| The World of Warcraft (WoW) is arguably the | | | | are just trying to enjoy WoW while bypassing the |
| most popular Massively Multi-player Online Role | | | | hours of tedium working to earn gold, the practice |
| Playing Game (MMORPG) on the internet today. | | | | of buying gold outside of the game is strictly |
| There are a lot of figures brought up as to the | | | | prohibited by Blizzard (the company that owns |
| size of the WoW community, but at least 3 million | | | | and operates Warcraft). Many players have found |
| people play the game on a consistent | | | | themselves in trouble with Game Masters (GMs) |
| basis...probably more. | | | | for going the gold-buying route and the |
| And the central complaint that seems to be | | | | consequences can be anything from a stern |
| voiced by almost every WoW player is a lack of | | | | warning to an outright ban of the player's account; |
| gold. Gold is the currency of Warcraft. It allows | | | | temporarily or permanently. |
| players to purchase training, spells, armor and | | | | Another consequence of buying gold illegally is that |
| weapons, mounts...in fact pretty much all items | | | | prices in the AH tend to rise over time, even on |
| necessary to live a virtual life on WoW must be | | | | lower-level items, This is because players with a |
| bought with gold. | | | | lot of gold purchased online begin to routinely pay |
| Yes, there are quests that allow players to | | | | more for items. This tends to drive up the prices |
| receive rewards of armor or weapons. But these | | | | and leaves players who are trying to play WoW |
| items are usually inferior to the things that can be | | | | within the rules unable to buy things that they |
| bought at the WoW Auction House (AH). Because | | | | once might have been able to afford. The more |
| of this hunger for gold, many players spend long | | | | gold purchased, the higher the prices rise, |
| boring hours digging for ore or skinning beasts or | | | | tempting others to purchase online gold. You can |
| gathering herbs to either use in creating items to | | | | see the vicious cycle that this can lead to. |
| sell or selling these gathered items directly in the | | | | Fortunately for players who refuse to go out of |
| AH. This tends to take away from the gaming | | | | game to buy gold, there are several guides out |
| experience and often leads to frustration for | | | | there that can help them to accelerate their gold |
| many players. | | | | earning and allow them to play within the rules. I |
| And so, some players turn to so-called "gold | | | | recommend that players use these guides if they |
| farming companies" on the net to get their gold. | | | | are finding gold hard to acquire. It is a better |
| These folks actually spend real dollars to purchase | | | | alternative than being banned from a great game |
| gold farmed by these companies. | | | | like World of Warcraft. |
| Unfortunately for many unsuspecting players who | | | | |