Inflation in game economies

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When coins buy less

Inflation is when prices rise because there is more money around. In a game, it happens when sources outrun sinks for months. A rare pot that cost 1,000 coins now costs 10,000 between players.

Who gets hurt

Veteran players with big piles of coins barely notice. A new player earns the same 100 coins a quest as always, but everything they want from other players now costs ten times more.

Quick check

In a game with high inflation, who finds it hardest?

  1. New players who are just starting to earn
  2. Veterans with large savings
  3. Nobody
Show the answer

New players who are just starting to earn

New players earn at the old rate but buy at the new prices.

True story: a tax on the Grand Exchange

On 9 December 2021, Jagex added a tax to Old School RuneScape's Grand Exchange, where players buy and sell items: "We've added a 1% tax for all sales on the Grand Exchange." Items sold for under 100 GP were not taxed.

Part of the tax went into an Item Sink, which buys some items from players and removes them from the game. Jagex said it "will help with inflation by using the tax collected from sales."

Source: Jagex: Grand Exchange Tax & Item Sink (9 Dec 2021), secure.runescape.com

Quick check

How does a tax on sales fight inflation?

  1. It removes gold from the game on every sale
  2. It gives players more gold
  3. It makes items rarer to find
Show the answer

It removes gold from the game on every sale

The tax is a sink. Gold that leaves the game can't push prices up.

Fix it early

Inflation is easier to prevent than to undo. Kai's rule: every new source comes with a sink. Theo checks the price of key items between players every week.

New source, new sink

Remy's summer quest pays 200 coins a day. What should Kai add with it?

  1. A summer item worth spending coins on
  2. Nothing: more coins are always good
  3. Lower prices in the shop
Show the answer

A summer item worth spending coins on

A new source needs a new sink. Lower shop prices would remove fewer coins and make inflation worse.

Never take coins back

Deleting coins from players' wallets would stop inflation overnight, and anger every player. Sinks work because players choose them.

Quick check

Deleting a share of every player's coins is a fair way to stop inflation.

Show the answer

False

Players earned those coins. Sinks they choose to use are fair; taking coins away is not.

Coins for real money

Some players buy coins with real money. The prices need care.

Bolt says: Next: pricing virtual items.

Fact-checked 12 October 2026