In Lost Ark you can buy many items with gold in the auction house. To prevent prices from skyrocketing, the currency Pheons was introduced. We from MeinMMO reveal how it works and why it’s so important.
Recently, a thread appeared on the Lost Ark subreddit that discusses market regulation in the game. Reddit user korean1351 explains the real money currency Pheon and its impact on gold prices. This thread is being discussed controversially.
What are Pheons? Pheons are quite unique among the many currencies of Lost Ark. They only come into play when you buy items from other players for gold in the auction house. For each transaction, you have to pay exactly 25 Pheons – regardless of how much gold you spend.
You can obtain Pheons in the cash shop using royal or blue crystals. Additionally, you can receive them at events or as a login reward.
How do F2P players benefit from this? Pheons act as a kind of tax imposed on each transaction between players. This leads to players being able to make only a very limited number of gold purchases in the auction house.
As a result of these limited activities in the auction house, interest in selling items for only a slight profit decreases, which keeps prices overall lower. The risk of losing Pheons is greater than the profit that could be made in gold.
The reddit user also draws on his experience in Korea. There, the prices for equipment skyrocketed for a while until Pheons were introduced last year.
What the community says
What the community says: Opinions on Reddit about the topic are highly divided. Some support the system, while others only complain about Amazon and Smilegate.
- DarkSkyKnight: “This subreddit is economically completely incompetent, but I really appreciate this understandable explanation.”
- Jus2mint: “I feel the same way. The supply of accessories and ability stones is determined by the game. Excessive demand would mean price increases. Pheon reduces unnecessary demand and thus stabilizes the price of accessories and stones. Since Pheon was introduced, it’s also possible for F2P players with less gold to access the market.”
Is Lost Ark Pay2Win? Many players claim so. However, this mechanism is seen as evidence to the contrary, as players benefit even if they do not spend real money. Pheons must be purchased with real money, while gold can be farmed. This initially makes Pheons more valuable, which is why F2P players want to save them and thus spend less gold.
Since there are only a few Pheons available to the general public, it is not worth artificially creating demand by buying up good equipment. The risk of being left with unsold items and making a loss is too great.
While those who invest a lot of money can gain some advantages in Lost Ark, they cannot manipulate the market. The Pheon system stands in the way and gives F2P players a chance.
What do you think? Does the system work as it should and actually prevent gold prices from skyrocketing? Have you invested real money in Lost Ark? If so, how much? Do you generally consider the game to be Pay2Win or are you satisfied free-to-play players? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments here on MeinMMO!
What exactly is in the shop, we have summarized here:
Is Lost Ark Pay2Win? What’s in the shop of the western version
