WoW Forever Fan Creates Add-On to Sniff Out Real-Money Trades

Ever wondered if that player flaunting a mountain of gold actually earned it legitimately? You're not alone. In World of Warcraft: Forever, real-money trading has been a hot-button issue since the game's reveal at BlizzCon 2026, and now a fan has taken matters into their own hands with a clever add-on.

The add-on, amusingly named IRS (short for "Illicit Riches Scanner"), was revealed during a Twitch stream hosted by Ziqo – the same content creator who recently had $200 worth of gold confiscated by Blizzard after players flagged it as illegitimately obtained. A viewer in Ziqo's chat claimed to have created the tool, and apparently sent him a beta file directly. Ziqo described it as "bugged" but "pretty interesting."

So what does IRS actually do? According to its creator, it "compares their gold income to see if it looks sus" – with "their" referring to other players. It scans an account's historical gold against income statistics to flag any money that can't be legitimately accounted for. It also monitors in-game trades in real time, which could make it effective at catching real-money trading as it happens.

Ziqo himself commented that the add-on ensures "all gold that we receive in the future is fully natty." But in a twist that raised more than a few eyebrows, the add-on apparently flags the majority of Ziqo's own gold as illegitimate. Take that as you will.

The add-on hasn't been released for public download yet, but its existence highlights a growing frustration among players. Blizzard has already taken action against alleged rule-breakers – including that $200 gold removal – but many fans feel the punishment should be harsher, with some calling for permabans. The core problem remains: how do you reliably tell which gold was legitimately earned and which was bought with real money? During a beta, rapid gold accumulation can seem obvious, but it's not always clear-cut. IRS aims to fill that gap.

Blizzard, for its part, has made its stance clear. Following a beta ban spree, the studio warned players that its position on real-money trading is "crystal clear" and that it "will continue to take action." The big question now is whether Blizzard will deem the IRS add-on acceptable once it's fully released – and what that means for player-led policing of the economy.

With Blizzard already cracking down on inappropriate names and other rule violations, the studio is clearly paying close attention. Will player-made tools like IRS become a welcome ally in the fight against real-money trading, or will Blizzard see them as overstepping? What do you think – would you use an add-on like this? Let us know in the comments.