You know what's hurting this game? The $25 transfer fee

[Seranthor]

Ok I will break it down in points for you.

1. If you bounce from server to server causing issues you will get banned. You can't just cause issues and get away with it (even on your own server).

2. You can only transfer with a limited amount of gold. People aren't going to go from server to server with 500k gold.

3. If it cost 10$ to transfer every 2 weeks it would barely increase the amount of people using the service. A lot of people won't even play WoW because it costs 15$ a month. Much less paying another 10$ for something extra.

1. Sure you can, you cant get banned for being an ass.

3. Then instead of trumpeting your plan here, write it out and submit it to Blizzard directly. Be sure to include how much you think they are losing from not offering this and how much more you think they'd gain from allowing it.

[nyc81991]

You can transfer 500k easily from server to server if you know how to mule items that sell quickly and for a profit.

That is true but realistically how many people would even know to do that? And then ontop of that how many of them would be willing to spend 10$ every 2 week to do that? If they were willing to spend 10$ every 2 weeks they would probably just spend the 25$ now and do it every few days.

[Caribald]

My only Gripe is there isn't a "bulk" discount and the fact that when you server + faction transfer it's $55! To move one toon is expensive enough, to move more than 1 the cost just gets silly.

I agree with this wholeheartedly, but I guess we have to assume Blizzard has considered it, but came to the conclusion that they make more money from the people who transfer regardless, than from lowering the fee for mass migration so that more people would do it. At least that's the only reason I can see for them not having done this yet.

[nyc81991]

1. Sure you can, you cant get banned for being an ass.

3. Then instead of trumpeting your plan here, write it out and submit it to Blizzard directly. Be sure to include how much you think they are losing from not offering this and how much more you think they'd gain from allowing it.

You can get banned if you constantly harass people or cause major problems in game. However people can not get banned for being someone you don't like.

[Kanogan]

I do agree it would be a good idea to lower the fee, so that more people might be able to play. Instead of the money they lose, they should add more items to their shop which people can use in-game.

[Seranthor]

you have the option to freely bounce fom server to server at the moment. the only restriction is the cost. so your point is utterly irrelevent.

make it free, and put it on a LONG cooldown (say a year) and people would be probably be a lot less likely to transfer for spurious reasons. and people that have ended up on dead servers (ironically because Blizzard allow paid transfers and so many people have left) will have an option without pouring more money into Blizzards bottomless pockets.

but it wont happen, because that will cost Blizzard money. and nothing that they have ever done during the life of this game has been about reducing the amount of money they extract from their subscribers. they have been very imaginative when it comes to creating new revenue streams, of course. but thats perfectly fair and reasonable according to that group of posters on here that seem to feel more affinity with a giant corporation than they do with their fellow customers, for some reason.

Blizzard went for the middle ground, instead of allowing a free change once a year, which I have no doubt OP would be in tears over as well, they went for the unlimited xfers at $25 each.

[Barnabas]

That is true but realistically how many people would even know to do that? And then ontop of that how many of them would be willing to spend 10$ every 2 week to do that? If they were willing to spend 10$ every 2 weeks they would probably just spend the 25$ now and do it every few days.

Who knows but lowering the cost of moving your data is something Blizzard might do but it ever being free I just don't see that happening.

[nyc81991]

Who knows but lowering the cost of moving your data is something Blizzard might do but it ever being free I just don't see that happening.

Yeah I don't see them making it free either. And I don't really want them to.

[KCguy]

It sucks, but Blizzard knows people are going to pay it. They make a ton of money off transfers and all that other stuff associated with the game. It's smart.

[Seranthor]

I suppose that at the end of the day, Blizzard (and not us) has the numbers how many people they are actually losing and how many of those "I have 10 chars, transfering them all costs 250, so I rather quit" cases actually exist.

Because if they would be losing people in abundance over this, the fee would be gone.

I see it that way: Fee gets removed. Suddenly a million people transfer "just because they can". The staff that they have may not be able to handle this in a decent amount of time (Even if it takes a minute to transfer a char...that is a MILLION minutes.) Suddenly people cannot play their character for a week or so because of insane transfer queues. So Blizzard needs to hire more people. Staff costs, staff needs to be trained. Staff makes mistakes.

Just think for a second that there juuuust might be another reason than "They are lazy, greedy Bastards".

As for the title of the thread:

WoW with a transfer fee: 10 million subs
Rift with no transfer fee: 300 000 subs

But WoW is hurt?

But Det!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, we have to let them xfer as often as they want, and we have to do it for freeeeeee!!!!!!! or it will kill the game

/sarcasm off

I think you are far closer to the truth that OP is.

[Nova Swaggins]

I'm sorry here, but $25 is really nothing.

I know for a lot of people $25 is more than just throwaway money, but it won't always be, and if it's for something you enjoy is it not worth it?

It seems to me OP is just mad because he can't afford it for whatever reason, that's his business, and venting it out on mmo-champ.

In all reality though, the $25 originally wasn't a bad price for what it entailed. The service was brand new. But you have to remember, it costs a LOT of money to upgrade their hardware and make services like that as good as they are. Remember when a transfer could take days? It now takes anywhere from a minute to half an hour.

If anything, logically, the price should have gone up. They were nice enough not to raise it, but they can't lower it. If they lower it and give in to demands like that, next you'll demand they lower the cost of the monthly subscription. Then all the services. Then you'll demand the game be free.

It doesn't work like that.

[Deleted]

Yeah I think they should removing the ($25) £15 transfer fee, keep the fee in place for name change and faction change.

But I would support a free server x-fer every 60 days (maybe even 90).

[Deleted]

I'm sorry here, but $25 is really nothing.

I know for a lot of people $25 is more than just throwaway money, but it won't always be, and if it's for something you enjoy is it not worth it?

It seems to me OP is just mad because he can't afford it for whatever reason, that's his business, and venting it out on mmo-champ.

In all reality though, the $25 originally wasn't a bad price for what it entailed. The service was brand new. But you have to remember, it costs a LOT of money to upgrade their hardware and make services like that as good as they are. Remember when a transfer could take days? It now takes anywhere from a minute to half an hour.

If anything, logically, the price should have gone up. They were nice enough not to raise it, but they can't lower it. If they lower it and give in to demands like that, next you'll demand they lower the cost of the monthly subscription. Then all the services. Then you'll demand the game be free.

It doesn't work like that.

Another generic internet face that thinks they know what 'good business' is based on one factor, profit. I don't even want to have to discuss what's so incredibly wrong with your final paragraph, either. You're misinformed, sorry.

Anyways, apart from that.

I agree with most things that've been said. I personally have spent nearing £1000 on World of Warcraft subscriptions and services. I don't mind paying my subscription fee, that's all cool. But where the hell are the multi-buy discounts? The loyalty discounts? Blizzard are doing old fashioned business and I hope to the lord that it's going to reach maturity soon enough.

---------- Post added 2013-01-19 at 11:04 AM ----------

If anything, logically, the price should have gone up. They were nice enough not to raise it, but they can't lower it. If they lower it and give in to demands like that, next you'll demand they lower the cost of the monthly subscription. Then all the services. Then you'll demand the game be free.

It doesn't work like that.

If anything, logically. You really shouldn't go into business.

[Huehuecoyotl]

I suppose that at the end of the day, Blizzard (and not us) has the numbers how many people they are actually losing and how many of those "I have 10 chars, transfering them all costs 250, so I rather quit" cases actually exist.

Because if they would be losing people in abundance over this, the fee would be gone.

I see it that way: Fee gets removed. Suddenly a million people transfer "just because they can". The staff that they have may not be able to handle this in a decent amount of time (Even if it takes a minute to transfer a char...that is a MILLION minutes.) Suddenly people cannot play their character for a week or so because of insane transfer queues. So Blizzard needs to hire more people. Staff costs, staff needs to be trained. Staff makes mistakes.

Just think for a second that there juuuust might be another reason than "They are lazy, greedy Bastards".

As for the title of the thread:

WoW with a transfer fee: 10 million subs
Rift with no transfer fee: 300 000 subs

But WoW is hurt?

are you seriously suggesting that staff are involved in the transfer process? dont be ridiculous, the only point where there is any human involvement is if there is a problem, and these just go into the normal ticket process. the automated process take seconds (probably micro-seconds) because it is just either a) an update of data "in place" to redirect the character to the new server or b) a transfer of character data from one server to another. it depends on how Blizzard have structured their data. either one is quick and simple, in IT terms.

and you point about how many people they are losing is questionable as well. they can see the numbers for how much money they make from transfers; that is a solid known number, and it represents almost 100% pure profit. understanding how many people they are losing because of paid transfers is far more difficult to quantify, since it would depend on angry customers that are leaving providing solid and reliable feedback on why. especially with WoW players, where from what i can see a lot of people actually stop playing some time before they cancel their subscriptions (especially if they are long time players).

[Libertarian]

I agree with most things that've been said. I personally have spent nearing £1000 on World of Warcraft subscriptions and services. I don't mind paying my subscription fee, that's all cool. But where the hell are the multi-buy discounts? The loyalty discounts? Blizzard are doing old fashioned business and I hope to the lord that it's going to reach maturity soon enough.[COLOR="red"]

The game has peaked and in cata blizzard focused too much on getting new players, and not enough on keeping old players. They know this, and this is a current problem for the game. Blizzard needs to do something to help players stay in the game and keep progressing and having fun. I'm not in a situation to transfer, but if I had to I would quit. I had to transfer in cata and had to leave my 3 85 alts behind that I enjoyed playing. I'm not going to spend $75 on them to come over to my new guild to participate with on alt runs. If I have to transfer again, because of whatever reason, I will be quitting and Blizzard will know why, but there are many people out there that quit and do not state why.

Blizzard needs to implement a free transfer monthly for each character, or a more friendly/affordable solution to transfer multiple characters. People like Mr. Black and White above seem to think that just because people can, they will. Sure a few may transfer because they finally get the chance (and man they will be having more fun), but the fact is many will stay where they are playing with their guild. And sure keep a fee for people that don't want to wait in a transfer queue or for the month wait to expire.

Something needs to happen.

---------- Post added 2013-01-19 at 11:41 AM ----------

are you seriously suggesting that staff are involved in the transfer process? dont be ridiculous, the only point where there is any human involvement is if there is a problem, and these just go into the normal ticket process. the automated process take seconds (probably micro-seconds) because it is just either a) an update of data "in place" to redirect the character to the new server or b) a transfer of character data from one server to another. it depends on how Blizzard have structured their data. either one is quick and simple, in IT terms.

and you point about how many people they are losing is questionable as well. they can see the numbers for how much money they make from transfers; that is a solid known number, and it represents almost 100% pure profit. understanding how many people they are losing because of paid transfers is far more difficult to quantify, since it would depend on angry customers that are leaving providing solid and reliable feedback on why. especially with WoW players, where from what i can see a lot of people actually stop playing some time before they cancel their subscriptions (especially if they are long time players).

Exactly this.

[DeathKnight Guy]

No I think the server is necessary, I don't like seeing people transfer easily between servers the second they don't like the one they are on.

[Deleted]

Transferring is hardly a mandatory part of the game. Certainly I've done it before, and was happy to pay for the few times I needed to. However with the new CRZ's and ability to simply group up with RealID friends on the fly, the need to transfer is next to none now.

[Libertarian]

No I think the server is necessary, I don't like seeing people transfer easily between servers the second they don't like the one they are on.

And why not? Because you rather people not have fun and quit the game?

---------- Post added 2013-01-19 at 11:45 AM ----------

Transferring is hardly a mandatory part of the game. Certainly I've done it before, and was happy to pay for the few times I needed to. However with the new CRZ's and ability to simply group up with RealID friends on the fly, the need to transfer is next to none now.

And you are not the type of person this is generated toward.

[draykorinee]

ITs not too high, but if you pay $25 you should be able to move multiple characters, maybe up to 3 at a time or something.

[theWocky]

I can't believe people actually argue in favor of it.

There are many people in this game who are in guilds or situations where they fall apart. And now they are stuck to choose pay $25 and take a chance with a new guild, or quit. And you guys feel like they should quit. God I'm lucky my guild is still running strong even with a few people leaving during heroic progression. Pathetic.

I have 12 characters spread across different realms. I agree it is overly expensive, but I don't play any more.