Definition & Meaning of "gold farming"

What is "gold farming"?

Gold farming refers to the practice of gathering in-game currency, usually gold, in online multiplayer games, particularly role-playing games (RPGs), such as "World of Warcraft." Players or third-party services spend time repeatedly completing tasks, defeating enemies, or collecting valuable items in order to earn large amounts of gold. This gold is either kept for personal use or sold to other players for real money. Gold farming can be controversial, as it can disrupt the game's economy and is sometimes seen as unfair or harmful, especially when done by automated bots or outside services.