General Discussion

I was browsing the fine content of your website today, always happy to be accurately informed as to what is going on in the mmo world. And Just as I was about to log off, I saw a banner ad which really upset me.
The banner ad in question

Since when does Mmorpg.com take ad money from people who are destroying mmorpgs?
These companies provide services that directly violate the end user liscense agreement of every major mmorpg on the market today.

I took a moment to take a look at their site, and their official services include:

"Power Leveling": We advance your character to the target level
(or the equivalent for the game in question) selected by you.
Trade skill advancement: We improve a trade skill such as blacksmithing, alchemy, etc. to the goal you choose.
Player-vs,-Player rank advancement
Quest completion
In-game item acquisition / "Instance Farming"
In-game currency acquisition

So, i'm wondering good mmorpg.com staff why would you let these people advertise here?
I really am outraged that you would allow this kind of "cheating" to be advertised on your page.
However, it may just be myself, the staff of PCGAMER magasine, and every major mmorpg company who think this way. I think you need to rethink your advertising.
Read for yourself what they do.
"Our mission is to make MMORPG.COM a site designed to meet the needs of the online gaming community. Let us know what you are looking for!"
I really don't think that supporting destruction of the requirement to play a game to be high level / have good gear is really meeting the needs of your online gaming community. And I am looking for a mmorpg information site that doesn't advocate cheating.

Now, I know this isn't exactly a nice post to read, but its how I feel and i'm letting you know it. I wasn't sure if this belongs here or in the general pub, so I will post it in both, feel free to lock/delete one but I would appreciate letting this issue at least be heard.

Thank you.

Yeah seriously, I agree 100%.  Taking money from them, and allowing them to advertise, is the same as endorsing it.  Quite the double standard, as it does destroy every MMORPG and infuriate legitimate players.

I never noticed the banner but i think it was a realy stupid mistake by mmorpg.com to ad it to the website. Its even forbiden to talk about it in the forums. I hope they dont do it again.

i dont know how to delete this...im sorry i think i hit the post message button twice

The ppl can post their own images somtimes. But actually that banner is at the top when I'm writing this and it was a deliberate thing because it's Dark Horse Leveling Studio www.ilevelu.com that's bs.

wow, i never would have thought of seeing that kind of banner on this webbie !

Legally, all those things are allowed in games and are a big part of them - whether we like them or not. If the services they offered were not legal, they'd have long since been sued into oblivion.

So, once that hurdle is cleared, it begins a very slippery slope when journalistic sources start moralizing on advertisement. If we decide we do not like this particular aspect of the genre, then what stops us from forbidding advertising from games we did not review strongly? Arguments could then be made we could wipe out entire games simply on whether individuals here like them.

That is not fair to the advertisers, nor the readers. Like it or not, websites - like all other journalistic mediums - rely on advertising to survive. Traditionally, most sources have refused to moralize when it comes to advertising (save in the most blatant of circumstances). What would you do if the New York Times refused to run ads for one of the two major political parties? An argument could be made.

To date, I believe Craig and the team have done a good job of limiting advertising to things that may interest our readers (note the lack of car and dating service ads). This includes - whether or not you personally agree - services of the above nature. Does that mean we endorse them? No. It simply means that they have the right to pitch their product if they pay for the space. Then, it is up to you - the readers - to decide whether or not you want to click. Clearly, given these companies choose to advertise with us, there are a large number of people who do use their services and make the advertisements worth while.

I understand this is a hot topic for some, but this is our stance, and it is a stance that has an enormous precedent in newspapers, television, radio and all other mediums of journalism.