Gamespot.com: eBay delisting most virtual items

[heyholetsgogrant]

eBay delisting most virtual items
The ubiquitous auction site is canceling auctions for all virtual items and property...with one major exception.
By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
Posted Jan 29, 2007 1:45 pm PT

Over the past few years, both gamers and nongamers alike have been baffled by the premium prices commanded by in-game items in Second Life. Just this past November, an English teacher became a real-life millionaire by selling virtual property in the life sim, which has become so popular that congressmen are using it to hold virtual sessions. So-called "gold farming"--the practice of creating in-game currency for real-world sale on auction sites--has become so prevalent, sweat shops devoted to it have opened up in China and other Asian countries.

Over the weekend, though, the most popular auction site on the planet began removing listings for in-game items--with one major exception. Though it now prohibits the selling of in-game items for World of Warcraft, EverQuest II, and other massively multiplayer online role-playing games, eBay will continue to allow sales for items and property in Second Life.

Source: Gamespot

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6164917.html
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I Just wanna know all the losers who are buying these things :laugh:

-Grant

[Major Harris]

am i really far behind because i have no idea what this is talking about?

[Rumrunner6900]

am i really far behind because i have no idea what this is talking about?

Im right there with you man :wtf:

I'll blame it on my Wii. :cool:

[Mr. S]

I'm not into this at all, but some friends of mine are. They are basically items or characters you build up in those online games like World of Warcraft, and then you sell them to the highest bidder on e-bay if you want. That way, if I won it, I could start off at a higher level if I wanted to start playing some game but not go through the hassle of building my character up.

Same for rare items or something.

[RVAbrendan]

This is great news for gamers. Less inflation for in game items, more of a challenge to accomplish missions and reach higher levels. :geek:

[EersSkins05]

Forgive me if I'm failing to see the problem with the system as is.


So-called "gold farming"--the practice of creating in-game currency for real-world sale on auction sites--has become so prevalent, sweat shops devoted to it have opened up in China and other Asian countries.

I guess a sweatshop is a sweatshop, but what would these kids be forced to make otherwise? Seems that playing videogames isn't that bad of a fate...

[Major Harris]

i wonder how much my 34 tribalwars villages could net me?

[More Complete]

I'm not into this at all, but some friends of mine are. They are basically items or characters you build up in those online games like World of Warcraft, and then you sell them to the highest bidder on e-bay if you want. That way, if I won it, I could start off at a higher level if I wanted to start playing some game but not go through the hassle of building my character up.

Same for rare items or something.

Interesting. So what do they really sell? A password?

Hey guys, I'll sell my More Complete moniker to someone for the right price! You don't have to be a Cheerleader you can be "the backup" from day one! I have a great reputation as a solid contributor and die hard fan with great analysis! Bidding starts at a low $20,000! :laugh:

[PokerPacker]

Interesting. So what do they really sell? A password?

Hey guys, I'll sell my More Complete moniker to someone for the right price! You don't have to be a Cheerleader you can be "the backup" from day one! I have a great reputation as a solid contributor and die hard fan with great analysis! Bidding starts at a low $20,000! :laugh:
what a rip. you have a TERRIBLE reputation :laugh: :silly:

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Forgive me if I'm failing to see the problem with the system as is.



I guess a sweatshop is a sweatshop, but what would these kids be forced to make otherwise? Seems that playing videogames isn't that bad of a fate...
On a related note........

Guy ditches Girlfriend in labor to play World of Warcraft - Video (http://www.filecabi.net/video/wow-its-a-girl.html)

[PleaseBlitz]

i wonder how much my 34 tribalwars villages could net me?

One way to find out.

[More Complete]

what a rip. you have a TERRIBLE reputation :laugh: :silly:


Shhh!!! :laugh:

[EersSkins05]

On a related note........

Guy ditches Girlfriend in labor to play World of Warcraft - Video (http://www.filecabi.net/video/wow-its-a-girl.html)

Haha- that's hysterical.

[Mufumonk]

I've made thousands doing this over the years. Between selling accounts with maxed out characters, real estate, gold, items, etc.....

This all started with Ultima Online. Servers were so overpopulated that you couldn't fit a house anywhere. So real estate was a gold mine. I sold 5 towers for $500+ a piece. I would take some of the profit and purchase millions of gold ($100/million) via ebay to buy in game resources. I would then use those resources to build characters on an account that I would turn around and sell. I had a dedicated line at a time when most people were still on dialup so the turn around time on a maxed out character was 5 days. That maxed out character with a 100k in gold and a small house (which I owned dozens of) would go for another $400-800 on ebay. I made enough to buy a brand new '98 Civic EX with cash over the course of 6 months. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. But that's nothing. Google Yantis/IGE. That story will blow your mind. He sold his gold farming business on ebay for over $1,000,000.

http://www.ige.com/

[JetSkins]

wow some people are nuts, buying virtual property?

[Coooleeey]

wow some people are nuts, buying virtual property?

Some people are such losers that they spend all their money to build up an online character. No one really knows who you are online so you can be as tough as you want to be.

[SkinsOrlando]

i wonder how much my 34 tribalwars villages could net me?


I'll give you 5 bucks, your villagers keep running out of sheep.:D