tinfoil hat theory about RMAH

[xervyn]

Some random idea popped into my head today about the RMAH... My thought was that it could be a way for blizzard to get people to play the game for a longer time with psychology. The longer people play the more expansions they will buy. Any way here is how it would work:
1. Person plays the game for the first time.
2. As the person plays the game they get rewarded with new gear and levels (I think pretty much every rpg out the rewards people with gear.)
3. The longer the person plays the more gear they get rewarded.
4. Person wants to play longer to get more of the rewards.
5. Person reaches end of the game and has all the best gear. No more rewards (most rpg's end here but with the RMAH...)
6. Person starts to get rewarded for farming the gear over and over because it can be sold on the RMAH.
7. RMAH won't keep the person playing for ever but it can keep them there long enough to keep them interested in upcoming expansion where the cycle starts again.

/take tinfoil hat off my head.

[Kathranis]

Diablo II had a big RMT black market, as do nearly all online games.

Since Diablo III isn't an MMORPG and there's no major concerns about character balance, world firsts, group makeup, etc., they're in a situation where players buying items doesn't have any real effect on other players, so it's something they can support without adversely affecting any individual player's experience.

This is just a way that Blizzard can offer support to players wishing to engage in that type of game economy while protecting them from scams, and also take a small cut to increase their own revenue, as the game is otherwise F2P (and will be completely free to any WoW players who signed up for the pass).

[Nivius]

world of warcraft?

[Awakar]

Eh, more than anything I think it's just there for extra profit, not to keep people playing the game longer. This stuff already happened illegitimately, so Blizzard is simply trying to get their cut and make some cash. Not that I necessarily like the idea of a RMAH (I don't) but it could potentially rake in extra money for Blizzard. Once the system is fully set up and tested, it's easy money.

[themortalgod]

I think blizzard plans to re-invest some of the profits from RMAH back into the game with content patches that add more items into the game between expansions that in turn generate even more RMAH income for them. Could be a very lucrative circle for them It also good for the players. A monetary incentive to continually release additional content.

[kosuko]

Real Money Auction House?

Not sure if it's just me that had to read 3 posts to realise what RMAH stands for, but it can be quite confusing.

[Deleted]

Pretty good point/post xervyn. I'm happy that people understand what RMAH is for.

[cyan421]

Guys look at spiral knights, its a free to play with some very interesting earnings potential in the way the economies work.

With the RMAH blizzard will show the world of gaming a new way of making money, I guarantee in a year this sort of thing will be in a major shooter like call or duty or something in a year to so. It will be a massive success in both places.

[Restos3]

I don't think you've played D2 before, OP.
You don't get "best gear" so easily as you described.