When Diablo III was released earlier this month, it launched with one of its much-touted features missing; the ability to actually play it, because the servers were down.
Also missing was the Real Money Auction House – which would allow you to use actual cash to buy and sell in-game equipment.
According to an in-game announcement spotted by Joystiq, said auction house is now set to launch on June 12. Just last week, Blizzard announced that the marketplace would be delayed as they needed “a bit more time to iron out the existing general stability and gameplay issues.”
When it finally does arrive, it will allow players to buy and sell weapons, armour, and other equipment -such as crafting items and the like in exchange for credit card details. From every sale of equippable gear, Blizzard will shave off $1 for their own coffers, while commodities like crafting materials, gems, and gold will be subject to a 15 percent transaction fee.
If you wish to actually use that money, by transferring it to a third party-service like Paypal, Blizzard will take an extra 15 percent cut. you can waiver that fee by keeping your real loot tied to your Battle.net account – but then can only use it for Blizzard-related purchases, like World of Warcraft accounts, merchandise or full games. You can read Blizzard’s FAQ on the Auction House detailing the fees here.
Are you excited for the real money auction house? do you think you’ll be able to make yourself a tidy profit by playing Diablo III all day? Are you willing to pay real cash for the very best gear? Or do you perhaps feel that it’ll unbalance the game’s impending PvP mode – another missing feature – by giving an advantage to those with expendable income?
Last Updated: May 31, 2012