Blizzard's new anti-RMT system could also affect innocent players while suspicious transactions are investigated.
Blizzard Entertainment is introducing a new way to combat real-money trading (RMT) in World of Warcraft, temporarily restricting players from using certain in-game economic features if their accounts are suspected of buying or selling gold. The new system, called Temporary Economy Holds, is being introduced in World of Warcraft: Forever to prevent suspicious gold from circulating in the game's economy while Blizzard investigates potentially illicit transactions.
In a forum announcement on Wednesday (14 October), WoW community manager Kaivax explained that some players have already begun encountering these restrictions, which can affect accounts suspected of either selling or receiving gold through RMT.
How do World of Warcraft's Temporary Economy Holds work?
Players placed under a Temporary Economy Hold will have restricted access to several features, including:
- Trading with other players
- In-game mail
- Guild banks
- The Auction House
These restrictions are designed to stop potentially illicit gold from being transferred between accounts or entering the wider economy before Blizzard can investigate the suspicious activity.
"Our aim with this new system is to aggressively shut down the flow of suspicious gold before it has been transferred or put into circulation into the economy, while providing us the time needed to investigate more thoroughly," Kaivax explained. Unlike an outright account ban, a Temporary Economy Hold specifically targets a player's ability to participate in the game's economy. However, it does not necessarily mean the account has been found guilty of breaking Blizzard's rules.
If an investigation determines that the suspicious activity was legitimate, the restrictions will automatically be lifted. Accounts confirmed to have participated in RMT, meanwhile, will face further account actions. Blizzard has not specified how long these investigations will take or how long the restrictions could remain active.
Blizzard warns that innocent WoW players could face temporary restrictions
While the new system is intended to target gold buyers and sellers, Blizzard has acknowledged that some innocent players could also find themselves temporarily restricted.
"This system is new. There may be false positives while things are fine tuned, but merely having a Temporary Economy Hold will leave no permanent strikes against your account unless also later proven to be RMT motivated," Kaivax said. Blizzard reassured players that those participating in normal gameplay are unlikely to encounter these restrictions. Even if a legitimate transaction triggers a hold, the account will not receive a permanent strike simply for being investigated.
The approach allows Blizzard to intervene in suspicious transactions without immediately issuing full account bans, although affected players may temporarily lose access to important economic features while their accounts are reviewed.
Blizzard also plans to expand Temporary Economy Holds to all versions of World of Warcraft if the system proves successful. However, with false positives still a possibility, its effectiveness will depend on how accurately it identifies suspicious transactions without disrupting legitimate players.
