Wow testing in-game payments

[Floopa]

To be honest who cares about offering exp boosts in their cash shop? Levelling is mostly easy and fast, but above all tedious. This exp boost will only ever help 85-90 because from 1-60 (with heirlooms) you spend most of your time travelling to new areas when you out level the current one. Same for BC, Wrath and Cata content. There's really nothing wrong with this. I will complain the moment they give a 'gold boost' or anything else which gives a clear advantage in PvE/PvP (at a competitive level).

[Cybran]

I have no problems contributing some funds to you if that would make you feel better about your life.

Why don't you just invest that money in a cabrio, like every other old geezer who is dealing with getting old and tired?

[JudgePayne]

Can mod please close this thread it is just pages of repeating the same argument.

The fact is that blizzard IS making an in-game shop through which you will be able to buy boosts and charms.
This is fact. This is happening , get over it, the end, done.

From the responces I have counted its about 65% in favour of the shop with 35% against.

[melodramocracy]

I will complain the moment they give a 'gold boost' or anything else which gives a clear advantage in PvE/PvP (at a competitive level).

And you'll be met with the exact same defense you used. Acquiring gold is easy and fast, but mostly tedious. Why not allow players to simply expedite the process if they wish?

Oh that's right, they already did this in Cata with the cub pet.

[Jtbrig7390]

I understand where your speculation comes from, and I actually like all the points you made, but I'll just say this:

When subs drop below 2 million, F2P is an option.

Until then, the subscription model is still more than profitable.

Hell, I may be wrong and you may be right.

But I don't think in the slightest they will go F2P anytime soon.

But like I said the EU/US subs could be near 2 million and if we look at it that way they could be thinking of going f2p.

The rest of the subs pay penny's to play the game and barely make up any of the full amount blizzard makes so just for giggles and grins lets use some random number math here.

The last reported subs is 8 million lets spit it in half EU/US is 4 million and the rest is the other 4 million. Blizzard stated subs will drop more by the end of the year/xpac therefor that 4 million EU/US could get a lot lower or just a little and that is something only blizzard knows. So it would only make sense as a business to pre-pare for what is coming. There is not denying that in the future wow will be f2p or at lease p2p/f2p and it dose not matter if that is 1 month/1year or 100 years from now. It is best to preparing for it and not let it come up and bite you in the ass like it did for SWTOR or other mmo's like it.

Look at rift the way everything just fit so well it just feels like they been preparing for it for awhile now.

[JudgePayne]

Why don't you just invest that money in a cabrio, like every other old geezer who is dealing with getting old and tired?

Kinda rude responce mate.

[melodramocracy]

Can mod please close this thread it is just pages of repeating the same argument.

You could stop clicking on the thread. That's always an option, rather than trying to be some arbiter of other people's conversation.

[Mawnix]

But like I said the EU/US subs could be near 2 million and if we look at it that way they could be thinking of going f2p.

The rest of the subs pay penny's to play the game and barely make up any of the full amount blizzard makes so just for giggles and grins lets use some random number math here.

The last reported subs is 8 million lets spit it in half EU/US is 4 million and the rest is the other 4 million. Blizzard stated subs will drop more by the end of the year/xpac therefor that 4 million EU/US could get a lot lower or just a little and that is something only blizzard knows. So it would only make sense as a business to pre-pare for what is coming. There is not denying that in the future wow will be f2p or at lease p2p/f2p and it dose not matter if that is 1 month/1year or 100 years from now. It is best to preparing for it and not let it come up and bite you in the ass like it did for SWTOR or other mmo's like it.

Look at rift the way everything just fit so well it just feels like they been preparing for it for awhile now.

Rift was also at only 1 million subscribers which you need to keep in mind.

[Jtbrig7390]

Can mod please close this thread it is just pages of repeating the same argument.

The fact is that blizzard IS making an in-game shop through which you will be able to buy boosts and charms.
This is fact. This is happening , get over it, the end, done.

From the responces I have counted its about 65% in favour of the shop with 35% against.

Just because you don't like a topic dose not mean it should be closed. If mods closed threads because people repeat the same topic then there would never be a thread open.

[Sosuke Aizen]

Why don't you just invest that money in a cabrio, like every other old geezer who is dealing with getting old and tired?

I'm sorry what is a cabrio? How did you know I just turned 30? I guess I'm not the only one that thought turning 30 is old - thank you I don't feel silly now. I recently bought a plug-in vehicle; does that count as middle age crisis?

[JudgePayne]

Just because you don't like a topic dose not mean it should be closed. If mods closed threads because people repeat the same topic then there would never be a thread open.

This post is not generating anything constructive but rather just becoming a shouting match.

As I said like it or not this is coming, people are complaining that in the future they might release gear or that they might give out gold bonus.

If your going to discuss the feature use the information at hand and discuss it with respect to the xp boost and lesser charms.

[Jtbrig7390]

Rift was also at only 1 million subscribers which you need to keep in mind.

Last reported they as at 1 million"Or a little over" and that was only a few months after rift came out. There has been no update to there sub count in nearly 2 years.

[Wildtree]

WOW the amount of short-sighted, fanboyism and blind supporting in this thread is shocking to say the least!

I won't comment on the EXP boost thing, but to all those people supporting the Charms all I have to say is Seriously?????

Especially the ones that add, Blizzard is a company its supposed to make money. OK, Mr wise guys. You are Blizzard, you make this change, the sheep you have for customers are OK (even happy with it) and now is the time to design the new expansion.

You have 3 options:

1. Make the rate of acquisition of charms independent of dailies (because hey our community hates dailies).
2. Leave the game as is because we have reached the golden balance of all things.
3. Make the acquisition of Charms/Rep Grinds slower because that will frustrate more people into buying the cash shop boosts.

According to your statements that Blizzard is a company and therefore profit is above all else, the choise of option 3 is a no-brainer for Blizzard. So tell me now, ooh mighty capitalists, did you just get **** in the *** by the company you have been spending 15GBP/month for how many years + expansion costs or are you still happy with the "convenience" of having such items "that do not affect gameplay" (FACEPALM) in a cash shop?

If Charms are not the definition of handing out gear I seriously do not know what is?

The logic solution from business standpoint would be option 1,2, and 3 combined.
You don't wanna do dailies? Well, here we go, you can go and grind mobs instead..
You hate grinding mobs? There you go, do dailies instead..
You hate both, and you cannot get arsed to move your ass out off the city and off your mount to get charms? Well, here we have the option of having you buy them for cash.
The bottom line is, that only those who are truly lazy are the ones that would likely resort to buying them. And those I consider rather crazy..
Why would I buy something for hard money, when the product doesn't yield 100% improvement?
You buy charms for money, you turn them in for tokens, which you can use to roll on gear, which may never drop for you that easy. It's just an extra roll.
For which - unless you are super lucky - you likely get some gold most of the time.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm sorry what is a cabrio? How did you know I just turned 30? I guess I'm not the only one that thought turning 30 is old - thank you I don't feel silly now. I recently bought a plug-in vehicle; does that count as middle age crisis?

a cabrio is a convertible

[Dadwen]

You buy charms for money, you turn them in for tokens, which you can use to roll on gear, which may never drop for you that easy. It's just an extra roll.
For which - unless you are super lucky - you likely get some gold most of the time.

So looking at it that way, at the very least one could say Blizzard is selling in game gold for RL money.

[Raelbo]

Why is so hard for you to accept what you want is not what others want?

I don't think you get to use this argument mate....

In order for the experience boost to sell well levelling has to be something that people would rather avoid why are they not improving the levelling experience instead of trying to profit from poor work?

Your assertion that Blizzard would purposely sabotage the levelling experience in order to increase revenue streams from selling this feature is somewhat nonsensical.

While I understand your reasoning, if you look at the bigger picture, that way of thinking would be an idiotic business move on their part. I am pretty certain that Blizzard recognise that creating compelling gameplay is a core requirement for them to make money - and this is evidenced by the fact that the MoP levelling was exceptional.

I would also point out that Blizzard sunk a great many resources into improving the 1-60 levelling experience with Cata, a move for which they were severely criticised because it came at the expense of other content that people would rather have seen. So really, if you are looking for a reason for them not putting more effort into improving that levelling process, the answer should be obvious.

The bottom line is that this service is not to make up for "poor work". It's for people who are levelling alts and are tired of repeating the same levelling process through 10 characters. Blizzard could make 10 different paths to get from level 85-90, or alternatively they could work on a new expansion and 2-3 ways of levelling from 90-95. Take you pick.

If you want to hand over wads of cash to Blizzard that is your business and if WOW were F2P I would thank you and the other whales who are supporting the game but until such a time that I no longer have to pay £30 for each expansion or £9 per month to play it I will always ask that Blizzard improve the boring parts rather than expecting us to pay to skip them.

Why do you assume that this is an either/or situation? Why do you assume that Blizzard "expects" us to pay to skip the levelling process? I think a far more accurate assessment of the situation is that Blizzard expects us to enjoy the levelling process, however they also recognise that some people won't, especially when you are talking about your second, third, fourth or tenth alt.

This feature enables them to keep those players happy, while bringing in more revenue for the company, enabling more development of the kind of content you want to see. I don't think you should really be complaining about this....


All that being said, I would agree that Blizzard should avoid a scenario where the game becomes a horrible playing experience if you don't buy this feature. But I really don't see that happening, because, as I mentioned earlier, that would do more harm than good to their game.

[Wildtree]

So looking at it that way, at the very least one could say Blizzard is selling in game gold for RL money.

If you wanna put it that way, yes... Which is perfectly fine too. The TOU applies to us, and not to the producer and owner of the game. Plus, they've done it before, and still do so..
Go buy a Pet Store item on the Website, cage it and put it on the AH.... There you go, you've just bought gold for money. The money went to Blizzard..

[Cybran]

How did you know I just turned 30? I guess I'm not the only one that thought turning 30 is old - thank you I don't feel silly now.

Oh, I am sorry. I guess you just sound like a 40 year old with a receding hairline and prostate problems.


Anyway. I think that we should get back on topic. I will say it again for the people who's hearing is starting to deteriorate; World of Warcraft is a subscription based game. Any additional payments shouldn't be tolerated.

Keep it civil please.

[Mallybabe]

Another Money Hungry Gimmick by Blizzard. Thanks for using our money to make the game better... "JK, GONNA TAKE UR MONEY AND MAKE SHITTY LOOKING GEAR"

[Raelbo]

Yes, because as has been demonstrated quarter after quarter, nothing screams 'sub retention' quite like accelerated character development.

That depends. If you are talking about your main, then, no, accelerated character development is probably not great. However when you are talking about an alt, or someone who is returning to the game and wants to catch up, these things do become critical to retaining interest.

Which is it. Will it boost subs, or damage them?

By "subs" I meant subscription fees. Sorry, should have been clearer on that. Hindsight is always 20/20 :P

To answer the question I don't think this move will do anything to "boost" subscription numbers. But it might improve retention of subscribers, both by keeping some players who may otherwise have quit in the game longer, and secondly by helping to keep the subscription fees lower (which makes avoids making all subscribers less happy).

[Dadwen]

If you wanna put it that way, yes... Which is perfectly fine too. The TOU applies to us, and not to the producer and owner of the game. Plus, they've done it before, and still do so..
Go buy a Pet Store item on the Website, cage it and put it on the AH.... There you go, you've just bought gold for money. The money went to Blizzard..

they should have made those non-cageable,and this is not about the TOU, this is about WOW becoming P2W And as far as I see it IMO, XP, Charms and gold = P2W.