Blizzard Entertainment establishes "Microtransaction Strategy"

[Toiran]

People seem to skip the fact that Blizzard Entertainment doesn't equal World of Warcraft and nothing else.

Hearthstone is built around microtransactions, HoTS will be built around microtransactions.

This shouldn't be surprising.

Titan will likely be F2P with microtransactions, building a team specifically for it with the recent reboot makes sense, now is the time.

Be surprised if and/or when, this directly involves WoW, until then, this is standard business and nothing to worry about.

[Valdemar]

If you don't want it, don't buy it.

You want to know a big difference between HL2 multiplayer derivatives and WoW? Servers.

Cross-realm play is more prominent than ever and will likely continue/expand.

[twiddler]

I disagree, they can make more cool vanity stuff than they would normally have budget for because they plan to sell it on the store.

I agree as well. As long as they aren't disrupting or imbalancing gameplay and the economy with the items sold via their microtransactions, I don't see it as a problem at all.

[Veyne]

Waiting for ESO to come out. I bet you it'll blow WoW out of the water in terms of being an actual... you know.... RPG.

After Beta testing for quite a few months, I feel you'll be sorely disappointed. It's not NEARLY what it could be. It's not bad, or anything. But it's very much "Meh." And this is coming from someone who has been an Elder Scrolls fan nearly his entire life and an Elder Scrolls MMORPG has been my DREAM game for about a decade now.

[Nachturnal]

Because if it's not a f2p game they shouldn't charge you extra for anything.

You're obviously not buying anything, so how does it affect you?

Yep. Screw em. Exactly why I cancelled my sub and that's what I told them. Everytime you try to sell me BS on top of my sub fee, I get sick of the game and the shitty company.

Waiting for ESO to come out. I bet you it'll blow WoW out of the water in terms of being an actual... you know.... RPG.

So what you're saying is that Blizzard purposely charged you for all those mounts and pets in the Blizzard store, on top of you subscription fee. They FORCED it onto your subscription. I doubt it. Only "BS" I can think of that you speak of is maybe Tax, which in turn gives me lawls. But thanks for spouting nonsense, love me a good laugh.

And sorry to burst your bubble, but ESO is looking to be a piping heap of raptor Jesus garbage =[.

[Video Games]

I bought TF2 before it went f2p. By your logic they shouldn't charge for any of their stuff in that game because of it. Doesn't make that much sense now, does it?

But it's f2p now so they do. I don't get what your point was.

You're obviously not buying anything, so how does it affect you?

Except for like sub fees. Also microtransactiosn ruin games like dead space 3.

[Nachturnal]

Except for like sub fees. Also microtransactiosn ruin games like dead space 3.

Yes...because it's a subscription based game? Also, no idea how some mounts, some lame pets, and a fiery helmet, in other words, vanity items, can affect YOUR experience.

[Sinndra]

Yes...because it's a subscription based game? Also, no idea how some mounts, some lame pets, and a fiery helmet, in other words, vanity items, can affect YOUR experience.

yup, this.

when the talk of any REAL p2w options show up, such as buying stats gear, or "keys" to new raids.. THEN i'll gladly jump ship and join all the hate. but until then, vanity items can come as often and as much as they want. it in no way means i have to buy them. and if they want my money they had better damn well put more effort into the style that I like.

there is just no sense in "pre~bitching" about things that might never actually happen.

[docterfreeze]

And this will make new players want to play the game...how?

[Hurwyn]

So what you're saying is that Blizzard purposely charged you for all those mounts and pets in the Blizzard store, on top of you subscription fee. They FORCED it onto your subscription. I doubt it. Only "BS" I can think of that you speak of is maybe Tax, which in turn gives me lawls. But thanks for spouting nonsense, love me a good laugh.

.

And that is the attitude that will end with WoW players paying 60 bucks a month for a game that amounts to a few weeks of decent content and then six months of trade chat spamming.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

"Monetization that helps enhance the gaming experience."

Either this means nothing changes, or pay to get gear here we come.

[Daetur]

It looks like that's a more general position within Blizzard.

It could refer to Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, Diablo III, Starcraft II, "Titan," and/or Warcraft. It could also affect all or only some of the things under Blizzard's roof.

I'm not saying that it's impossible that they're looking at moving to more microtransactions in Warcraft. I'm saying that this information tells us nothing about whether or not anything involving Warcraft will actually change, especially significantly, and especially since most of their new games are looking to use a microtransaction system, and could very easily be what this position is tailored towards.

[Blufossa]

How on earth are optional purchases a ripoff?

Because people. :P

[Daetur]

"Monetization that helps enhance the gaming experience."

Either this means nothing changes, or pay to get gear here we come.

I think that actually means that they're looking at what players "like" having provided as a free part of the game the most, and what things really piss people off when it's only available through microtransactions. What is going to make sense to provide for free, and what is going to be reasonable to provide only through a microtransaction service?

I think what that means is that they want to find people who will look at other models and say "Okay, so, players really hate having to pay for a certain level of convenience. Let's make sure that players feel like they have enough bag space with the free version of the game, and that microtransaction bag space unlocking will go beyond what feels like "enough" to most casual players, and not feel restrictive and required."

"Players will pay to unlock additional character slots, but every player wants 11 slots to be able to play every class, and they find it frustrating to have to pay to roll alts. Let's provide those first 11 slots for free, and then they can pay to unlock slots on a server beyond that."

[Nachturnal]

And that is the attitude that will end with WoW players paying 60 bucks a month for a game that amounts to a few weeks of decent content and then six months of trade chat spamming.

You wear that tinfoil hat ever so elegantly sir. +10 interwebs.

[deadman1]

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[Isoge]

Microtransactions does not equal WoW going F2P.... The still have 6kk+ subs. Just do the math and see how much cash that brings in. Doesn't that make you look like an idiot for even mentioning WoW and F2P in the same sentence? Now, with subs + purchases in-game, blizz will make more cash than ever before. Even if WoW only had 2kk subs, they would still make a great profit. They've stated this earlier. Then imagine how they feel about 6kk+ subs? Free to play? Don't make me laugh.


As for purchases in-game, Blizz has always planned to sell cosmetic items that have no real effect on the game except visuals. They already have and those visual headgears showed great results so I can only imagine how they will expand the transmogg gears being sold through store. And I for one don't mind it one bit. There will never, ever be a P2W situation in WoW and only an even greater idiot than the idiot that mentions WoW going F2P would worry about this.

[Deleted]

Apparently people choose to forget Blizzard has 2 Free to Play games incoming (Heroes of the Storm + Hearthstone) that will obviously include micro-transactions and just use this as yet another excuse to bash World of Warcraft or whatever. Gets kinda sad to see this type of desperation.

[Mezzolith]

Apparently people choose to forget Blizzard has 2 Free to Play games incoming (Heroes of the Storm + Hearthstone) that will obviously include micro-transactions and just use this as yet another excuse to bash World of Warcraft or whatever. Gets kinda sad to see this type of desperation.

People just irrationally look for any ammunition to say WoW is dying/going to die. Usually because they're not having fun with it anymore and they don't want anyone else to have fun with it.

[Deleted]

It's a clear indication Tippl (Kotick, whoever is pulling the strings) isn't happy with either the amount of microtransaction revenue by Blizzard or the amount of revenue by Blizzard - as of today. Somebody is supposed to pay alot more and will receive shiny shiny pixels in return.