Jay Wilson, the former Diablo 3 Game Director said that the Diablo 3 Auction House was a mistake that "really hurt the game." During his talk at GDC 2013, Wilson revealed that the team had initial assumptions on how the Auction House would work.
The thought they would help reduce fraud, provide a wanted to service to players, that only a small percentage of players would use the system, and that the price of items would limit how many items were listed and sold. Boy were their faces red when the exact opposite happened!
He said that once the Auction House went live, it wasn't just a small percentage using the service, it was nearly everyone. In fact, over 50% of the player base uses the Auction House regularly. Wilson said that made money a much greater motivator than killing Diablo for some sweet loot.
So what's the solution? He wasn't ready to say just yet but apparently the team is trying to work on a viable solution to the issue.
(Joystiq)
The thought they would help reduce fraud, provide a wanted to service to players, that only a small percentage of players would use the system, and that the price of items would limit how many items were listed and sold. Boy were their faces red when the exact opposite happened!
He said that once the Auction House went live, it wasn't just a small percentage using the service, it was nearly everyone. In fact, over 50% of the player base uses the Auction House regularly. Wilson said that made money a much greater motivator than killing Diablo for some sweet loot.
"I think we would turn it off if we could," Wilson said during his talk. But the problem is "not as easy as that;" with all of Blizzard's current players, he says the company "has no idea" how many players like the system or hate it. Blizzard, Wilson said, doesn't want to remove a feature that lots of players will be unhappy to see go.
So what's the solution? He wasn't ready to say just yet but apparently the team is trying to work on a viable solution to the issue.
(Joystiq)