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  1. #1

    Money grab or just business (or both)?

    Since 5.0 it's been no secret that swtor has felt like it is in decline.

    Not just subscriptions but design and developer effort as well. 5.0 bringing some of the worst end game gearing one could think of for SW at this point in the game combined with extremely limited new content and a major reliance on running 2-5 year old content.

    However, this cash money sale just hit for the first time ever and at a crazy high price.

    Originally Posted by SWTOR
    Unstable Arbiter’s Lightsaber for Direct Sale


    You can read bws thoughts on it here.
    http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=916455

    Price setting at 7600 cartel coins.
    Thats roughly $60. (Amazon currently has 5500 CCs at 39.99 and 2400 at $19.99) with 300 additional coins.

    4 Months worth of an average sub.
    The cost of other gamers ENTIRE EXPANSIONS for one item.

    Given how swtor seems to be in decline the past number of months plus this sudden attempt to sell a platinum item for the first time that was once only acquired by random chance in a hypercrate. I do lean to the side that a money grab is taking place.

    This is more than a test for bw to see if the whales would purchase this but a desperate attempt to find a bit more of a cash flow with subscriptions dwindling. I'm not opposed to direct sales but this seem oddly timed.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
    While I understand their reasoning behind the pricing, which is an effort to keep the items rarity intact, this still comes off as a blatant cash grab to see if the whales that play this game will jump on it...that's the only reason to put this out for real money.

    That said, it doesn't really change anything. It's a cosmetic item, the rarity will stay relatively intact, and they'll earn money from the sales. Win-Win IMO...still leaves a not so good taste in my mouth though. I know it's not even remotely in the same realm of work....but I can't help but feel a little rage at them working on and discussing shit like this internally while still leaving us with the total lack of new content and the shitshow that is Galactic Command. I know they're working on stuff...but this really does just reinforce where their priorities are.

  3. #3
    I'm normally fine with charging "high" prices for cosmetic items, but did they learn nothing from monoclegate in EVE? I mean, probably not because I doubt anyone in BWA is even aware of what happened.

    It's getting harder and harder for me to be optimistic about this game with the direction it continues to go in. Hell, even one of its biggest media champions (Larry Everitt) is more or less quitting outside of continuing his RP stuff with his guild. I'm curious as to his thoughts on it, but I doubt even he will defend this BS.

  4. #4
    Deleted
    Same as Edge, finding it harder and harder to defend swtor nowadays, use to love the game till 5.0
    Now I can barely get past login without exiting
    Hate to say it, but I fear this is one mmo that should be laid to rest or truly put in maintanance mode like FFXI has

  5. #5
    I still can't believe that with the Star Wars franchise riding such a commercial wave again, all we have in terms of an MMORPG is this pile of shit. It really boggles my mind, especially when I think that they had all the raw ingredients there to create something amazing.

    And to answer the OP: yes, it's a cash grab to exploit the whales. These people don't realise that they are hurting the game more than anything else does. The last time I was in a guild a few years ago, we had people that claimed to have everything they wanted from the Cartel Market, but they were still buying THE SAME SHIT and they were asking us in gchat what things we thought they should have as duplicates. I kid you not.

  6. #6
    The Unstoppable Force Super Kami Dende's Avatar
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    What does it matter? if it helps keep the game going I don't really care what people want to spend in game. It's not like it's locked behind CC only. can always just buy off the GTN.

    I still enjoy the stories. I still enjoy the new chapters. Meh.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Katchii View Post
    While I understand their reasoning behind the pricing, which is an effort to keep the items rarity intact, this still comes off as a blatant cash grab to see if the whales that play this game will jump on it...that's the only reason to put this out for real money.

    That said, it doesn't really change anything. It's a cosmetic item, the rarity will stay relatively intact, and they'll earn money from the sales. Win-Win IMO...still leaves a not so good taste in my mouth though. I know it's not even remotely in the same realm of work....but I can't help but feel a little rage at them working on and discussing shit like this internally while still leaving us with the total lack of new content and the shitshow that is Galactic Command. I know they're working on stuff...but this really does just reinforce where their priorities are.
    I mean, it likely took them the whole of 30mins to get done. The lack of content wasn't going to get much better or worse from that 30min session.

  7. #7
    When I have 5000 cartel coins and nothing to buy, the game is really bad.

    The other complain is that at one point, SWTOR is advertised to have "non subscription" players.

    You buy "artifact equipment license", "extra quickbar" and "weekly pass" instead of "monthly sub".
    These are not cheap.

    All the sudden, EA is telling us "sub" only.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Darth Dracula View Post
    I mean, it likely took them the whole of 30mins to get done. The lack of content wasn't going to get much better or worse from that 30min session.
    I'm well aware...see the statement immediately preceding the part you bolded. "I know it's not even remotely in the same realm of work..." So I know they have nothing to do with each other and this didn't really affect anything else, but it still just aggravates me a little bit.

  9. #9
    This week, another highly sought after item but this time at a much more reasonable price. An item that was more rare than the saber, cannot be unlocked in collections but unlike dyes, can be pulled out and moved around if needed (not destroyed).

    http://torf.mmo-fashion.com/lightning-weapon-tuning/

  10. #10
    How much is it selling for? Either way, at least they're moving more stuff out of lockboxes and putting them up for direct sale. I have to wonder if their lockbox sales are finally starting to slip so they're having to diversify their monetization scheme a bit to counteract the loss of revenue. The sub losses they're likely experiencing probably aren't helping either : /

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Edge- View Post
    How much is it selling for? Either way, at least they're moving more stuff out of lockboxes and putting them up for direct sale. I have to wonder if their lockbox sales are finally starting to slip so they're having to diversify their monetization scheme a bit to counteract the loss of revenue. The sub losses they're likely experiencing probably aren't helping either : /
    I think it was 1800CC. Still about $14 for one in game item but no where near the 7600CC the saber was.

    I have no doubt this move to direct sales is because of sub loss. Glalctic command and RNG crates along with how 5.0 has been was a huge turn off. Things haven't gotten any better sadly. So, you are probably right in that direct sales is because subs are down and so cartel market sales are down as well.

  12. #12
    $15ish for lightning tuning is totes fine by me. Pricey enough to not make it a no-brainer for everyone, but cheap enough to make it an easy purchase for folks who have a mild interest in it.

    Hey, if this expansion bombing ends up with them needing to really revisit both their development philosophy/process/direction as well as their monetization, I'm all for it. Both have been shit/declining in quality for some time now, and I'd love to see them actually take a critical look at how they run the game and improve things. Because for years it's largely been them sticking their fingers in their ears and shouting loudly any time there's criticism of the game.

  13. #13
    Deleted
    With all the 5.0 changes it seems they are trying to copy all the mistakes of WoW -- endless grind and RNG instead of visible goals you could work for.

    Too bad they don't seem to understand that WoW can afford a drop of 2 million subs. SWTOR can not.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Gahmuret View Post
    With all the 5.0 changes it seems they are trying to copy all the mistakes of WoW -- endless grind and RNG instead of visible goals you could work for.

    Too bad they don't seem to understand that WoW can afford a drop of 2 million subs. SWTOR can not.
    Pretty much my thoughts on the game in general. If only they would stick to some of their more original ideas that are suitable for an RPG MMO.

  15. #15
    The Insane Aeula's Avatar
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    I hope this game doesn't go down the drain, I really enjoy playing it. This is kinda worrying.

    Le sigh, guess I need to hurry up and finish the bounty hunter and smuggler storylines...

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Aeula View Post
    I hope this game doesn't go down the drain, I really enjoy playing it. This is kinda worrying.

    Le sigh, guess I need to hurry up and finish the bounty hunter and smuggler storylines...
    I don't think it's going anywhere THAT soon so you have plenty of time to see the Bounty Hunter and Smuggler storylines, but agreed, seeing this game go down this road is disappointing but not really surprising given it's track record. I hope it lasts and can pick itself up because it really is good, it's development team seems to be made of absolute brain dead morons though.

  17. #17
    Stood in the Fire Texan Penguin's Avatar
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    If this were going to charity or something like Blizzard does, I wouldn't mind even if the price is a bit insane. In fact, this is a major missed opportunity!

    But it's just a microtransaction for profit.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Katchii View Post
    I don't think it's going anywhere THAT soon so you have plenty of time to see the Bounty Hunter and Smuggler storylines, but agreed, seeing this game go down this road is disappointing but not really surprising given it's track record. I hope it lasts and can pick itself up because it really is good, it's development team seems to be made of absolute brain dead morons though.
    Agreed. I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon but what you are not going to see is a lot of new content. Bare minimum at best and 5.2 shows that.

    You should have time to do the Class stories easy as any game company would milk their game to the last drop. I think that is what we are seeing here. 5.0 was extremely bad for swtor and subscribers. You can see it in game. I can see it in my referral codes. It's just not doing well but you can bet it will be around long enough for you to get those stories done but don't expect much new.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Aeula View Post
    I hope this game doesn't go down the drain, I really enjoy playing it. This is kinda worrying.

    Le sigh, guess I need to hurry up and finish the bounty hunter and smuggler storylines...
    That's the only reason I played it, not for the endgame, but the 1-50 leveling storylines. When I finished the story of Eternal Throne, I felt like I got everything I could from the game and stopped.

    Any news about future expansions? Or is Swtor coming to an end? If they're planning another story for the future, I'd like to see it.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Archon14 View Post
    That's the only reason I played it, not for the endgame, but the 1-50 leveling storylines. When I finished the story of Eternal Throne, I felt like I got everything I could from the game and stopped.

    Any news about future expansions? Or is Swtor coming to an end? If they're planning another story for the future, I'd like to see it.
    There is a New Iokath update coming sometime in April. It will include a new Iokath Op( will suck as they all do) a new Daily grind and WAIT there is MORE!!!!! Another ONE HUNDRED levels of Galactic Command ranks for you to continue your boring.......... endless...................................... gawd AWFUL................... Pathetic excuse for content grind to obtain that Wonderful Tier FOUR with all the lovely RNGesus to keep you happy and subbed.................................................................................... .......................................................................................... ......................................

    End Dripping sarcasm..................................................................................

    (What sucks is that I am subbed because 'Achievement') >.<

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