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  1. #1

    Blizzard: World of Warcraft is not going to become pay-to-win

    Linking an article from Gamespot regarding what Alex Afrasiabi says about P2W:

    http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bli.../1100-6417898/

    World of Warcraft has more in-game microtransactions today than ever before (and it sounds like more are on the way), but the game is not bearing down a path toward becoming pay-to-win, creative director Alex Afrasiabi says.

    "That is not a direction we're even comfortable taking WoW," Afrasiabi told GameSpot today during a preview event for upcoming expansion Warlords of Draenor.

    Pay-to-win models break player trust, and Blizzard has no intention of doing that, Afrasiabi said.

    "Game design, half of it is about trust. And I think that our playerbase trusts us implicitly and you never want to break trust between the player and developer. And I think pay-to-win does that. And I think that is really our stance; we are not about pay-to-win in World of Warcraft. That is not gonna happen."

    Earlier this week, it was revealed--but not confirmed--that soon World of Warcraft players might be able to pay $60 to auto-level a character to the current cap of 90. Previously, players had to spend dozens of hours or more to reach that level. Some fans saw this as an indication that the integrity of the game experience was falling away.

    Players can also spend real-world money on virtual items like in-game pets and mounts. All of these microtransactions are on top of World of Warcraft's existing $15/month subscription. It appears microtransactions are going to play a major role in Blizzard's future as well, as the studio recently established a "Microtransaction Strategy" business unit.

    The uptick in virtual items for sale in World of Warcraft does not appear to have driven players away. In fact, World of Warcraft ended 2013 with 7.8 million subscribers, which is up 200,000 from the quarter prior. Of course, this is down from a record high of 12 million subscribers following the launch of Wrath of the Lich King in 2010. But growth more than 9 years into a product's lifecycle--especially a paid MMO--is nothing short of impressive.

  2. #2
    Deleted
    Allright! Good to know they won't go P2W.

  3. #3
    Deleted
    That sure is awesome

  4. #4
    Deleted
    and whats new about this ?

  5. #5
    Legendary! MasterHamster's Avatar
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    Players have been shouting about P2W ever since That Retarded Horse™.
    It won't happen.

    (inb4 arguments about dual-factions on PvP realm or PvE->PvP transfer that is not a valid comparison whatsoever)
    Active WoW player Jan 2006 - Aug 2020
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    Nothing lasts forever, as they say.
    But at least I can casually play Classic and remember when MMORPGs were good.

  6. #6
    Not trying to be a doomsayer or call him a liar or anything like that, but come on, how else is he gonna answer the question? "Oh yeah, we got loads of new shit coming down the pipe for you to buy!". Yeah that would go over real well. Now I don't personally think they'll ever go full-on buy your way to victory mode a la far too many mobile games, but I am certain they will continue to pile on more and more services that, as they will probably put it, offer the player convenience in addition to mounts, pets, cosmetic gear, etc.
    How I waste my time: Biter Comics

  7. #7
    Paying for leveling boost to 90 isnt P2W. If you can buy exclusive buffs to boost dmg in raids or buy gear, thats P2W. I am confident that blizz wont go that route with WoW ever.
    MOAR CHOCOLATE

  8. #8
    Scarab Lord Lime's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by det View Post
    Obviously everybody else has a definition of pay2win and I shall just get the popcorn out and watch when those folks enter the thread.
    Yup, it's pretty pointless to even argue now. People will say that buying a 90 is p2w by a literal definition, but then they'll turn around and say that buying expansions isn't, which is funny considering that you pay for expansions and they give you many, many more benefits over not buying them.

    Honestly, I don't think either is p2w. I just think people who use the literal sense of the word need to be more consistent.

  9. #9
    Elemental Lord Sierra85's Avatar
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    people have different definitions of the word win. Such is the flaws of the english language when one thing can also mean another. =(
    Hi

  10. #10
    Bloodsail Admiral salate's Avatar
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    I still dont see how 90 lvl boost makes you instantly win after pay and why it bothers players too much. O_o
    step into everything will gief ya nothing, mon

  11. #11
    Yeah, well, six years ago Rob Pardo was busy saying "... What you get out of micro-transactions is kind of the same thing and I think our player base would feel betrayed by it." and we all know how that stance lasted.

    http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mi...betray-players

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Pann View Post
    Yeah, well, six years ago Rob Pardo was busy saying "... What you get out of micro-transactions is kind of the same thing and I think our player base would feel betrayed by it." and we all know how that stance lasted.

    http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mi...betray-players
    Six years ago. The industry has changed A LOT since then, especially the MMO market.

    But to be honest, MMO-Champ is full of people who just love to complain about everything, so I'll leave this thread before it turns sour.

  13. #13
    Brewmaster ACES's Avatar
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    Hopefully this shuts up the whiners.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Tedstery View Post
    Six years ago. The industry has changed A LOT since then, especially the MMO market.

    But to be honest, MMO-Champ is full of people who just love to complain about everything, so I'll leave this thread before it turns sour.
    I wondered how long it would take for the times have changed excuse to be trotted out.

    And it reasonable to assume that the industry will change even further in the next six years so why should we believe Alex Afrasiabi when he says "Pay-to-win models break player trust, and Blizzard has no intention of doing that"? Blizzard have already shown that they have no issue going back on what they say when they believe it is financially beneficial why would this be any different?

  15. #15
    The Insane Feali's Avatar
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    Nothing surprising when you're the most successful (P2P) MMO.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by MasterHamster View Post
    Players have been shouting about P2W ever since That Retarded Horse™.
    It won't happen.

    (inb4 arguments about dual-factions on PvP realm or PvE->PvP transfer that is not a valid comparison whatsoever)
    Yeah but those people will keep shouting it, dont matter if they had a legally binding contract from Blizzard promising it won´t go pay to win they would still shout that it is going p2w.

  17. #17
    as long as a game has graphics from the age of tomorrow, top notch story and plot, amazing gameplay and is also free. its f2p and should be scorned.

  18. #18
    I don't see what all the crying's over. So what if people are spending $60 to jump straight to 90? They obviously would just prefer to spend their money over their time getting to 90.

    This is why selling Gear for cash makes sense, too. If people don't have the time to grind for gear, what's wrong with selling it to them? I'd be willing to pay $100 for a set of starter Raid gear so that I can skip the horrible LFR experience and jump straight into Norm Raiding content. Hell, I'd pay $150 for a set of Norm content Gear so I can get straight into Mythic content.

    I don't have time to waste with that other crap, let me give you some money so I can get to what I want to do.
    Garrosh: "LOK'TAR! HAVE A HAMBURGER."


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  19. #19
    Deleted
    Why are people so hung up on the P2W thing? Why can't they complain about the real issue, the one where blizzard are charging us for vanity items we already paid for?

  20. #20
    Its not just PTW that bothers me though.

    They might not go PTW, but they are putting up lots of mounts and pets in the store that are very unique looking and that take up valuable art team time and take away from doing art from things naturally in game. Maybe if they had not spent so much time making a certain banana dragon back in cata then dragon soul wouldn't have had to use so many recycled models, even for most of the bosses...

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