So from what I'm understanding, Jagex hopes that the introduction of these bonds will put a pressure on gold farmers to reduce their prices (to be competitive with bonds) to the point where profit on their part is not worth the time invested, thereby killing the trade.
I can see the merit in this.
At the same time, however, the introduction of these bonds is the final nail in the coffin to Jagex's old moral standards; It is, in fact, a form of selling gold. It may not be introducing new gold into the economy (thank God for that), but they
are
selling a tradable item that only enters the game through real-world purchase. Such an item is bound to carry a high price tag in terms of in-game GP, and thus Jagex is selling the opportunity for easy gold.
I can't be happy about this. It's a compromise to the game's integrity and, in my opinion, causes just as much harm (if not more) than what the gold farmers cause.
This is another case of removing free trade; different in nature, but equally detrimental to the health of the game. And as was the case with limiting trade, the negative implications of real-world purchase of in-game advantages will largely discredit whatever positive effects come of it.
This is speculation on my part, of course. Only time will tell for sure.
25-Sep-2013 22:50:35
