Roleplay: An RPG Blog

EverQuest will get real money transactions

December 11th, 2008 by Colin Temple

Sony Online Entertainment has revealed that it will be implementing real-money trading into its EverQuest and EverQuest II games.

The company will introduce StationCash into the EverQuest games, a currency that can be purchased using real-world money.  The virtual funds can then be used to buy items in-game.

Fans of the games are already protesting the move, though Sony insists that it will maintain a balance within the game.  Purchasing items with additional funds won’t be neccessary for all players, but only a way for some to dedicate money instead of time to collect some items.  The games will continue to have a monthly subscription fee.

Meanwhile, EA have been dying to implement microtransactions into their games, with rumours that Star Wars: The Old Republic would feature them.  Their FPS game Battlefield: Bad Company was originally set to have micro-transactions built in to the game, but negative press and threats of a boycott persuaded them to change their minds.  An MMO may be more welcoming to the model, though gamers in North America seem to be against it.  EA officials have dismissed the rumours about The Old Republic, stating only that they haven’t settled on a business model for the game yet.

3 comments for “EverQuest will get real money transactions”

  1. #1 Razakius
    December 11th, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    I’m not entirely against the idea of microtransactions but the game has to be built from the ground up with it in mind. I don’t like it in games like EQ or EQ2… but it might work in a game like Maple Story where it is free to play in the first place.

  2. #2 Rob K.
    December 11th, 2008 at 10:55 pm

    I thought tat EQ2 already had an RMT like shop with the “Station Exchange” store?

  3. #3 Colin Temple
    December 11th, 2008 at 11:06 pm

    Station Exchange is a way for players to trade items, but the money is back and forth between them (like an EQ eBay). This involves actually paying Sony themselves to buy new items.

    Razakius, I tend to agree with you… I think SOE is risking losing players by adding this to an existing game.



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