RMT vs Gift Shop

[SirDavion]

Hey yo, this is a genuine question post, not trying to be toxic or stirring up dramas, so hopefully any CM or MODs can answer my question. 

I started playing PokeMMO back in 2015 and recently just got back into it. By being a sucker for cosmetics, I fell in love with 'Flaming Skull' and 'Black Reaper Hood', also because they are limited event item.

According to this post, RMT is considered as illegal activity and will led to account banning. I totally understand and support the botting and currency farming part, but I don't really understand why we are not allowed to purchase cosmetics with REAL CASH. 

To my second point, according to the official post quote 'Real Money Trading and other illicit services upset the balance of the game by providing an unfair advantage to some players, and as such, are prohibited under the Terms of Service'. But at the same time we are able to use real cash to purchase Reward Points, and in return selling Gift Shop Items to obtain in-game currency. So basically it's the same as buying with real cash no? Players can still get rich fast in game if they invest on Reward Points. 

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this. Thanks in advance :)

 

[Quakkz]

1 hour ago, SirDavion said:

Hey yo, this is a genuine question post, not trying to be toxic or stirring up dramas, so hopefully any CM or MODs can answer my question. 

I started playing PokeMMO back in 2015 and recently just got back into it. By being a sucker for cosmetics, I fell in love with 'Flaming Skull' and 'Black Reaper Hood', also because they are limited event item.

According to this post, RMT is considered as illegal activity and will led to account banning. I totally understand and support the botting and currency farming part, but I don't really understand why we are not allowed to purchase cosmetics with REAL CASH. 

To my second point, according to the official post quote 'Real Money Trading and other illicit services upset the balance of the game by providing an unfair advantage to some players, and as such, are prohibited under the Terms of Service'. But at the same time we are able to use real cash to purchase Reward Points, and in return selling Gift Shop Items to obtain in-game currency. So basically it's the same as buying with real cash no? Players can still get rich fast in game if they invest on Reward Points. 

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this. Thanks in advance :)

 

No it isnt the same. Because with RMT you are skipping the devs share

[Imperial]

To follow up on the above, buying RP from the gift shop means that the money goes to the developers to maintain server costs etc. 

 

From my experiences in other games RMT was usually popular as they undercut the "official" price which the developers set (e.g. $2 for 500 RP instead of $5 or however much it costs in the official store), meaning that the Devs miss out.

 

Generally though when they say it gives an unfair advantage it's usually newer players suddenly buying extremely rare/expensive vanities and shinies to be richer than people who may have taken years to grind the same amount while the devs miss out on potentially hundreds of lost money.

[Eggplant]

From a business point of view, it's better for several players to buy directly from the gift shop than it is for those players to trade with each other.

One nets you money, the other doesn't.

But yes, in terms of 'pay to win', it's effectively the same outcome from player perspective.

Edited April 5, 2021 by Eggplant

[Gilan]

Pretty sure it has more to deal with potential money laundering and the potential legal consequences should it take place. Though, I’m no expert on the law so don’t really know, but since very few MMO’s (really none that I am familiar with) allow RMT, I kinda think it’s probably legal reasons.

[Lacei]

There are many reasons why Real Money Trading is not allowed. 

 

One of the main ones being that it actually protects the players.

 

When purchasing RP through the Gift Shop, you are purchasing an official product directly from the game. (It's safe and secure, and if anything did go wrong, there is a Support Team to try and rectify the issue.)

 

When participating in RMT, you are being offered a product by a third party who may or may not follow through in giving you the product you have purchased. 

 

Scams are unfortunately a problem in any economy, real or virtual. But Staff have the capability of investigating and dealing with scams that happen in the realms of the game such as trade evolution scams etc. That capability is taken away if the trading happens outside of the game. 

 

Allowing RMT would ruin the integrity of the game, as well as possibly render the current market/economy completely useless, as under-cutting market prices and offering "too good to be true" deals would become common place, more players would be scammed, it would encourage botting even more than it is currently encouraged as players could potentially make real profit from it.

 

This is just a few of the many many reasons RMT is not allowed in PokeMMO.

 

I hope this clears up some of the questions you had around RMT, if not one of the SGM's might be able to elaborate further.

[SirDavion]

Thanks for the replies, yeah it definitely make sense from the business point of view. Sure, understood now thanks!