Sony has announced a new website which will allow players of multi-player online games to purchase in-game goods. It will start with "Everquest II," a serious moneymaker for the company. This has been a problem for online game makers who obviously now see the opportunity to cash in on this (at least Sony, but surely others will take note). In fact, they banned players for selling these non-existent items on auction sites like eBay. Now they're actually allowing it.
This entire was absurd when the whole thing started a few years back. It's very clear exactly what it is: cheating. It's one thing to use a Gameshark or Action Replay in Metal Gear Solid 3 when you're playing by yourself. It's an entirely different issue to allow this type of thing in something that millions play together.
There's not even a reason to play anymore. What's the point? The people with the most money to blow will immediately become dominant; those who can't afford to buy $300 fake swords will become too frustrated to even try and play the game legitimately. If they actually do play it properly, it's only to make real money.
There's an argument out there that getting started in MMOs is very difficult. You're constantly under attack by stronger players. There's a problem for the design team to figure out. It's something that should be addressed long before the game ships. If it's bad now, how ridiculous is it going to be once this site starts and everyone can get their hands on weapons that should take hours (months even) to earn?
Also, what about those players who were banned? Technically, at least now, they didn't do anything wrong. They just jumped the gun and suffered because of it. What's Sony going to do for them?
Then of course you have the cost issue. The game itself runs in the $50 range at retail. There's a monthly of $14.99. Right from the top, that's $65. Now you need to tack on an additional $300 to get you started with the right items (weapons, armor, gold) in the game, possibly more. You're not even getting anything for your money either.
This stuff doesn't exist. If you pay actual money for a piece of chain mail that exists only within a game, it's time to find some psychiatric help. If you don't have the time to properly build up your character, don't play the game. It's no more complicated than that. It's sad to see humans too lazy to even PLAY A GAME without having someone else do their work.
