Blizzard's newest venture

[xenogear3]

There is no way that Blizzard will give a free level 90 for $20.
$20 is cheaper than server transfer or faction change.

$50 at least.

[Dooney]

This just confirms for me that Blizzard's trying to kill WoW to release Titan. This will hurt the game like never before in too many ways.

I suspect that their data show that the least attractive thing about capturing former and/or new players might be their having to run thru 90 levels of old content.

[NuLogic]

Wouldn't really hurt me. I level alts just for the leveling experience and then abandon them.

[Celarent]

It sounds perfect for the 30+ demographic, with typically a lot more money than time.

Max level is where this game is at. Other than the first experience of an expansion's zones, leveling increasingly limits how much time players spend logged in.

[Dooney]

I would pay $0 for a free 90. I mean seriously, who doesn't have a 90 by now? ...

Remember most of their old base has not played since Wotlk and they are at ~80 or less.

[Rawrstance]

I would go so far as to say, anyone really upset with people boosting to 90 (paid or unpaid) are playing the wrong game. Like it or not, WoW isn't the big questing game it once was, and I doubt it ever will be again. It's about max level content with leveling as a rite of passage, a rite that is outdated for this game. If your idea of an MMO is the questing experience, there are other games that offer that. WoW has become a max level game, simple as that.

Boosting to 90 (or even max level) is not "paying to win" because hitting max level hasn't been "winning" in a very long time.

[Lumocolor]

I would pay $0 for a free 90. I mean seriously, who doesn't have a 90 by now? The issue isn't that it's too hard to level up anymore, and it's not hard for casuals to catch up, so why the 90? Sorry for changing topics, on a serious note, is this survey by email or in-game? I have yet to receive anything.

People like myself who haven't played in 3 years. I see it as a + to convincing me to return and skipping the whole panda party, although i most likely won't come back.

[Dooney]

It sounds perfect for the 30+ demographic, with typically a lot more money than time.
Max level is where this game is at. Other than the first experience of an expansion's zones, leveling increasingly limits how much time players spend logged in.

Blizz is not giving us new characters to level for this xpac, so why not some ready-made toons. They still have 10 levels like the rest of us.

[Count Zero]

This just confirms for me that Blizzard's trying to kill WoW to release Titan. This will hurt the game like never before in too many ways.

Yeah, I'd be trying my best to kill off something that brings in billions of dollars a year for something that hasn't made a single cent yet, too.

[Grimmer]

Slippery Slope fallacy.

That's not how the slippery slope fallacy works.

It would be one thing if people anticipated an extreme scenario with something that hasn't established a pattern or there's no reason to believe that will be the case.

But we've watched as Blizzard has increasingly monetized things that players previously did not expect or want them to monetize over time through microtransactions that take up some of the art and design resources that could have been placed in the game for subscribers to get without paying.

When people have watched that happen, the rights of their microtransactions are progressively more varied, there's not a lot of reason to anticipate it won't happen.

But the kicker?

The guarantee that this does not happen comes from the fact that enough people raise a stink so it doesn't. That's the entire fucking reason they have surveys like this.

Very often, for example, with games in beta, people will complain about an issue or offer harsh feedback to prevent a design decision, and people will reply "but it's beta." When they don't, often times by the time the game goes gold, it's "too late" to change it because we're post-beta.

So for example, if, say, EA is putting microtransactions in an increasing number of games, it's not a slippery slope fallacy to be concerned with the idea that they might put them in every single game they produce. Which they are going to do. The CFO has previously redacted the statement, but it's a completely bullshit backpedal when you observe the direct quote.

Blizzard creates some great games. They have gamefeel down to a science as far as I'm concerned. I'm not the type to blanket-hate everything they make out of some hipster-cred attempt. But they're not your friends, they are a corporation. And the way you stop that kind of tactic as a means of getting more cash is to be the voice that prevents it before it gets its foot in the door. If enough people saw into the future that That Retarded Horse was going to happen and complained about it, and enough voices were against the idea of pay to obtain pets/mounts, Heart of the Aspects would've dropped off Heroic Deathwing where it obviously belonged instead of yet another Alexstrasza Drake recoloring (for example).

[Hardkorr]

It sounds perfect for the 30+ demographic, with typically a lot more money than time.

Max level is where this game is at. Other than the first experience of an expansion's zones, leveling increasingly limits how much time players spend logged in.

Which is a shame. Purchasable boots to near max level is pissing away years of development (and even one big selling point of Cata). Rather than make leveling more engaging or slowing it down to have players enjoy the majority of the game, this system will allow people to just skip content in order to play with friends or whatever excuse they have this time. Why is WoW moving more towards MMO and away from RPG? Where is the character growth? The story? Mind you, Blizz has a depressingly high turnover rate, so I understand their desire to retain older players. Still, I have a bad feeling about all of this...

[Arbs]

They finally got it that the game was headed in wrong direction. Two unsuccessful xpacs in a row, they were a little slow on the uptake in realizing this.

Wait a minute who says MoP was unsuccessful just because the game is getting old & subs began to decline last Xpac ? So its only a success if they get 12 Mill again ??

[But I Hate You All]

Wait a minute who says MoP was unsuccessful just because the game is getting old & subs began to decline last Xpac ? So its only a success if they get 12 Mill again ??

the game got old? hmmm peaked in cata 3 mo after cata came out ZOMFG THE GAME IS OLD UNSUB. I think something went wrong with cata and mop did not fix it



Looks like "the game is old" is just a bandwagon excuse

[Deleted]

I would enter 9999 just for the laugh.

[Paula Deen]

I love everyone in this thread is acting like this is something new. They mentioned this shit at Blizzcon, they even brought up the idea multiple times! The fact that the people in this thread are also circle jerking about how it will just plain kill the game shows me 1 of 2 things. 1. You do not care about WoW and are just here to be a bit of a rustler. 2. You have been living under a rock. I mean, I am sorry to sound mean, but everyone should have known this was coming. You were getting a free 90 with WoD, they mentioned the possibility of a microtransaction. More than likely this will not be a live thing. They will realize they can just milk you for 40 dollars every time you want a free 90.

[Arbs]

the game got old? hmmm peaked in cata 3 mo after cata came out ZOMFG THE GAME IS OLD UNSUB. I think something went wrong with cata and mop did not fix it

Or it is just opinion based & doesn't really mean diddly anything. Except Game getting old, people get older & move on. Jobs, Family. Life gets in the way. Its how the cycle goes.

- - - Updated - - -

I love everyone in this thread is acting like this is something new. They mentioned this shit at Blizzcon, they even brought up the idea multiple times! The fact that the people in this thread are also circle jerking about how it will just plain kill the game shows me 1 of 2 things. 1. You do not care about WoW and are just here to be a bit of a rustler. 2. You have been living under a rock. I mean, I am sorry to sound mean, but everyone should have known this was coming. You were getting a free 90 with WoD, they mentioned the possibility of a microtransaction. More than likely this will not be a live thing. They will realize they can just milk you for 40 dollars every time you want a free 90.

Well they said in a Interview they may come up with a option to buy a character boost in the future. I guess this is the future .

[glowpipe]

and they have no competitors on the market. They can do what ever they want and get away with it. We gonna see more crap like this in the future

[Franzy]

They could do something like $5-$10 per 10 levels boost or something. There's some brackets that'd be good to skip in my opinion.

But really I reckon they could charge $100 for a 90 and people would still buy it regardless. And really I don't see that price unreasonable.
It's a high amount, so people who like leveling alts cant complain about it being so accessible/cheap for the effort that they put in leveling in-game. Not many would throw $100 at the game for that, so there'd be a small amount of players purchasing it.

[Archimand]

i would gladly pay 10$ dollar less for expension, i dont need free 90 since i already have 11 90s 1 85 and few 80s on my account

[Tastyfish]

They should just squash the Server Xfers and offer for the same price a starter set of gear and a 90 on w/e realm you want.