"Blizzard is a business"

[Saberstrike]

Am I the only one sick of that being an excuse to justify everything? Seems like whenever someone brings up a point on ... well, anything at all being wrong with WoW a blizzard defense police volunteer pops up and goes "WELL HERPTY BLOODY DERP, BLIZZARD IS A BUSINESS! ERRYTHING IS FINE. DONT LIKE IT JESS UNSUB LOL".

No. It's not fine. Being a business shouldn't automatically mean you can get away with anything as long as it's 'your' product. I personally find such philosophy harmful to both said product and those of us who still enjoy the game at large, outside of perhaps a few little things we find unsatisfactory. So to those of you who keep saying 'Blizzard is a business' - please stop. You're not helping -anyone-. You're just showing how much of a tool you are.

Saddest thing of all is that they're not necessarily wrong, blizzard -is- a business. But that's precisely why said business should care about their product and their community because good word of mouth + good will of their consumers will amount to much more $$$ than blatant cash-grabs like mount store or desperate attempts to keep people subbed with temporary buffs -- just to make a few recently-annoying examples.

/Rant

[Sainur]

Well said.

If they would add Garrison items to the store, if they would add more mounts, pets, etc to the store people will keep defending it. Blizzard is losing subscribers and they are so greedy they need to make up the lost money by shitting out new store mounts every once in a while.

When the time comes that they'll be adding potions and gear to the store, the Blizzard Defense Police will be mostly likely say "well you're not killing the raid boss yet so therefore it is not P2W". But lets not get into the P2W discussion, these forums have been discussed to death with P2W stuff.

Anyhow, WoW is a game where you pay both your subscription and also the box game, and it should provide you with 100% of the content, not 99.9%. These store mounts should also be obtainable via in-game stuff.

[Imnick]

I don't think it's meant to be an excuse, as in "this makes it ok", but rather an explanation, as in "yeah that kind of sucks, but capitalism, what can you do?"

There are plenty of things Blizzard does as a business which is good for their profits but bad for me, like charge me money for playing the game. I'd definitely rather they did not do that, I want to play their game for free. I'd rather every store mount was obtainable in-game in some fashion. I'd rather services like character transfers did not cost anything (especially not the fairly exorbitant prices they are marketed at).

But... as we live in a capitalistic society and Blizzard only actually exists as an entity to make money, I know that sometimes they are going to make decisions based on their bottom line rather than my desires and can only hope that they are ones that do not damage the core integrity of the game. They have shareholders to justify things to, and if they simply ignored their shareholders the people making decisions would end up being replaced with people who were more compliant.

Largely I think they have stuck to those areas that do simply add extra profit for them and don't do anything particularly untoward to me, the worst offence is the inconvenience cost of server transfers, so until they do something more egregious than they have in the past I am satisfied with "they are a business" as an explanation for them doing certain things I do not like, rather than as an excuse (because I still think it's a thing I'd rather they had not done).

This is just capitalism. Capitalism kind of sucks, I would much rather be able to trust companies to do things because they were cool, fun things to do for their customers (doesn't it scare you that banks are for-profit businesses rather than benevolent managers of your money? And then think of insurance providers!) but as currently it's the model our society runs on then unfortunately we have to deal with it.
The only other thing you can do is vote with your money, that's literally the only power we have.

[Araxie]

You sir or madam speak the truth. I like you.

[Drungan]

But that's precisely why said business should care about their product and their community because good word of mouth + good will of their consumers will amount to much more $$$ than blatant cash-grabs like mount store

/Rant

Thing is they do care about there community, they cant do what all players want tho, and for now it seems that there is still several millions that agree with what they do, i dont mind mounts etc. from a cash shop as long you can get a equal mount ingame ( taking about speed / ability not look ) buffs ... well thats edgy and defo on the side where i personaly dont like it.

Personaly i voted with my money and unsubbed in january not due to raqe about x feature but just due to not getting the feel of the game anymore, dont get so angry, just move on, if you dont like the game anymore, there are planty of games to play.

[Saberstrike]

I don't think it's meant to be an excuse, as in "this makes it ok", but rather an explanation, as in "yeah that kind of sucks, but capitalism, what can you do?"

But then it just becomes a statement, with about as much answering validity as 'The sky is blue'.

"Why are server transfers so expensive?" - "The sky is blue."

[Imnick]

But then it just becomes a statement, about as valid as 'The sky is blue'.

"Why are server transfers so expensive?" - "The sky is blue."

Yes, it is a valid statement like "the sky is blue".
No, your latter comparison is not accurate.

It is like answering the question "What colour is the sky?" with "The sky is blue."
"Why are Blizzard making server transfers more expensive than it actually costs them to perform the service?" - "Because Blizzard is a business, and would rather make money off something than giving it to you for free."

I don't like it, and maybe I'd rather the sky was green, but it's still true. I can be upset about the blueness all I like, but the best anyone else can provide me is a consolatory pat on the back. As much as I might agree with someone that server transfers are too expensive, I also know exactly why they are expensive and why that is not going to change, just like I know that the sky is blue and I cannot will it to be otherwise.

I can be upset about something but still accept it to be the case, and something that is not going to change. Places where the answer is "Blizzard is a business" largely fall into this category.

[AeneasBK]

But then it just becomes a statement, with about as much answering validity as 'The sky is blue'.

"Why are server transfers so expensive?" - "The sky is blue."

Well then, and I know this will sound snippy, but why don't you get over it? If its a fact of life... seems not worth dwelling on.

[Deleted]

Am I the only one sick of that being an excuse to justify everything? Seems like whenever someone brings up a point on ... well, anything at all being wrong with WoW a blizzard fanboy pops up and goes "WELL HERPA DERPA BLIZZARD IS A BUSINESS SO IS OKAY THEY EAT UR BABIES DONT LIKE IT JESS UNSUB LOL".

No. It's not okay. Being a business shouldn't automatically mean you can get away with anything as long as it's 'your' product. I personally find such philosophy harmful to both said product and those of us who still enjoy the game at large, outside of perhaps a few little things we find unsatisfactory. So to those of you who keep saying 'Blizzard is a business' - please stop. You're not helping -anyone-. You're just showing how much of a tool you are.

Saddest thing of all is that they're not necessarily wrong, blizzard -is- a business. But that's precisely why said business should care about their product and their community because good word of mouth + good will of their consumers will amount to much more $$$ than blatant cash-grabs like mount store or desperate attempts to keep people subbed with temporary buffs -- just to make a few recently-annoying examples.

/Rant

I agree temporary buffs are somewhat a grasp of last resort to keep people playing, but I don't think there's anything wrong with the store, it doesn't give any distinct advantages imo.

I like the game, I play the game, I even bought a few store things, but temporary buffs don't make me want to keep playing, neither does adding stuff to the store, the game does, however, make me want to play.

It's just an extra thing Blizzard has implemented, not necessarily as "blatant cash-grab" since they still have more than enough money and they keep earning more than enough to support the game, I hardly think they made it with the mind-set "Ooh now we can get even MORE money from them, gna gna gna~", because if they wanted to "steal" the money off of you, they'd increase the cost of the game.

[Saberstrike]

dont get so angry, just move on

I'm not really angry, more curious as to why some people react that way.

Yes, it is a valid statement like "the sky is blue".
No, your latter comparison is not accurate.

You're right, perhaps I've taken it a little too far there. I still don't find that answer satisfactory though.

[Durandro]

I'm not really angry, more curious as to why some people react that way.

Because:

1/ Its true. They are a business.
2/ There are worse business practices out there.
3/ Its boring seeing people complain over and over again about the same minor things as if the world is falling - case in point you using the term 'eating babies' in your little strawman statement in the OP.

[Imnick]

I can understand it not being satisfactory, it is a fairly bitter and unpleasant truth and much of the time I'd rather it wasn't the case. I really want to live in a world where businesses only ask for enough money to recoup the costs it takes to produce something for me to consume, where I can trust corporations to be on my side rather than entities created to turn money into more money, but unfortunately that can't happen in our society.
When businesses get large enough then they have so many people they need to justify themselves to that even if you started with the best intentions, you're either going to have to start trying to turn a profit or drop out of the race.

But capitalism's perfect and the only system that works right?

[Saberstrike]

Its boring seeing people complain over and over again about the same minor things as if the world is falling - case in point you using the term 'eating babies' in your little strawman statement in the OP.

It's even more boring to see people complain about how boring it is to see people complain. =o

I never said the sky was falling either. Also you shouldn't take exaggeration literally!

[Amerissis]

(..) a blizzard fanboy pops up and goes "WELL HERPA DERPA BLIZZARD IS A BUSINESS SO IS OKAY THEY EAT UR BABIES DONT LIKE IT JESS UNSUB LOL". (..)

Reductio ad absurdum. No use arguing with you if that's how you start your argument and treat your 'opponents'.

[Deleted]

I thought blizzard was a company?

[Geckoo]

But Blizzard IS a business. I can't blame them for wanting to have more money, but i can disagree with the methods to obtain that money.

The truth is that Blizzard is one of those big companies that has something that any business in this world would love to have: fans. Customers that will buy anything from Blizzard at almost any price, simply because it's from Blizzard. Those customers are great from a business point of view, but also mean that you don't need to work so hard or be too innovative, or even deliver a high quality product... because you have a legion of customers that will pay anyways, so... why bother? This doesn't mean that what they do is bad, it isn't, but it means that it could be better.

As customers we get to choose. You don't like how they work? then don't give them money! numbers is truly the only thing that matters here. If one day those loyal customers are not enough to keep their business afloat, then you'll see how they start taking more care about everything.

[Darksoldierr]

So what is your problem actually?

[Deleted]

Did you just compare someone selling digital content which people are free to buy or not buy to eating babies?

You know what, it is Blizzards game they can do whatever they like, selling digital content is not unethical, it is a simple revenue stream, if you can't see that then sorry I don't know what to say to you.

If you may or may not notice whatever Blizzard do people moan bitch and complain about it on MMO-C.

And I am sorry but if you don't want to support Blizzard you only have one option that actually counts, you unsub and you move on.

Making thread like this is just adding to the moaning and bitching.

[Deleted]

Don't worry, Blizzard is trying to dethrone Comcast next year as the "worst company". They still haven't quite gotten there but they're well on their way.

I'm sure the guys at Monsanto are happy to have more companies join the competition.

[Saberstrike]

So what is your problem actually?

My problem is that some people treat it as a godlike answer that in their heads makes them win any wow-related argument without even trying to make the discussion interesting. There's other ethical and philosophical things about capitalism at large that surround it but let's leave those alone for now!