Whats wrong with an in-game Blizzard Store??

[Berethos08]

Blizzard is the only company I know who can and will pull this off with little backlash, if its successful I honestly see other P2P MMOs following this idea.

The actual, minor convenience additions they are looking at adding? Pretty good chance of having minimal backlash, at least from those already loyal to the brand (the OP's suggested set would cause far more backlash with a sub still in place). Those of us who have moved on to other brands, or are on the fence, may be quite a bit more critical of the move.

Right now the $15/mo is a good value (for the most part), but they can't push it too far. Add too much as cash shop only items, and you reduce the value the customer is getting out of their subscription. Reduce that value too much, and while you will have loyal customers that will stick around, you absolutely will lose others as they decide they can get a better deal in other games (which I suspect is already happening for at least a portion of the MMO market). To combat those losses financially, what would they have to do? Put even more in the cash shop to generate additional revenue. Lot of risk there, and with subscriptions having fallen almost continuously since late 2010, I doubt Blizzard is willing to go for too much risk (fortunately).

I don't think other games would follow suit. Even Titan is unlikely to be a subscription based game, and the overwhelming direction right now is to some sort of either subscription-less or hybrid (not required, but subs get extra perks) model. The Secret World actually tried it at launch - cash shop with a lot of cosmetic items - and got slammed for it. Blizzard's the only one with the clout to pull it off, and only if they don't push too far.

[Deleted]

Reduce that value too much, and while you will have loyal customers that will stick around, you absolutely will lose others as they decide they can get a better deal in other games (which I suspect is already happening for at least a portion of the MMO market).

With those 15dolars I just chosed to stop giving them this month , I just bough 7 steam games . ( Humble bunddle 1$-5 games including SaintRows3 , Rage 5$ ,The Cave 3$, still 6$ to spend).
Also I installed to try World of Tanks. At least this have microtransactions without having subscription.

[Youarefired]

In-Game Blizzard Store may be a hint towards free-to-play or cheaper monthly cost, at least I hope so.

[Deleted]

I'm not the thought police for everyone else in the game and don't pretend that I want to be.

Even if they did sell BIS gear and I got into a group with someone that had a few pieces, am I going to ask for a receipt? Are you? Is anyone going to do purity checks before starting out on dungeon or raiding runs? I'm certainly not. I'll vote to kick them out if they can't keep up with that sort of gear. But I vote to kick out slackers in 502+ gear now in LFR and they got theirs the usual way. I'll also probably vote to kick out anyone that's holding stuff up while they do their little checks to see if the group is pure.

If someone buys a level 90, takes it through the proving grounds and certifies gold, will I be willing to be in a raid with him/her? Sure because I'm not going to ask how they got their character.



- - - Updated - - -


Blizzard hasn't said anything at all about raw materials in a store. They've not really said much of anything specific about the store even being available in the US/EUR as of 5.4. The impression they've given is that it won't be. But you know...forums.

- - - Updated - - -

You're missing the point. You are only concerned how people will play with their cash earned items, I don't care if the best guild in the world bought items, the fact is it makes the game pointless.

Lets raid 4 times a week for items that somebody just bought from the store in 2 minutes, every single thing in the game is worthless at that point. It's devalued to the point of it actually being stupid to farm things the traditional way when it's all available for a fee.

If joe blogs or billy big balls bought the items shouldn't matter. What matters is everything about the game is affected by the items/goals in the game being devalued to the point where the game isn't even worth playing let alone paying a sub fee on top of store fees ( lol how fucking ridiculous it sounds when you type it out)

[Sierra85]

The other option is ofc that eventually WoW will one day go F2P and Blizzard wants something watertight in the place to still get money out of the game.

i think this is likely, some foreshadowing over possibly keeping wow going through microtransactions, but only once it reaches a certain threshold.

If you think about alot of the changes they have been doing lately (e.g. Virtual Realms / Blizz Store) supports your thought that maybe they are planning in a few years to maybe go F2P.

[Synstir]

The main problem is that players already are buying the boxes and paying a monthly sub. This should entitle them on everything that is available in game, without paying rl money for it.

Now the in-game store, started with an out-game store, is giving players stuff which is bought with rl money, so unavailable for players who doesn't want to spend more that they already are. Off course there will be players who are not happy with this... the best looking mounts, pets are only available for rl money. In a sub-based game, this doesn't look fair.

It started with pets and mounts and now we're seeing cosmetic items and a xp buff potion. This potion is affecting game play. So if this trend continues we'll be seeing more and more interesting things coming to the store. As it looks, Blizzard is getting money for the boxes and getting money for playing the game monthly and now also getting money for microtransactions, as if it was a f2p game. All of this added up is just too much.

Either be a sub-based game or be a f2p game.... being both at the same time is not fair to the players.

[Mosotti]

Whats wrong with having an in-game virtual store? It is a more convenient option for players to buy vanity items and other cool things from blizzards collection of virtual goods.

To be honest, I don't think there should be any cool things in and extra fucking shop on a subscription based game. Anyway, I thought it was OK when there was like a mount or a pet from time to time. But then it started raining mounts and pets, and now they are putting it into the game. So it's just another revenue method, which sits on top of the fucking revenue method which is the subscription itself.

Is it "wrong"? What the fuck does that even mean, "wrong"? It's more like "pathetic display of disgusting greed" if I want to make a characterization...

[Itisamuh]

I think the problem for many, such as myself, is the principle. I believe all additional options and content should be free for a game that already makes you pay a subscription. I have no problem with all these excess money makers existing, but the game should be free to play to compensate. And on the other side of the fence, you have people who see a cash shop as heralding the end of their subscription game and heading toward their dreaded buy to win.

[Xucuroz]

Its a subscription based game. Its understandable a lot of people wouldn't be happy with this, especially since no item on Bliz store is obtainable ingame through time and effort. Even free to play games based on micro transactions often give an option ingame to earn the item through effort and time.

I don't have a problem with the store personally, although its an obvious slippery slope. Reserving the best looking pets/mounts (subjective on taste of course) for the Store is already a bit sad. When they start adding elixirs to get increased rep, valor, conquest then it'll be a problem.

[Synstir]

What I think is funny, is at first Blizzard said it would be cosmetic only..... now with that potion in the store, they say: for people who can't or don't want to spend a lot of time......

So all grindable things will eventually appear in the store? Cause it will save time!

[Deleted]

But you are already implying that this will happen 100%. Are even F2P games doing this? Selling BiS items? This is such a vague fear that you base on..what? An elixir that last an hour? Charms? Items that are for now planned for the asian market?

True, there are no plans confirming that gear will be available in the shop and it might never happen, the point I was making is that its a slippery slope, how far will the game push the shop before it ruins the game and what will ruin the game depends on each individual (like the XP boost is already enough to piss me off and unsub).

Blizzard said they will only sell cosmetic gear, now we have a cash shop with potions available in a game that's bleeding subs like there's no tomorrow, they will push this shop as far as possible to recoup the money their losing from subscriptions.

I don't care if the majority dont even use the shop, it's the cheek of adding it to a premium based game that annoys me, if anybody even needed proof of the way Blizzard are going with this and the disaster that was Diablo 3.

[Goldfingaz]

The 'slippery slope fallacy' is designated as a fallacy for a reason.

This slippery slope isn't a fallacy however and is supported by facts. (Not all slippery slopes are fallacy, which seems to be a common misconception with the "debaters" in this forum.)

The "Slippery Slope" started with non-combat pets, then it moved to mounts, then it moved to helmets, then it moved to XP Vials, and there is a possibility of things like Lesser Charms of Good Fortune being added.

This is a slippery slope, it is not a fallacy as you can see it effecting the game more and more. Pets did nothing at the time, no big deal. Mounts, well it didn't give you an advantage over players. Helmets, again it didn't give you an advantage over players. XP vial, now you're gaining an advantage over fellow players players. See how that slippery slope worked? It went from novelty, to directly effecting game play and providing an advantage over players. While it isn't a steep slope, it definitely is a slippery slope and not a fallacy.

Remember folks, Slippery Slopes do not need to end at Armageddon, they simply slide into "unintended consequences", such as the Blizzard store being purely for vanity items, and not for items that can provide you with any sort of advantage over another player.

Claiming "Slippery Slope Fallacy" only works when there is no proof of it, we however have logical proof of a slippery slope.

[Tyrgannus]

It is interesting to see how polarized this community is on this topic (or realistically any part of WoW, but I digress). On one hand, people are pointing at it being greedy and shady due to there essentially being a 3rd money cost (initial purchase, subscription, store) and on the other hand people are reiterating that it's cosmetic only and thus doesn't affect gameplay (at least not gameplay performance as the argument has been made that some people play in order to look cool).

Maybe both sides have their points and I'm honestly struggling to be impartial and see both sides of the debate, but I can't help but think that a lot of people are getting worked up over a really small thing, and I'm curious why I didn't see a backlash like this when pets and mounts hit the online store. There's nothing I can really say that hasn't been said, and I know the arguments on both sides backwards and forwards, but I can't help but think that this is a little bit of an overreaction. If Blizzard announces they will sell gear with stats, then let's protest or quit. I would have a huge problem with that, but they haven't and they said they won't. I have no reason to believe it will happen until it happens. Being indignant and fearing what could happen or might happen from this new business angle does not in any way mandate the actuality of how the business model will work out in the future. If you are mad at the nerve of Blizzard charging people for items in a subscription based game, were you also mad at the introduction of mounts and pets? Why is this so different? Heck, pets even have stats now so realistically pets are the closest thing there is to paying for stats/achievements, but it seems the introduction of transmog, experience potions, and coins is too far.

I find the thought process odd and I personally can't make too much sense of it. After all, we've had fast leveling from already existing services for many years and coins are realistically just a way to buy time if you're pretty lazy, especially seeing as how incredibly quick and easy it is get enough charms every week. RaF is also buying time and has been for a while. Scroll of resurrection is buying time. We've been able to buy time for years. Why is THIS iteration of buying time play to win? Do you consider RaF play to win? Does the exclusive mount from RaF need to be dropped by a raid boss and outrage you that it must be bought? If it does I must at least applaud you on your consistency, but if it doesn't I am boggled as to why the backlash seems to be so heavy on things that realistically seem very similar to me than the business practices of the last 4 years.

[Synstir]

Coins aren't cosmetic..... they provide gear or better said, a chance to get gear.

The argument changed from: only cosmetic to: not having the time or not wanting to spend time.
Once players get used to this new argument, everything which cost time can be purchased in the store and that doesn't sound correct to me.

The qq is coming now because before there where only pets and mounts...... but now, even pets are part of the active game with pet-battles. And now game-aspects are affected with the potion, which makes you level up faster and coins, which will give gear. So yeah, I see why players now act up.

[hablix]

Cash shop is fine. Cash shop + required sub is double dipping. Debate it ad infinitum; in the meantime, I'm letting my money do the talking. I've already unsubbed from WoW, and have started playing a couple other F2P games, one of which I've already bought $50 of in-game currency in and bought an optional $15 subscription for. As for WoW, I thought I'd resub for a month for SoO, but my interest level is so low that I don't see myself resubbing until a mid- to late-expansion content patch in the next expansion, for a month or two at most.

[Kilzemole]

Sounds like "Pay and Play and Pay..."

[Ciscokidd12]

I really don't understand the outrage either. Its all cosmetic, mounts, and pets. Even if they bring the XP gain to US & EU side its just RAF by your lonesome. It all seems like the basic sky is falling mentality.

[tru]

id say most players thats been around a while already leveled most toons pretty high an buying the item would be a waste. i think its going to market more for newer players that probably are not happy with their first toons and want to reroll. which is what is wrong with the game blizz catering to the noobies that dont even put forth the time to level in the already dumbed down game. expect to see more crap like this as long as their sub numbers keeps falling.

Lower population = less money obv.
Add store items ( vanity ) try to increase revenue from it = Higher income like they still had a higher sub number

IDK if it still shows it or not but last time i seen how many people bought the store mounts... that at the time - times (x$25) ... they will never be the game company we once loved. for the love of god stop supporting the game.

[helic]

If you can pay for an advantage over other players at ANY TIME in a game (even low levels) then the game is going to start running into problems with it's player base. Yes buying a 500% increase to exp with real money is an advantage even if it is only effecting game play at lower levels. Slippery slope.

[mosely]

As someone who enjoys reading about the decline of this game, something like a cash shop is great cause it's yet another stab at the playerbase that can only cause further sub loss.

I guess I just want to watch the train wreck in progress.