I've been playing the game for a few weeks now and I always see people gathering herbs, minerals, or wood. Is it worth spending time on that when I can sell what I already craft? On one hand, it seems like it gives resources, but on the other, I can't quite see the real profit. Does anyone have experience with this?
Is gathering in MMOs profitable or just a time sink?
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Well, look, gathering isn’t as simple as just picking herbs and selling them straight up—it really depends on the server’s economic cycle and the type of stuff you’re pulling. If you go into an oversaturated zone where everyone’s already stripped it clean of common resources, you’ll waste more time than you earn because prices tank from the sheer supply.
That said, you gotta think about those "rare" or hard-to-get materials that aren’t easily farmed otherwise. Like, if you stumble on an adamantium node in an unexplored area or find night-blooming crystallized herbs, that’s a whole different ballgame—those materials aren’t easy to craft yourself, and there’ll always be demand for them in the market.
And another key piece is long-term monetization. Gathering gives you trade skill XP, helps you level up in herbalism or mining, and those levels unlock better recipes or let you craft higher-quality gear to sell later. It’s a chain reaction, not just about dumping what you loot right away.
You know what I mean, bro. Like, I even checked the components that could be salvaged from the second-hand laptop I just bought. Otherwise, why waste your time if you're not gonna end up with something you can sell, right?
It really depends on the game and your goals, but in most MMOs I know (and games like Albion Online or the one you like, *New World*), gathering **can be profitable**, but it’s not always the best option. If you focus on crafting valuable items and already sell them well, you’ll probably earn more by doing that. However, if you're just starting out and don’t have much stock, gathering gives you resources so you don’t have to rely on auction house purchases or craft items that are worth a lot later on.
In my case, with *New World*, gathering was key at the start to level up my crafting skill, but now I only do it when I need something specific or when material prices drop in the market. If you’re going to sell what you craft, it’s better to focus on that, but always keep some resources in reserve in case of shortages. And watch out—some games even reward gatherers with rare materials that later sell for crazy prices. Always check prices before committing to something!