Gold Famers: A developer's perspective.

[Missing_Minds]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/gold-trading-exposed-the-developers-article

Figured some of you would enjoy the read, but not certain if it belongs in this area or off topic. I figure, if it belongs in off topic, it will get moved.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

Interesting series of articles. I find it particularily interesting that at least one producer feels they could make more money selling their in game currency than they do selling the game itself :eek:

A $2billion industry... no wonder they are so persistant.

[frugal_gourmet]

I'm still not convinced gold-farming is as horrendous a crime as all that. In this article, it's likened to organized crime and linked to various criminal activities like theft.

Seems a bit sensational to me.

Please tell me the guy who spends $100 on his credit card is way more of an idiot than the guy who spends 4 weeks running the same activity over and over again.

What the "developer's" perspective touches on, but needs to make even clearer -- platinum farming is a result of grind heavy game play. As long as you fill the game with unpleasant activities that need to be done over and over again, that are no fun, and cost time ... well... sane players will realize that buying their way out of the un-fun activities and getting to the fun stuff is preferable.

Players are already willing to spend money for more fun, or they wouldn't be online gamers.

So, the developer can talk about it all he wants, but its his product's design that really impacts how big a deal gold farming really is.