World of Warcraft recently pushed mini patch 6.1.2. that will introduce the much discussed WoW Tokens. These tokens are an in-game item that players will be able to securely exchange game time and gold without the use of a third-party site.
To A Region Near You
The WoW Tokens will be released in the coming for each region, starting with America regions (North America, Oceanic, and Latin America). Releasing the token after the initial launch of Patch 6.1.2 will allow the Warcraft developers time for the foundation to be solid for this new feature. And by releasing in a single region will ensure as smooth of a launch worldwide.
To further clarify, the WoW Token will NOT be turned on in NA when the servers are up from maint. Will turn it on later and give a heads up.
— Bashiok (@Bashiok) March 24, 2015
Each region will have its own shared WoW Token exchange. That means that when the America regions tokens goes live, players from North America, Oceanic, and Latin America will be able to purchase the token from the in-game Shop for $20 USD (or roughly equivalent in each local currency).
Currently with Patch 6.1.2, player will be able to see the new Game Time tab in the Auction House. The rest of the auction system will still remain realm-based, the WoW Token exchange will, again, be region-wide to provide the largest pool of buyers. This is to ensure that as many players have access to an active token market regardless the actual realm’s economy.
Gold Cures All Sicknesses
What has had many Warcraft players concerned over is having no control over the market price. Blizzard Entertainment is going to set the price so it would be fair for all and ensure players get the exchange without fear of undercuts or market shift. But Blizzard is only going to set the initial starting price to get the ball rolling.
This starting price on the Auction House will be determined by several factors such as in-game economy and competitive price value from third-party sites. But this is ultimately to start the market for WoW Tokens fairly and at a reasonable price for those purchasing with gold.
Once the WoW Token has a firm start, the market value will fluctuate based on player supply and demand. It’s simple economics where if there is a large influx of WoW Tokens, but few buyers, the price will decline over time. This will be an automated system where players will not be setting the price for the WoW Token themselves.
Once a WoW Token has been purchased through the Auction House, that token will automatically be soulbound and can then be redeemed for 30 days of game time. By making the token soulbound after purchase from auction, it will keep players from reselling WoW tokens for a higher price. And the only way for WoW Tokens to be exchanged is through the Auction House.
Selling and Buying WoW Tokens
Since the WoW Tokens will be based on supply and demand for a healthy economy, it’s important to know how to sell them on the Auction House. Players can purchase a WoW Token either by visiting the Auction House > Game Time tab and clicking on the information button ( i ) to access the in-game Shop or they can open it from their menu action bar. Purchasing the WoW Token should be instant (though it may take time for validation) and appear in either the inventory or mailbox.
Once the WoW Token is purchased, it can be sold only once on the Auction House. Players looking to exchange a little gold for game time can purchase a token through the Auction House in the Game Time tab. There will be no bidding as all tokens will only have the buyout option. Once the auction is a success, the WoW Token will appear like other auctions through the mail instantly and will automatically soulbound.
Published: Mar 24, 2015 06:43 pm