The store is becoming obnoxious.

[Ballack]

First one during Wrath.
If people felt as strongly as they make out, then they should have left the game YEARS ago.
Back up your words with actions, leave the game, leave feedback for blizzard and shut up.
Anyone making so much noise about the store but continuing to play is simply a liar.
It is not going away, accept it, grow up and shut up or leave.

That is the most asinine argument I have ever heard.

[Venziir]

I find it absurd that you are unable to ignore the buttons that says "Store".

[Deleted]

i never noticed the store being in my face ever since they added the button too it.

sure it's there, but it's simply looked over especially if you aren't aware it excist.
i found the Guild Wars 2, store options far more intrusive then the WoW one has been so far.

[Deleted]

Sad times when players defend money-hungry behaviour from companies. Blizzard has no reason to have a cash-shop when the game has a subscription fee. They've already crossed the pay-to-win line with instant 90's. When the transition is slow enough, players will accept anything. Some voices try to explain what's really going on but they are silenced by ignorance and fanboyism.

And no, it's not the end of the world (of warcraft), it's just where the whole industry is headed... that doesn't mean gamers have to shut up and eat it, or defend it.

I completely agree. Creating a 2 tier player experience is something they could and should avoid in a subscription MMO.

[Ballack]

People want everything and they don't want to pay for it. They firmly believe that their monthly subscription, in this case, entitles them to everything that blizzard makes. It would not be a stretch for some folks to believe, clearly, that because they pay a subscription to Blizzard for WoW they should also get all expansions to WoW, included, all developed items for WoW, included and likely any other game that Blizzard develops (i.e. Starcraft and Diablo) included. That's how their brains work.

They don't understand the concept of running a business, of various revenue streams to increase profits, the need for a company to have these streams and on top of that they rarely if ever consider that the other people in the game, i.e. the world, might actually not mind paying the prices the extra content is offered at. They might fully understand that the items and stuff are extra new items and new content that comes at a cost and if you want it, then you have to pay for it. That whole idea is foreign to them.

These are generally people who don't understand why they get laid off or fired from a company that isn't doing well. They're also the people who think that they should, by all counts, be granted whatever they want, when they want it. They likely got participation trophies as children.

And you are a headless chicken who's gonna suck the dick of corporate greed until the day you die (I'm sorry for the gritty metaphor, but I think it conveys the message). What is happening is that since 2010, when the subscription numbers declined from 12 million to around 9 million 2 years later, Blizzard has decided the best way to keep their revenue (and probably increase it) is to put more pressure on their consumer base. Just the fact that they now have an integrated and sizable shop in an already subscription based game is something that has not been done in ever before (ESO seems to go for that model too now, which is worrying). This comes in addition to the already overpriced server/faction transfers.

Blizzard are trying to milk their loyal customers for money in a way that is off-putting to say the least. And those mounts etc. is taking significant time to make considering the high polygons and animations they come with. It is time that could have been spent bettering the game we're all paying for every month. So it does affect me even though I do not use it, it also sets a dangerous precedent where "if you want something cool, just pay for it!". When an MMO, which is a progression based game, reaches a point where you progress by throwing money at the screen (not saying WoW has gotten to this point yet) it loses it's character and it loses it's point.

You are the archetype of a horrible game consumer. You take these new developments and praise them. The tendency to try to take more money for less content is NOT good for the gaming industry. Because you see you, the consumer, is who sets the parameters. If you don't accept something or give the companies shit for what they are doing, they will adapt to stay in the industry. Don't have single doubt in your mind, these companies will do everything they can to increase their profits. And as capitalism works, a big portion of the extra money goes to the top-dogs, not to the further development for betterment of the games we play. I'm not necessarily saying this is a bad thing, it creates competition and it gives consumers a choice.

But if your outset as a consumer is to welcome and praise the fact that the subscribers of WoW are getting their pockets milked as much as possible, then you are a part of the problem.

[Noomz]

As long as a digital store doesn't get in the way of normal development, I don't see a problem with it.

The store isn't obnoxious or "in-your-face". I'm not sure how you could ever think it is. And I even quit the game a month ago, so I'm not biased in favor of Blizzard on this.

- - - Updated - - -

And you are a headless chicken who's gonna suck the dick of corporate greed until the day you die (I'm sorry for the gritty metaphor, but I think it conveys the message). What is happening is that since 2010, when the subscription numbers declined from 12 million to around 9 million 2 years later, Blizzard has decided the best way to keep their revenue (and probably increase it) is to put more pressure on their consumer base. Just the fact that they now have an integrated and sizable shop in an already subscription based game is something that has not been done in ever before (ESO seems to go for that model too now, which is worrying). This comes in addition to the already overpriced server/faction transfers.

Blizzard are trying to milk their loyal customers for money in a way that is off-putting to say the least. And those mounts etc. is taking significant time to make considering the high polygons and animations they come with. It is time that could have been spent bettering the game we're all paying for every month. So it does affect me even though I do not use it, it also sets a dangerous precedent where "if you want something cool, just pay for it!". When an MMO, which is a progression based game, reaches a point where you progress by throwing money at the screen (not saying WoW has gotten to this point yet) it loses it's character and it loses it's point.

You are the archetype of a horrible game consumer. You take these new developments and praise them. The tendency to try to take more money for less content is NOT good for the gaming industry. Because you see you, the consumer, is who sets the parameters. If you don't accept something or give the companies shit for what they are doing, they will adapt to stay in the industry. Don't have single doubt in your mind, these companies will do everything they can to increase their profits. And as capitalism works, a big portion of the extra money goes to the top-dogs, not to the further development for betterment of the games we play. I'm not necessarily saying this is a bad thing, it creates competition and it gives consumers a choice.

But if your outset as a consumer is to welcome and praise the fact that the subscribers of WoW are getting their pockets milked as much as possible, then you are a part of the problem.

Milking their customers how exactly? The things in the store are completely non-essential, even boring. If people WANT to buy that stuff, then who the bloody hell are you to tell them they are "sucking corporate dick" as you so eloquently put it?

Overpriced compared to what?

Yes, a 9 year old game loses subscriptions. How the bloody hell is that a surprise to anyone? Do you honestly think that they would be able to maintain or even increase from 12 million indefinetly until they decided to just turn the game off?

No-one is getting anything milked out of them, because it's up to the consumer to decide what they spend their money on. If you think all this trivial stuff in the store is so important, then I think the problem lies with you making a hen out of a feather.

[Hyve]

The shop is not heavily promoted, and one of those two mounts will be for the Recruit-a-Friend Service.

[Ballack]

Milking their customers how exactly? The things in the store are completely non-essential, even boring. If people WANT to buy that stuff, then who the bloody hell are you to tell them they are "sucking corporate dick" as you so eloquently put it?

Overpriced compared to what?

Yes, a 9 year old game loses subscriptions. How the bloody hell is that a surprise to anyone? Do you honestly think that they would be able to maintain or even increase from 12 million indefinetly until they decided to just turn the game off?

No-one is getting anything milked out of them, because it's up to the consumer to decide what they spend their money on. If you think all this trivial stuff in the store is so important, then I think the problem lies with you making a hen out of a feather.

I don't agree that the things are boring. I'm not saying the people who pay for the mounts or whatever are sucking corporate dicks, not even close. I said that to the guy I was replying to, who were berating the people who's reacting to the store getting more and more in the limelight. So your first point is completely irrelevant.

Overpriced is my opinion of it, excuse me if I presented is as a fact. Compared to how fast it gets done I'm quite sure they have a pretty sizable profit-margin. I could be wrong of course, but I doubt it.

I'm not saying they should have been able to grow after 12 million, did you even read my post?

It's safe to say Blizzard are pushing boundaries they haven't before with the new integrated shop right? We can all agree with that I hope. We also agree that it is up to the consumer to set the boundaries.

I'm saying awareness has to be risen about these issues. If not, the new generation of gamers might end up growing up in an industry that takes a lot more money from their pockets than the generation before. I'm worried about the direction of monetizing in games has taken. I think it's gonna end up hurting the industry when paying for content beyond purchasing the game (and possibly paying a subscription fee) becomes the norm. Because then you are not paying for the game experience as a whole anymore, you are paying for specific things inside the game experience. I think that will end up hurting the quality of games.

So to reiterate, I'm not calling out the people in-game who purchases stuff from the store. I'm calling out the morons who goes to forums and tries to convince people that "this is the way it should be" as if to say that it is the developers who hold the power "so you better get used to it", when that is not the case at all.

[Deleted]

Sad times when players defend money-hungry behaviour from companies. Blizzard has no reason to have a cash-shop when the game has a subscription fee. They've already crossed the pay-to-win line with instant 90's. When the transition is slow enough, players will accept anything. Some voices try to explain what's really going on but they are silenced by ignorance and fanboyism.

You summed it up quite nicely. Could it be my new sig?

[Aligerous]

I feel as if some people are misinterpreting my point-of-view on the subject with knee-jerk reactions. The store isn't inherently a bad thing, and I'm certainly not saying it's as obtrusive as in other games, nor does it prevent me from enjoying the game. I don't feel Blizzard is being incredibly evil or stepping over some arbitrary boundaries. What I'm saying is that it appears less resources are being put into things that can be acquired in-game (mainly mounts), when compared to the store versions.

Someone raised the point that what I deem to be a "better" mount is subjective, and while that's true, the amount of art assets created for such a mount is far more relevant and is the point I'm trying to get across. The Galakras mount consists of far less new artwork than, say, the Iron Skyreaver or the Faerie Dragon, the former of which received a new skeleton, while the Galakras mount received some new model work (the armor) and a texture change (the stripes). The Kor'kron Juggernaut and Kor'kron War Wolf are also similarly less resource-intensive in that they reuse many assets, while the newer store mounts are quite unique. Admittedly, there has been one addition to the game recently that was incredibly unique, more so than the store mounts, that being the Sky Golem which had a very large amount of effort put into it by the artists.

[Strakha]

I would never purchase anything from the WoW-store, but if they started selling gear for money I'd probably still play. A fool and their money...

[bayushisan]

Wow. Just.....wow.

As a resident old fart, being 40 at this point in my life, maybe I can add some perspective here.

If you think a single, innocuous button (the same size as other buttons) on the character select screen is "in your face" you've clearly never had to deal with constant pop up ads, intrusive video ads playing at every website you go to, or sites that put up annoying midi music that plays automatically when you go to them. Seriously guys get some perspective here. It's a mount. It does nothing but help me move about the world at the same speed as other mounts. I like the mount, I chose to purchase it because I liked it. You are under no obligation to do so and why people get their knickers in a twist over it is something of a mystery to me.

I don't agree with everything Blizzard does, but I still have fun playing the games and as long as I do I'll keep playing. It's that simple. The store, to me, matters not at all. They want to make more money...and? You're acting like this should be given away for free or something. Grow up.

[Theendgamelv3]

Yea it is, but anyone can see there is an effort to make the store mounts more appealing than most In game mounts. I'm not going in circles with this though. To me it's obvious where it's going.

I disagree with this as well, the Sky Golem mount has a lot more effort than a grey lion with wings, a 2 head dragon, a sparkle pony, etc. I can name more mounts I feel are better looking than the in game ones after the Sparkle Pony got released.

On to the topic at hand. I don't find the the in game store annoying at all. They are just buttons. NOW if it was shoved in my face and WoW prompted me about the store after a certain amount of time, yea that is annoying and bad. If the store button was this giant annoying button, yea that is bad.

[Iseeyou]

Cool mounts in cash shop is so sad. Buttons everywhere.

And now lvl 90.

What's next ? Cool helm skins ? Wait..

[Sidious78]

Overpriced is my opinion of it, excuse me if I presented is as a fact. Compared to how fast it gets done I'm quite sure they have a pretty sizable profit-margin. I could be wrong of course, but I doubt it.

You are more right than you now. I work as a computer programmer, and have coded my own MUD-engine (In essence: A semi-graphical MUD with very similiar game mechanics). A character transfer is no more complicated then copying a database-entry from one database to another, maybe triggering a flag for a name change. No fuzz at all. This process is automated on their web-site, and the "costs" for Blizzard should be no more then the design costs for putting up that particular part of their web-page. No fuzz at all. That means that the price they are charging for transfers isn't only greedy, it's utterly insane!

[Ahraa]

I personally don't have a problem with the store (not that I have bought anything recently). However, I do believe that when your dealing with a game such as wow (P2P), EVERYTHING in the store should also be able to be purchased with in-game currency. Make it overpriced, whatever, but the option should still be there nonetheless.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Exactly this. Its a pointless discussion of people complaining that they can't get the goodies on the store without paying. If you want it, buy it. If you don't want to buy it- you don't want it badly enough. Move along.

Hear hear! Exactly this.

I'm curious to see whether or not they will stop making mounts aimed at FLYING come WoD for the store, + meta and such...too bad since we could've gotten many more in-game chimera mounts.

[Itisamuh]

Play SWTOR if you want an obnoxious store. The one in WoW is easy to ignore, though I do disapprove of extra paid services in sub based games.

[Queen of Hamsters]

You are more right than you now. I work as a computer programmer, and have coded my own MUD-engine (In essence: A semi-graphical MUD with very similiar game mechanics). A character transfer is no more complicated then copying a database-entry from one database to another, maybe triggering a flag for a name change. No fuzz at all. This process is automated on their web-site, and the "costs" for Blizzard should be no more then the design costs for putting up that particular part of their web-page. No fuzz at all. That means that the price they are charging for transfers isn't only greedy, it's utterly insane!

2014 and people still get surprised about companies trying to cash in where people will pay. Sheesh. I bet you that if you could, you'd wanna earn as much as possible from the services you provided. Who wouldn't? Of course people on the internet often pretend to be more of a saint than they actually are.

[StationaryHawk]

Couldn't you have at least waited for the source of there new mounts to be announced before complaining that they're two more store mounts?