Friday, November 12, 2010

The Rise of Warhammer Online, an Account Price Perspective

Example Account Selling
With the announcement of the RvR Packs and 1.4 coming to a near paramount, I think we are about to see a sharp rise in the amount of subscriptions that Warhammer has open.  Obviously this can be surmised from what we have seen recently.  The PTS server being full (no, I didn't get on) being one example the other night.  There has also been a pretty good reception of the price points of the soon to be released RvR Pack, and the Verminous Horde.  One other thing that has led me to believe that Warhammer is again on the rise, is the prices now that accounts are being sold for.  Yeah yeah I know it's illegal to sell / buy accounts, but the fact of the matter remains that it's being done and will continue to be until something is done by Mythic to prevent it. 

Recently on various account buying and selling sites, prices for Warhammer Online accounts has sky rocketed.  Over the past year or so, the median price point for a renown rank 70 character has been $150.  Yes, they could have definitely been found for less.  However over the past few weeks, these sites have boasted accounts of renown rank 80's for upwards of $1,000!  Pretty crazy right?  After all Warhammer is not WoW, where accounts have been sold for well over $10,000.  In my mind in no way does a rank 80 account, let alone any account, justify the price of $1,000.  If you take a closer look at the picture to the right, you will see a total of five accounts for sale, for well over the price of $300.  A price which I feel is more realistic for a rank 80 character. 

No I don't expect most people to believe that $300 is a fair price, but to be quite honest, it is.  In the past I have done plenty of account buying and selling, and can promise you that NO ACCOUNT is worth more than this.  No matter the gear, rank, characters, etc...  If your plan is to just sell an account, never put more than a single character on it.  So what is prompting people now then to ask such absurdly high prices for their accounts now?  Is it what is on the horizon for Warhammer?  I'd like to think so.  One thing you can always break it down to is supply and demand. 

Form w/ Account Selling
Accounts have been selling like hot cakes over the past few weeks.  An account is posted on a site, and usually within 48 hours it is sold.  This was rarely the case over the last year, as near all Warhammer accounts went unsold.  You couldn't give a Warhammer account away until recently.  Now it would seem you would be hard pressed to find a reasonably priced account for Warhammer.  I hate to say it (and do not condone it any longer) but now would be a great time to sell your account, if you're looking for a quick cash grab. 

Another reason I believe accounts have been selling more recently, is that it can most definitely be done now with a sense of anonymity.  The recent addition of $20 server transfers has enabled this.  Someone can go buy an account, transfer servers, and no one would be the wiser now.  There are some that say $20 for a single character transfer is nuts, and I agree.  But for someone who just spend XXX number of dollars for an account, $20 is more than reasonable for a sense of security from other players. 

So be ready to see a bunch of new high ranking players on your server who you don't recognize, because they are coming.  People want to play Warhammer now, and it has been showing in the amount of account buying and selling that has been taking place.  While I don't condone, it selling your account gets you an easy way to several hundred dollars if not more.  If you could make upwards of $1,000 for your account, would you sell? 

15 comments:

  1. If I could grab $1000 for my account and then have to grind everything back with a bonus to the RPs would I? HELL YES!

    Well maybe not. I might actually choke up when I see my old toons out there being played badly. I develop too much of a connection to sell. Now if your looking for an old Aion account...

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  2. What are good sites to sell your account?

    $1000 for my RR 80 SM...that's a no brainer.

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  3. Sorry Kell, I'm not going to discuss exactly what the sites are. A simple Google search would probably be all you needed to do for any account auction.

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  4. So many of those sites seem like a scam however. Without mentioning names, would you say the sites pictured on your blog are more trustworthy than some others...without any recommendation being inferred should I use them of course.

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  5. I did not read the whole article but I thought I read somewhere that with WAR it is okay to sell an account? Maybe I am wrong... I don't even remember where I got the idea.

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  6. Tankosaurus, Yes there are definitely more trustworthy sites than others. Of the two pics I posted, I trust both. Be careful beforehand, and do your research.

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  7. Zeathy, it is definitely against TOS to sell your account from what I recall. It is a perma ban offense. If anyone has any proof that it is ok, please share that information.

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  8. Thanks! Normally I wouldn't do it as I think it may be a hassle and there's always the chance you get scammed but I have an EU account I dont use since moving back and it has all my high ranking toons.

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  9. Tank, with the recent addition of server transfers, there is a whole brand new market for EU accounts. You may be surprised at what you can get right now, again, not that I condone it. And again, it's against the TOS.

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  10. Taken from the EULA

    "You shall not share your Account with anyone, or allow anyone else other than you personally to access or use your Account. Joint or shared ownership or use of an Account by more than one individual natural person is prohibited. Access to the System and playing the Game is intended for the entertainment, enjoyment and recreation of individual natural persons, and not as corporate, business, commercial, or income-seeking activities. Corporations, associations, partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies, artificial persons, and other business or other entities that are not a single, individual natural person, are not eligible to establish Accounts, to access the System, or to play the Game, nor is anyone who is acting for or on behalf of or in the course of the business of, any such artificial person or entity. Except as expressly permitted by the current EUALA, accessing the System and/or playing the Game for commercial, business, or income-seeking purposes is strictly prohibited. BY CLICKING THE "I ACCEPT" AND "CONFIRMED" BUTTONS, AND PROVIDING US WITH A CREDIT CARD NUMBER, YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO ESTABLISH AN ACCOUNT, ACCESS THE SYSTEM, AND PLAY THE GAME, AND THAT YOU ARE NOT ACCESSING THE SYSTEM OR PLAYING THE GAME FOR A PROHIBITED PURPOSE.

    You are responsible and liable for all activities conducted through your Account, regardless of who conducts those activities. Provided, however, that if you are a parent or guardian, you may permit one child to use the Account instead of you (in which case you may not use that Account), and parents or guardians are liable for the activities of their child."

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  11. And, wow, the below. Looks like you can transfer ownership

    "E. TRANSFER OF RIGHTS TO YOUR ACCOUNT

    You shall be permitted to transfer once to another person eligible to obtain an Account your right to access and use your Account (but not items, characters and attributes of characters separate from the Account), on the following terms and conditions:

    You may not offer to transfer the rights to any Account(s) except your own, or act as a "broker" or intermediary (for compensation or otherwise) for any others wishing to transfer or obtain Accounts. You may not transfer the rights to your Account to any entity or person ineligible to have an Account under the terms and conditions of the EUALA. You may not transfer rights to any Account which contains characters whose attributes are, in whole or in part, developed, or which contains items, objects, or currency obtained or acquired, in violation of the terms of the EUALA. The transferee must obtain all rights in your Account in a single transaction, and you must retain absolutely no control or rights over the Account, or the characters, items, and attributes associated with that Account. You must physically deliver the CD-ROM, and all original packaging, documentation, (including the keycode on the jewel case) associated with the Account, and keep no part of such materials or any copies thereof. You must deliver to the transferee your secret word, password, account name and all information regarding your account other than personal billing information such as credit card number, Pay-by-Cash information, billing information, etc. You must deliver to the transferee a copy of the EUALA then in effect, and the transferee must, as a condition of accessing the System through the transferred Account, agree to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the EUALA.

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  12. Continuation of above:

    You must notifyEA, via electronic mail to transfers@warhammeronline.com, not later than three (3) days after concluding the sale that you have transferred the Account, including in your notice the following: your true name and current mailing and e-mail address, login name and player name associated with the Account; the true name and current mailing and e-mail addresses of the transferor (you) and the transferee, and the following statement: "I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT, ON [INSERT DATE OF TRANSFER] I TRANSFERRED ALL MY RIGHTS TO ACCESS AND USE THE WARHAMMER ONLINE ACCOUNT IDENTIFIED ABOVE, TO THE PERSON IDENTIFIED ABOVE, AND THAT SUCH TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS GOVERNING ACCOUNT RIGHTS TRANSFERS, AS SET FORTH IN THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE WARHAMMER ONLINE END USER ACCESS AND LICENSE AGREEMENT, WHICH I FURTHER CERTIFY I HAVE READ AND DELIVERED TO THE TRANSFEREE." The subject field of the e-mail must contain only the name of the account that is being transferred. EA assumes no obligation or responsibility for any misspelling or typographical errors on your part.

    YOU SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY REFUND FOR AMOUNTS PREPAID ON THE TRANSFERRED ACCOUNT, AND DEPENDING ON WHEN IN THE BILLING CYCLE THE TRANSFER IS MADE, AND WHEN YOU NOTIFY EA, YOU MAY BE CHARGED FOR THE ACCOUNT FOR AN ADDITIONAL MONTH FOLLOWING THE TRANSFER. Any transfer of rights to access and use an Account shall not transfer any of EA's rights, title or interests, in or to the System, the Game, the Game Content or the Software, other than the transferee's right to access and use the Account in accordance with the terms and conditions of the EUALA then in effect. ANY TRANSFER OR ATTEMPTED TRANSFER NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING TERMS AND CONDITIONS IS PROHIBITED, SHALL BE VOID, AND SHALL NOT BE BINDING ON EA. ANY TRANSFERS OR ATTEMPTED TRANSFERS OF ANY RIGHTS IN AN ACCOUNT SHALL BE ENTIRELY AT THE RISK OF THE PARTIES TO SUCH TRANSACTIONS, AND IN NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL EA BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY ACTS, OMISSIONS, STATEMENTS, REPRESENTATIONS, DEFAULTS, OR LIABILITIES OF THE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH TRANSACTIONS. THIS DISCLAIMER SHALL BE INDEPENDENT OF ANY OTHER LIMITATIONS ON REMEDIES SET FORTH HEREIN."

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  13. You must notifyEA, via electronic mail to transfers@warhammeronline.com, not later than three (3) days after concluding the sale that you have transferred the Account, including in your notice the following: your true name and current mailing and e-mail address, login name and player name associated with the Account; the true name and current mailing and e-mail addresses of the transferor (you) and the transferee, and the following statement: "I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT, ON [INSERT DATE OF TRANSFER] I TRANSFERRED ALL MY RIGHTS TO ACCESS AND USE THE WARHAMMER ONLINE ACCOUNT IDENTIFIED ABOVE, TO THE PERSON IDENTIFIED ABOVE, AND THAT SUCH TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS GOVERNING ACCOUNT RIGHTS TRANSFERS, AS SET FORTH IN THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE WARHAMMER ONLINE END USER ACCESS AND LICENSE AGREEMENT, WHICH I FURTHER CERTIFY I HAVE READ AND DELIVERED TO THE TRANSFEREE." The subject field of the e-mail must contain only the name of the account that is being transferred. EA assumes no obligation or responsibility for any misspelling or typographical errors on your part.

    YOU SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY REFUND FOR AMOUNTS PREPAID ON THE TRANSFERRED ACCOUNT, AND DEPENDING ON WHEN IN THE BILLING CYCLE THE TRANSFER IS MADE, AND WHEN YOU NOTIFY EA, YOU MAY BE CHARGED FOR THE ACCOUNT FOR AN ADDITIONAL MONTH FOLLOWING THE TRANSFER. Any transfer of rights to access and use an Account shall not transfer any of EA's rights, title or interests, in or to the System, the Game, the Game Content or the Software, other than the transferee's right to access and use the Account in accordance with the terms and conditions of the EUALA then in effect. ANY TRANSFER OR ATTEMPTED TRANSFER NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING TERMS AND CONDITIONS IS PROHIBITED, SHALL BE VOID, AND SHALL NOT BE BINDING ON EA. ANY TRANSFERS OR ATTEMPTED TRANSFERS OF ANY RIGHTS IN AN ACCOUNT SHALL BE ENTIRELY AT THE RISK OF THE PARTIES TO SUCH TRANSACTIONS, AND IN NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL EA BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY ACTS, OMISSIONS, STATEMENTS, REPRESENTATIONS, DEFAULTS, OR LIABILITIES OF THE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH TRANSACTIONS. THIS DISCLAIMER SHALL BE INDEPENDENT OF ANY OTHER LIMITATIONS ON REMEDIES SET FORTH HEREIN."

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  14. I will vouch for it being legal to buy/sell/trade accounts, when done correctly. The primary thing one must not do is advertise to buy/sell/trade on the official forums or publicly in-game.

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  15. Warhammer may have a clause regarding the selling of accounts so you need to read their terms and conditions first.

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