Kotaku
Sony is testing out a new system that will allow them to be the go-between for sales of Everquest II coins, items and characters. No word on when the Station Exchange will kick off, but the site says it will first be rolled out on new EQ2 servers to see how well it's received. The system will work by removing an item that has been listed on the official auction boards from the game until it's sold. Once the sale is complete, the item will automatically be transferred to the new owner. The whole process can be anonymous and is free, except for the small fee that Sony takes off the sale amount as a commission.
Sony points out that, despite the fact that they are in essence ackowleding the real world value of virtual goods by collecting cash for their sale, the company still retains ownership.
The User Agreement and Software License, to which you agreed when you installed the game and to which you agree every time you launch the game, makes it clear that you have no ownership rights in characters, items and coin — what you have is the right to use them in accordance with the license agreement, the rules of conduct of the game, and SOE's terms of service.
This is looking more and more like it has little chance of standing up in court. I m glad to see that one of the big companies is finally doing this, and I hope others follow in their footsteps.
Station Exchange [Official Site]
