I sold my Warhammer account this weekend. I got about $250.00 dollars for it. According to fellow War players, I could have held out for twice that, but I just wanted it out of temptations range. The tainted money is going towards our tattoos (see earlier thread).
I used Player Auctions. It was quite easy. It all felt legit and relatively safe.
I scoured some of the other auctions. There was an EQ duel-boxing account set-up (2 accounts) that the seller was asking 5 grand for. It had 5 maxed out characters (the cap for EQ is now 85 btw). I can't imagine anyone paying that kind of money, but who knows.
Currency selling is advertised and done in-game these days with little consequence to the buyer or seller if the transgression is reported.
The game companies, unable to staunch the bleed of gaming money going out to third-party farming companies, responded by selling the stuff themselves.
So, have attitudes changed around here? Despite selling a gaming account, I'm still all for upholding the EULA's that most games come with (selling my account is not technically against War's EULA according to the game dev I talked to). Zam is kind of owned now by a company that kind of made it's mark on the gaming world by illicitly selling gaming stuff.
I hate to think peeps are messing up the enjoyability of their own game by supporting sales of gold and items but maybe their enjoyment really is enhanced by spending an extra fifteen bucks for 100 gold pieces.
Anyways, virtual sales are now their own economy. Virtual worlds like Gaia and Second Life have e-malls where you can spend real money. Famous personalities are not only putting their names on t-shirts and tennis shoes, but on virtual goods as well. You might not be able to afford that 46" High Def tv in real life, but maybe you can afford the top-of-line Golden Winged Pegasus that your virtual self can ride on in your virtual world. Is the e-horse less satisfying than the real TV?
Make-believe worlds are getting pretty crazy. I'm retreating back to the real one.