Diablo 3: account compromise less likely in Auction House territories

Blizzard believes Diablo 3's oft-derided Auction House reduces the risk of account compromises.

"The auction house is a really complicated issue. Like it or not our players, or some of our players, attribute real world value to the items. So [if you don’t have an] item auction house, you’re going to see a lot of account compromises," Diablo 3 director Josh Mosqueira told PCGamesN at gamescom.

“In fact in the territories where we do not have an auction house, the ratio of account compromises is [higher] than the rest of the world. So the primary [idea] of the auction house is definitely making sure that players can trade without worrying that [their accounts] will get compromised.”

That's not to say the system is entirely safe; the most determined hackers can get anywhere, including World of Warcraft's auction house.

Former director Jay Wilson once said that he'd take the Auction House out if he could, something one of the original designers agrees with.