Game Auction Site Sues Game Maker
from the let-us-trade! dept
We've discussed here many times stories of people selling online gaming characters from games like EverQuest on eBay. The companies that make those games, for the most part, aren't happy. Recently, the folks behind "Dark Age of Camelot" have forced eBay to shut down auctions run by a group called CamelotExchange. Those guys are now suing the game publisher saying that it is an unfair business practice - especially since the publisher itself sells goods on eBay. They might have a point. I'm not sure why all these gaming companies are so against the trade of their characters on eBay. It's likely to get more people playing if they think they can make some money off of it.
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why companies don't want you to sell characters
Unfortunately, these serious gamers preceive the game world as more important than the real world. So, from their perspective, they spent 3,000 hours building some 29th level fighter mage, and some weenie with 1 hour of experience just bought a 30th level character, and killed them.
These gamers have all their ego wrapped up in the game (yes, this happens; and no it isn't good)--and when they realize they just spent 3,000 hours and got beaten by some guy with 1 hour and $100--they get mad. And leave, cuz their 'world' just isn't running the way it should.
From the game maker's perspective, would you rather have someone playing for 3,000 hours over a year (=$120 of revenue) or have them buy a character, log in, piss off your core people, then leave the game?
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