Blizzard has taken action against a prominent World of Warcraft: Forever streamer for publicly promoting gold buying, marking what appears to be an escalation in the developer's enforcement against real-money transactions in the upcoming classic-era MMORPG. The ban came as part of a broader crackdown that has drawn attention to how seriously the studio intends to police illicit currency trading when Forever launches this November.
The streamer in question, Payo, made on-stream comments stating he had never concealed his willingness to accept gold purchased by his community members on his behalf. He explicitly told his audience he wanted them to use their credit cards to fund his in-game wealth. Those remarks prompted Blizzard to suspend his account within days, though the action stopped short of a permanent closure. Payo has since apologized, saying he learned from the mistake and pledging never to promote gold buying again. He expressed satisfaction with the ban itself, viewing it as evidence that Blizzard is genuinely committed to tackling the RMT problem.
The Broader Gold-Buying Crisis
Gold buying through third-party websites that employ bots to farm currency has plagued World of Warcraft since its inception and has always violated the game's terms of service. However, Blizzard has acknowledged in recent statements that its enforcement approach had been too lenient historically. The developer has now signaled a shift toward more aggressive punishment of not only gold sellers—its traditional enforcement target—but also the players who purchase illicit currency.
The controversy intensified earlier in the week when another streamer, Ziqo, was observed on stream receiving suspiciously large quantities of gold from unknown sources ahead of a $100,000 prize pool PvP tournament in which multiple streamers will compete. The sheer volume of currency transferred raised community suspicion that the gold had been purchased from third-party vendors rather than obtained through legitimate farming. The incident sparked immediate backlash from the Forever community, with players demanding Blizzard intervene.
Blizzard's Enforcement Response
In response to the Ziqo incident, Blizzard issued a forum post outlining its updated enforcement policy. The developer stated it would increasingly target both gold sellers and buyers. Accounts that accept large quantities of questionable gold now face consequences including gold removal, account suspension, or permanent bans. Blizzard advised players to avoid accepting suspicious transactions to prevent these penalties.
Ziqo's account was stripped of the contested gold by Blizzard, but the streamer was neither banned nor suspended despite community calls for harsher action. Payo's situation differed markedly. His explicit on-stream endorsement of gold buying triggered a ban that prevented him from accessing his main account. However, Payo retained the ability to create a new account and continue streaming Forever, meaning the penalty was not permanent.
Community manager Kaivax reinforced Blizzard's stance in a forum post dated October 1. Kaivax confirmed that Blizzard continues to take action against botting accounts and players who have bought or knowingly received illicit gold. The developer also announced plans to add an in-game warning that will appear when players trade with strangers. The warning message reads: "Be wary of accepting gold from unknown or suspicious sources. If the provider is engaged in Real Money Transactions, you could put your account at risk of closure."
In-Game Warnings and Future Enforcement
Kaivax concluded by stating Blizzard's position on RMT in unambiguous terms: any account found to have participated in generating, selling, buying, or receiving illicit gold faces removal of the currency, account suspension, or permanent closure. The addition of an in-game warning represents a notable escalation in Blizzard's campaign against gold buyers and sellers, moving beyond forum announcements into the client itself.
Reaction within the community remains mixed. Some players view the in-game warning and enforcement actions as a serious commitment to cleaning up the RMT ecosystem. User Dessiato commented that players are being given adequate warning and expressed anticipation for consequences to follow. Others remain skeptical, pointing to Blizzard's historical track record. The developer has repeatedly pledged to eliminate botting, yet bot activity remains a persistent problem in World of Warcraft Classic, leading some to question whether streamers are receiving preferential treatment given that neither Ziqo nor Payo faced permanent bans.
Forever's Record-Breaking Beta
The RMT controversy has thrust World of Warcraft back into the spotlight in a way unseen since World of Warcraft Classic's 2019 launch. The Forever beta, which began on September 17, has proven so popular that Blizzard has raised the population cap multiple times to accommodate demand. Access to the beta requires purchase of the $60 Skyborne Heroic pack. The beta phase is scheduled to conclude on October 21, with the full Forever release arriving on November 4.
Whether Blizzard will maintain its hardline stance once the game launches remains uncertain. The developer's enforcement record on botting suggests that initial commitments do not always translate into sustained action. However, the combination of in-game warnings, public forum statements, and account bans demonstrates a more visible enforcement effort than has been typical for World of Warcraft in recent years. The next several weeks will test whether these measures represent genuine policy change or temporary theater designed to manage community sentiment during the beta period.