

After chatting with Massively staff who play FR, we came up with some numbers to play around with. The bare minimum in FR is $5 per month for a basic subscription. We also think the average heavy spender could easily drop $30 in a month. Let's apply the rule, shall we?

  • 2,670,000 spend nothing ($0 total)
  • 300,000 spend $5/month ($1,500,000 total)
  • 30,000 spend $30/month ($900,000 total)
The grand total using the "89/10/1 Rule" is $2.4M revenue per month. That fancy, made-up number isn't too shabby at all. A subscription MMO charging $15/month would need 160,000 subscribers to pull in the same amount. Now, if only we could get some confirmation (nudge nudge, wink wink)...

MassivelyFree Realms: Guesstimating monthly revenue using the 89/10/1 Rule originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfree-realmsfree-to-playguesstimationsreal-money-tradingrmtsoesony-online-entertainmentSat, 13 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Live Gamer's Andy Schneider on legitimizing RMT in games and virtual worlds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/live-gamers-andy-schneider-on-legitimizing-rmt-in-games-and-vir/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/live-gamers-andy-schneider-on-legitimizing-rmt-in-games-and-vir/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/27/live-gamers-andy-schneider-on-legitimizing-rmt-in-games-and-vir/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Most mentions of real money trading (RMT) in massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds conjure up images of virtual sweatshops and the resulting blitz of gold spam. Despite how loudly many protest against the idea of RMT in games, the fact remains that there is a market for this and people spend a lot of real world money on virtual goods every year.

Live Gamer is a company that aims to legitimize real money trading, creating a way for players to spend their cash without the risks inherent in dealing with shady gold and item sellers. It also ensures that money spent on virtual goods is going back into the pockets of the game companies. While services such as Live Gamer don't end the debate on whether or not RMT should be permitted in the first place, it's clearly here to stay, and some game publishers are getting proactive about real money trading.

Continue reading Live Gamer's Andy Schneider on legitimizing RMT in games and virtual worlds

MassivelyLive Gamer's Andy Schneider on legitimizing RMT in games and virtual worlds originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andrew-schneiderandy-schneidergoldinterviewslive-gamermicrotransactionsmmo-gamermmo-industryreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsteven-crewsvirtual-currencyvirtual-goodsvirtual-worldsMon, 27 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: When does RMT cross the line?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/09/the-daily-grind-when-does-rmt-cross-the-line/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/09/the-daily-grind-when-does-rmt-cross-the-line/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/09/the-daily-grind-when-does-rmt-cross-the-line/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


This question was posed yesterday by Saylah at the Mystic Worlds blog, and we couldn't help but wonder the same ourselves. When RMT or micro-transactions are first introduced as a business model for a game, the claim is always that these items for sale are not detrimental to the actual gameplay itself. They're cosmetic, or they aid your character with convenience items like extra bag space or a faster mount. But as Saylah points out, Runes of Magic has introduced crafting items to their Item Shop recently. This allows players to purchase bundles of resources for crafting, which gives an advantage towards things like guild castles. "My first reaction is to suspect that the massive grind in this area is intentional to encourage the purchase of the resources now available in the Item Shop," she says.

So what do you feel is going too far in RMT purchases? Is selling crafting resources too much, or would you only raise an eyebrow at the sale of overpowered weapons in an RMT shop? With the popularity of micro-transactions, do you think developers will edge closer and closer to that line to see what they can get away with? Let us know your thoughts!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: When does RMT cross the line? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>item-shopmicro-transactionsmicrotransactionsmystic-worldsreal-money-tradingrmtsaylahthe-daily-grindThu, 09 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Massively sat in on a GDC 2009 session this week titled Applied RMT Design which was part of the Worlds in Motion Summit. Andrew Schneider, Founder and President of Live Gamer and Erik Bethke, CEO of GoPets, Ltd. presented a case study on balancing a game's primary and secondary markets, using GoPets as an example of how it can be done.

The market for virtual goods in massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds is worth billions. Not all of this is grey market, and more games are now being designed with microtransactions in mind. Live Gamer aims to bring greater legitimacy to microtransactions through a regulated secondary market providing benefits to companies as well as the players themselves. Thus far they've worked with EverQuest II, Vanguard, and GoPets, with Acclaim's 9 Dragons on the way.

Bethke and Schneider kick off their talk by explaining the fact that RMT in MMOs is inevitable, explaining how developers can be proactive about incorporating RMT into their titles rather than having it exist outside of the game. Live Gamer works with developers to create a legitimate system for trading virtual items for real money, one that's safe and secure. Of course, legitimizing RMT can also stir up controversy.

Gallery: GDC09: RMT Design panel

Continue reading GDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer

MassivelyGDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-11andrew-schneiderbusiness-modelscase-studycasualeconomyerik-bethkeeventsfree-to-playgame-designgdcgdc-2009gopetslive-gamermicrotransactionsmmo-industryprimary-marketreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsecondary-marketvirtual-goodsvirtual-itemsworlds-in-motionworlds-in-motion-summitSat, 28 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Gold Trading Exposed' a look at multi-billion dollar grey market in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/gold-trading-exposed-a-look-at-multi-billion-dollar-grey-marke/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/gold-trading-exposed-a-look-at-multi-billion-dollar-grey-marke/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/gold-trading-exposed-a-look-at-multi-billion-dollar-grey-marke/#commentsFiled under: ,

If there are any massively multiplayer online games on the market (with virtual economies) that *aren't* overrun at times with gold spammers that multiply like cockroaches, we have yet to hear about it. While the various MMO developers and operators have their own approaches to the problem, ranging from public humiliation of spammers to an anti-RMT strike force that exists to root them out and eliminate them, a key (*the* key) part of this equation for grief is the playerbase itself.

"Gold Trading Exposed" is the first in a series of articles tackling the issues surrounding RMT written for Eurogamer by Nick Ryan. Over time, Ryan will look at the multi-billion dollar trade in virtual gold through the eyes of all parties involved -- the gold traders, the developers, and of course the players themselves (many of whom deny they buy gold). Ryan points out there there's no small amount of hypocrisy from MMO playerbases which profess a hatred for the gold selling trade since, after all, there must be a reason that gold sellers thrive and multiply.

Continue reading 'Gold Trading Exposed' a look at multi-billion dollar grey market in MMOs

Massively'Gold Trading Exposed' a look at multi-billion dollar grey market in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cockroacheseconomyeurogamergoldgold-farmergold-farminggold-spammergold-spammingmmo-industrynick-ryanreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtscumTue, 24 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why do people buy virtual goods in MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/why-do-people-buy-virtual-goods-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/why-do-people-buy-virtual-goods-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/why-do-people-buy-virtual-goods-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Massively multiplayer online gamers spend hours -- so many hours -- working towards obtaining virtual gear. Epic armor sets, mounts, player housing, faction ships... the list goes on, and will continue to go on. Our collective fascination with these intangibles ensures our desire for them -- and for those things beyond a player's reach solely within the virtual realm, real world cash makes all things possible.

This is the research focus of Ph.D. student Vili Lehdonvirta of the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology, who breaks down our buyer's impulse according to three criteria:

  • Functional attributes, such as speed, hitpoints, teleportation.
  • Hedonic attributes, or how the virtual gear looks or sounds, its provenance or its connection to the background fiction of the setting, and of course customizability.
  • Social attributes, particularly the prestige accorded with ownership of a rare item.
Have a look at his "Virtual item sales as a revenue model: identifying attributes that drive purchase decisions" for a thorough analysis of why many of us are so inclined to obtain something that's ultimately ephemeral, which goes beyond the simpler "useful vs. decorative" angle.

MassivelyWhy do people buy virtual goods in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academicarmorarmor-setculturefaction-shipgeargoldlootmmo-industrymountmountsplayer-housingreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmtvirtualvirtual-goodsvirtual-itemsvirtual-worldsFri, 09 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How much have you spent on your MMO habit?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/the-daily-grind-how-much-have-you-spent-on-your-mmo-habit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/the-daily-grind-how-much-have-you-spent-on-your-mmo-habit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/the-daily-grind-how-much-have-you-spent-on-your-mmo-habit/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Once upon a time, I sat down with a calculator and counted the months I'd spent playing World of Warcraft, multiplied by $15, added in costs for game boxes and character transfers... and came to a sum, in the end, that shocked me. (Though, considering the hours of enjoyment I've gotten from the game thus far, perhaps it shouldn't.) And that number was without spending a dime on buying characters, gear, gold, or paying for leveling. Putting the ethics of RMT aside for the moment, I must say I'm glad of it, as it means I've never had the opportunity to loose even more cash to an MMO, as in yesterday's story of an EVE player who lost $19,000 buying ISK. (Yes, you read that number correctly. It's a one and a nine followed by three zeros. Count 'em: three!) While that certainly makes my financial losses seem practically frugal by comparison, The Daily Grind is all about getting your opinions. So today, I ask: how much have you spent feeding your MMO habit?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How much have you spent on your MMO habit? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>goldiskmoneyreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmttdgwarcraftwowWed, 31 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online player loses USD 19,000 in shady virtual currency deal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/eve-online-player-loses-usd-19-000-in-shady-virtual-currency-dea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/eve-online-player-loses-usd-19-000-in-shady-virtual-currency-dea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/eve-online-player-loses-usd-19-000-in-shady-virtual-currency-dea/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


The sci-fi game EVE Online is set apart from many other massively multiplayer online games by its economy. While there are currently problems with the game's market due to a serious exploit, the economy isn't getting reset anytime soon. The currency of EVE's virtual economy is the Inter Stellar Kredit (ISK). As in the real world, money can be power in EVE's 'New Eden' galaxy. Most online games built around a virtual economy will ultimately need to deal with the real money trading (RMT) issue -- either make it a bannable offense or support and regulate it in some way. CCP Games figured if RMT is happening whether they want it to or not, they may as well have some way to regulate it.

EVE Online has a few legitimate ways to bring real world money into the game. Game Time Cards (EVE Time Codes) can be converted to ISK without risk of getting your teeth banhammered in by CCP Games. They offer a secure way to sell game time to players where neither party can be scammed, and more recently a way to turn game time into an item (PLEX) that can be sold on the open market in-game. When a player buys that item, he or she extends their account subscription. The upside for some players is that they can actually pay their subscription fees in the ISK they've earned in-game, for others it enables them to buy a faction battleship or a number of other virtual items.

But... some people just go too far with all this, and buy ISK in huge amounts. Even worse is doing so outside of the EULA-safe methods. This was the case with an EVE player in Denmark, who paid 100,000 Danish Krones (the rough equivalent of 13,500 Euros or USD 19,000) for currency from a shady ISK seller outside of the secure system, and was ultimately left with empty pockets, even after the case ended up in court.

Continue reading EVE Online player loses USD 19,000 in shady virtual currency deal

MassivelyEVE Online player loses USD 19,000 in shady virtual currency deal originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingbusiness-modelsccpccp-gamesdenmarkeconomyeveeve-onlineforumsgoldiskisk-sellerlegalmmo-industrypaypalreal-money-tradingrmtscamsci-fishadyvirtual-currencyvisawotlankorTue, 30 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: Five MMOs to watch out for in 2009, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/27/the-digital-continuum-five-mmos-to-watch-out-for-in-2009-part/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/27/the-digital-continuum-five-mmos-to-watch-out-for-in-2009-part/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/27/the-digital-continuum-five-mmos-to-watch-out-for-in-2009-part/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Five MMOs to watch out for in 2009, part 2

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: Five MMOs to watch out for in 2009, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbiowareblackstarchampions-onlinecity-of-heroescohcrypticdc-universe-onlinedcuofuncomjumpgate-evolutionncsoftnetdevilreal-money-tradingred-5red-5-studiosrmtsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-agencythe-digital-continuumSat, 27 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft's rules for RMT]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/world-of-warcrafts-rules-for-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/world-of-warcrafts-rules-for-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/world-of-warcrafts-rules-for-rmt/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


There's been a discussion going on at our sister-site WoW Insider regarding RMT (real-money trading) and their favorite MMO, World of Warcraft. Now wait a minute, you might say, WoW doesn't have RMT! While it's true that you can't just cough up real money to get that epic piece of loot you've been dreaming about, Blizzard has its own version of RMT with name changes, server transfers, and the new character re-customizations. They aren't alone in the industry with these for-cash perks -- plenty of other subscription-model MMOs do exactly the same.

The main reason that this has been brought up now is due to a recent thread on the official WoW forums, where a Blizzard poster actually detailed some of the company's rules (over a number of different pages) for adding the existing and any future premium services. They won't start charging for something that used to be free, and the pay features should be superficial conveniences and not 'integral to the game', ruling out item sales. Another very simple reason that they charge for certain things is to stop players from doing them too often -- no quickie gender-changes to beg on the Orgrimmar mailbox for a half-hour.

This seems to be the right way to go about things for a subscription-based MMO, or at least it has been so far. Leaving aside the debate about the future of the subscription model, would you pay monthly for a game that offered gameplay advantages to those that paid just that little bit more?

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft's rules for RMT originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardcharacter-customizationcharacter-re-customizationmicrotransactionspremium-servicesreal-money-tradingrmtsubscription-modelworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderSun, 14 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Game revenue taxation begins spread to Sweden and South Korea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/#commentsFiled under: , ,

They always say the two things you can't avoid in life are death and taxes. Yet, being an MMO player, death always just seems to be a part of life. And now, governments around the world are beginning to become interested in putting in the other unavoidable part of life in our gaming experience -- as if we had enough of death.

As in-game transactions and RMT are beginning to become major boons to business the government is getting interested. And, of course, like any good government, they want their share. China was only the first, now Sweden and South Korea are interested in getting their tax laws straight as well.

Taxing game transactions, however, isn't as easy as making laws that tax a physical currency. There's the issues of relative value, constantly diminishing returns as more money flows into virtual economies without enough monetary sinks in the game, and the whole issue if the game goes out of business.

We tend to believe that worlds like this should avoid colliding, but it seems that as we begin to mesh our virtual currencies and begin to value them as much as our real world ones, paths like these seem inevitable.

MassivelyGame revenue taxation begins spread to Sweden and South Korea originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinadeatheconomicseconomygovernmentkorealawsreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmtsouth-koreaswedentaxesFri, 12 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fortune and failure in real-money trading]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/fortune-and-failure-in-real-money-trading/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/fortune-and-failure-in-real-money-trading/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/fortune-and-failure-in-real-money-trading/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Although many western MMO gamers profess a distaste for all things RMT, it's definitely become an aspect of these games and virtual worlds that we're all aware of to some degree. But it wasn't always that way. In fact, it wasn't so long ago that the notion of people working in virtual settings and earning real world wealth was, quite frankly, bizarre.

Julian Dibbell was one of the first journalists to expose the idea of RMT and the possible existence of 'virtual sweatshops' to mainstream readers years ago, before such ideas and practices became almost commonplace in virtual worlds and MMOs. Dibbell has continued on with this tradition since the days of writing about Black Snow Interactive, more recently in his book 'Play Money' and with a piece he's written for Wired, titled "The Decline and Fall of an Ultra Rich Online Gaming Empire."

Continue reading Fortune and failure in real-money trading

MassivelyFortune and failure in real-money trading originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-snow-interactivebrock-piercecontroversialcontroversyeconomyeverquestigeinternet-gaming-entertainmentjulian-dibbelllegalmmo-industryplay-moneyreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtterra-novavirtual-worldswiredWed, 03 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Live Gamer interviewed about regulated RMT]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/live-gamer-interviewed-about-regulated-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/live-gamer-interviewed-about-regulated-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/live-gamer-interviewed-about-regulated-rmt/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We've mentioned a company called Live Gamer in the past here at Massively. Essentially, Live Gamer is attempting to legitimize real money trading (RMT) in virtual spaces, by partnering with game publishers to create a regulated secondary market for item sales and trades. The goal is to integrate RMT with MMOs and virtual worlds and usurp the myriad gold spammers and scammers currently plaguing most virtual spaces that feature economies.

Suzie Ford at WarCry recently interviewed Live Gamer Founder and President Andrew Schneider about how the company plans to change a $2 billion industry presently dominated by the black and grey market. The interview touches on the company's background, how the Live Gamer service works, and overall how they handle some of the polarizing issues of RMT in MMOs. Check out the full interview with Andrew Schneider over at WarCry for a brief overview of what Live Gamer is about.

Does the prospect of having a legitimate, regulated secondary market for avatars, virtual items, and currency in your MMOs seem like a step in the right direction?

MassivelyLive Gamer interviewed about regulated RMT originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andrew-schneiderblack-marketeconomygold-spammergray-marketgrey-marketinterviewslive-gamerreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmtscammersspammerssuzie-fordwarcryMon, 20 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: Enough business already!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/19/ask-massively-enough-business-already/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/19/ask-massively-enough-business-already/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/19/ask-massively-enough-business-already/#commentsFiled under: ,


With all of the talk in previous columns about the business side of MMO gaming, it can be easy to lose track of the real reason that we are all here. Fun! Since I have been up to my eyeballs in the business side of things recently, I thought we'd return to the realm of fun for this week's Ask Massively.

To the Massive Team,

I recently wanted to get back into Everquest, mostly for nostalgic reason but couldn't bear the grind up to some decent levels again, so i thought id get a account of a char with a reasonably respectable level eg 50's to 60's. The reason is so i could get straight into the good stuff and skip the completely isolated newbie levels. (nowadays Kelethin and Clan Crushbone zones are deserted, who thought it possible??) But the question pricking my gamer conscience was whether it was frowned upon? please help me out in this most dire of ethical battles!

Thank,
Token88

Of course, now that I think about it, this has just as much to do with the business of MMO gaming as it does the fun side. I'm pretty sure that the folks at Sony aren't too keen on players who bypass 50-60 levels of content that cost time and money to produce, but if that content isn't fun for the player then they won't play the game (read: "they won't pay the subscription fee to play the game"). So what's the right answer?

Continue reading Ask Massively: Enough business already!

MassivelyAsk Massively: Enough business already! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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