That's the message that players of EverQuest and other online role-playing games sent to would-be buyers of virtual characters and property over the weekend. Readers writing in ZDNN TalkBack forum and several e-mails spoke out against the selling of virtual goods in online auctions, such as eBay.
"To just pay someone cash for a character they already played, whom you have no feeling for, seems to totally miss the whole point of this game," wrote one person who posted to ZDNN's TalkBack. "It just goes to show once again how some people in our society are always looking for a way to cheapen things and exploit them."
The backlash comes in the wake of last Wednesday's announcement by the makers of EverQuest, 989 Studios, that it would forbid players of its popular game from selling customized characters and virtual property on online auction sites. 989 Studios said the decision came about because of several incidents of bidding fraud.
"This is a reminder that … ownership transfer of accounts, characters, items (except for in-game trading/selling/buying), and any other game related properties are expressly forbidden," stated the warning which greeted users logging on since Wednesday.
The move aimed to head off complaints of fraud and bid padding in the wake of several postings claiming that groups of players were colluding on eBay to artificially raise bids.
"I wouldn't call this a ban," said Michael Lustenberger, director of entertainment marketing for 989 Studios, which with its parent company Sony Computer Entertainment of America Inc. and partner Verant Interactive Inc., created and runs the EverQuest game. "We just want to warn players to beware. We see a lot of people getting ripped off."
Passion play
EverQuest, released February 1999, has gained an online following of 150,000 active users, despite an initial cost of about $50 and a monthly charge of nearly $10. In it, players don the persona of a fantasy-based character -- whether a warrior, priest or mage -- chat, and kill virtual monsters. The more monsters a player can kill, the more money they gain and the better their characters become.
The effort is time consuming. Players can spend weeks, if not months, of playing to get good armor, weapons, and skills.
Enter auction sites, such as eBay.
The real-world sale of virtual property is a phenomenon that has gained popularity since characters and property from Ultima Online -- run by game maker Origin Systems Inc. -- sold for several thousands of dollars. Ultima Online resembles EverQuest in that players can gain items and property, even houses and castles.
"It's just like real life," said David Swofford, spokesman for Origin Systems. "Everyone wants a house."
Unlike 989 Studios, Origin Systems allows the auctioning of characters and property on auction sites. "We think that people being able to create wealth in Ultima Online that turns into real wealth is not a bad thing," he said. "We have never had to stop it -- It really kind of shows the passion people have for the game.
Passion is right. The going rate for a high-level (read: powerful) character can be anywhere from $50 to $500 in EverQuest. Last spring, Origin Systems announced -- with some sense of pride -- that two characters, possessing large amounts of property, sold for $3,000 each.
That has raised the ire of several players. "Games are supposed to be tests of skill," said another player in a ZDNN TalkBack. "You shouldn't be able to simply buy your way to the top."
At least one ZDNN reader, however, has come out in favor of the online properties trade.
"The supposed ban for selling of any in-game materials does not benefit anyone, and will be almost completely impossible to enforce," said Nathan Clow, who sold an EverQuest character for $500 on eBay. "The only thing this serves is to stop complaints to Verant that people were defrauded while selling their account."
Currently, while Ultima Online accounts for a modest 400 items or characters, almost 1,500 EverQuest characters and items are up for auction on eBay.
And the warning to users may have little affect, as Lustenberger admits that 989 Studios will not enforce the rule. "There are probably some people who are making a living selling EverQuest characters."
