Originally Posted by
Stompa
I do agree with you that they are probably checking out the money spent on mules that people hire for mogbonanza or even just login shanks etc.
However re; Cash Shop / Inhouse RMT, ie. legalised real money trading, dollars for ingame currencies / gear / progress, might have some drawbacks, SE also need to consider how many people would close their FFXI accounts entirely if a Cash Shop arrived. A lot of people despise RMT, and only accept it grudgingly because it is illegal and not sanctioned. But if a Cash Shop arrived, selling currencies or high value gear or progress, this would upset quite a few purists who have never bought gil, and believe that the only way to progress in a game is to play the game. My friends are firmly in this camp, they are roleplayers and see external cash-injections into the virtual character's world, as an unnatural and corrosive factor in online roleplaying games.
Obviously the selling of fancy fun stuff and costumes, things like Tidal Talisman etc. is totally OK, it is just the currencies/serious gear/progress that might cause issues.
I am not going to say anything about my own opinions, because I have now learned that I will just get flamed for that, but I do think that for every person who likes the Cash Shop there may well be a few others who don't like it, and a few who might even /unsubscribe, if currency/gear/progress goes on sale.