Game Economy
Ongoing coverage on Game Economy.
Latest coverage
Arc Raiders Players are Disappointed in the New Expedition Changes
Players of Arc Raiders are expressing disappointment following Embark Studios' latest announcement regarding changes to the game's Expedition window. Many players who have accumulated significant in-game currency are concerned about the impact of these changes on their saved progress.
Pixels Unveils Tier 5 Update: NFT Land Slot Deeds and Deconstructor Overhaul
Pixels has launched its Tier 5 update, introducing 105 new recipes, specialized crafting industries exclusive to NFT Lands, and an overhauled Deconstruction system. The update features Slot Deeds for NFT parcels, which grant temporary capacity for T5 industries and require renewal. Existing Tier 1-4 industries remain unaffected, while the new tier aims to enrich the game's strategic crafting economy and provide landowners with additional benefits.
WoW Classic kills dungeon-boosting in Burning Crusade expansion because, oh no, the economy
Blizzard Entertainment has implemented changes in World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Classic to prevent dungeon boosting. Players must now participate in combat to receive experience from dungeons, and loot drops from non-boss enemies are determined by the number of players involved in the kill. These changes aim to curb exploits and reduce strain on the game's infrastructure.
WoW's Burning Crusade Classic servers are removing the time-honoured tradition of dungeon boosting
Blizzard Entertainment is removing the long-standing practice of dungeon boosting in World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Classic servers. The changes aim to address detrimental economic effects and ensure meaningful player participation by requiring players to contribute to kills to earn experience and loot.
Rune Hero Launches Season 0 on April 6
Rune Hero is launching its Season 0 on April 6, featuring its first full seasonal loop and a live in-game economy. Players can earn Soul Shards, convert them to Season Gems, and compete for a USDT prize pool. Perks from the Season 0 Battle Pass will carry over to the second closed beta, which runs until April 26.
Path of Exile could be cracking down harder on RMT, as player reports warning message
Grinding Gear Games appears to be intensifying its efforts against real money trading (RMT) in Path of Exile, with players reporting new warning messages for engaging in such activities. The developer emphasizes that RMT damages the game's economy and fairness. This crackdown follows speculation about the banning of a prominent trading server owner, suggesting a more concerted push to address RMT.
Unchained Dungeon Debuts March 28 on Abstract
Unchained, a new blockchain-based game developed by Bizarre Games, Inc., is set to launch on March 28, 2026, on the Abstract Chain. It combines dungeon crawler and battle royale elements for up to 50 players, with entry fees and prize pools managed in ETH, focusing on skill-based competition rather than a play-to-earn model.
Path of Exile's new Mirage league might be the best chance you'll ever get at obtaining the rarest item in the…
The new Mirage league for Path of Exile introduces significant changes to currency drop rates and an overhaul of the atlas system, aiming to make currency rewards more competitive and endgame progression more intentional. These updates, along with new league mechanics and ascendancies, suggest it could be a highly rewarding league for players seeking rare items like the Mirror of Kalandra.
Spirit Crossing discusses balancing the in-game economy to encourage cooperation and limit grind
Spry Fox is discussing the in-development game Spirit Crossing's economy balance, aiming to encourage cooperation and limit excessive grinding. The current design prioritizes player retention with a more conservative economy, but the goal is to increase generosity once all economic systems are in place, ensuring player time is respected without diminishing the value of community goals.
CS2 Dead Hand Collection Drops 17 New Skins and 22 Rare Gloves
Valve has released the Dead Hand Collection for Counter-Strike 2, introducing 17 new weapon skins and 22 rare gloves created by community artists. The update also includes significant map adjustments, notably fixing a pixel gap on Dust II and updating Alpine to its latest Community Workshop version. A new Dead Hand Terminal system will provide weekly drops for accessing these cosmetic items.
EVE Online shares its latest economic report and celebrates 10 years of citizen science
EVE Online is celebrating 10 years of its Project Discovery citizen science initiative, which has contributed to real-world research in areas like cell mapping and cancer research. Participants will receive a special anniversary ship skin. The latest February 2026 economic report shows trends in destruction, mining, and production values, alongside mineral and ship price decreases. Additionally, the game is hosting 'Anger Games 7,' a team vs. team deathmatch event with registration open until March 15th.
War Thunder Celebrates Finnish Air Force Day with Historic Aircraft & Free Commemorative Decal
War Thunder is celebrating Finnish Air Force Day with a special in-game event running from March 6th to 9th. The event honors Finnish aviation history with discounts on specific aircraft and a free commemorative decal for players who complete a challenging mission requirement. While the event highlights historical aircraft and Nordic aviation heritage, some players have raised concerns about the game's economy and the grind associated with earning the decal.
MapleStory Universe Winter Update Draws 96K New Players, Transactions Up 171%
MapleStory Universe's recent winter update has led to significant growth, attracting over 96,000 new players and re-engaging 34,000 former players. The update also boosted in-game transactions by 171% and trading volume of its currency NESO by 400%. Nexpace, the developer, plans to introduce new features like minting character nicknames as NFTs to further enhance the game's blockchain-based economy.
RuneScape opens up for player feedback about how to improve the Grand Exchange
Jagex is seeking player feedback to improve RuneScape's Grand Exchange, a core feature that has not been updated in a significant amount of time. Developers are aware of issues such as slow trading, price lag, and a lack of features like item filters and price ranges, and are looking for player input on desired changes.
Bungie share top feedback from Marathon's playtest, including PC performance, UI issues and ammo shortages
Bungie has shared key feedback from the recent Marathon "server slam" playtest, addressing player concerns regarding PC performance, UI issues, and ammo economy. The developer is investigating reports of high CPU usage, low GPU utilization, and stuttering, while also acknowledging feedback on PvP frequency and movement mechanics. Network issues, specifically "Weasel" error codes, are also under investigation.
Marathon dev Bungie responds to Server Slam feedback, particularly around UI, PC performance, and more
Bungie is addressing player feedback from Marathon's Server Slam, focusing on UI improvements, PC performance issues, and network error codes. The developer is gathering input on various aspects including PvP frequency, movement, and in-game economy to ensure a smooth launch on March 5th.
Arc Raiders developer warns of incoming “enforcements” against players who abused exploits
Embark Studios has announced that "enforcements" will be issued against Arc Raiders players who abused an item duplication exploit. While acknowledging a design flaw, the developer stated that the exploit's impact on the game's economy and player experience warrants action. Consequences will range from warnings to account suspensions, with the goal of maintaining fairness.
