While Diablo III’s real money auction house has been the subject of some controversy for many people, for at least one player, it’s been a cash-dispenser of pretty epic proportions – according to Reddit user WishboneTheDog, he’s already banked over $10,000 in sales.<\/p>\n
Before anybody calls troll, his claims are backed up by screenshots of his auction house transaction history<\/a> and corresponding PayPal listings<\/a>, and he’s also been doing a Q&A over on Reddit’s Diablo forum.<\/p>\n “One of my favorite parts of gaming has been the economics of the item markets since I started trading in Neopets ten years ago. It is what first got me interested in economics, and I am now studying business at a good university. I hope to consult with game companies someday about balancing the economies of their games,” he explained.<\/p>\n “I have never botted, scammed, used any of the number of exploits, or cheated in any way whatsoever. Before this game, I never made any money off of what I did because it was against the rules. Investing and trading in the item markets is part of how I have my fun, it wouldn’t make sense for me to cheat.”<\/p>\n His comments about the economics and psychology of something like the Diablo III auction house are smart and thought-provoking. In the context of “paying to win”, Wishbone makes an interesting analogy:<\/p>\n “Paying money for the gear is the equivalent of purchasing nice golf clubs, or high tech running\/climbing\/basketball shoes. It’s purchasing gear that gives you an edge on the competition in the game that you play. A thousand dollars for a good set of golf clubs gives you the ability to play the game of golf better than someone of equal skill playing with a $10 garage sale set. It doesn’t automatically make you good, but it helps you get there. And if you love that game, then by all means play your best.”<\/p>\n He doesn’t divulge any of his big trade secrets, but the Q&A is definitely worth a read for anybody who might have questioned Blizzard’s decision to create the auction house in the first place. With more than 10 million users, there’s a real opportunity for\u00a0 business here.<\/p>\n Diablo III captures over 10 million players<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Blizzard: \u201cWe know that Diablo III isn\u2019t perfect\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Teen dies after playing Diablo III for 40 hours<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nSource: Reddit<\/a><\/h5>\n
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