ArenaNet Founder Talks Guild Wars 2 Microtransactions

 

 

 

Today Guild Wars 2’s blog posted an interesting look at what kind of system ArenaNet intends to program into their game to deal with microtransactions. Written by founder Mike O’Brien, it discusses the system of three currencies aimed at eliminated RMT sellers by placing the power of gold selling in the hands of the playerbase.

 

 

How it works essentially is gold stands as the primary in-game currency that almost every MMO’s economy operates on. Karma on the other hand is a currency earned through player actions that can unlock special rewards that only Karma can access. Finally gems exist as the real money currency that can be used to pull items from the cash shop, or to sell to other players in exchange for gold.

 

 

Mike goes on to state that the cash shop will focus on only cosmetic changes and time saving changes, but never offer items that would give cash shopping players an advantage over standard players. I found this to be an interested switch up from the original Guild Wars that mostly kept their cash shop system focused on unlocking skills and runes typically unlocked via playing the game. But I suppose since they are focusing more on an open world MMORPG this time around, the lure of selling fashion items was simply too strong to pass up.

 

 

Be sure to check out the full write-up at arena.net HERE.