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

[Kryos]

They should offer a complete guild transfer for 100$. So you can start with your Alliance guild on a new realm as a Horde guild. This would be a service many guilds would use. Or a 30$ "complete account transfer" so your 11 characters would all be transferred and turned into the other faction. Right now they get 0$ from me because it's way too expensive to pay for every character to do that.

PS: I'm playing since 2005 (EU launchday), seems to be very important here

[nyc81991]

no one is EVER always right, EVER.

yes, I've been playing since 2007, never once considered transferring servers. I like where I'm at.

Thats great for you, I have been playing since 2006 what do I win?

You just made my point though. You are happy with where you are. You don't belong in this thread because it has nothing to do with you.

[Seranthor]

It seems like you just want to argue with people for no reason. What do you care if transfers cost less money? It has nothing to do with you.

Actually, it does, and I'll tell you why... if you have to option to freely bounce from server to server then you wont give a shit about your server reputation. meaning, you can be royal ass then when you cause enough havoc you'll just switch to another server. allowing unlimited server switches every 2 weeks will greatly increase the incidents of asshats everywhere, in addition it will wreck server economies.

and BOTH would be more detrimental to subscription numbers than a handful of selfish cheapskates quitting because Blizzard wont let them change servers for less than $25.

[Barnabas]

It's ridiculous. When a game like Rift is able to do it for free, there's no reason there should be one in WoW. I'm sure blizzard has lost players because for some reason or another they could not afford the $25 fee to transfer on top of their $15. Blizzard should really look at how many are quitting the game and of those who could have transferred and maybe found a better environment on another server. Also, given how long the game has been out many people may be reluctant now to spend money. And if you have $25 to throw around to find another guild, great.

It's actually a fair price considering the benefits the particular class you are playing can receive from just faction changing. This is a pay to win feature for WoW and I dunno why they'd just give it away for free?

[nyc81991]

Actually, it does, and I'll tell you why... if you have to option to freely bounce from server to server then you wont give a shit about your server reputation. meaning, you can be royal ass then when you cause enough havoc you'll just switch to another server. allowing unlimited server switches every 2 weeks will greatly increase the incidents of asshats everywhere, in addition it will wreck server economies.

and BOTH would be more detrimental to subscription numbers than a handful of selfish cheapskates quitting because Blizzard wont let them change servers for less than $25.

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.

4. Infact people can transfer more right now if they are willing to pay 25$. I believe there is a couple day cd before you can change again.

[Huehuecoyotl]

Actually, it does, and I'll tell you why... if you have to option to freely bounce from server to server then you wont give a shit about your server reputation. meaning, you can be royal ass then when you cause enough havoc you'll just switch to another server. allowing unlimited server switches every 2 weeks will greatly increase the incidents of asshats everywhere, in addition it will wreck server economies.

and BOTH would be more detrimental to subscription numbers than a handful of selfish cheapskates quitting because Blizzard wont let them change servers for less than $25.

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.

[Barnabas]

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.

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

[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.

[det]

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?

[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.

[sTyLnK]

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.

[Korza]

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.

[Quilzar]

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).