Ebay To Suspend All Virtual Item Auctions
01-29-07, 12:00 PM
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Ebay To Suspend All Virtual Item Auctions
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=12556
Don't know if this will affect anyone here.
Chris
January 26, 2007
Ebay To Suspend All Virtual Item Auctions
A new report from technology news site Slashdot has revealed that online auction house Ebay intends to remove listings for all virtual items, regardless of type or game title, clamping down on third-party sales of gold and accounts from many popular MMOs.
Despite the Slashdot piece further explaining continued in-game item and currency sales through third party firms as IGE, previously profiled on Gamasutra in August, and Sony Online Entertainment's own internal Station Exchange for its line-up of MMO titles, eBay has decided to close down all virtual item listings due to their inherent 'legal complexities.'
The policy currently in effect covers virtual items of any type, including in-game currency, items, and entire accounts or characters from MMOs, even up to, the report notes, 'neopoints' currency for casual virtual-pet website Neopets.
Speaking to Slashdot, eBay spokesperson Hani Durzy told the site that the decision, rather than a new policy to end auctions, was instead simply a follow-through of existing site policy that sellers must own the intellectual property being sold.
Durzy is quoted as saying the decision is intended to be "for the overall health of the marketplace," and that item listings would be pulled without punitive action for initial offenders, withholding actual seller removal for repeat offenders.
However, a large amount of virtual currency and objects from games such as World Of Warcraft and Ultima Online were still available on eBay as of press time, raising questions as to how swiftly and comprehensively the massive site could crack down on those posting such items - or, indeed, whether an active removal process was occurring.
POSTED: 12.50PM PST, 01/26/07 - Brandon Boyer
Ebay To Suspend All Virtual Item Auctions
A new report from technology news site Slashdot has revealed that online auction house Ebay intends to remove listings for all virtual items, regardless of type or game title, clamping down on third-party sales of gold and accounts from many popular MMOs.
Despite the Slashdot piece further explaining continued in-game item and currency sales through third party firms as IGE, previously profiled on Gamasutra in August, and Sony Online Entertainment's own internal Station Exchange for its line-up of MMO titles, eBay has decided to close down all virtual item listings due to their inherent 'legal complexities.'
The policy currently in effect covers virtual items of any type, including in-game currency, items, and entire accounts or characters from MMOs, even up to, the report notes, 'neopoints' currency for casual virtual-pet website Neopets.
Speaking to Slashdot, eBay spokesperson Hani Durzy told the site that the decision, rather than a new policy to end auctions, was instead simply a follow-through of existing site policy that sellers must own the intellectual property being sold.
Durzy is quoted as saying the decision is intended to be "for the overall health of the marketplace," and that item listings would be pulled without punitive action for initial offenders, withholding actual seller removal for repeat offenders.
However, a large amount of virtual currency and objects from games such as World Of Warcraft and Ultima Online were still available on eBay as of press time, raising questions as to how swiftly and comprehensively the massive site could crack down on those posting such items - or, indeed, whether an active removal process was occurring.
POSTED: 12.50PM PST, 01/26/07 - Brandon Boyer
Don't know if this will affect anyone here.
Chris
01-29-07, 12:52 PM
#3
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Originally Posted by orangecrush18
I guess I will have to shut down my gold farming operations in Mexico.
The big-time gold farmers won't be effected by this, they all have their own websites. It's the "mom and pop" gold farmers that will be hit the hardest.
01-29-07, 01:11 PM
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I think it will hurt those the most who had planned on selling off their level 70 epic geared accounts. Those went for hundreds of dollars on ebay, and was a nice way to make some money while you're kicking your WoW habit.
01-29-07, 02:20 PM
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WoW gold is not "intellectual property." Cash for the transfer of in-game items is not "intellectual property"
This has to be the result of bad publicity regarding foreign sweatshops, because there is no "legal complexity" in selling WoW gold or accounts or in-game items.
This has to be the result of bad publicity regarding foreign sweatshops, because there is no "legal complexity" in selling WoW gold or accounts or in-game items.
01-29-07, 02:28 PM
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The legal complexity arises when you consider that it's against the ToS of most of these games to sell in-game gold, items or accounts. Furthermore, fraud is impossible to investigate because it's all in-game.
But I'm sure that what "legal complexity" really means here is "Blizzard threatened to sue".
But I'm sure that what "legal complexity" really means here is "Blizzard threatened to sue".
01-29-07, 02:34 PM
#7
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Originally Posted by ScandalUMD
WoW gold is not "intellectual property." Cash for the transfer of in-game items is not "intellectual property"
This has to be the result of bad publicity regarding foreign sweatshops, because there is no "legal complexity" in selling WoW gold or accounts or in-game items.
This has to be the result of bad publicity regarding foreign sweatshops, because there is no "legal complexity" in selling WoW gold or accounts or in-game items.
01-29-07, 03:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Mordred
This makes sense, but this is the first I've heard of it (besides the joke in the 2nd post). Anybody have a link to news stories about these?
http://www.wowwiki.com/Gold_Farmer
Apparently, Blizzard's announcements have claimed that they think they have a legal remedy, but their practice has just been to ban people. Their contention that they "own" all the stuff in game is not legally settled.
I think that the argument that Blizzard owns the game and everything in it might stand up in the context of a banned player trying to assert some kind of right to his character and items, or in the context of a group of players trying to use legal recourse to stop Blizzard from doing something like shutting down the server.
However, it does not provide any IP based claim I recognize in the context of an argument that IP law allows them any remedy beyond banning people from the game for this kind of conduct. You can certainly transact in-game to exchange in-game goods for in-game money, and I can't fathom any argument that would prevent people from exchanging a currency or good in the game for something outside the game.
I think ebay's complexity is that their lawyers could not give them a 100% answer because there is no precedent controlling the issue.
01-29-07, 06:43 PM
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This won't effect anyone really, at least not with the gold. There are plenty of sites out there (Swagvault.com - I've purchased from them) that sell and buy gold / influence / whatever the game has.
I can see how a lot of people who sell their lvl 70's will be pissed now tho'.
I can see how a lot of people who sell their lvl 70's will be pissed now tho'.
01-29-07, 07:12 PM
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the main issue is with fraud and paypal.
with virtual goods especially of the in game kind there is no proof that items were sent and received and therefore sellers are screwed.
handling fraud on these cases is a nightmare because sometimes the buyer was really scammed sometimes the buyer is the scammer.
ooo, nifty spell check in posts
with virtual goods especially of the in game kind there is no proof that items were sent and received and therefore sellers are screwed.
handling fraud on these cases is a nightmare because sometimes the buyer was really scammed sometimes the buyer is the scammer.
ooo, nifty spell check in posts
01-30-07, 06:33 AM
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Originally Posted by Groucho
The big-time gold farmers won't be effected by this, they all have their own websites. It's the "mom and pop" gold farmers that will be hit the hardest.
02-06-07, 07:22 PM
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well about Swagvault
Originally Posted by LivingINClip
This won't effect anyone really, at least not with the gold. There are plenty of sites out there (Swagvault.com - I've purchased from them) that sell and buy gold / influence / whatever the game has.
I can see how a lot of people who sell their lvl 70's will be pissed now tho'.
I can see how a lot of people who sell their lvl 70's will be pissed now tho'.
Not the best site to buy from...
I purchased 2000M ISK for eve online and they delivered only 1000M..
Had to file a dispute and now waiting for the outcome..
02-07-07, 04:13 AM
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Originally Posted by squidget
the main issue is with fraud and paypal.
with virtual goods especially of the in game kind there is no proof that items were sent and received and therefore sellers are screwed.
handling fraud on these cases is a nightmare because sometimes the buyer was really scammed sometimes the buyer is the scammer.
ooo, nifty spell check in posts
with virtual goods especially of the in game kind there is no proof that items were sent and received and therefore sellers are screwed.
handling fraud on these cases is a nightmare because sometimes the buyer was really scammed sometimes the buyer is the scammer.
ooo, nifty spell check in posts
don't they have escrow services for this purpose? seller transfer goods to escrow company, buyer pays when notified that escrow has the goods sort of thing
