Recently, the launch of the Golden Trading Brutosaur in the World of Warcraft in-game shop sparked controversies among the community, particularly about a player who mistakenly spent 9,999,999 gold on an outdated mount just before the new one became available. This blunder left them feeling cheated, as the new mount offers superior features and accessibility. The player’s error is estimated to have cost them around €360, as they could have easily converted their gold into tokens to buy multiple Golden Brutosaurs instead.
Following the recent introduction of the Golden Trading Brutosaur in the in-game store of World of Warcraft: The War Within, discussions and controversies have ignited within the MMORPG community. Among all the various opinions, one issue has particularly affected certain players worldwide, and it has proven to be extremely costly for them…
The Million Gold Mistake in WoW
When Blizzard introduces new mounts or cosmetic items that resemble those already available in the game, it’s apparent that some fans of this renowned MMORPG feel somewhat cheated. The recent launch of the highly debated Golden Trading Brutosaur is a notable case in point, serving as one of the most striking examples.
Blizzard’s decision to roll out a Brutosaur at a staggering price wasn’t likely a mere coincidence. The publisher was well aware that players would clamor for it due to the existence of only one other mount of this kind, which was removed from the game in 2020: the Mighty Caravan Brutosaur. While this strategy might seem clever, it has significant flaws since that mount is still available in the black market, often priced at 9,999,999 gold coins. Consequently, acquiring it is extremely rare, but not impossible!
However, the Golden Trading Brutosaur is indeed superior to its predecessor in every way. It not only features an in-built auction house but also includes a portable mailbox. Its visuals have been revamped, especially concerning its skin color, and it boasts various small details absent from the Mighty Caravan Brutosaur. Why then would anyone buy the older Brutosaur when the new one offers better features?
This mistake was sadly made by a player just before the controversial mount became available in the Battle.net store, spending 9,999,999 gold coins on the model inspired by Battle for Azeroth. Unfortunately, on the same evening, Blizzard launched the Golden Trading Brutosaur, effectively rendering those who had purchased the older model victims of an unintentional scam without any offered compensation. This was a harsh blow, especially considering the high value of gold in the game…
What is the Impact of This Brutosaur on ‘Scammed’ Players?
For years now, players in WoW have had the option to exchange real money for game time through Tokens. These can be purchased in the store for €20 and then resold at a price set by the publisher in the auction house to earn gold. Over the years, there has been a trend to equate in-game prices or store items: if a mount is sold for 300,000 gold by a player in the auction house, some believe it’s equivalent to ‘one Token.’ This illustrates how commonplace this small item has become in World of Warcraft, but that’s a topic for another discussion!
If we apply the same rationale used to justify the exorbitant price of the Golden Trading Brutosaur, it reveals an interesting yet unsettling truth. That player, along with likely many others, may have effectively ‘lost’ around €360 as of the current writing. While it’s ludicrous to calculate value in such a manner, the math employed by some to defend the publisher can serve to highlight that it’s far from trivial.
With that much gold, this player could’ve purchased five Golden Trading Brutosaurs without spending a single cent of their own money, simply by converting their 9,999,999 gold coins into currency usable exclusively in the Battle.net Store using a Token. Regardless of who they are, this mistake is probably a sore point for them today, even if they now possess an otherwise unattainable mount. Perhaps they are a collector and take pride in flaunting their rare trophy. However, it’s likely that the reality of the situation is less acceptable for them and others affected.
As Phase 5 has just launched in the Season of Discovery for World of Warcraft, players of the famous MMORPG will soon have the opportunity to explore a new approach to tackling the two raids in the Ahn’Qiraj complex, as well as the legendary opening of its gates!