Wealth category removed from Armory statistics
by Alex Ziebart 
Dec 3rd 2008 at 8:00PM
The Armory was updated with achievement and statistic tracking last week to accompany the new game features introducted in patch 3.0.2, along with tools to compare your achievements and stats to other players on your realm. There was a lot of concern over someone the things displayed out in the open for all to see such as the Wealth stat. How much gold you've had, how much you have, things like that. Players felt it made them into targets of sorts, figuring hackers, scammers and phishing sites would focus fire a little more. Heck, some people were just plain uncomfortable with other players seeing their gold stores.It looks like Blizzard actually agrees in this case. If they don't agree, at least they were feeling a little sympathy and wanted to calm some nerves. The Wealth category has been removed completely, and while you can still check up on other achievements and stats, you don't get a free look into someone's money bags anymore. I don't know that how much gold you have on display actually had an effect on who scammers target or not, but it's not like it was important information anyway and you might as well be more safe than sorry. Some stats are fun to see and compare, but I don't know that gold is one of those stats.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Account Security
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Nobby Dec 3rd 2008 8:07PM
Now no one will know my level 80 char only has 38 copper to his name.
Alkaios Dec 3rd 2008 8:18PM
^this
Spent well over a year as a holy paladin, dailies pretty much paid for raid mats, and extra gold depended on how many dailies I did, and the price of the mats. My guild raided T5-6 content before 3.0.2, and even with all my shiny healing epix, I was broke most days. Blacksmithing doesn't sell without epic recipes, and mining would make money only when I unleshed massive amounts of stored Hardened Addy bars for cheap. lulz.
I went into Wrath with around 100 gold, not exactly an epic start. I'm glad people don't judge my character anymore by how much money, or lack thereof, I've earned on it.
Lemons Dec 3rd 2008 9:10PM
Yeah, having epics doesn't mean you have money, in fact most of the time it's the exact opposite.
Anyone can get some epics, but it takes a special brand of crazy to amass thousands upon thousands of gold.
JJV Dec 4th 2008 9:17AM
WTF Wow Insider
i sent in a tip about this, and i dont get credit????
same with the consortium gems... sheesh
but yeah its been like this for a week now. GG
~Cubalt
Ne0nguy Dec 3rd 2008 8:29PM
Thats BS!
They should at least put an option on which things to electively hide.. not just take it away from us.
That was one of the only statistics I was interested in seeing.
sickbox Dec 3rd 2008 8:52PM
Rather than an opt-out to show the wealth category they could have an opt-in option somewhere in your character profile.
sickbox Dec 3rd 2008 8:54PM
I mean rather than removing it all together.
kozom Dec 3rd 2008 8:33PM
i have 300g for wrath start, sadly about 150g of this is going towards runic potions, training, leveling mining, and payin odd debt :/
AutumnBringer Dec 3rd 2008 8:36PM
Paying debt in WoW? Did you get a credit line with those Consortium guys? Better get that paid, or I fear you may soon be sleeping with the fishes in the twisting Nether.
kozom Dec 3rd 2008 8:51PM
HA i WISH it was the consortium, flight form ftw imagine this..
*throws me off cliff*
*cast flight form*
/poo on consortium
/lol
/SS
PimpyMicPimp Dec 3rd 2008 8:33PM
I'm not mad about it, but it's lame they caved to such stupid QQ
Rollo Dec 3rd 2008 8:35PM
If the entire guild knows you have 15k, a lot of people would probably be begging for "loans".
Plus, "I'm broke, have to do my dailies" is a pretty good excuse to have when you need one!
Jamesisgreat Dec 3rd 2008 8:41PM
Fine by me - why on earth would anyone need to know how much gold I've got saved? I guess if you haven't got any saved then you wouldn't really mind, but if you have 20k saved then the last thing you'd want is for any old bugger to be able to find that out. Forget scammers - imagine how persistent those beggars in IF and SW would be for a gold if they knew you had 20k!
Zamboni Dec 3rd 2008 11:34PM
Try 100K. Once people figured out my goofball hippie bank alt had a six-digit bankroll, he hasn't had a moment's peace since. I really think Blizzard should provide free name changes for the bankers that were exposed this way.
Ne0nguy Dec 3rd 2008 8:45PM
I still think it is pretty crappy.
I loved being able to stick-it to my guild master that I had more gold than him.
Especially since I never bought, or borrowed gold or guides form anyone.
Fyve & Boomstick Dec 3rd 2008 9:28PM
Yeah! Way to completely pwn your GM! Hah! That shows him. "Look at me i got more gold than you!" And what exactly? Do you follow it up with a "nyah nyah nyah"
Honestly this sort of gold hoard dick waving contest make me pleased they removed it, if only to annoy you.
jbodar Dec 3rd 2008 10:17PM
If you need people to bow to your e-peen this badly, you have issues. Just sayin'. Seek help. No really. Do it.
slayer Dec 3rd 2008 8:48PM
This was pretty a pretty clear action to stop scammers.... Me along with a few of the other wealthier members on our server started getting scam mail as soon as these statistics were released. I can only assume this is blizzards reaction to such actions.
AJ Dec 3rd 2008 8:59PM
I know a few people speculating the AH in the 1-2k a day bracket and you wouldn't have been able to tell from their armory profiles anyway. People that are really raking in the truly large amounts of gold generally do most of their trading on level 1 bank alts, ie not in the armory anyway. Count me as one of the "Meh" crowd on this change, no-one's ever begged from my AH toons regardless of whether it's a few copper or thousands of gold sitting on them.
AJ @ wowcasually.blogspot.com
Joshua Smellie Dec 3rd 2008 9:00PM
I'm glad they did this. Sure, I don't have as much gold as other players but I don't really want people to know how much I have either.