WoWHead, the pretty, shiny World of Warcraft item database, has been sold to the ZAM Network for over (an estimated, rumored) $1 million. WoWHead’s announcement is here, along with the now-typical rationalization for selling to former/current/speculated/who-knows-what associates of IGE, gold sellers to the stars.
Here’s what I say: why rationalize? It’s none of our business, frankly.
An interesting history lesson about this and prior fan site sales, including Thottbot and Allaka-adver-popups, by Ahmed Farooq, former acquisitions dude at IGE: “Hot off the Presses: Wowhead sold for over $1 million”.
Goddammit, when is somebody going to go on the record with these stories? The truth is, I can’t figure out WHAT we’ve got and until then, I have to use lots of slashed up phrases for all the “either-or’s” like estimated/rumored/speculated and current/former/not-yet-denied.
I’ve stopped giving a damn. When a site I visit regularly is bought up with RMT cash, I just put its ad server on my adblock list and go on using the content.
Develop a revenue stream off that, biotches.
Yeah, why rationalize? I’d just post a note that said, “paying off my mortgage; go find a new site.” Screw the moral high ground.
This is kinda funny, though, given that all the people who used to direct me to wowhead kept stridently telling me that the whole reason it was better than any other database site was because it wasn’t owned by gold sellers. I was like, I never click on the ads anyway, and if they start using ad servers that are known for spyware Trend Micro will warn me, so what does it matter which I use?
The true dirt: here.
While I agree that rationalizing is silly, the reasoning for it is that Wowhead is a site with content built by its contributing audience. In particular, all of the people that were uncomfortable with IGE backing Thottbot and Allahkhazam had made Wowhead their home turf. Any FUD and misdirection will keep that segment of their audience from rallying.
The more this goes on, the less people will care, more and more responses of “it’s just a game” is exactly what they are going for with the rationalizations. They want to make it a tired issue.
I HATE THIS GAME IN GENERAL YOU ALL SUCK NERDS.
Ya, but we’re better looking than you. WAY better looking.
How do i put my screenshots on wowhead?