wow Blizzard Seemingly Ramps Up Suspensions for Gold Buying

[Starym 3,800]

 

Over the past month or so, we've seen quite a few posts about Blizzard suspending players for buying gold, and the frequency of the posts seems to be increasing as well, as they may be clamping down on the buyers.

Most of the suspensions seem to be focused around the Burning Crusade Classic, but some are unclear about which version the gold was bought for so it's very likely that they've been happening in retail as well. The temporary bans are pretty short, only 3 days in fact, but they also remove all the gold bought (and according to some unconfirmed reports, a lot of extra gold as well), and clearly state that future suspensions will be harsher and possibly even result in permanent bans.

The most recent example was from a very frank BCC player, Dirtwizardd, who accepted the suspension and admitted they did it and were fine with it:

"Bought gold TBC - slapped"

There's plenty of conspiracy theorists in the thread, speculating that clearly the only reason Blizzard would do this is because the WoW token is coming to Classic, as everything has to be nefarious. While the token was recently spotted on a hidden EU/NA Battle.net store page, the suspensions almost certainly have nothing to do with it, but the current anti-Blizzard sentiment is running a little high in the Classic community after the boost and cloning controversies. Many players also commented how 3 days is too light a punishment, but in case you were wondering just how much this ended up costing Dirtwizardd, they also shared that it was a cool $350 for the 5K bought. 

While this all certainly is anecdotal, there have been many posts like the above in the past month or so (including a few in the same thread), on both the Classic and retail WoW reddits, which seems to indicate Blizzard are clamping down on gold buying specifically, as its frequency may have been increased due to the 5,000 gold flying skill cost in BCC. While there are certainly still plenty of players that have bought or are buying gold with impunity, it does seem that the focus has shifted to this particular rules infraction lately, so we'll see if the reports keep piling up and if the punishment increases as well.

Do you think a 3 day initial suspension and the bought gold removed is enough of a punishment?

[Bobbis 208]

I think 3 days is fine for a first warning. Enough to set people back during these early days of TBCC, and a slap on the wrist to warn people and maybe scare people off. Try and take out the demand to curtail the supply perhaps. 

It'll also flag their accounts and they've warned of harsher punishments if it happens again. 

[Ghitza 0]

TBC maybe but Retail ? I think Blizzard has lower or same prices with their tokens. For retail there is no reason to risk buying gold when you can get it directly from the source 🙂 with 0 risks.

[hirlix 8]

I really hope the Tokens come soon so I can buy the faster flying. Even back in the days when I was still a student it took me ages to save that kind of gold while having to pay for consumable and other stuff...

[HugeMurloc 43]

3 hours ago, Ghitza said:

TBC maybe but Retail ? I think Blizzard has lower or same prices with their tokens. For retail there is no reason to risk buying gold when you can get it directly from the source 🙂 with 0 risks.

I know a person that bought from an outer source cause it was cheaper. When i told him that he is risking his account he told me that he has no problem cause he canbuy a new one 

Anyway it's really dumb to but "illegal" gold when you can buy the Token. Especially at this time that it's at 270K here ine EU 

[Prophet001 598]

Gold buying and selling completely destroys the integrity of the game.

This dude shoulda been banned for way longer than 3 days.

[Calysia 229]

1 hour ago, Prophet001 said:

Gold buying and selling completely destroys the integrity of the game.

This dude shoulda been banned for way longer than 3 days.

I think losing $350 is a pretty good incentive not to do it again!

[blacktiger1974 24]

6 hours ago, Prophet001 said:

Gold buying and selling completely destroys the integrity of the game.

How exactly? Money income in 'classic' is insanely slow if you're not sitting in game 25/8. The first 'income balanced' WOW addon was Wrath. So I absolutely understand people buying gold. I did it ages ago to buy a first 100% riding skill and my first mount 13 years ago.

Boosting and selling raid-spots (even for gold) affects the integrity of the game more than buying gold.

[Prophet001 598]

30 minutes ago, blacktiger1974 said:

How exactly? Money income in 'classic' is insanely slow if you're not sitting in game 25/8. The first 'income balanced' WOW addon was Wrath. So I absolutely understand people buying gold. I did it ages ago to buy a first 100% riding skill and my first mount 13 years ago.

Boosting and selling raid-spots (even for gold) affects the integrity of the game more than buying gold.

The only thing that matters in the game is what is done in the game. If you devalue that then you devalue the game itself.

TLDR: It's paying real world currency for in game advantage over those that don't pay for it. Pay to win if you wish.

If no one bought gold then everyone would acquire it organically. That means that the person with more gold than you made it through in-game efforts that translated into in-game rewards. If you introduce gold buying for real world money into the game then what you have or don't have in the game isn't based on what you've done in game but it's based on what you've done in real life. Something that not everyone can afford to rely on. The game world and the characters in it should be insulated from how much expendable income you have in real life.

Obviously, once you introduce gold buying you incentivize no small list of problems. Some of those being: botting, boxing, massive inflation, exclusion from groups, etc etc. No longer can you work and earn things in game just like everyone else, but because of this huge inflation, it's not possible and so you also are forced to buy gold to compete with others that do it. It self perpetuates.

[DahkCeles 18]

7 hours ago, Prophet001 said:

Gold buying and selling completely destroys the integrity of the game.

This dude shoulda been banned for way longer than 3 days.

I could understand wanting to see the future bans increase in duration, but it seems unwarranted to drop the hammer at full weight when starting out a ramp-up in enforcement.

It's completely normal to start small in a mini-blitz -- give a shot across the bow, so to speak -- but then step it up for everyone including future first-time offenders.

[Bobbis 208]

4 hours ago, Prophet001 said:

Obviously, once you introduce gold buying you incentivize no small list of problems. Some of those being: botting, boxing, massive inflation, exclusion from groups, etc etc. No longer can you work and earn things in game just like everyone else, but because of this huge inflation, it's not possible and so you also are forced to buy gold to compete with others that do it. It self perpetuates.

I suspect this may be a start in trying to combat the botting issue in the game, at least a bit harder than they have been recently. If you cut the demand, the supply will also dry up.

[blacktiger1974 24]

10 hours ago, Prophet001 said:

If no one bought gold then everyone would acquire it organically.

This is not about 'classic'. In classic this is not 'organic', it's broken.

[kakodaimonos 5]

1 hour ago, blacktiger1974 said:

This is not about 'classic'. In classic this is not 'organic', it's broken.

So you can't afford to invest the time requestet to play the game and instead need to buy gold with real money.

People like you are the reason the WoW Token was even invented. You are the reason games are infested with MTX. People like you who need to buy advantages with real money should stop playing games altogether rather then destroying them for the rest of us.

And yes I'm totally aware that it's not "just you" who is destroying the game. But there's not only you who is thinking the same way. Better play mobile games with an auto play feature if you lack the time.

If it seems "broken" for you then simply stop playing rather then violating the TOS.

[blacktiger1974 24]

On 6/10/2021 at 9:55 AM, kakodaimonos said:

So you can't afford to invest the time requestet to play the game and instead need to buy gold with real money.

People like you are the reason the WoW Token was even invented. You are the reason games are infested with MTX. People like you who need to buy advantages with real money should stop playing games altogether rather then destroying them for the rest of us.

And yes I'm totally aware that it's not "just you" who is destroying the game. But there's not only you who is thinking the same way. Better play mobile games with an auto play feature if you lack the time.

If it seems "broken" for you then simply stop playing rather then violating the TOS.

"Facebook generation"? Be happy or shut up? 12 years ago I had enough time to play games, now I don't. The world is changing.

Edited July 6, 2021 by blacktiger1974

[Fewsilly 0]

I spent $20 to save myself a little time playing TBC and I just got a 3 day ban.  3 days seems a bit severe for $20.  All they had to do was take away the money and I would never do it again.  I have purchased gold many times over the last 17 years and never had a problem. I would not have had to purchase it if they had stopped gold sellers in the first place. They make a lot of money off the gold seller accounts. 

Why punish the buyers?  They should punish the sellers.   It is easier and cheaper to punish the buyers.   I can make my own money if there were not a zillion unguilded mages running around farming gold to sell.  It is almost impossible to find mining nodes or herbs because of all the farming. 

[Brbplx 0]

I don't think gold buyers should be banned first of all if the was no sellers there wouldn't be buyers too they are letting bots farm for free and mages to boost people in dungeons everyone is bis geared and some people will need gold to catch up its same like the cocaine you ain't getting in trouble if you just buy it you are getting in trouble when you sell it . Full nonsense some people don't have the time to farm all day gold but want to enjoy the game . Keep the bots and boosters but ban the buyers lmao the whole company is a joke

[bobolito187 0]

TBH, i think they should relax with gold buyers. Its fine if you buy gold, aslong its from blizzard. GTFO!