They beat him because he ran too slow.
There's no way a camp like this is thinning out RMT numbers in FFXI, there's way too many unrelated variables like the STF bans, declining player base, more back door opportunities that we don't see (like gardening, we found out when SE required mules to be 90 days old) and a plethora of newer MMORPG to come.
Gil was priced under $20 a few months ago, even lower from the ads everyone's been getting. Fast forward to present time and it's like $38 now. Why? The BANHAMMER. SE's been cracking down on RMT very harshly for the past year.
Mass Fishing? Void.
Repeatable Quests? Void.
NPC Zvahl/Misareaux/Zitah items? Void.
NPC Remedy? Void.
Garden mules? Void.
There are still TONS of opportunities for them to make gil, which is why they still hang around. We saw a "decline" when SE hit RMT the hardest they ever have. That was when they changed NPC prices of items from Bugard's skins/horns, Demon's weapons, Remedy's value and Bat's blood from Zi'tah. Their public presence diminished heavily after that update. Reminisce about rusty caps in Rabao.
During that time people began to notice they were STILL selling MASS AMOUNTS of items to vendors in home towns. Speculation began they were gardening. SE implements their "auto ban stick" that has most commonly banned customers trying to charge back on their credit card. However, they also implemented some strange tactics. Gardening mules under 90 days old will only receive ONE item from their pot.
People wonder why they don't see RMT in public anymore. I find that hilarious. You see those ads? You see those scams? They're working behind the scenes people.
They're under the radar because SE actually makes a constant, steady effort, RMT are nearly exterminated from FFXI, "THE BANHAMMER COMETH!"
