Blizzard: There will be no Auction House in Diablo 4?
In the latest Campfire Сhat on June 21, Blizzard said there would be no Auction House in Diablo 4.
Adam Fletcher, Global Community Lead at Blizzard, has stated that there are currently no plans to add an Auction House to the game. It is unclear why Blizzard is uncertain about adding this feature, but they must have their reasons. After all, this isn’t the first time there hasn’t been an Auction House in Diablo. The team takes player feedback seriously and values it highly.
Diablo 3 Auction House: Real money trading in the game?
With the release of D3 in 2012, you may remember that the same year, Blizzard introduced a real money trade Auction House for Diablo 3, allowing you to buy and sell in-game items for in-game gold or real money from your Battle.net account. However, due to the negative impact it had on gameplay, Blizzard decided to shut down the Auction House on March 18, 2014, to discourage middlemen from selling and monetizing the game.
Why, you ask? The presence of the Auction House meant that instead of spending time grinding for specific items, players could simply purchase what they wanted with in-game currency or real money. This made the traditional Diablo experience of farming for loot feel less rewarding, as you could easily find the best items at the Auction House.
Even though Diablo 3’s primary focus was on obtaining better loot through various in-game activities, with the Auction House, many players found it easier to just buy everything they wanted there. As a result, some players could legitimately earn tons of money, while some lost motivation to play because the excitement of finding better gear was gone, and the game no longer had the same appeal.
But why did it take so long for Blizzard to get rid of this RMAH? The reason was that the company was concerned about the legal consequences of immediately removing a feature that was promoted as its core part. To its surprise, Blizzard did not earn much money from this feature; instead, it dealt with the unexpected legal consequences of removing the AH. In the end, the company decided it was worth the risk of a potential lawsuit and just got rid of it, worried that the D3’s popularity would decrease if the RMAH remained there. But, to their relief, no lawsuits were filed.
Final words
While the D4 trading is still alive, there is no AH in the game. The only items you can trade with other players are Common, Magic, and Rare-quality weapons, as well as Gold, Gems, and Elixirs. However, Enchanted, Legendary, and Unique Gear are bound to your account and can’t be traded.
Considering the negative experience with the RMAH in Diablo 3, it is no wonder that Blizzard hesitates to add a similar feature to Diablo 4, which might be for the best. What are your thoughts on the RMAH in Diablo and other games? Share in the comments below!
Comments
Doesn’t need to be real money but why not allow people to do trading similar to every other MMO. Having to barter with people is the worst part of diablo 4.