Is the Blizzcon stream too expensive?

[Tziva]

Considering the amount of hours, I think $40 is reasonable. I suspect it's much cheaper by the hour than buying a UFC fight or something from DirectTV. I mean, they cover literally everything from the full two days, even the concerts and tournaments, and you have the ability to watch panels that even attendees miss because they run concurrently with other panels. And I think you guys get the in-game rewards too?

If it was just a highlights reel or something, it would definitely be a rip-off. But it's a lot of content.

Opening ceremonies is free, btw. So if all you want is the big announcement and don't care about all the other hours of panels and tournaments and stuff, you don't have to pay anything. And of course you can get all the distilled information from the panels for free on websites like this one. So if the cost is not worth it or you don't care about all the other stuff it comes with, you won't really miss out on the important stuff.

[MoanaLisa]

It depends on how you approach it.

Last year we blocked off two entire days for Blizzcon using the virtual ticket, shut off our phones and as much as we possibly could treated it as a way to visit the convention and see the events without having to deal with thousands of sweating bodies, struggling to find seats and generally avoiding the unpleasantness with long lines, hotel rooms, outrageous concession stand prices, plane tickets, etc. that comes along with conventions like this (which might be worth the $40 by itself). During the evenings we made it a point to go out and eat somewhere, then return and stream the various parties that were going on. For the most part we did nothing but Blizzcon for two days even though the convention itself was limited to showing on our 60-inch screen.

Viewed that way, it's a bargain and something we plan to do again this year as well as hosting a small party for some friends who play and who chipped in on the price of a virtual ticket. We expect our Blizzcon to be pretty great without needing to leave town. For people who don't think it's worth the money, that's fine. I really don't understand why it's something that people need to feel any hostility over.

[ejpaints]

If you don't want to pay $40 or can't afford $40 the content is available for free the same day through other outlets. You just don't get the goodies for buying the ticket. I don't really see the issue here aside from the same old complaints every time something is put on the blizzard store. It's vanity stuff. You don't have to buy it and you get no advantage in game having it.

[zEmini]

I wouldn't pay for it. What do you get? A pet? And some avatars that you probably can't use half the time? I STILL can't use my crusader marine avatar form RoS on the forums.

[Deleted]

I gotta pay 40$ for sitting on my ass during a 2 day event? HELL NO! Maybe if it was like 15-20$, sure.

[MoanaLisa]

I gotta pay 40$ for sitting on my ass during a 2 day event? HELL NO! Maybe if it was like 15-20$, sure.

And yet someone can easily spend this much or a lot more going to two movies; two two-hour events.

Movies which can be seen later for free if one is willing to wait and will be endlessly reviewed and discussed on the internet. I would presume that people still sit on their asses at movies too.

[Redpanda]

2013-11-05 was first post. what a necro. no blizzcon stream is cheap and im getting it :3

[MoanaLisa]

2013-11-05 was first post. what a necro.

The thread still has relevance and is of interest even if it's a different Blizzcon. That's really what matters. No need for a new thread in this case as long as another one isn't started.

[glowpipe]

Too expensive ? Nah.

Worth the money ? Hell no

[Thelxi]

Aren't commericals ment to make profit?

Corporations the size of Blizzard pay millions for that kind of publicity and exposure, but Blizzard manages to actually make money off the actual commercial.

[Tziva]

Corporations the size of Blizzard pay millions for that kind of publicity and exposure, but Blizzard manages to actually make money off the actual commercial.

Because Blizzard, like other entertainment companies, make products that their customers are excited to buy. No one is ramped up about their dish soap.

On top of this, they're selling more than that product. They're also marketing new information about the product people are passionate about, and they're marketing it within the context of a community and fanbase that is important to a lot of people.

Every entertainment convention in the world can be reduced to a giant commercial (or commercials), but attendees don't view it through that reductionist lenses. They see it as a community event for people who share their passion for those products.

[Boogums]

Your options were, go to Blizzcon or hump MMO-C for updates. No options for pets or any of the swag there.

Now your options are, go to Blizzcon, hump MMO-C for updates, or buy the digital pass so you can get the pet and a chance at the swag.

If you don't want the digital pass, and only care for the updates, then why the fuck are you complaining about the price of something that's irrelevant to you. Continue humping MMO-C for updates and let the people who want to spend the money on the pass spend their money on the pass.

[Koyoti]

I have to admit, being the old fart that I am, it amazes me that any company can actually get people wound up enough to charge them to watch an advertisement of their products.

Well played, Blizzard.

[Dormie]

Blizzard could sell nuggets of their own poop if it came with a pet. Virtual ticket should be like 20-25$ at most. Having the money and willingness to throw it away doesn't make it any less of a waste.

[Mytheros]

My view is harsh on this so get ready to hate......ANYONE even sharing the thought that $40 is far to expensive for a 2 "day" (what is it really like 10 hours per day I guess?) live streamed event.....guess what YOU AREN'T the target demographic for when they thought up the live stream option. There's no real right or wrong answer of course to if its expensive or not....because price is one of those things in life that its completely subjective to the person. How can you say its right on wrong when something is subjective?

That all said -- for my view....$40 is way fair......first you can't blame a company for content you aren't interested in and you still pay for it....so saying "well I'd only watch probably 3 hours for the WoW stuff...".....that's not the fault of blizzard that's your own doing. So let's say over the two days there's about 20 hours of live coverage (which I think is very close to actual numbers)....you are complaining that $2.00 is too much per hour? You get control of the panels you see, 2 weeks of post DVR access to the whole event, in-game items (I'll admit I feel like a hypocrite mentioning that though...because honestly I don't give two shits about the pets and banners and stuff...I'd be more intrigued if they made a special mount instead...) , plus you get a 'concert' out of the deal as well.....granted that's only worth it if you like the act they pick...but still...on top of all this consider that despite what many people think....Blizzard doesn't make a profit from holding Blizzcon...in fact Mike Morhaime has said in interviews...blizzcon actually COSTS them money to hold each year...even after all item and ticket sales are tallied up.

The short version -- I'm getting very tired of people being cheap but still wanting everything.....seriously....either you like it and fork over the money or you don't and just don't but stop crying that everything is unfair or too expensive when talking about optional/entertainment type items.

Want sympathy from me on expenses....let's talk property taxes, cost of food, etc.....you know the IMPORTANT stuff we have to pay for in life....then I'll jump aboard that ship with you.

[Otimus]

It's too expensive in so much as, aside from the virtual items, most any other game company on earth would do this (the stream) for free. Blizzard just knows their fanbase. They know they'll pay absurd ticket prices for the actual event, and absurd prices for virtual tickets, because Blizzard fans gonna be Blizzard fans. Half of them lack the inherent ability to look at anything they do with a critical eye whatsoever. Then you have people who'll defend anything costing anything so long as it's a "luxury" or something, and call anyone who decries otherwise a whiner.

[Mytheros]

Corporations the size of Blizzard pay millions for that kind of publicity and exposure, but Blizzard manages to actually make money off the actual commercial.

Blizzard doesn't make anything from Blizzcon, the event COSTS them money in fact. Do they technically make money from blizzcon being a huge advertising campaign for their products of course.....but DIRECTLY as in ticket sales, live stream sales, etc...they don't make a profit.

- - - Updated - - -

It's too expensive in so much as, aside from the virtual items, most any other game company on earth would do this (the stream) for free. Blizzard just knows their fanbase. They know they'll pay absurd ticket prices for the actual event, and absurd prices for virtual tickets, because Blizzard fans gonna be Blizzard fans. Half of them lack the inherent ability to look at anything they do with a critical eye whatsoever. Then you have people who'll defend anything costing anything so long as it's a "luxury" or something, and call anyone who decries otherwise a whiner.

So stop whining ? Just kidding (but not really)......

[Hexian]

Blizzard doesn't make anything from Blizzcon, the event COSTS them money in fact. Do they technically make money from blizzcon being a huge advertising campaign for their products of course.....but DIRECTLY as in ticket sales, live stream sales, etc...they don't make a profit.

- - - Updated - - -



So stop whining ?

Really? I would love to see proof of that. Feel free to post it at anytime.

[shadowmatrix]

How much did people pay to watch a Mike Tyson fight on PPV? And then it ends in the first round. How much do people pay to go see a college football games that ends in a 70-0 beatdown?

The Blizzcon virtual ticket is $40 for:
2 days of streaming
Replays available for 2 weeks past the event incase you missed something due to work or family
World of Warcraft – Grommloc Pet
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft – Blizzard 2014 Card Back
StarCraft II – Portraits & Decal
Diablo III – Warlords of Draenor Weapon Transmogrifications
Heroes of the Storm – Nexus Mount and Portrait
Not having to wait for the latest news to hit the front page of gaming websites
Not having to choose between two panels you want to see that overlap.

It's hard to call it too expensive. As for whether or not it's worth the cost, that is a personal question that varies from person to person. Do you only like a single game or do you have interest in all of them? As for the people saying it's just advertisement I ask this question. What do you think those other gaming conventions are? Blizzcon is an advertisement, just like PAX, PAX East, and E3.

[Ryzek]

I don't think its expensive at all, I enjoy the stream and the stuff I get with it so its worth it for me.