[2020] PSA: Selling/Buying via LFG is against the Code of Conduct

Original Post — Direct link

TL;DR EDIT:
The Lfg is purely to form groups, home instances are not considered group content and thats why it not allowed to advertise e.x homeinstances in the lfg.

2 comments from A-net employe:

To clarify on this: LFG is not a sales tool. It is a tool to form groups for events, raids, instanced content and so forth. LFG stands for "Looking for Group" - that needs to be the main goal.

....

I fully understand that this could be a great place for nitpicking, but the rule is really very straight-forward: If you make a group for group content, you are okay. If you use LFG for anything but group content, it is not okay.

No. Home instances are not considered group content.

Anet comment 1

Anet comment 2

So the other day I was using the LFG to sell the entrance to my Home instance, I recieved a 3 hour suspension for it. I wrote to the support to ask them why I got the suspension & the response was:

This email is to notify you that the above game account has violated the Guild Wars 2 User Agreement and Code of Conduct. Further violations may result in suspension or termination of the account."

Please refrain from using LFG as a means for selling things. Selling/Buying is not the purpose of LFG and should be strictly used for Looking for Group purposes.

Let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

So I was curious, if u read into this response everything in regard of selling/buying stuff via the lfg would be a violation, so i asked them:

Let me ask you where do you draw the line? People are constantly selling Raids in the lfg and basicly it is against the same rule you just suspended my account.

The response on that was:

The violation in question has to do with where you posted the chat. If it wasn't in LFG, you wouldn't have received a suspension. LFG is meant specifically for players grouping up. Not selling or buying other things. Also, if you notice another using chat or abusing our policies, feel free to use the report a player feature within the game.

If you have any questions, feel free to review our Guild Wars 2 User Agreement and Code of Conduct.

UserAgreement

Rules Of conduct

Which basicly means everything from buying/selling VIA THE LFG, no matter if you only want to buy decorations for your guildhall, selling raids, or anything else is against the policy.

External link →

about 5 years ago - /u/Dornsinger - Direct link

Which basicly means everything from buying/selling VIA THE LFG, no matter if you only want to buy decorations for your guildhall, selling raids, or anything else is against the policy.

To clarify on this: LFG is not a sales tool. It is a tool to form groups for events, raids, instanced content and so forth. LFG stands for "Looking for Group" - that needs to be the main goal.

If you are forming a group (like a raid), you may adverse it as it as such. You did not offer to sell a raid - you offered to sell goods. The intent of your LFG posting was not to find other players to explore content with, I reviewed that ticket (as well as the warning that was sent to you via email in ticket 7435456).

Please also note that "raid selling" is rife with scamming, and in most cases, the Customer Support team cannot help if a player is being scammed, as we do not officially allow such 'sales'. They are at a player's own risk.

I fully understand that this could be a great place for nitpicking, but the rule is really very straight-forward: If you make a group for group content, you are okay. If you use LFG for anything but group content, it is not okay.

about 5 years ago - /u/Dornsinger - Direct link

Originally posted by painstream

I recall at one point (unsourced, so take it for what it's worth), there was a red post on the official forums about this.
LFG selling is accepted for content only, which means raids/dungeons. It was specifically not for trading or home instance access, because those are not "content". You're still allowed to receive tips, but you're not permitted post home node access to LFG. Been like that for a while.

Based on the GM response, if you were to announce in /map or /say that you were selling home access, that might not get you in trouble? But also expect to get shouted down or reported for spam.

All of the above!

about 5 years ago - /u/Dornsinger - Direct link

Originally posted by Dartwo

So, am I allowed to post on LFG to invite others to a full home instance for free? That is, not selling or buying (including donations or tips), just to be nice to allow others to come and join with me?

No. Home instances are not considered group content.

about 5 years ago - /u/Dornsinger - Direct link

Originally posted by scitomniares

While the intent behind this rule is very clear and well motivated, the distinction between raid selling and home instance selling seems to be somewhat arbitrary/unclear to me.

In both cases, there are no goods sold directly, but a service (clearing a raid for you or access to a special area) which rewards goods (raid loot/achievements or materials).

One is to form a group, which is needed, to clear group content. One is not.

about 5 years ago - /u/Dornsinger - Direct link

Originally posted by Exit-Here

so would making a group like:

<LFG exploring home instance 1g>

be fine? as the 1g is my requirement for forming the group

or if that isn't 'instanced content', why not just make it

<LFM roleplaying in homeinstance with mining picks, 1g>

Since there is a roleplaying tab in lfg, I assume roleplaying is 'content'

C'mon. That's still a sale of a home instance, which is not group content. And I am very sure you know that, too, right? :3

about 5 years ago - /u/Dornsinger - Direct link

Originally posted by Blumentopf_Vampir

Are you f**king kidding me? Do you even know how raid selling works?

You guys are only fine with the whole raid selling spiel, because you get people paying real money for gems.

At least be honest you muppet.

I have no idea why any kind of personal attacks are needed here. I was hoping to show the difference - which is indeed between group content to be cleared and that which is not. Clearing any group instance which requires grouping is the goal. Thus - Looking for Group.

In the case of the OP, 'clearing' was not the goal, as a home instance does not have a group goal to achieve.

However, as this is now the level we have reached, I'll respectfully remove myself from this conversation. :3

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