We were told by developers and publishers over the years that real-money-trading was a scourge on online gaming and ruined the experience for everyone. Rules were added to the term and conditions for just about every game to make sure that everyone knew it was not allowed and wouldn’t be tolerated. Those that did not heed the warning would risk their account being banned forever.

It seems that in the end, money rules and no one really cares whether or not real-money-trading ruins games or not.  Sony Online Entertainment was the first to allow item and account selling for Everquest and Everquest 2, but shut-down the service in early 2008. Probably because of the enormous fees they charged and sellers decided the blackmarket was better for them.

Yesterday Diablo 3 launched with it’s own RMT auction house, even though Blizzard has been railing against RMT for years. It seems the real issue wasn’t that it ruined their games, but they weren’t getting a cut of the cash.

Blizzard has been adamant about their game accounts, stating time and time again, that they are the owners of the accounts and not the players, but by allowing players to buy and sell accounts to each other, isn’t Blizzard indirectly conceding they really aren’t the owners?

What Blizzard is trying to get away with here is renting you an online account, while making you pay for the game. If I paid for the game and the game requires me to make an online account to use it, then you can’t say I don’t own that account.  Otherwise I cannot gain access to the game which I paid for.

Having said that, it would be reasonable to say that since I purchased the game, and the game requires an online account, then I own that online account. Going a step further, I should then be able to sell my account to anyone I want without using Blizzard’s auction system.

Where do you guys stand in the new RMT world? Is what’s good for the goose, good for the gander? Does Blizzard have any leg to stand on when it comes to RMT and players selling their accounts and items privately? Or do you believe that RMT still ruins games?

SMITE: Demigods, Deities and Gods Explained is a new column dedicated to introducing prospective players of SMITE to its massive back story of lore. From the Greek to Hindi, each week we’ll look at two characters from a major pantheon and provide a quick recap of their history and in what capacity their digital incarnation will represent on the field of Hi-Rez Studios upcoming MOBA.

Lore: Ao Kuang, usually spelled Ao Guang, is the destructive god known as the Dragon King of the East Sea. During his early years, Ao Guang reigned terror on man through the forces of nature. Droughts, storms and other natural disasters were his weapons of choice and his destruction continue unabated until Nezha, a protective deity, intervenes. After suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of Nezha, Ao Guang seeks vengeance by kidnapping Nezha’s parents.

Hit the jump for the rest of Ao Guang’s story, how he’ll play in-game and further reading. Read more…

As if one giveaway today wasn’t enough, we have a second brought to you by Aeria Games for their upcoming MOBA game, Realm of the Titans, which just entered closed beta testing.

This closed beta package will not only give you access to the closed beta, but reward you with the following items and bonuses.

Closed Beta Package (All 7-day items):

• Champion Feng (Hero)
• Feng Exclusive Card: Activate this hero and gain the following effects: Gain extra 50% of Battle Score when winning, deducts 50% less of Battle score when losing. Choose hero 5 seconds earlier.
• Skyboard mount: Mounts can be chosen at Hero selection.
• Double EXP booster: Gain double the usual amount of Experience Points after a match.
• Double BP booster: Gain double the usual amount of Titan Soul after a natch.

The first beta weekend is over for Funcom’s The Secret World and if you happen to be one of those gamers that didn’t receive a beta key yet, you can step away from the ledge, we’re here to help

Lorehound has received five beta keys to give out, one of which was given out yesterday on our Facebook page, with the other four being handed out this Friday, just in time for beta weekend #2.

So how do you get a key? Simply head over to our Facebook page, like us, and tell us why you’re excited about The Secret World.  We’ll select our four favorite comments early Friday morning and send out the keys via Facebook.

Good luck to everyone.