The trading market for gold and items in Diablo IV has come to a halt due to the emergence of item duplication glitches and gold exploits. Blizzard has taken this unusual step to investigate the situation as the game’s market becomes flooded with an abundance of gold and players engage in trading mediocre gear for large sums of in-game currency.
Blizzard’s community manager announced on August 14 that player trading in Diablo IV has been suspended until further notice in order to address the gold and item duplication issues. The company is actively working on a fix and will inform players once trading is reinstated. They also assured players that they will continue to monitor the situation to ensure a fair gaming experience for all.
Diablo III faced criticism for its auction house, which was ultimately shut down due to its pay-to-win nature. In an effort to avoid repeating past mistakes, Diablo IV does not have an official auction house and limits one-to-one player trading. Certain high-powered items such as Legendaries, unique items, Aspects, and most in-game currencies cannot be traded.
However, gold, gems, and rare items can still be traded, leading to the recent influx of mid-level loot as a result of duplication glitches and gold exploits. Players on the Diablo IV subreddit have reported trade requests reaching the range of billions of in-game currency.
Some players have called for the removal of the allegedly duped gold in the game’s economy, a situation that potentially affects millions of players. Third-party websites have been selling in-game gold, with prices ranging from $4 for 100 million gold in mid-July to $4 for 1 billion gold more recently.
According to a Diablo IV trader known as WretcH, the current market conditions create a recipe for chaos due to the combination of gold exploits, inexperienced players involved in trading, and the absence of a centralized marketplace. The trading environment has become akin to the wild west.
The exact source of the surplus items and gold flooding the market remains unclear. Speculations suggest the presence of duplication glitches from Diablo III and rampant gold farming bots. It is important to note that Blizzard does not endorse third-party trading sites or online gold sellers, and engaging in such activities can result in account actions.
When contacted for comments, Blizzard informed Kotaku that they are thoroughly investigating the reports and cautioned players against participating in exploits or engaging in transactions with third parties.
