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The player-driven economy of Path of Exile 2 (POE 2) extends beyond in-game transactions and into its vast online forums, where trade discussions, price negotiations, and market speculation take place. These forums serve as a space where players engage in economic discourse, exert influence, and establish norms that shape the virtual market. By applying critical discourse analysis (CDA) to POE 2’s player forums, we can uncover the underlying power dynamics that govern trade interactions, influence pricing structures, and create hierarchies within the gaming economy.

The Role of Discourse in Shaping Virtual Economies

Discourse in POE 2’s forums does more than facilitate trade; it actively shapes the game’s economy by determining value perceptions, legitimizing certain trading practices, and influencing supply and demand. Players engage in price-setting discussions, share insights on currency trends, and debate the ethical implications of market manipulation. The language used in these discussions reflects broader economic ideologies, such as free-market capitalism, collective bargaining, and monopolistic strategies.

Power dynamics emerge when experienced traders and well-established forum members take on authoritative roles in market discourse. Their posts often serve as reference points for pricing standards, guiding new players on how to value items and negotiate trades. This asymmetry in knowledge distribution grants certain individuals greater influence over the market, as their assessments and predictions can directly impact player behavior.

Linguistic Strategies in Forum Negotiations

The ways in which players communicate within POE 2’s forums reveal the strategic use of language to assert dominance, persuade others, and control trade narratives. Some key linguistic strategies observed in these interactions include:

• Lexical Authority: High-ranking traders and market analysts often use specialized jargon, abbreviations, and detailed market analysis to establish credibility. By demonstrating expertise in pricing trends and crafting mechanics, these players position themselves as authoritative sources of economic knowledge.

• Persuasive Framing: Players use specific rhetorical techniques to influence market behavior. For example, describing an item as meta-defining or league-best increases perceived value, while labeling certain trades as lowball offers discourages buyers from negotiating lower prices.

• Gatekeeping Practices: Established traders may regulate market participation by dismissing new players' price evaluations, reinforcing their own authority in the economic discourse. This creates barriers to entry for inexperienced players attempting to navigate the trading system.

• Moralizing Market Behavior: Ethical debates surrounding price gouging, monopolization, and price-fixing often emerge within forum discussions. Players may frame their arguments in moral terms, positioning themselves as defenders of fair trade while discrediting those who engage in speculative pricing tactics.

The Influence of Forum Elites on Market Stability

A small group of high-profile traders and theorycrafters wields considerable influence over POE 2’s market discourse. Their posts on currency exchange rates, item valuation, and market trends can create self-fulfilling prophecies, where players adjust their trade behaviors based on the predictions and analyses provided by these figures. This mirrors real-world financial markets, where investment analysts and economic commentators influence stock prices through public discourse.

Forum elites also play a role in stabilizing the market by setting informal pricing guidelines. When discrepancies arise, they intervene by providing standardized price lists or recommending fair trade practices. However, this influence is not without controversy, as accusations of price manipulation and coordinated market control occasionally surface.

Community Discourse and Resistance to Economic Dominance

While certain players hold economic influence, the broader community also exercises collective power in resisting monopolistic behaviors and challenging dominant narratives. Players may organize collective pricing discussions, boycott sellers who engage in exploitative pricing, or create alternative trade platforms outside the main forums. This demonstrates that while power dynamics exist, they are continually negotiated through discourse and collective action.

By analyzing the discourse within POE 2’s forums, we gain insight into how virtual economies are not only shaped by in-game mechanics but also by language, persuasion, and social hierarchy. Power in these virtual markets is exercised through communication, making critical discourse analysis a valuable tool for understanding the deeper forces at play in digital trading environments.

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