Iranian players are blocked from playing WoW: an opportunity for Bitcoin?

[ThomasV]

Because of US economic sanctions, iranian players cannot connect to WoW anymore, and Blizzard has announced that they will not be refunded:
http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/5168067998?page=97#1933

Could this be an opportunity for Bitcoin?
Someone could easily setup a VPN for these players, and/or let them exchange WoW gold for BTC

[cbeast]

Let's show them that Western values are bad by banning them. Who issued that fatwa anyway?

[ElectricMucus]

The problem is if any part of the service is inside the US it will be illegal to provide it.

And in case of WoW it is tied to the registration on battle.net for which you need them to register using fake credentials, all of which is problematic and blizzard is obligated to fight any such service should they get wind of it. Independently a good anonymous VPS service paid with bitcoin is certainly a good idea, if it can be used to circumvent such restrictions or not.

For example: There were several usenet services in the past who were advertised as means to download warez scene releases without effort. Which were shut down... Still usenet services who provide long-rendition access to binary news groups are a well going business.

[Gabi]

US dictatorship at work i must say...

[Shadow383]

"Yes, lets anger a group of people in a deeply anti-western country who are probably one of the most likely demographics to support us."

Can't see how this helps, really.

[Than Jolg WI]

"Yes, lets anger a group of people in a deeply anti-western country who are probably one of the most likely demographics to support us."

Can't see how this helps, really.

Actually, the people of Iran is much more "western" than in most other countries in that region. It's the (Iranian) government that is the problem, but it's the people that suffer most from the sanctions (making them gradually turn against us)...

[Gabi]

"Yes, lets anger a group of people in a deeply anti-western country who are probably one of the most likely demographics to support us."

Can't see how this helps, really.

Actually, the people of Iran is much more "western" than in most other countries in that region. It's the (Iranian) government that is the problem, but it's the people that suffer most from the sanctions (making them gradually turn against us)...

+1
the government should be punished, not the people. But the exact opposite is happening

[moni3z]

Sure sell WoW codes for bitcoins, make a site in farsi for it. I think Iranians can use okpay since they list an exchanger in Tehran tho may be blocked now too

[justusranvier]

Can't see how this helps, really.

It helps Lockheed Martin sell cruise missiles, it helps generals justify their employment, it helps the Navy request funding for more ships.

It's an extremely helpful strategy, as long as you understand who its designed to help. (Protip: it's not the "citizens")

[giszmo]

How would Bitcoin help in Iran? There is no information available in Farsi and the bitcoin-qt can not be downloaded from Iran. Neither the code nor the binary. All blocked. By the the country of freedom, not the Mullahs.

Then, how does an Iranian buy bitcoins? Impossible right now. Fix these problems and then bother gamer kids.

For Iranians, Bitcoin should be the tool of choice to receive remittance as through banks they loose up to 50% in fees and the next 50% they loose via inflation. If you operate any service, put yourself in the place of an Iranian who does only speak Farsi and maybe some Arab or Aseri. Bitcoin does not exist.

[justusranvier]

Then, how does an Iranian buy bitcoins? Impossible right now. Fix these problems and then bother gamer kids.

For Iranians, Bitcoin should be the tool of choice to receive remittance as through banks they loose up to 50% in fees and the next 50% they loose via inflation. If you operate any service, put yourself in the place of an Iranian who does only speak Farsi and maybe some Arab or Aseri. Bitcoin does not exist.

I think you answered your own question. Iranians who want to buy bitcoins can get them from other Iranians receiving them as remittances. All that it would take is education of the requsite communities to let them know what options are available.

[giszmo]

Then, how does an Iranian buy bitcoins? Impossible right now. Fix these problems and then bother gamer kids.

For Iranians, Bitcoin should be the tool of choice to receive remittance as through banks they loose up to 50% in fees and the next 50% they loose via inflation. If you operate any service, put yourself in the place of an Iranian who does only speak Farsi and maybe some Arab or Aseri. Bitcoin does not exist.

I think you answered your own question. Iranians who want to buy bitcoins can get them from other Iranians receiving them as remittances. All that it would take is education of the requsite communities to let them know what options are available.

Yes, the demand should be there but it has to be guided.

"Hey, you want to play WOW? Just go find somebody with family abroad and convince them to use Bitcoin for remittance payments."
"Bit-WHAT?!?!"

We need services in Farsi and other exotic languages. We need our infrastructure hosted on free servers that are not ignoring requests from suppressed people.

[FreeMoney]

"Yes, lets anger a group of people in a deeply anti-western country who are probably one of the most likely demographics to support us."

Can't see how this helps, really.

Actually, the people of Iran is much more "western" than in most other countries in that region. It's the (Iranian) government that is the problem, but it's the people that suffer most from the sanctions (making them gradually turn against us)...

+1
the government should be punished, not the people. But the exact opposite is happening

That's right! All we need is a more powerful government who can punish the current government. Please begin preparing an even more powerful government then for punishment of the inevitable crimes of the new more powerful government.

But seriously punishing the government is insane, just withdraw from them where you can.

[justusranvier]

We need services in Farsi and other exotic languages. We need our infrastructure hosted on free servers that are not ignoring requests from suppressed people.

Tor is the best bet for the infrastructure. The next version of bitcoind will be able to run as a hidden service, which would allow people from any country where Tor works to participate. Then all that needs to happen is for Bitcoin businesses to be Tor-friendly by at least not blocking connections from exit nodes and ideally operating a hidden service version of their website.

[WikileaksDude]

Because of US economic sanctions, iranian players cannot connect to WoW anymore, and Blizzard has announced that they will not be refunded:
http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/5168067998?page=97#1933

Could this be an opportunity for Bitcoin?
Someone could easily setup a VPN for these players, and/or let them exchange WoW gold for BTC

Now thats f*** Up ...

VPN wouldn't do much as blizzard most have filters most of the IP's, but bitcoins would def. help..

We need more farsi translators

[ElectricMucus]

Just a thought if you guys think about white knighting better do it for free.


Wanna play this American game? Here I made something for you so you can use it but you need this new currency to pay me... oh btw to buy this currency you need to get USD first.
This thread is a testament to the delusional state of the bitcoin community. So much as introducing bitcoin to new cultures, bawahaha doing great

[matthewh3]

Just a thought if you guys think about white knighting better do it for free.


Wanna play this American game? Here I made something for you so you can use it but you need this new currency to pay me... oh btw to buy this currency you need to get USD first.
This thread is a testament to the delusional state of the bitcoin community. So much as introducing bitcoin to new cultures, bawahaha doing great

I've never used USD to buy or sell bitcoins.

[ElectricMucus]

You do if you want to get the best prices, if you don't you basically pay a market arbiter to do it for you. Plus I am willing to bet you don't live in Iran.
I also think there is no exchange which takes the Iranian currency.

[giszmo]

Just a thought if you guys think about white knighting better do it for free.

Wanna play this American game? Here I made something for you so you can use it but you need this new currency to pay me... oh btw to buy this currency you need to get USD first.
This thread is a testament to the delusional state of the bitcoin community. So much as introducing bitcoin to new cultures, bawahaha doing great

• Yes, most likely most bitcoins are in the hands of US citizens so if they are willing to sell them, they most likely want USD for them.
• People sending remittance are already outside of Iran wanting to send money in, so they own some non-IRR, probably USD. It's not Iranians in Iran that go buy dollars on their black market to send them to MtGox.

I strongly believe that BTC will play a very important role in the world and that it will be traded far beyond 1000USD/BTC within my lifetime if not within a couple of years. I hope that through remittance it will be distributed  somewhat more evenly geographically so the super powers of today are not just even more powerful again, only because they were located close to where the new world currency was invented.

BTW you already can buy cool stuff from Iran without any Iranian sending USD to MtGox

[ElMoIsEviL]

"Yes, lets anger a group of people in a deeply anti-western country who are probably one of the most likely demographics to support us."

Can't see how this helps, really.

Actually, the people of Iran is much more "western" than in most other countries in that region. It's the (Iranian) government that is the problem, but it's the people that suffer most from the sanctions (making them gradually turn against us)...

+1
the government should be punished, not the people. But the exact opposite is happening

And the only people who can "punish" the Iranian Government are the people of Iran. If we go around doing it... there will be unintended consequences and we will end up punishing the people.

Sorta like how if you tax Corporations the costs trickle down onto the consumer. If you punish a State... the costs trickle down onto the citizen.