-NEWS- eBay Delisting Virtual Property from Auctions

[Meltd0wn]

Currency, items, characters -- virtual property is being ripped off of the online auction house.

The growing popularity of Massively Multiplayer games has brought the issue of ownership rights in virtual worlds, and the appropriateness of what is called 'real money transfer' (RMT) into an increasingly public light. The success of the company IGE, as well as the launch of Sony Online Entertainment's 'Station Exchange' service would seem to indicate that RMT is now an acceptable part of Massive gaming. The well-known auction site eBay has recently made a policy decision that may throw these assumptions into a different light. Following up on a rumour that's been going around I spoke today with a media representative for the company, who confirmed that eBay is now delisting all auctions for 'virtual artifacts' from the site. This includes currency, items, and accounts/characters; not even the 'neopoints' used in the popular Neopets service is exempt from this decision. Read on below for the company's rationale for this decision, and a few words on the impact this could have on future RMT sales.

Mr. Hani Durzy, speaking for eBay, explained that the decision to pull these items was due to the 'legal complexities' surrounding virtual property. "For the overall health of the marketplace" the company felt that the proper course of action, after considerable contemplation, was to ban the sale of these items outright. While he couldn't give me a specific date when the delistings began, he estimated that they've been coming down for about a month or so. Mr. Durzy pointed out that in reality, the company is just now following through with a pre-existing policy, as opposed to creating a new one. The policy on digitally delivered goods states: "The seller must be the owner of the underlying intellectual property, or authorized to distribute it by the intellectual property owner." Given the nebulous nature of ownership in online games, eBay has decided the prudent decision is to remove the possibility for players to sell what might be the IP of other parties via their service. Mr. Durzy made it a point to say that initial listings of virtual property would not have punitive actions. Their assumption, he said, is that most users break with policies because they're unaware of them, rather than maliciously. Initial infractions will result in a delisting of items, and an attempt to educate the user on the policy. Persistent disregard for the policies, of course, will result in a removal of the seller's account.

We've spoken before on the possibility of taxation of virtual goods in the U.S. and abroad, as well as the economic impact these sales can have. With the removal of a very popular, very public source of virtual currency and goods from the market, what does this mean for the future of RMT? Will small businessmen who previously worked via eBay now turn to larger independent sites like IGE? Given that eBay is ipso facto declaring virtual goods to be the property of the game makers and not the players who 'earn' them, what does this mean for the future of virtual rights in general?


(Source: Slashdot.com)

I especially find this interesting because I have found lately more and more people trying to use this auction/forum site to break the TOS of online games by trying to trade virtual items with things they hack on AC:WW.

Im glad to see that ebay is finally getting strict with their rules that have been in place for awhile now.

Now if there was just a way to weed out these bad seeds from the online games themselves, maybe they would be more enjoyable to the casual gamers as well.

[Smeagol]

Finally eBay does something right.

[person123]

i find it stupid that somebody wouold actually spend Real money, to get Fake money in a game that will have no impact on your life....
that's a waste, yay for ebay

[Jessica]

[Vicious913]

This is cutting hairs, the way the auctions were worded, there is nothing wrong with them. You were buying their time, much like paid labor, which is legal.

[person123]

true...i guess i just think games are for fun..not to spend real money for fake money
just my opinion

[Vicious913]

[Meltd0wn]

The down side of those who "buy" their way to higher levels, dont have the 'connection' to the game and have no problem ruining the game for others by either playing stupid, not knowing what they are doing, or worse use their bought powers to kill off other players just for the fun of it.

I feel if someone takes the time to build, they at least have some respect for others who also put all that time into their games.

Ive always said its fine to 'cheat' a game as long as nobody else is hurt in the process. unfortunately though, in Online games others get cheated by those "rich" enough to just buy their way up the ranks.

I guess its because ive always been poor, but I hate anything that the advantage goes to the person with the most money. That used to be one of the bright sides of Video Games, it was about skill and patience, and not who had the deeper pockets. lol

[ingenious]

[Vicious913]

@both of you. Killing noobs is the true fun in games. xD