Thread title is a bit hyperbolic; this thread is about some potential reasons for the delay of RMAH commodities and PVP delays.
Short answer: gambling laws.
Technology reasons are not adequate to explain the delay of RMAH gold selling. Legal reasons are; once gold can be traded for cash legitimately, a grey legal area arises given the randomness inherent in the game. A summation of gambling is: put something of value in, play game of chance, get something out. Finding gold in-game is almost completely a game of chance, especially when it comes to smashing pots.
The item RMAH was probably delayed initially for similar legal reasons, but it is a bit more divorced from a game of chance; the legal point is that players are selling content, and that content is user-generated.
The delay in PVP is also possibly due to legalities; game elements such as gold or item wagering would make PVP big, but run into legal problems as well due to the RMAH. If gold selling on the RMAH goes live, it could permanently prevent such wagering; however if they decide to never enable gold selling, it could make gold wagers in PVP viable. Another reason for the delay thus comes up: testing to see whether adding gold selling or PVP gold wagering (combined with item RMAH without gold) would bring the most profits.
The difference is that a major part of gambling involve LOSING money with a random chance of making some.
This is straight up making money.
Also, i think the delay is because the system they have to handle commodities on the AH isnt as great as the item-selling system. And considering everyone will be hammering the system pretty hard when gold appears on it, they want to fix that stuff up before opening it up to the public.
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Short answer: gambling laws.
Technology reasons are not adequate to explain the delay of RMAH gold selling. Legal reasons are; once gold can be traded for cash legitimately, a grey legal area arises given the randomness inherent in the game. A summation of gambling is: put something of value in, play game of chance, get something out. Finding gold in-game is almost completely a game of chance, especially when it comes to smashing pots.
The item RMAH was probably delayed initially for similar legal reasons, but it is a bit more divorced from a game of chance; the legal point is that players are selling content, and that content is user-generated.
The delay in PVP is also possibly due to legalities; game elements such as gold or item wagering would make PVP big, but run into legal problems as well due to the RMAH. If gold selling on the RMAH goes live, it could permanently prevent such wagering; however if they decide to never enable gold selling, it could make gold wagers in PVP viable. Another reason for the delay thus comes up: testing to see whether adding gold selling or PVP gold wagering (combined with item RMAH without gold) would bring the most profits.
This is straight up making money.
Also, i think the delay is because the system they have to handle commodities on the AH isnt as great as the item-selling system. And considering everyone will be hammering the system pretty hard when gold appears on it, they want to fix that stuff up before opening it up to the public.