Overview
- Blizzard said it would step up enforcement of real‑money trading in the WoW: Forever beta and warned buyers and recipients who “knew or should‑have‑known” the source of gold could face action.
- Clips showed streamer Mohamed “Ziqo” Beshir receiving large transfers from level‑one accounts, which he later said totaled about 520 gold and which players flagged as likely purchased with real money.
- On Wednesday Blizzard removed most illicit gold from one of Ziqo’s characters, leaving that character with nine silver, but the company did not ban or suspend his account.
- Players and competitors have urged Blizzard to impose harsher penalties and asked tournament organizers to consider excluding implicated streamers to protect fairness for the mid‑October Forever Open event.
- Real‑money trading lets outsiders buy in‑game gold and give it to players, which can speed access to gear, professions, and consumables and so threatens the beta’s economy and competitive integrity ahead of the November launch.