The Auction House Joins the WoW Companion App
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
It’s been some time since the Auction House was available to mobile users, but the time has come for its return. With the 9.2.7 patch, it becomes a part of the WoW Companion App.

A Little History

The Remote Auction House was once a part of the WoW Armory app released in 2011 and retired in 2018. Due to the way this app was built, there were times in which individuals would abuse the architecture of the app, often causing a disruption to the player economy and even, in some cases, causing in-game latency. This was largely due to the number of queries that could flood the auction house resulting in strained servers as they attempted to manage the larger load. While there were ways that we could and often did mitigate the effect, the ongoing negative impact from those who sought to exploit the system outweighed continuing to support ongoing development.

In light of the change in direction, we moved on to the development of the current WoW Companion App, which provides a more secure experience more in line with the types of activities your character takes on when you log in to play the game today.

Framing the App for Modern Times

In our previous Engineer’s Workshop covering the development of the WoW Companion App, we delved into the intricacies of creating a system simultaneously for both mobile and PC platforms. The biggest hurdle in implementing new features was structuring the necessary frameworks to support the feature. Many of these frameworks were written over the 17+ years of history of World of Warcraft during a time when mobile wasn’t a consideration. This leads to additional work to modernize systems to support both a PC and mobile experience.

In addition, data delivery methods and restrictions look different on PC and mobile. While a system may serve the same set of data to both, extra care must be taken to minimize what is sent to mobile to limit what the player needs to download.

For a feature as large as the Auction House, there were and are many additional frameworks that need to be carefully modernized to support both experiences.

Developing for the Now

When looking into the implementation of the Auction House as a part of the WoW Companion App, we had to gauge how much structure we could put in place for the now and what that would mean for the immediate functionality of the Auction House once it was pushed live. To do this, we took time to dig into more of who is using the Auction House and what they are using it for. We identified the various archetypes and what we could deliver to each user group within a reasonable time.

In the end, we determined that we wanted to create something that would still be useful to casual and mid-core players who use the Auction House regularly for more common purchases such as dungeon and raid preparation or looking out for additional items for their collections.

The original Remote Auction House was never meant to be a “go-to” tool for hardcore traders. In many cases, these users were already using other addons or external tools to maximize their trades beyond what the app could provide. Keeping this in mind, the new app update provides a way for players to make purchases, view listings, and more. Due to our desire to provide an Auction House experience in a more immediate timeframe, we have excluded listing items for sale.

What Can You Do?

With the WoW Companion App update, players will be able to:

  • Browse and view current auctions
  • Bid and buyout auctions
  • Search for auctions
  • Add and remove items from your Favorites list
  • View and cancel your listed auctions


What's Next?

As with the introduction of cross-faction development in the 9.2.5 update, we want to start off slowly. This allows us to assess how players use the app, assess the impact and risk vectors, then introduce more as it makes sense and fits within our development structure.

We hope this new addition to the WoW Companion app enhances your time in Azeroth and look forward to your ensuing feedback.
This article was originally published in forum thread: The Auction House Joins the WoW Companion App started by Lumy View original post
Comments 61 Comments
  1. bruxx's Avatar
    Glad to see it's finally coming back. Really enjoyed setting up some auctions before bed in the old app
  1. Niwes's Avatar
    it’s nice. but the question is: how long will it last? how long, before it becomes forgotten (again), next xpac development is more important, Blizz loose interest, or management says the budget is invested better anywhere else?
  1. kiruz's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by bruxx View Post
    Glad to see it's finally coming back. Really enjoyed setting up some auctions before bed in the old app
    well, you must have missed it, but setting auctions won't be possible. Only viewing and buying
  1. bloodykiller86's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by kiruz View Post
    well, you must have missed it, but setting auctions won't be possible. Only viewing and buying
    for now. they want to monitor how it goes first before letting the beast free lol
  1. Firefall's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by kiruz View Post
    well, you must have missed it, but setting auctions won't be possible. Only viewing and buying
    I too missed this... what a joke lol. What's even the point.
  1. Khaza-R's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Firefall View Post
    I too missed this... what a joke lol. What's even the point.
    So you see something expensive and think - Gee jolly, I really need to buy more WoW token$
  1. Relapses's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Khaza-R View Post
    So you see something expensive and think - Gee jolly, I really need to buy more WoW token$
    Nah, it couldn't be because its previous iteration with the ability to place auctions was prone to botting which slowed down the servers as was mentioned in the fucking post, it's because Blizzard must sell WoW tokens. WoW token bad! DAE boosting sucks? Updoots to the left, people!
  1. Greyvax's Avatar
    about damn time.

    nothing better than listing some auctions while away from home, or even on the toilet.
  1. WowIsDead64's Avatar
    So it's about full cycle app again now? I mean, table gives lots of mats, but I'm too lazy to go to auction every time. I don't have brutosaur. So they clutter my bags. So, now I can sell them at any moment? Don't Blizzard think, that it's too OP and mobile app is mandatory? May be auction should be made more accessible in game?
  1. Puri's Avatar
    Why did they even bother putting work into that feature? It's useless and is going to find hardly any use without the possibility of selling items...
  1. Niwes's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Khaza-R View Post
    So you see something expensive and think - Gee jolly, I really need to buy more WoW token$
    yeah, lol. can’t say i not thought the same.

    milk it, milk it, milk it!
  1. Jester Joe's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Niwes View Post
    yeah, lol. can’t say i not thought the same.

    milk it, milk it, milk it!
    As pointed out, a really weird take.

    I get some of y'all dislike the game, but to follow it just to be so overly negative is weird.

    Like, are you seriously thinking someone is going to look at the AH and decide they need to buy a token while pooping?
    Or better yet, how is that any different than someone looking at the AH in game?

    The biggest real convenience to come out of this is I can buy my raid stuff before raid without having to get on the game early or care about walking to the AH.
  1. ohwell's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by WowIsDead64 View Post
    So it's about full cycle app again now? I mean, table gives lots of mats, but I'm too lazy to go to auction every time. I don't have brutosaur. So they clutter my bags. So, now I can sell them at any moment? Don't Blizzard think, that it's too OP and mobile app is mandatory? May be auction should be made more accessible in game?
    Table gives reasonable mats in terms of cooking maybe, but everything else it's pretty balls. The gold on the other hand is definitely worth it for the table as it's about 300 per even at low levels. You also can't sell them immediately if you could post auctions when this happens(you can't yet as it's only buy and view) because they're mostly contained in bags and things.
  1. Enter Name Here's Avatar
    i suppose the most likely usecase is someone being late for raid/m+ and buying flasks/pots on the go
  1. Aesahaettr's Avatar
    Tbh this is all the functionality I need. I only really buy stuff and really actually sell anything, so it'll make getting flasks and stuff for raids a tad easier for me, instead of having to rush to the AH a free minutes before the raid.
  1. Niwes's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Jester Joe View Post
    As pointed out, a really weird take.

    I get some of y'all dislike the game, but to follow it just to be so overly negative is weird.

    Like, are you seriously thinking someone is going to look at the AH and decide they need to buy a token while pooping?
    Or better yet, how is that any different than someone looking at the AH in game?

    The biggest real convenience to come out of this is I can buy my raid stuff before raid without having to get on the game early or care about walking to the AH.
    and ofc it’s waaay less weird to white knight a company, with a past like Blizz, to infinity? ofc!

    not really meant offensive per se, but sorry, it’s really hard to take you serious, when looking at your posts of the last 3-5 years, when Blizz became what Blizz became, and looking at Blizzards actions, while looking at your posts. i just can’t take you serious, sorry.

    not meant that offensive, but you already crossed that thin line of still being somewhat rational and realistic, keeping up some rational relations while not looking naive AF.
  1. Nerph-'s Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Niwes View Post
    and ofc it’s waaay less weird to white knight a company, with a past like Blizz, to infinity? ofc!

    not really meant offensive per se, but sorry, it’s really hard to take you serious, when looking at your posts of the last 3-5 years, when Blizz became what Blizz became, and looking at Blizzards actions, while looking at your posts. i just can’t take you serious, sorry.
    and here we go again...

    so anyone that is not obnoxiously negative about Blizzard is instantly white-knighting them?

    It really is weird how you lot hang around a fan site of a company and game you apparently loathe.
  1. Niwes's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Nerph- View Post
    and here we go again...

    so anyone that is not obnoxiously negative about Blizzard is instantly white-knighting them?

    It really is weird how you lot hang around a fan site of a company and game you apparently loathe.
    nah, not per se. but look at all the threads that discussed Blizzards actions. regardless if token supporting game design descisions, or how they handled their harassments affairs. and then look at JJ‘s posts in that time, in that last 2-4 years. it’s just not mine. so i just disagree. but it’s his opinion and that’s fine. it’s just not mine.

    you neither need to love and praise a lousy company, to like some game. nor you need to hate your beloved game just because of some company. imo. and both works for both mindset directions, including your „positive“ one and my „negative“ one. at least in my opinion.
  1. Shakzor's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Aesahaettr View Post
    Tbh this is all the functionality I need. I only really buy stuff and really actually sell anything, so it'll make getting flasks and stuff for raids a tad easier for me, instead of having to rush to the AH a free minutes before the raid.
    It probably is enough for most. But the functionality to sell WAS in one of the earlier apps iirc.
    But for now, they probably just want to see if it's actually working and stable, before opening the floodgates to the other 50% (selling)

    Gotta say tho, not you but here in general, love that it IMMEDIATELY devolves into "they want to sell more tokens!" as if that's the only thing people can use the auction house for (and in this case, we don't even know if we can buy/sell tokens at ALL, yet)
  1. Nask's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Niwes View Post
    and ofc it’s waaay less weird to white knight a company, with a past like Blizz, to infinity? ofc!

    not really meant offensive per se, but sorry, it’s really hard to take you serious, when looking at your posts of the last 3-5 years, when Blizz became what Blizz became, and looking at Blizzards actions, while looking at your posts. i just can’t take you serious, sorry.

    not meant that offensive, but you already crossed that thin line of still being somewhat rational and realistic, keeping up some rational relations while not looking naive AF.
    I like how you say "not really meant offensive " not once, but twice to try and hide your flaming

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