Sneak Peek: Guardian Cub Tradable Pet

[Ashkore11]

This rocks. I will put away a few bucks each month and buy these pets and sell them to players Getting 2 million gold is going to be easier than I thought.

[merex760]

Awesome. An official way to buy gold from Blizzard...

[Purplekitti]

I've stood by Blizzard's Store until now. Even bought some pets and mounts, have the plushies and have had some gifted to me, but offering in game advantages for gold? No. Come on. EITHER subscription model OR F2P with cash shop, preferably the first. Not both. I once said that the day they offer ingame advantages for gold would be the day I stop playing, now I'll have to assess how this goes, and I might seriously be looking at cancelling a 6-year-no-breaks sub because of this (depending how it pans out). One step too far.

[Clockwork Pinkie]

It would be selling gold, if people were to actually buy one of those. If that's the case though, they've been selling gold for 15 bucks a month since 05'.

[CaptainArlong]

Ah! They're finally selling gold for real money! So people want to give pets to their friends, well, there's this little option that says "Gift It" when you buy something in the Blizzard Store. I bought a mount and pet for my friend by gifting it to them, and they gifted me a pet as well. Oh well, don't care really. I've got enough gold to last me forever and I don't use the AH since I have characters with every profession I need.

[Deleted]

How exactly? Or are you clueless about the fact TCG mounts have been sellable on the AH for a long time now, and that they still haven't been a great way to sell due to the costs?

It's been around for a long time, and yet that STILL haven't any adverse effects on the game. Whoop-de-shit. You ride on a chicken...that does Nothing. Whoop-de-freakin-do, you got a baby boomkin. That does NOTHING.

If this is actually LOOT, like armor and weapons, that people are 100 times more interested in than Nyan Cat, than it would be a problem. But this is not the case. You're freaking out over another In-Game Non-Combat pet that does nothin but show off your position when you're in stealth. Look at the big picture.

actually u can ride the chicken so you can do something and the reason tcg card loto on ah didnt affect anyone is cos 99% of wow players dnt have stupid amounts of gold those things were being sold for, this companion on the other hand will be like 5-10k max maybe it will never be worth 200k gold like a spectral tiger is

[lolipopp]

Bli$$ard way to sell you gold is here to stay and expand

[Suggs]

WoW at this rate doesn't even seem like it is going to put up a fight against StarWars or Guild Wars, seems like the 'King' is just going to roll over and wait for its successor to take over (Titan).

what? you placing bets on a game being better with zero news or info...at least swtor and gw2 have something to go on, there was never a fight in the first place when will you cocks get that through your head.

[vitalic]

This is a middle step of a plan that has been years in the making. It started with "charity" pets and the TFHorse. How far will they take it? Until their profits are maximized. TFH numbed the community to in-game advantages in exchange for money. This is taking it one small step further. In six months it will be taken another step, and another and another towards the ultimate goal of a pay-to-win game model. Sorry, but using the excuse of "oh its already done with chinese gold selling so we might as well legitimize it" doesn't justify a move in this direction. Legitimizing it changes the entire tone of the game, from one in which only in-game accomplishments affect your success and buying gold is a frowned upon process that the majority of players will NARC on you for, to one where, gradually, using money to gain in-game advantage is normal and acceptable. Got some new gear and don't want to do those dailies to save up the gold for all new gems? Drop $10 at the AH for the latest goofy tradable thingamabob (there will be many many more to come I'm sure) and trade that for the gems you need. You know what, it's not an essentially terrible thing, but it is a totally different game and one that Blizzard specifically promised to never make WoW into.

[Frumpy Frumpy Frak]

Amg legal gold buying etc, etc, etc. I just don't care anymore, I gave up my moral values a long time ago.

It would be nice if they gave us an option to buy a version that can't be traded that goes to all our characters.

[Falos]

1,000g? 10,000g? 100,000g??? To be honest, I'd guess it'll usually be on the order between those last two. It really depends how many people are interested in marketing them, how many people want extra gold. As always, insufficient/excess production versus a more or less regular consumption rate (people who want pets) will determine things.

[subanark]

Well at least our BoP raid epics are safe from buyers.

[Byuiso]

Certainly not placing bets on a game that is losing players faster than they know what to do, and to help ease the community they allow gold buying, because that is most certainly what the community wants.

[Barzulan]

>$15 a month
>complains about $10 one-time payment

wat? Over a 100%-vanity item, no less.

Blizz is just trying new things, quit the QQ.

Okay, let me spell this out for you. Lets say someone has 10 characters.

Previous store pets: 1 pet x $10 x 10 characters = $10

New pet: 1 pet x $10 x 10 characters = $100

I don't see how it's unreasonable to not support a 90% decrease in product for the same price.

[Jiggles]

This is Blizzard once again testing the waters, seeing how far they can go. If they add these "premium features" slowly enough, most people won't notice or care.

Will we ever get to purchasable epic gear? Maybe not, though you can take the in-game profits from these pets and buy BoEs or crafted epics (or pay a guild for a run). Yes yes, you can do this already with TCG loot and such; but that doesn't excuse yet another method to do so -- a much easier, much more direct method.

Anyway, the point is to add these features slowly, so that Blizzard can reap the profits, while not angering its fans too much. The people complaining here are still in the minority -- thus Blizzard hasn't found the line yet. It's in Blizzard's financial interest to keep pushing, until they see some very serious fan backlash.

[Vallius]

I don't get it. If this is supposed to be something for pet collectors, wouldn't they just shell out the 10 bucks for it? As opposed to thousands of in-game coin? I can only assume, if history is any indication, that a lot of people will be buying this thing with hopes of in-game riches. The supply will be high initially, then it'll wane and maybe then the price might be worth it. just don't think it'll play out the way Blizz ia thinking it will.

[Drakenus]

Wow this sucks! I have around 30 toons in different servers so each could get a pet was nice for 10$ but that would add up to 300$ in comparison not to mention that if in the future you might want to erase a toon for whatever the reason, you will be loosing those 10$ as well. Bad move for your gamers Blizzard only good for your pockets. Thought that the millions you receive every month was enough... Guess I was wrong...

[frogger237]

Face is ugly on it so I wont buy it for myslef but if i can get a bunch of gold from it I will probably buy one.

[fibbers]

finally a way to buy and sell gold

[endersblade]

finally a way to buy and sell gold

Probably the absolute biggest issue with this. Really, no matter how much the turn-around is, you're still allowing people to pay for gold, plain and simple.