| paralleluniverse Australia. June 16 2012 19:07. Posts 3022 | Profile # |
In your face, Blizzard.
Korea is going to ban selling in-game items for real money and botting, with a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. And the reason they've cited for this -- the reason I used to argue against the RMAH in D3 -- games are not real life, games are for fun.
Selling items for real money destroys fairness in the game. They even mentioned that this was done because it was unhealthy for gaming culture.
This has got to be one of the best piece of government regulation in history. Thank you, Lee Myung-Bak, for saving gaming from the unscrupulous greed of developers who would destroy the whole point of playing games to make money and the cheaters and hackers who ruin the gameplay experience.
Korea has decided to ban trade for commercial game items from the second half of this year as a measure aimed at encouraging students to not waste time. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced that it is planning to halt all virtual item trades with a new law, to be announced sometime next month. “ The main purpose of the games is for entertainment and should be used for academic and other good purposes,” said Kim Kap-soo, head of the ministry’s content policy division, Wednesday. The government official also stressed item collecting for commercial use is a serious hindrance to creating a healthy game culture.Korea is the world’s most-wired society with the Internet penetration rate standing at above 93 percent, data from government agencies said. Korea is also the home of the world’s biggest smartphone and TV manufacturer _ Samsung. For online role-playing games, the law prohibits users from using programs that allow in-game characters to hunt and collect items without the need of a player controlling them. The ministry calculates that over 60 percent of items exchanged on the market were obtained by the use of automatic programs. Such programs and other method are impinging in the way of on-line games’ negative reputation, the government agency said. Those who violate this law will face up to a 50 million won fine, at a maximum, and five years in jail. For arcade games, game providers will be unable to list in-game items in their accounts as property, or handout gift certificates for item purchases. In 2007, the then popular arcade game Sea Story handed out certificates that were quickly exchanged or sold for cash, and the government is concerned that a similar incident may reoccur. The ministry said that arcade game businesses that keep books registering items and scores (that can be exchanged for cash) has risen to 1,500 as of April. There were only 50 such businesses in 2009. In a statement, the ministry says item trades contribute to many problems in society, including teenage crime, and felt that a solution was required. The ministry is planning to give active guidelines to provincial administrations and have the police department actively enforce the new law. The government is also heightening prevention of gambling and other illegal activities using games. Korea is a hub for online role-playing games, which have also drawn concern because of the booming trade in virtual money and items. Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2012/06/129_112964.html
Poll: Do you agree with this law that makes item sales and botting illegal?Yes (444) 70% No (190) 30% 634 total votes Your vote: Do you agree with this law that makes item sales and botting illegal? (Vote): Yes
(Vote): No
Last edit: 2012-06-16 19:12:48 |
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| BarneyEX Malaysia. June 16 2012 19:11. Posts 92 | Profile # |
| I feel oddly satisfied by seeing Blizzard's greedy plans get crushed by the Korean authorities, seeing how my housemates are already making bots to grind dungeons. |
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| 3772 Czech Republic. June 16 2012 19:15. Posts 320 | Profile # |
| So how do they plan to enforce it? |
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| Tachion June 16 2012 19:15. Posts 7071 | Profile Blog # |
| I always hated botters so this is kinda awesome to me ;p I don't care as much about selling items. Won't that harm the f2p model, if not outright kill it? Last edit: 2012-06-16 19:16:16 |
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| Ktk Korea (South). June 16 2012 19:17. Posts 708 | Profile Blog # |
“The main purpose of the games is for entertainment and should be used for academic and other good purposes,” said Kim Kap-soo, head of the ministry’s content policy division, Wednesday.
Academic and other good purposes? I don't really understand, kinda vague.
Sure in RTS in SC you can't cheat by paying money. Am I missing something here: For companies like Zynga, that's devastating (do companies like Zynga has any presence in Korea anyways - I don't think so...)? Seems like the death of micro-transactions in online games to me. What about things like Nexon cash / cash cards? Well I take it the law wants the companies to prevent people selling other people virtual items for real money, and that company-OK'd cash cards->items is still viable? |
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| JackDino Gabon. June 16 2012 19:19. Posts 3296 | Profile # |
On June 16 2012 19:07 paralleluniverse wrote:
This has got to be one of the best piece of government regulation in history. Thank you, Lee Myung-Bak, for saving gaming from the unscrupulous greed of developers who would destroy the whole point of playing games to make money and the cheaters and hackers who ruin the gameplay experience.
Because, blizzard with the RMAH is the bad guy here. Goldsellers, chinese farmers, botters have never existed prior to this. Just because it's regulated by blizz now doesn't mean it never existed before, you're so naive. What this means is, koreans won't be able to use the rmah to buy or sell items, so they will simply buy or sell gold and buy items with gold.
This might actually be a bad thing aswell because a lot of f2p games depend on microtransactions, not sure if they're affected however. |
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 Benjamin99 June 16 2012 19:20. Posts 4174 | Profile # |
| I really hope Europe follows. |
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| snow2.0 Germany. June 16 2012 19:21. Posts 778 | Profile # |
On June 16 2012 19:19 JackDino wrote:
Show nested quote +On June 16 2012 19:07 paralleluniverse wrote:
This has got to be one of the best piece of government regulation in history. Thank you, Lee Myung-Bak, for saving gaming from the unscrupulous greed of developers who would destroy the whole point of playing games to make money and the cheaters and hackers who ruin the gameplay experience.
Because, blizzard with the RMAH is the bad guy here. Goldsellers, chinese farmers, botters have never existed prior to this. Just because it's regulated by blizz now doesn't mean it never existed before, you're so naive. What this means is, koreans won't be able to use the rmah to buy or sell items, so they will simply buy or sell gold and buy items with gold. This might actually be a bad thing aswell because a lot of f2p games depend on microtransactions, not sure if they're affected however.
it's people buying the stuff that are the problem.
Those, and platforms helping the sellers get to the buyers. |
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| Warri Germany. June 16 2012 19:21. Posts 1841 | Profile # |
Hu Jintao approves this law.
Seriously though, even if their motives are valid, this is not or at least should not be in their jurisdiction. |
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| SgtCoDFish United Kingdom. June 16 2012 19:22. Posts 1455 | Profile Blog # |
Honestly I can't see a reason for this. Perhaps I misunderstood (and I haven't played D3) but I really don't see a problem with Blizzard doing this in their own game, as long as they're willing to take responsibility for it.
It feels like this would be something fans should oppose if it's so hated, not governments. I dunno though.
edit: and as such, I would disagree with the law in Korea.Last edit: 2012-06-16 19:22:58 |
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 Liquid`Jinro Sweden. June 16 2012 19:22. Posts 32589 | Profile Blog # |
| Would this kill micro-transactions completely (I.E LoL), or is it only for player to player transactions? |
| | tell the guy that interplanatar interaction is pivotal to terrans variety of optionitudals in the pre-midgame preperatories as well as the protosstinal deterriggation of elite zergling strikes - Stimey n Formerly FrozenArbiter |
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| brolaf June 16 2012 19:23. Posts 219 | Profile # |
So instead of people choosing whether they want to play a game with real world trading or not, government just punishes and prevents everyone from doing it. ok.Last edit: 2012-06-16 19:24:46 |
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| paralleluniverse Australia. June 16 2012 19:24. Posts 3022 | Profile # |
On June 16 2012 19:22 Liquid`Jinro wrote:
Would this kill micro-transactions completely (I.E LoL), or is it only for player to player transactions?
I would assume so. I have a seething hatred for microtransactions, so if it were true, it would just make me more happy. |
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| Kurumi Poland. June 16 2012 19:24. Posts 5148 | Profile Blog # |
The black market awakens...
Expect Diablo gangs corrupting policemen and killing people for not paying them for protection +7 amulets. |
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| brolaf June 16 2012 19:26. Posts 219 | Profile # |
On June 16 2012 19:24 paralleluniverse wrote:
Show nested quote +On June 16 2012 19:22 Liquid`Jinro wrote:
Would this kill micro-transactions completely (I.E LoL), or is it only for player to player transactions?
I would assume so. I have a seething hatred for microtransactions, so if it were true, it would just make me more happy.
If you hate microtransactions, you hate free games.. kind of ironic isnt it? You are against money in gaming business, but yet it is this business model that allows top tier titles to be published freely. |
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| Liquid`Jinro Sweden. June 16 2012 19:26. Posts 32589 | Profile Blog # |
On June 16 2012 19:24 paralleluniverse wrote:
Show nested quote +On June 16 2012 19:22 Liquid`Jinro wrote:
Would this kill micro-transactions completely (I.E LoL), or is it only for player to player transactions?
I would assume so. I have a seething hatred for microtransactions, so if it were true, it would just make me more happy.
I think that's a very unjustified hatred, then. I am very happy with the way the LoL model works - it lets me spend as much or as little money as I'd like, and still play without any disadvantages at all (you can't buy anything that impacts the game for $, only cosmetical stuff). |
| | tell the guy that interplanatar interaction is pivotal to terrans variety of optionitudals in the pre-midgame preperatories as well as the protosstinal deterriggation of elite zergling strikes - Stimey n Formerly FrozenArbiter |
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| Jinsho United Kingdom. June 16 2012 19:34. Posts 3028 | Profile # |
You people would swallow anything if it was told to you in an appealing way, wouldn't you? Maybe child speak helps you understand what is really going on.
This is a bad thing. Government is telling people what they can and cannot spend money on, it is telling game makers what they can and cannot put into their games, and it is punishing people with up to 5 years in prison for that. This is a bad thing for everyone.
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| brolaf June 16 2012 19:40. Posts 219 | Profile # |
On June 16 2012 19:34 Jinsho wrote:
You people would swallow anything if it was told to you in an appealing way, wouldn't you? Maybe child speak helps you understand what is really going on.
This is a bad thing. Government is telling people what they can and cannot spend money on, it is telling game makers what they can and cannot put into their games, and it is punishing people with up to 5 years in prison for that. This is a bad thing for everyone.
But it is intoxicating. it is this incredible power when people feel they can tell what others can or cannot do with their own time |
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| ShloobeR Korea (South). June 16 2012 19:42. Posts 2356 | Profile Blog # |
| I can't imagine this will stop microtransactions in things like LoL, there is no element of 'farming' or 'botting' involved |
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| Influ Germany. June 16 2012 19:45. Posts 632 | Profile # |
On June 16 2012 19:20 Benjamin99 wrote:
I really hope Europe follows.
Yea, maybe I would buy the game then, the game that I was looking forward to for years like none else. |
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