China Bans Goldfarming

[NickV]

Well, interesting news:

China has unveiled the first official rule on the use of virtual currency in the trade of real goods and services to limit possible impact on the real financial system. The Chinese government also spelled out the definition of "virtual currency" for the first time, which includes prepaid cards of cybergames, according to a joint announcement from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Commerce Friday. It said:

The virtual currency, which is converted into real money at a certain exchange rate, will only be allowed to trade in virtual goods and services provided by its issuer, not real goods and services.

The ban is primarily aimed at "gold farming," an Internet-age phenomenon in which players in less developed countries collect and sell virtual gold (common to games like World of Warcraft) to wealthier gamers in the developed world. This enables gamers who have the means to buy virtual gold to get ahead in the games without actually having to accomplish the grunt work.

The trading of virtual currency for real cash generates between $200 million and $1 billion annually, according to a 2008 survey conducted by Richard Heeks at the University of Manchester.

The average user will only partially care about this ban. They might be disappointed that they can't buy their way to higher status, but I assume that Tencent and other popular sites will figure out a way to do in-game trades and that eventually the farmers will figure out how to bypass the restrictions.

The ban may scare off smaller shops, but the sophisticated organizations will continue on the same path. It reminds me of Japanese pachinko parlors where you can only win tokens (wink, wink) that you take next door for actual cash.

While I'm not convinced that gold farming is good or bad, there is a very persuasive argument that it's driving economic development in China, and that anything that perpetuates economic stimulus is a good thing.

Well, I expect places like USFine, and Gold4RS will use loopholes, but over all, this is just a notice to put up here.


Discuss: Is it right for China to outlaw something like this? Where are we headed, if making profit off of virtual goods is against the law?

 

[Xombi]

Ouch, amazing find mate.

I'm sure China will enforce this rules as well. I still believe companies will just find a different way around it so it isn't quite as illegal.

I'm not sure what this stops, though, or who made them do this? China has never been concerned with cheap labor. I assume it's do to the fact that it isn't taxed?

 

[EpicNova]

Thanks for posting this, they are going to phail.

But didn't you post this somewhere else?

 

[ablegain]

sorry but this is rather old, i remember reading it here, or on rsbot like half a month ago

 

[Selling miners pm me]

add my msn will use later.

 

[DeadlyStrikes]

Old news to me, i heard that blizzard had some issues with something relating to the new law, and WoW china got shut down for a bit.

 

[masterkiller]

China tends to do these kind of things. You can't go on youtube, facebook, and now they can't even sell their runescape services! Blasphemy!

 

China tends to do these kind of things. You can't go on youtube, facebook, and now they can't even sell their runescape services! Blasphemy!

Are you sure? I took a vacation there last year and I went on social networking sites just fine.

On Topic: Well I think China is trying to increase its' efforts for a better society. When you think of cheap gold-farming, most times you'll think of some China company. I think they're trying to fix their image and people's lifestyles as well. By severely limiting and/or possibly removing this causes a great number of unemployment. In addition, it also inspires and motivates people to get into more important areas of work that could benefit themselves and the world. Instead of a poor 24/7 working gold-farmer, that person could be finding a cure to a disease. I can see how many ways people can benefit from this as well as some negative impacts. I think it's their first step in several on their path to reshaping their economy and people's lifestyle(s). I'd expect more impacting changes in the distant future.

 

[NickV]

Are you sure? I took a vacation there last year and I went on social networking sites just fine.

On Topic: Well I think China is trying to increase its' efforts for a better society. When you think of cheap gold-farming, most times you'll think of some China company. I think they're trying to fix their image and people's lifestyles as well. By severely limiting and/or possibly removing this causes a great number of unemployment. In addition, it also inspires and motivates people to get into more important areas of work that could benefit themselves and the world. Instead of a poor 24/7 working gold-farmer, that person could be finding a cure to a disease. I can see how many ways people can benefit from this as well as some negative impacts. I think it's their first step in several on their path to reshaping their economy and people's lifestyle(s). I'd expect more impacting changes in the distant future.

Oh wow.
No.

You do realize, most of these "sweatshops" have top of the line technology, good work space, and people DO NOT WORK 24/7. There are shifts, just like with any other job. God damn, you do know, China is communist. The chances of your education adding up to shit there is very slim, these companies provide work for the masses. Cutting it off is like saying "Hurr lets get rid of all the low paying jobs and make people work!". There will always be someone who fails in the new system. This new law has put a lot of people out of work, who need the money to live, all over some game. The damn article references how the "games economy" is effected, well god damn, cutting these people off from doing their job surely effects their economy.

Also: Don't say that the gold farmers all dislike their job. One of our long-time member USFine reps, from what i've seen, has posted quite a bit in our gaming section, talking about graphics cards and such. This was all before the partnership. What does this show? They enjoy the job they do, not saying all of them do, but its done by choice. There is no other job out there to replace the job for the current workers in this field.

Next time you make an argument, please don't be ignorant, and take the effect on peoples lives into consideration.

 

[Runescape_Mod]

nice find. where did you find it from?

 

[masterkiller]

Are you sure? I took a vacation there last year and I went on social networking sites just fine.

On Topic: Well I think China is trying to increase its' efforts for a better society. When you think of cheap gold-farming, most times you'll think of some China company. I think they're trying to fix their image and people's lifestyles as well. By severely limiting and/or possibly removing this causes a great number of unemployment. In addition, it also inspires and motivates people to get into more important areas of work that could benefit themselves and the world. Instead of a poor 24/7 working gold-farmer, that person could be finding a cure to a disease. I can see how many ways people can benefit from this as well as some negative impacts. I think it's their first step in several on their path to reshaping their economy and people's lifestyle(s). I'd expect more impacting changes in the distant future.

Well, my girlfriend is in china and she says she cannot communicate with me through facebook and such, and can't even view youtube. They also blocked her AIM and everything.

You seem very misinformed about china's lifestyle. It's as if you take the worst of the country and you place it as the lifestyle of the whole country. It actually isn't that bad, and China is catching up as one of the most powerful (if not already) countries in the world. It's up there with the EU and US.

Oh wow.
No.

You do realize, most of these "sweatshops" have top of the line technology, good work space, and people DO NOT WORK 24/7. There are shifts, just like with any other job. God damn, you do know, China is communist. The chances of your education adding up to shit there is very slim, these companies provide work for the masses. Cutting it off is like saying "Hurr lets get rid of all the low paying jobs and make people work!". There will always be someone who fails in the new system. This new law has put a lot of people out of work, who need the money to live, all over some game. The damn article references how the "games economy" is effected, well god damn, cutting these people off from doing their job surely effects their economy.

Also: Don't say that the gold farmers all dislike their job. One of our long-time member USFine reps, from what i've seen, has posted quite a bit in our gaming section, talking about graphics cards and such. This was all before the partnership. What does this show? They enjoy the job they do, not saying all of them do, but its done by choice. There is no other job out there to replace the job for the current workers in this field.

Next time you make an argument, please don't be ignorant, and take the effect on peoples lives into consideration.

Exactly, they may pay low but do realize, it is a communist country. They have tons of benifits that you could never expect to see in the US. I hate the image people show for these "sweatshop workers" as many people here view the USfine site and gold4rs and all of them as "5 cent working scammers etc".

 

Oh wow.
No.

You do realize, most of these "sweatshops" have top of the line technology, good work space, and people DO NOT WORK 24/7. There are shifts, just like with any other job. God damn, you do know, China is communist. The chances of your education adding up to shit there is very slim, these companies provide work for the masses. Cutting it off is like saying "Hurr lets get rid of all the low paying jobs and make people work!". There will always be someone who fails in the new system. This new law has put a lot of people out of work, who need the money to live, all over some game. The damn article references how the "games economy" is effected, well god damn, cutting these people off from doing their job surely effects their economy.

Also: Don't say that the gold farmers all dislike their job. One of our long-time member USFine reps, from what i've seen, has posted quite a bit in our gaming section, talking about graphics cards and such. This was all before the partnership. What does this show? They enjoy the job they do, not saying all of them do, but its done by choice. There is no other job out there to replace the job for the current workers in this field.

Next time you make an argument, please don't be ignorant, and take the effect on peoples lives into consideration.

I do understand most of the information you've just said and I've taken it into consideration. The industry will be hit and the economy will plummet. I understand that. Many people will lose their job, that's an aspect that's going to be faced.

I'm just looking at it in "the bigger picture" perspective. With this limitation, people will lose jobs, yes. But it produces more people working in other branches of its' society and they can thrive further. Someone who's a genius could be working in one of those "sweat-shops", can realize his/her potential by stepping into the world outside of online gaming. Everyone wants an easy and lazy alternative where they don't put much mind in to make money and that's human nature. These jobs are basic and they just sit on the computer a lot of the time clicking away. They could get into other industries and other branches of China's economy could thrive while this dies. I know it will be hard on the people facing unemployment with the high population and only certain amount of jobs. I understand that but I'm just listing a few good things come out of this disaster. I do understand the human side of things and that's just one the rougher sides that no one wants to be gloom and doom about.

1 Industry full of people become unemployed.

1 Industry full of people spread out and join other work forces.

A whole bunch of areas thrive.

There are always the lighter and darker sides of things. I understand the Communism that is China. I'm just trying to be somewhat positive. I do know this is a terrible day for everyone.

 

[Trip.Fagex]

Thats fuckin intense!!

 

[QQ Bloody QQ]

Haha. Oh well, Maybe JaGeX Might change it back to old days with these.

 

[Syed]

If goldfarming is a multi-million dollar business, then I am positive they will do it illegally. Look at weed

 

[Dialect]

Funny how they think they are actually going to stop GoldFarming or Gold Sellers. Sounds like a load of bullshit to me.

 

[Dialect]

Might I add that gold farming in China is a Bigger Industry than the bathroom appliance industry.

 

[ChamilliTarY]

Some crazy shit. What will chinda ban nexttt jeezee

 

[Repentless]

Finally, gold prices can go up again, and independent sellers can make some profit instead of losing out to huge gold farming companies.

 

[R4n3r-Beast]

Its about time this happened. The RWT world will be a mess now.