Would you pay for in-game content (carries, coaching, farming, etc.,)?

[Hastag Help]

It seems the lines between gold and RWC (real world currency) are beginning to blur. The in-game store is getting bigger, game time tokens exist.

If Blizzard were to flip the switch tomorrow and declare that selling in-game content for RWC was an allowed practice, would you?

Note that this conversation isn't a matter of will Blizz ever allow it, but of whether or not you could see yourself participating in this practice?

Clarification as Requested
The example here would be paying a guild $100 to join them in a full clear of a current raid that you are otherwise unable to do on your own (for whatever reason). Another example would be paying so-and-so $100 to get 2000 rating in 3s. It's my understanding that many pay for this due to lack of time to commit and/or lack of raw talent to achieve them on their own.

[Deleted]

why would you pay twice???

[Hastag Help]

why would you pay twice???

I'm not sue I follow your question. Why pay a sub fee and then pay to get carried?

[Woadnson]

Boosting and content are not the same thing. You can already buy an official boost from Blizzard, and you already pay for content.

You might need to clarify yourself Incarnate.

[Ballrug]

No it doesn't seem that the lines are beginning to blur. Perhaps you need to rewet your contacts.

[Daita Tetsu]

It seems the lines between gold and RWC (real world currency) are beginning to blur. The in-game store is getting bigger, game time tokens exist.

If Blizzard were to flip the switch tomorrow and declare that selling in-game content for RWC was an allowed practice, would you?

Note that this conversation isn't a matter of will Blizz ever allow it, but of whether or not you could see yourself participating in this practice?

you can buy gold through game time tokens, and you can buy the things listed with gold

so its not a conversation of if they will allow it, its already live

[Hardkorr]

Well you can't buy legendaries with real money, although I might. Just so I can end my completionist goal of warglaives and finally quit the game.

[Hastag Help]

No it doesn't seem that the lines are beginning to blur. Perhaps you need to rewet your contacts.

You don't think so? Companion pets, mounts, boosting to level 90, and now the game token? A game that was strictly against purchases like that has "gone ham" for store content. Even so far as now allowing you to purchase gold, which a few years ago was unthinkable in the realm of Blizzard.

Related but unnecessary; I did just get my first RX for glasses at the age of 31.

you can buy gold through game time tokens, and you can buy the things listed with gold

so its not a conversation of if they will allow it, its already live

The transactions I'm discussing are a direct services for USD (or real world currency of your choosing). The situation you mention here means the provider of the service would ultimately be paid in gold.

Well you can't buy legendaries with real money, although I might. Just so I can end my completionist goal of warglaives and finally quit the game.

You absolutely can you just have to look.

[BarosanuNr1]

No, and I don't have a problem with people paying for stuff like boosts.

Edit: To clarify, I meant when both contracting parties are players. If it's Blizzard selling stuff like that, meh.

[Hastag Help]

The (very) early results aren't really surprising at 80/20 against. I'm interested in more dialogue. I didn't feel it was necessary to make an overly elaborate poll, but I'm intrigued in the, "why". Why would you purchase a boost? What compels you? Conversely why wouldn't you? Is it purely financial, or is it a sense of self accomplishment?

These things genuinely perplex me. I've seen some similar, yet less involved, discussion on this topic before. While its not as hotly contested as gun control, there are some pretty intense feelings. I'm interested to see how these opinions may or may not have changed over the course of the life of World of Warcraft. I suppose we're unlikely to see people responding in the affirmative on this one, as there's some form of stigma against those who purchase these things, but if nothing else I'd love to hear the opinions against purchasing.

For what it's worth I have made boosting purchases. I started Warcraft as a young adult and raided at a high level. I'm now a working professional with a family and responsibilities. I have significantly less time to devote to the game, but I have (some) disposable income that allows me to enjoy the perks of my once hard earned glory. I don't feel it's wrong. If I get an achievement/transmog gear from challenge modes or a mount from the Battle.net Store, what's the difference?

[Gsara]

Wouldnt bother me at all. People already pay real money for boosts, gold, achievements, and full loot runs in raids.

[Hardkorr]

Well I guess I can play devil's advocate. So purchasing boosts essentially let you bypass playing the game and essentially beat previous expansions since your ilevel, level, DPS, and general power are much higher than anything obtainable in content such as TBC, WotLK, and Cata. In that context for those expansions, you have paid to win. Sure there are still things you can get/achieve in them for specific items, but the end goal of power (always sought through min/maxing and getting better loot) has been won tenfold for older content. It might be hard to see, but think of how powerful the top raiders were in MoP. They've achieved insane DPS which can be used to muscle through other content such as PvP and Brawler's guild. Now realize that by buying the level 90 boost, players have achieved a similar power which beats or is capable of beating all the PvE content in the game except for some of the stuff in the current expansion. But if you don't wanna talk about P2W, that's fine because most if not all dissenters will just say "Well it isn't really play to win because *opinion* and really P2W is an opinion thing."

However, the most damning thing about introducing things such as buying xp, gold, or whatnot is that it fundamentally changes the game which changes the playerbase/community. So for example, Blizz made it so that in WoW leveling is super fast (especially with Heirlooms) and can be outright skipped with purchasable boosts. This is a great convenience for players who want or have many alts, and a potential boon for players who simply don't like playing the game for long periods of time (or at all for that matter). Now what you have to realize is that this make the game different from the vanilla system where leveling, grinding for xp, and trying every quest for xp was the bulk of the game. The older system appealed to players who enjoyed that form of slow, grindy gameplay, those gamers stuck with the game with that system, and should it have continued, WoW would appeal to newer generations of gamers who also enjoy that type of gameplay. The current system of extremely fast leveling caters to older players who frankly don't have time or don't want to play the game as well as newer gamers who are more into faster paced reward systems. Similarly, features that can only be bought and not found/earned through gameplay will isolate and repel gamers who do not like that system and simply retain those who can tolerate or accept it. Current WoW subscribers are only those who are ok with this system and its direction while those who did not accept it have left. Of course the game shop is not the only reason why people unsubbed, but it is enough reason to deter former and potential players from sticking around. The plus, though, is that people who like buying stuff on game stores such as boosts and mounts (as well as those who do not like to commit large amounts of time to an MMO of all things) are more likely to join.

[Hastag Help]

Well I guess I can play devil's advocate. So purchasing boosts essentially let you bypass playing the game and essentially beat previous expansions since your ilevel, level, DPS, and general power are much higher than anything obtainable in content such as TBC, WotLK, and Cata. In that context for those expansions, you have paid to win. Sure there are still things you can get/achieve in them for specific items, but the end goal of power (always sought through min/maxing and getting better loot) has been won tenfold for older content. It might be hard to see, but think of how powerful the top raiders were in MoP. They've achieved insane DPS which can be used to muscle through other content such as PvP and Brawler's guild. Now realize that by buying the level 90 boost, players have achieved a similar power which beats or is capable of beating all the PvE content in the game except for some of the stuff in the current expansion. But if you don't wanna talk about P2W, that's fine because most if not all dissenters will just say "Well it isn't really play to win because *opinion* and really P2W is an opinion thing."

However, the most damning thing about introducing things such as buying xp, gold, or whatnot is that it fundamentally changes the game which changes the playerbase/community. So for example, Blizz made it so that in WoW leveling is super fast (especially with Heirlooms) and can be outright skipped with purchasable boosts. This is a great convenience for players who want or have many alts, and a potential boon for players who simply don't like playing the game for long periods of time (or at all for that matter). Now what you have to realize is that this make the game different from the vanilla system where leveling, grinding for xp, and trying every quest for xp was the bulk of the game. The older system appealed to players who enjoyed that form of slow, grindy gameplay, those gamers stuck with the game with that system, and should it have continued, WoW would appeal to newer generations of gamers who also enjoy that type of gameplay. The current system of extremely fast leveling caters to older players who frankly don't have time or don't want to play the game as well as newer gamers who are more into faster paced reward systems. Similarly, features that can only be bought and not found/earned through gameplay will isolate and repel gamers who do not like that system and simply retain those who can tolerate or accept it. Current WoW subscribers are only those who are ok with this system and its direction while those who did not accept it have left. Of course the game shop is not the only reason why people unsubbed, but it is enough reason to deter former and potential players from sticking around. The plus, though, is that people who like buying stuff on game stores such as boosts and mounts (as well as those who do not like to commit large amounts of time to an MMO of all things) are more likely to join.

Are we comparing the same thing though? What you've mentioned there is a progressive change to the core of the game. If the game model remained grindy and the same question was posed, how would you feel? Boosting would have no effect on your ability to grind away at hours of questing while allowing others, such as myself, to purchase our way beyond that and getting to the core of the game that WE enjoy.

[Tech Priest Bojangles]

I don't consider anything in this game worth real money. Just expansions and sub fees.
Not mounts, helms, op pets, boosts, carries, or gold.

[melodramocracy]

God no. Learning on your own is a pretty good chunk of the entertainment in video games... which tends to be why the prominence of "just look it up / research the fight" in this genre is so shitty to begin with.

[cFortyfive]

The day I'd pay for any of those services would be the day I'd have to to quit. I couldn't bear sucking too hard at something as simple as that and running around like a retarded tryhard with a title I bought for a couple bucks.

[MoanaLisa]

No. Not doing any of that especially the clarifications.

[RoKPaNda]

Yes. I'd do it regardless of it were against the rules if I wanted something badly enough.

[Soeroah]

I'd pay to skip the WoD rep grinds, but I'd prefer to pay in gold, not cash.

Well, that's not quite true I guess, I should rephrase.


I would prefer to buy my way to exalted than participate in the WoD rep grinds, but I probably still wouldn't do it on principle. Encouraging them to make terrible content so people pay to get to where they want to be at isn't a good idea.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Nope, not a chance.