Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
A group of raiders fighting Hakkar in Zul'Gurub
Image via Blizzard Entertainment

XQc—Sodapoppin WoW Classic bidding war is everything that’s wrong with the game

They're not trying to hide how much money they spend on the game.

The economics involved in an MMO like World of Warcraft Classic can often be complicated, and while we look for the game to be an escape from reality, people’s ability to leverage their money and power in real life can translate to our fantasy worlds.

Recommended Videos

There are numerous different ways to distribute raid loot in WoW Classic, but the most controversial, GDKPs, are one that can be heavily influenced by players that have in-game wealth, which usually can be made using for real-life currency.

Zul’Gurub is a popular instance to run for players who want to do a quick GDKP twice a week. Image via Blizzard Entertainment

Earlier this week, popular streamers xQc and Sodapoppin showcased exactly how out of control things can get in a post-raid bidding war as they went back and forth in an effort to win the Warblade of Hakkari after running through Zul’Gurub. With a bid of 12,500 gold, xQc ultimately won the item, but the massive gold amount both players were willing to spend was astonishing. “We’re making it so obvious we buy gold, please,” one raider said.

In a post to Reddit, one fan of the two streamers reported that the amount of gold xQc spent on the item was equivalent to around $1,000 in real-life money. In another trending post to Reddit, one fan of WoW Classic called the clip of two streamers vying to buy an item one of the nearly countless reasons that the GDKP raid looting format has “killed” the game. The poster added that the GDKPs need to be banned in WoW’s upcoming Season of Discovery servers.

Technically, Blizzard can restrict players from doing just about anything in its games by making it a part of its terms of service. While it can’t prevent players from doing things like trading items or exchanging gold, Blizzard can monitor the exchange of gold. Especially after a GDKP, it is fairly obvious by looking at exchanges of items and currency that players have effectively purchased items and that every player in a raid is leaving the raid after splitting a large pool of gold.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Max Miceli
Max Miceli
Senior Staff Writer. Max graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a journalism and political science degree in 2015. He previously worked for The Esports Observer covering the streaming industry before joining Dot where he now helps with Overwatch 2 coverage.