WoW dev confirms GDKP ban in Season of Discovery Phase Two

In news that will come as a significant relief to many World of Warcraft: Season of Discovery players, GDKP dungeon and raid runs will be forbidden from the game’s second phase onwards.

For those who are not aware of the practice, GDKP stands for Gold Dragon Kill Points. The original version of this was simply DKP, a loot system that essentially rewarded the greatest contributors with the best gear in Classic WoW.

Though GDKP shares much of its name, it is an entirely different loot system. In GDKP dungeons or raids, players instead bid on an item, with the person who is willing to part with the most money the one who gets to leave with the item.

Now, Blizzard has confirmed that Phase Two of Season of Discovery will be a GDKP-free zone.

“Experimental nature” of Season of Discovery led to decision by Blizzard

In an official post on the World of Warcraft website, Blizzard confirmed the new direction alongside many other details for Phase Two of Season of Discovery.

Blizzard Entertainment

The reasoning given by the developer essentially centers on the fundamental backbone of the MMO more generally. It cites significant concerns over how GDKP runs undermine the traditional dynamics of guild runs and more general social structures in Season of Discovery.

On Wrath of the Lich King servers, GDKP runs have become a huge part of the game. Most agree that it has a negative effect on the health of the game overall and the ability to complete its hardest activities organically.

It’s also important to note that this move will also be largely motivated by direct opposition from the developer to third-party gold buying. Without the proverbial carrot of being able to buy the best gear via GDKP runs, purchasing currency will immediately become a less appealing prospect.

Blizzard is yet to confirm what will happen to those who flout this rule in Phase Two. It is highly likely that they will adopt a similar tactic to gold buyers, starting with a temporary ban or gear confiscation, before moving on to more serious measures.