The Blizzard Store and the Monthly Fee. What you need to realize.

[magicric]

I'm going to look up Elder Scrolls Online when it comes out. Otherwise subbed to SWTOR and it's a game that just released too early. They get better every patch and it's a great game. Could drop the sub. Got plenty of credits. But really kinda like supporting good stuff.

I agree with you, definitely a game that was released way too early. People complain about Blizzard being money hungry but one of the biggest reason why Swtor failed hard at launch was because it wasn't ready to be released but EA wanted it out so they could get money for what they had invested in sooner rather than later. I like supporting good stuff so I will stay subbed to it too.

[Mojo Mender]

Everything that they put up in the store is purely cosmetic, none of it provides any advantage in game. So why should anyone care? Now, if they start selling weapons, raid buffs, etc. Then yeah, I'd be up in arms as well.

[Fresh]

Wait a minute....you're telling me...that this multi-million dollar corporation, wants to make MORE money? I don't think you know what you're talking about. Profits aren't a driving force for Blizzard!

[TS26]

Could you..like..cite that line from the ToS..because I sure as hell cannot find it. Blizzard is adding content for selfish reasons..to keep people subbed. Ofc they are. But do you have a right to it? That you need to show us.

They said the fee is used to develop the game in their old website and not simply to log into our characters. Would you like a reference?

- - - Updated - - -

Wait a minute....you're telling me...that this multi-million dollar corporation, wants to make MORE money? I don't think you know what you're talking about. Profits aren't a driving force for Blizzard!

Wait a minute...you're telling me...that blizzard takes the money we gave them to develop new content for us, and then they charge us extra for the very same content that we paid for? So effectively charging us twice if we wanted the content?

[Mormolyce]

Yeah sure, thats why the tier gear looks so good.

Oh wait, not, they look like fucking garbage, and these helms look good enough to be from a completely different game.

Totally subjective. First thing I thought when looking at these mog helms was that I already have cool helms picked out for most of my mogs.

[Gags]

The only way something like this sits well with me is if they were to lessen their monthly fee, but we all know they wont do that. It's just a greedy decision on their behalf and for 'me' I don't like it. Instead of making the game better they're excepting the losses and covering for it by hoping their existent player base will purchase stuff. And I have no doubt that in time you'll start seeing something similar to the days of VP BOE items. Instead of buying and selling them for gold in game, they'll have a piece of gear each patch for sale. All my opinion.

[Leslie]

I'm in a bad mood, so I"m going to troll the fanboys.

Isn't it funny how this news is being reported before the Q2 quarterly report is coming out. This must mean the subscription numbers must have really fallen.

[Robert3620]

The in game store is not what people should be upset about imo. They should be upset about the lack of any sort of loyalty program. People that quit get more offers for free things to come back then those that stay with Blizzard and keep there sub going. A system like Cartel coins could be a really great thing.

[Mormolyce]

Aw, poor nerd. Did the other nerd not share his Nerd rep sheet with you. So you could see how much nerd cred he has to back up his nerd complaints?

I mean, how can we take anything anybody says about a video game seriously if they don't show us their doll?

Go back to your play pen with the pillow walls and watch your pony show before you hurt yourself.

Infracted.

Never understood people who play fantasy MMORPGs trying to call other people nerds.

We're all nerds here.

[sedori]

I've been pretty dissatisfied with WoW for some time now, and this is not making it any better. Its bad enough that the pet store already has some of the best designed and most importantly to me unique models in the game. Adding more content to it and making it an in game store is just too greedy. I realize that Blizzards primary goal is to make money, not make players happy. I just would rather they do that through making great content and making more people want to sub, not making current subscribers pay more to access content not available in the game otherwise.

[Stir]

The in game store is not what people should be upset about imo. They should be upset about the lack of any sort of loyalty program. People that quit get more offers for free things to come back then those that stay with Blizzard and keep there sub going. A system like Cartel coins could be a really great thing.

Ehm... That's illogical. Blizzard wants people who quit to return, so they're offering extras for returners.
However, everyone that plays is already playing. Which means you'd need to give everyone extras, which means that those aren't extras at all, which means everyone wants áctual extras, which, if implemented, will turn out to be... Not extras.

Anyway, OP: The problem with the cash shop is simple: For years and years, WoW has stood out, and has been the largest, because of its subscription model. In Wrath, they added some things (like mounts) to the shop, which caused an outrage: WoW players were used to paying a subscription fee, after all, and vanity shops are the known ways in which to make money for (the better quality) Free to Play games, after all. People chose the subscription route because it was stable, and lots of people play the game, which ensures the stability can last. Another important part is: With a subscription fee, there is no risk for 'Pay to Win' ever to happen.

As more and more vanity stuff is added to the Cash Shop, people realize more and more that the direction for this game is full-on Cash Shop model. Which a lot of people are actually fine with (provided the game developers keep a close eye on this 'pay to win' risk). But the people are still paying a subscription fee! And that's something people are NOT fine with. Because that, effectively, turns the game into something people pay for TWICE. It's okay if a game makes money through a sub, and it's okay if a game makes money through a vanity shop. It's nót okay if the game makes money through both; mainly because it has been culturally established that they are two different models (free-to-play and pay-to-play).

It's a bit like telling your child that they can buy an icecream (with their own allowance) if they mow the lawn.

[tru]

the simple fact is they will do anything and everything to make money which is why the game is watered down and bland as it is now. if they could make 100million a year off 100k players versus 100million a year off of 1million players you all know what route they will take. I knwo thats a big variation in numbers but i hope you get my meaning. They have to pay for their christmas bonuses somehow. And you guys make that happen. I use to be the first one to buy a new mount or new pet then i realize they make way to much money and stuff like this should be free to people not cost anything. UNless they want to donate 100% to charity. But hey im tired of arguing my opinions and feelings about the game. It is what it is like it love it hate it w/e floats yer boat.
I personally feel with the rumored problems with w/e this one company that owns a lot of shares in blizz is and the fact that sub numbers keep going down they will milk you guys for whatever they can. They couldnt even get titan right they put d3 on ps3/ps4 and rumored WoW on console... have fun with it guys.

[Bloodfire]

How soon the Q2 numbers are coming out?

[But I Hate You All]

How soon the Q2 numbers are coming out?

Some time in AUG

[Deleted]

Gameservers will go boom if it goes free to play

[Deleted]

The Blizzard store is not a slippery slope, it is a smart business move to bring in more money for the company. The more resources Blizzard has, the more content they can develop and the better off we are as players.

Back in WoTLK there was a rumor about Blizz income from WoW, they were spending 250milion a year with over 1billion income. I bet that with Diablo III and SC2 success, even after sub decline, they still are making more they can spend Item shop is just a way to milk that money making machine called WoW before it's too late. WoW has no competition when it comes to classic MMOs, but classic MMOs are dying breed. Players expect more life like experience, not sheer numbers on screen and when it comes to pure gameplay, there are games which are doing much better job at it. Just look at how many people play Dota, LoL and clones... not to mention whole FPS genre which with games like Planetside 2, Dust 514 and new console titles inc in next years are closing the gap between MMOs and FPS.

[Vishiz]

Less reason to make tier look good if you can charge real money for better looking gear.

Spend time making tier look good and less time making items to replace the looks that you have to pay for.

Seems to me like this is just the start of the real money grubbing that's going to go on. Until the point where wow has 500k subs, you have to pay 20$ a month instead of 15. And everything you can possibly think of is in the store to try and recover the lost funds from all the people who unsubbed...

[Flaks]

And everything you can possibly think of is in the store to try and recover the lost funds from all the people who unsubbed...

That's the thing though. Blizzard hasn't dropped a cent below what they were earning with 12 million players back in WotLK. Instead, they're earning MORE now with 3/4 of the remaining playerbase.

They know what's going to or what IS shaving off their sub numbers and have planned accordingly what the people that continue to play might be willing to pay extra money for. There's literally ZERO reason for an item to be obtainable from outside the game and there's plenty of ways to KEEP their subs instead of doing what they're doing; but the latter is what happens to be netting them the greater (short term) profit.

[Flower Milk]

Wait a minute....you're telling me...that this multi-million dollar corporation, wants to make MORE money? I don't think you know what you're talking about. Profits aren't a driving force for Blizzard!

Wait a minute, you're telling me, that you enjoy being nickel and dimed? I didn't know people existed who actually enjoyed being charged extra money for something they *should* be getting and used to be getting since they are already paying for it. Like seriously, answer me this, serious question, why would anyone enjoy paying extra for something that they USED to be able to get with their monthly fee? I honestly don't understand the logic behind it, why would anyone want to pay MORE money?

[bigmac]

Wait a minute, you're telling me, that you enjoy being nickel and dimed? I didn't know people existed who actually enjoyed being charged extra money for something they *should* be getting and used to be getting since they are already paying for it. Like seriously, answer me this, serious question, why would anyone enjoy paying extra for something that they USED to be able to get with their monthly fee? I honestly don't understand the logic behind it, why would anyone want to pay MORE money?

I don't understand why anyone would want to pay more money either. I feel betrayed from subscribing only to have a few items unavailable to me unless I pay again for it.

We chose to go with the subscription-based model instead of that approach. We've taken the approach that we want players to feel like it's a level playing field once they're in WoW. Outside resources don't play into it -- no gold buying, etc. We take a hard line stance against it. What you get out of microtransactions is kind of the same thing and I think our player base would feel betrayed by it. I think that's something else you have to decide on up-front instead of implementing later.

--Rob Pardo, Blizzard's Senior Vice President of Game Design (2/20/2008)