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The biggest news on the Diablo III front, over its lack of LAN and always-on internet connection DRM, is the reveal of the real-money auction house. Items found in game will, for a transaction fee, be able to be put up for sale for cash. Moolah. Dinero. Reactions have been mixed, though Blizzard is adamant that they have only the best of intentions. That said, in an investor conference call yesterday, the question was raised as to whether this framework could be applied to StarCraft II. The response? Yes. How would this be implemented in a game like StarCraft II, which doesn’t have the same item-based focus as Diablo III? Michael Morhaime offers the following: 
He goes on to clarify that this is an incredibly complex venture, and will be carefully considered before any implementation occurs. Cash-for-gold/items has been a taboo of online gaming for such a long time that there’s a certain cognitive dissonance to seeing developers find ways to encourage a player-centered, real-money economy. How successful will it be? Here’s hoping for the best. |