SOE EQ2 Auction Site Opens

I received a phone call from SOE tonight to give me some pretty amazing -- and unsettling -- news. SOE's Station Exchange is now live. Station Exchange you ask? Oh no, is that what I think it is? Yes, Sony is now going to start allowing players to officially auction items and cash for real live money. Initially, it will be limited to two new servers they are creating for Everquest 2, with existing players being given the right to transfer to those servers where they can buy and sell with officially sanctioned impunity. However, this is just the experimental stage. It is clear from the FAQ that if this proves to be financially successful, there is no reason not to think that this experiment will eventually be expanded to all of EQ2 as well as SOE's other games, which include Everquest, Star Wars Galaxies and even possibly, given their large ownership share of Square-Enix, Final Fantasy XI. IGE, meet SOE. Is this the end of online gaming as we know it? Or is it just a natural and inevitable development? I know I personally feel a need for a strong adult beverage right about now. Feel free to post your feedback and opinions. Update. After I posted this, SOE posted a letter from John Smedley about it on their site. Here's the letter.

Comments

Post Comment
Hmm
# Apr 20 2005 at 8:11 AM Rating: Decent
The only real problem I see with this is that once such activities are officially supported, it really will become a requirement in order to survive in the game. They might as well just raise the monthly fee, and give people 'credits' that they can use to buy money/items in the online store.
Many people might already buy currency with real money, but there are also many who do not want to resort to this; official support of real-money trade will force everyone to do it.
Implications for FFXI
# Apr 20 2005 at 7:50 AM Rating: Decent
***
1,352 posts
If you read the update detail when they booted the accounts, they said that SE might consider including this sort of thing in future games.

This if implemented well could be a very good thing and solve many of our current problems in one blow, implemented badly it would ruin the game. For example if you can go up to the AH and buy stuff with straight dollars then the economy will sink and inflation would skyrocket since you’re adding gil to the economy by purchasing with dollars.

But if there was a type of Central Bank, where gil transactions could be regulated, even taxed (in gil), where people who wanted to sell gil would auction their own gil at a price they set. This would create a stock market for gil, where people could buy and sell large and small denominations. The buyer’s tax would be small but add another gil sink to the economy.

It would also make external gil selling and buying a violation of the TOS making it a punishable offence. For the professionals (botter, NM campers) it means that they’ll essentially have to register with SE, and would be subject to monitoring forcing them to behave. Much like how large companies are under the eye of the SEC.

For the casual gil seller (high level crafter, HNMLS members) it would give a legitimate outlet and allow them to profit from all the time they invested in the game at the same time regulating their activities.

As for the largest threat people who are leaving the game (this is a big problem) it would allow them to “cash out” their characters reducing the number of high-level super noobs while at the same time getting something out of the game.
...
# Apr 20 2005 at 7:46 AM Rating: Decent
Hmm pretty seet and GOSH DARN!
Omfg
# Apr 20 2005 at 7:21 AM Rating: Decent
Yeah real smart.... this sucks... after this happens everything will change and I mean everything-> NM camping how many new players are out there wearing aketons collecting crystals... I bet you if this is put into affect Fire Crystals go so low again.... I can beleive they do this.
Crap
# Apr 20 2005 at 7:11 AM Rating: Default
Not trying to slam SE, because of the quality products they've made in the past and the hours of time I spent enjoying thier products.

But (there's always one)


as far as this statement goes:

Quote:
SquareEnix wouldn't allow it, and a lack of future content is a good reason not to **** off SE


while SE is a very very intellegent, experienced and game savvy company, it's also a greedy one. If you don't remember not to long ago they came out with Fantasy Earth (an MMO available commercially only in Japan). This game drew Japanese players away from FFXI. IMHO I believe they were trying to segregate the countries by worlds so that they could (forgive the vulgarity of this expression) "Suck from both tits". Then once it happened, they cut a large chunk of funding from FFXI. So where does this all lead? Plain and simple, the same greedy bastards that run SOE, think like the greedy bastards that run POL. Hell, the guy implied his own greed in this statement:

Quote:

We've done a fair amount of homework on this subject, and we believe this is a $200 million dollar market worldwide, and there are a huge number of our players taking part in the buying and selling of virtual goods


And who wouldn't want a chunk of that?

But the biggest problem I see is this. There are a few different types of players. Horrible, poor, mediocre, decent, good, Excellent, and The best. With this kind of economic beatdown that would happen with this, how would you be able to differentiate before inviting this player to a party?

And on that note, if this is going to be implemented in MMORPG's, what happens to the quality of the game? Back in my day (FFI, Zelda, SMB 1, 2, & 3 etc.) It used to take skill and patience (which was part of the reason that you played - to pass the time) to play a game. Now you're making it easy for the kid with the richest parents that just want him or her to shut up, to play the game.

If implemented, I see this action to be the downfall of MMORPG's as we know them. they were nice while they lasted. Leave it to a giant like sony to alienate their consumers.
plz only a few sever not all!
# Apr 20 2005 at 6:42 AM Rating: Decent
*
133 posts
i can picture this now.

me, looking at the AH for that item i always wanted and finally mananged to get enough gil to buy.
checks the AH for 1 wk and no one sells. checks the station exchange and ... u know the rest.
the end is near
# Apr 20 2005 at 6:13 AM Rating: Decent
Just like every other population that was great in the history of the world, the population of FFXI will destroy itslef.. We are self destructive by nature. The inflation on servers is IMHO, due to the fact that the people that do craft or farm know that gilbuyers WILL pay a huge amount of gil to buy items,ingredients,armor. They are the ones inflating prices, not gilsellers. They will be the ones that will, and have, destroyed the games economy. Now we just have the Greedy ppl of SoE to help.
{Hmmm.} {I don't know how to answer that question.}
# Apr 20 2005 at 5:42 AM Rating: Decent
*
235 posts
Of course if this is ever implemented on FFXI, we're never going to get rid of all the Gilsellers on all of the servers. No matter how hard you try, one of them is always going to beat you to that Leaping Lizzy or Valkurm Emperor spawn, regardless of what kind of server you're on. From a player point of view, it may be as good as when the fishing update was put into place - it's been great to see a distinct lack of Blue Tunics in Windy, that's for sure.

I am hoping that the vast majority of Gilsellers will transfer to these new "Exchanged Enabled" servers - and hopefully leave the rest of us who treat FFXI as a game alone. I doubt that'll ever happen though, seeing as there will always be players who "have it rough" due to inflation, and the temptation of RMTing even on Legit servers would be too much to bear.

We'll have to see what happens...I'm trying to keep a clear head about it, really.
It won't work
# Apr 20 2005 at 5:17 AM Rating: Decent
****
4,511 posts
It won't work for one simple reason. There is no profit in moving to a new server for these Gilsellers. Most of these servers will be most probably be very poorly populated since most of us don't condone the buying of virtual stuff with real life money, so who are they going to sell it to? They need a certain amount of demand for their gil, they can offer all they like, but if there is hardly any demand for these items/gil, how are they going to make their money?

Only thing this will clear up for SE is that most of the lamers who can't get trough the game normaly, and have to buy their way trough it since... well... they suck at it, leave for these new servers. That should atleast make the quality of players higher in our older servers. But it won't remove any of the gilsellers.
is this real?
# Apr 20 2005 at 5:01 AM Rating: Decent
I can't find anything about this on any other game site so far...?
blah
# Apr 20 2005 at 4:02 AM Rating: Decent
*
97 posts
Just think... Those that want to buy gil already do. Those that don't want to buy gil don't. The only difference if this was done on all servers would be that SOE would be selling it instead of gil sellers, and there would be no gil sellers farming it our servers.

EDIT: It would only work if they did it for all servers. Not just a select few. Of course gil sellers wouldn't move to a spot where they have to compete with SOE. But if SOE did it for all servers, the gilsellers couldn't compete and would go out of business. I'd MUCH rather have the developers control it.

Edited, Wed Apr 20 05:07:28 2005
Are You People Blind?
# Apr 20 2005 at 3:43 AM Rating: Default
**
362 posts
"If there are new servers made all the gilsellers/cheaters will move to the new server." What is wrong with that statement, everything. The people who have 40mil won't MOVE, the gilsellers won't MOVE. IGE is already operating illegally. And this will turn SE into a god damn Salem Witch Hunt.

This WILL NOT SOLVE the ******* problem can't you people read beyond the lines and think about it for a second. WHY would they go to a new server? All the cheaters will NOT move they'll continue to inflate prices on normal servers. This whole RMT Server serves no real purpose but to give SoE some publicity. ANd look it's bad publicity.

This whole new feature will be gone in a month; or the games will be gone in a month it's really SoE's choice. Heh sides player's can now control prices off stuff they sell on an Auction in real life cash.

Emperor's Hairpin 1.2mil
Leapong Boots 1.0 mil
Peacock Charm WTF?! 150.00??

And yes I can see the lawsuits now^^ But unfortuntaly if you read the letter SoE still OWNS your items, your character, and currency. Sueing them is not even remotely possible. They covered their ***. Why don't you bastards DDOS Sony and leave SE alone.

Squaresoft got you through your teenager years when your life was depressing and boring and all you felt like doing was immersing yourself in an epic battle to save the World. Boycott SoE. ENough said.
Now sony's getting in on it?
# Apr 20 2005 at 3:36 AM Rating: Decent
What a crock!

damn it
# Apr 20 2005 at 2:45 AM Rating: Decent
what would happen is the good items would not be put on AH leaving to us to spend real money to get them ><....
hmm
# Apr 20 2005 at 2:39 AM Rating: Decent
18 posts
o boy!more drama.this is just what such a relaxing,enjoyable game like FFXI could use.why haven't i quit yet?o well.i guess some things are too good to be true.were there more good times than bad?the fact that i ask myself that question should tell me something.i remember the good times.levels 1-20,when equipment and gil didn't matter.back when i didn't know what an NM was or even farming.the 1st time i rode a chocobo.now i'm kinda sick of staring up that bird's a$$.who knows what the future holds.maybe i'll get a life.o well.good luck all.i enjoy reading what everyone has to say.
Why move?
# Apr 20 2005 at 2:29 AM Rating: Decent
*
209 posts
I dont see why the sellers would go and move away since there company will still sell on there own on the "illigal" way and still send the gil after the real cash is received, no?
SOE Auction Site
# Apr 20 2005 at 2:23 AM Rating: Decent
Now, wait a minute. The way I took this is only certain servers will allow this. So, all the Gilsellers will have to move their characters to that server, cleaning up our own. Then I came up with the idea of SE using this as an elaborate plot to pluck out a HUGE number of Gilsellers. I know, personally, I will not use this auction site. I only play FFXI and I don't know if it will be up there as an option.

Thane
54 Ninja/27 Warrior
Rikiyame server Ifrit
Playing since December 07, 2004
Seriously, WTF.
# Apr 20 2005 at 1:51 AM Rating: Decent
***
1,100 posts
If this happens I'm going to be ******* pissed. Let Sony destroy their games, I don't care.

SE better have enough sense to AVOID THIS COURSE OF ACTION AT ALL COSTS.
...
# Apr 20 2005 at 1:34 AM Rating: Decent
ok this is just a stupid idea...
I think...
# Apr 20 2005 at 1:11 AM Rating: Decent
*
154 posts
Little late for an April Fools joke isn't it?
RE: I think...
# Apr 20 2005 at 1:27 AM Rating: Decent
*
67 posts
i left starwars because of SOE if they control FF 11 i am leaving look at what they did to SWG
Here's to hoping SE isn't blinded by dollar signs. -.-
# Apr 20 2005 at 1:00 AM Rating: Good
*
95 posts
For the love of Altana, if this happens my online gaming experience will return to .hack//.
RE: Here's to hoping SE isn't blinded by dollar signs. -.-
# Apr 20 2005 at 1:19 AM Rating: Decent
**
277 posts
Talking of .hack//, anyone got a 101 on packet sniffing, tunnelling, parsing, designing GUIs etc so that I can keep up with the other 'entrepeneurs' who are going to be taking part in RMT servers? (Yes I'm joking).

Of course the real money is to be made in the black market, by avoiding SOEs 'non-refundable listing fee' and 'percentage cut of the sale price'.

SoE were always a bit ***** at running games (even though the games themselves were quite good). This just reinforces my opinion that they really haven't a clue how to run games, just how to make money.

Aren't they the slightest bit worried about how gameplay is going to be affected by all the clientside third party hacks that are going to be developed for EQII? Guess not.
BAAAAAH
# Apr 20 2005 at 12:36 AM Rating: Decent
*
69 posts
For the love of all that is good and holy dont let SoE invade SE totally.

I played EqoA (ps2 version of EQ) and SoE sucks total a$$. The quests in EQoA weren't even close to finished. They had nerfdates, yes nerfdates. It's like and update but they take stuff away instead of add things. That happened every week if not everyday. I swear there wasn't one day that the servers weren't down or they weren't nerfing something.

Then came the expansion. OMFG the expansion. For the first 2-3 months it was total hell.If you used a coachman sometimes your screen would black out and your game would freeze. That also happened if you stepped in some spots.

Keep SoE out of FFXI.

FFXI demise is eminant if SoE is able to run it.
RE: BAAAAAH
# Apr 20 2005 at 12:43 AM Rating: Decent
*
101 posts
I played EqoA too - the constant problems were silly to the point one could either just laugh or jump out of the window - no wait, ... throw the bloody CD out of the window =)
Destroying lives.
# Apr 20 2005 at 12:31 AM Rating: Decent
***
1,804 posts
I strongly feel that Sony has surpassed the line between business and morals with this new charade. By giving people such an easy way to make money, they are helping bring a brand new generation of video game addiction into people's homes. It will ruin lives by promoting people to play games all night and day, in order to make money. This is like gambling, with the risk taken away, creating such a huge will to never want to stop playing, that you will eventually destroy yourself making money. There are few cases like this happening with current games, but with the involvement of real money in this matter, these cases will explode in numbers. Congratulations Sony, you sold your soul for even more money.
Dear God no
# Apr 20 2005 at 12:31 AM Rating: Decent
*
69 posts
edit: double (>_<)

And seeing as how it is my tradition to make use of double posts....

If they make their own servers for this, leaving the rest intact, I'm all for it.

Edited, Wed Apr 20 01:35:26 2005
____________________________
Server: Bismarck
Character Name: Mazurat
Job Levels: 75 War / 75 Nin / 66 Thf / 43 Rng / 38 Mnk

Character Name: Thatcrazytaru
Job Levels: 75 Blm / 52 Whm / 40 Rdm
Dear god no
# Apr 20 2005 at 12:31 AM Rating: Good
*
69 posts
Quote:
1. Those that do partake in RMT will NO LONGER BE AROUND TO ANNOY YOU. If one of them ever posts something in here or anywhere else about how 1337 they are then you can just remind them that they are playing a totally different game called FFXI LITE and to kindly STFU.


lmfao FFXI LITE
Guess they weren't good enough to cut it on the real servers that required actual effort and *gasp* work to make a great character.

Honestly, in my opinion, there would be more than one level 75 Rookie who didn't know what a skillchain was. Or even worse yet, too broke to afford a chocobo or airship ride......
In my opinion if they are going to do it, PLEASE OH PLEASE create new servers so the pricks can ruin their own server rather than everyone elses. If they implemented this across all servers it would effectively destroy a great game.

I can imagine some random level 75 Dark Knight thinking he's the s*** cause he's level 75 char....thinkin he's badass. Puh-lease.

Or even worse yet, being called a noobie cause your gear is worth less than xx million gil/yyy bucks.

Would be even better if they gave an automatic boot to the trading servers and clear even more gilsellers from the clean servers where people earned their stuff.

If they made my server a trading server, I'd move in a heartbeat. The price would be high, many valued friendships down the drain due to SE's lack of caring about the real gamers. That would be a high price to pay. Maybe even too high.

If they made this for all servers.... well.... one less FFXI player here. I shouldn't have to give a damn about SE if they don't give a damn about the players. I wouldn't even sell my chars..... the thought of some slack jawed rookie using my ranger would destroy my heart.

He didn't put in the time, I did, 85+ days of it.

No amount of money can replace the time I spent with my character.

A saying from another game I played for 4 years that allowed item/gold trading for cash.

"When I die, my character dies with me"

In my opinion, if they didn't earn it, they don't deserve it.
____________________________
Server: Bismarck
Character Name: Mazurat
Job Levels: 75 War / 75 Nin / 66 Thf / 43 Rng / 38 Mnk

Character Name: Thatcrazytaru
Job Levels: 75 Blm / 52 Whm / 40 Rdm
RE: Dear god no
# Apr 20 2005 at 6:45 AM Rating: Good
*
109 posts
I was thinking, perhaps allowing a few servers to do this would be good. It could work, *if* all who did RMT (excluding those who do it as a profession- you know, your hated gilsellers) moved to the new RMT servers. The guys who do it illegally now, would be forced to stop, because no one on the clean servers would be left to buy... they'd have moved to the... dirty servers (thats an interesting way to put it XD). I'm not sure who would profit from this though. SE might make some more money, customer service might be better... but I'm having a hard time figuring out how I'd profit from it. Would prices of things drop? Or would they rise because people who make their gil to sell do it with crafting/harvesting/camping not so popular NMs....
I guess I can't really be all for it, or against it til we see what happens. I do know one thing- it'd destroy the game if they made every server RMT legal. I've logged 200 days of game time, none of which was bazaar AFK time... and it'd break my heart to see all of what i've worked for reduced to a *New "Reduced" price of $xxx.xx*

"Mommy, so-n-so is so much better than me 'cause he has all this stuff, and you please give me money to buy some gear?"
"Ok dear"

Chilling thought, isn't it?
Post Comment

Free account required to post

You must log in or create an account to post messages.