diablo 3 and the Auction house

[maxm00se]

just saw this on reddit http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comme...auction_house/

anyone care to explain how much money they actualy will make with this?

[Demonjock]

Im going with a crapload. People will pay for shiny shiny

[Kaostic]

Well, Blizzard get a cut so they're get more rich obviously.

But people are prone to purchasing in-game items rather than save up with in-game currency or find it themselves. It's why free-to-play games are so successful.

People will pay for that axe.

[Betty_Swallocks]

I was going to say that a 15% cut when you take the money out seemed a bit of a rip off but then it occurred to me that if you're prepared to spend real money on an item that doesn't exist then you're probably the sort of person who deserves to be ripped off.

[Kaostic]

Originally Posted by Betty_Swallocks

it occurred to me that if you're prepared to spend real money on an item that doesn't exist then you're probably the sort of person who deserves to be ripped off.

And yet you're willing to spend money on entire worlds that do not exist. If it increases their enjoyment of that game, whats so bad about them purchasing things within or for that game? It's sort of the foundation of DLC.

[Ewok]

An entire non-existent world is arguably more substantial than a single non-existent item.

Then again, you could argue that both are equally insubstantial.

It's a real philosophical conumdrum.

[Kaostic]

Originally Posted by Ewok

An entire non-existent world is arguably more substantial than a single non-existent item.

Then again, you could argue that both are equally insubstantial.

It's a real philosophical conumdrum.

That's like saying my entire imaginary world is better than your imaginary hippo. They're both irrelevant in terms of worth. They are only worth and have as much value as much as the person using them gives them.

[Dead Alive]

Originally Posted by Kaostic

They're both irrelevant in terms of worth. They are only worth and have as much value as much as the person using them gives them.

Pretty much this. I see no difference in paying x amount for an individual item than I do paying x amount for a full game. It's not like you're paying £30-£40 on a new weapon (if you do, then I'll call you an idiot).

[Kaostic]

Originally Posted by Dead Alive

Pretty much this. I see no difference in paying x amount for an individual item than I do paying x amount for a full game. It's not like you're paying £30-£40 on a new weapon (if you do, then I'll call you an idiot).

To be honest, if somebody thinks that by paying £30 - £40 on a weapon will increase the games worth to them, why not? Surely it's the same as paying £9 a month to play a MMO.

[Dead Alive]

To each his/her own, I wouldn't mind paying 80p or something for a new weapon that ever so slightly overpowers me in an RPG like Diablo, or maybe a couple quid for a set of something (think new armour set or something). Anything over that is a rip-off in my eyes.

I don't think it's a fair comparison to make between a £30-£40 weapon/item and £9 a month MMO, though. An MMO is technically always evolving even if it's in tiny ways you may not notice, whereas that item is never going to change and chances are heavy in an a-RPG, within an hour or two that £30-£40 weapon is going to be useless and then vendored.

[Ewok]

Originally Posted by Kaostic

That's like saying my entire imaginary world is better than your imaginary hippo.

Yeah? But my imaginary Hippo can fly, so it's totally awesome.

I agree entirely to all points made, even the ones that contradict eachother.

An items worth ('real' or otherwise) is whatever someone is willing to pay for it. The market for these items will manage itself and really it's not that much different from other games that have micro transactions. Blizzard will make money sure, but at least the olayers are getting a cut.

[Kaostic]

Originally Posted by Ewok

Blizzard will make money sure, but at least the olayers are getting a cut.

It's like YouTubers Partner Program. People make content. People upload. People then get views. YouTube gets the gross amount of the money and the people get a cut of the advertising profits.

Overall, Blizzard are getting money for doing nada. Fairs fair though.

[Maggy]

its interesting how people are presuming decent weapons are gunna cost 40 quid.

Even in diablo in the unofficail stores, you could get "end game" items for a few quid. granted not perfect stat ones. but decent ones non the less.

and with everyone and his mum selling items it will drive prices down further.

[Dead Alive]

Originally Posted by Maggy

its interesting how people are presuming decent weapons are gunna cost 40 quid.

Even in diablo in the unofficail stores, you could get "end game" items for a few quid. granted not perfect stat ones. but decent ones non the less.

and with everyone and his mum selling items it will drive prices down further.

No one presumed items were going to cost £40, it was used as an (exaggerated) example.

[Kaostic]

Originally Posted by Dead Alive

No one presumed items were going to cost £40, it was used as an (exaggerated) example.

This.

Although, when people talk about buying items for 80p or a couple of quid, it reminds me of when I use to buy Pokémon cards..

[Demonjock]

Blizzard have pulled the real money AH from NA but from screen shots from this website (here)it looks like some items are going for a lot more than 30-40 with some reaching 200+ dollars. Why are blizzard pulling this ??? it must be making them a fortune.

[Dead Alive]

They're also banning thousands of accounts for hackers and cheaters (presumably relating to the AH). They deserve to be kicked off multi-player but now this means they have no access to the game they bought, even single player.

Well played, Blizz. Well played.

EDIT: "We're also hearing through the Diablo grapevine that one million gold is going for roughly $2.50 USD right now."

Looks like that 'always on for protection' thing is working out just great!