Blizzard would eliminate the auction house but that requires a lot of effort

Mar 29, 2013 09:09 GMT  ·  By

Former Diablo 3 Game Director Jay Wilson has made a pretty surprising statement at GDC 2013, saying that the auction house in Diablo 3 has actually hurt the game and that Blizzard would eliminate the system if it could.

One of Diablo 3's most controversial features is the auction house, which allows players to buy and sell items either for in-game gold or for real-money.

While this system was devised to eliminate a black market and reward players if they find great gear, the auction houses have actually hurt Diablo 3 as a game, according to Blizzard's Jay Wilson.

In a special panel at GDC 2013, via Joystiq, Wilson said that almost every Diablo 3 player has used the auction house and half do it on a regular basis.

The auction house had led many players to just focus on grinding in order to get great items, which are then quickly sold to others, thereby taking the fun out of the game.

Wilson even went so far as to say that Blizzard would eliminate the Auction House from the game but that such a thing is easier said than done.

Diablo 3 for PS3 and PS4 won't have any auction house as players can simply trade items in-game.