WoW Streamer Banned for Gold Buying Stance

Blizzard banned streamer Payo for promoting gold buying in WoW: Forever, while Ziqo had illicit gold removed. The beta controversy tests Blizzard's stricter RMT policy.

Have you ever been offered a suspicious pile of gold in an MMO? In World of Warcraft: Forever, that kind of offer just got a streamer banned.

During the beta for WoW: Forever, which launches fully on November 4, a streamer named Payo said on stream that he was fine with viewers buying gold for him. "I never hid the fact I want my chat to use their credit cards to fill my bags," he said. Blizzard responded by banning his account just days later. Payo apologized, said he never bought gold personally, and even called the ban "happy" because it shows Blizzard is serious about real-money transactions (RMT). He was allowed to make a new account and keep streaming.

The drama started earlier when another streamer, Ziqo, was seen accepting large amounts of gold from strangers before a $100,000 PvP tournament. Many believed the gold was bought from third-party sellers. Blizzard removed the gold from Ziqo's account but did not ban or suspend him, which upset some players.

In response to the controversy, Blizzard posted on the forums that it would punish not only gold sellers but also buyers and anyone accepting questionable gold. Punishments could include gold removal, suspension, or permanent bans. Community manager Kaivax later said on October 1 that Blizzard is taking action against botting and illicit gold, and announced an in-game warning when trading with strangers: "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."

Some players remain skeptical. They point out that botting has always been a problem in WoW Classic, and that neither Payo nor Ziqo received permanent bans. Others see the new warning as a major escalation. "Players are being given plenty of warning," wrote user Dessiato. "I look forward to the reckoning."

Meanwhile, the Forever beta is breaking records, with population caps raised multiple times since it launched on September 17. Access requires the $60 Skyborne Heroic pack, and the beta runs until October 21. Whether Blizzard's actions match its words, only time will tell.

What do you think? Is Blizzard finally getting tough on gold buying, or are streamers still getting special treatment?