Midnight Alpha Datamining - Housing Bundles and Hearthsteel Currency

Originally Posted by Just Passing through

I like rants - and I didn't even try to say "...that is how our brains work, nothing can be done about it" - obviously things can be done

And that thing is education On a basic level, anyway. Obviously there's things like therapy etc. and let's not forget just having, you know, a generally livable society - but in the original context of why do people buy stupid shit etc. yeah education is the answer, and "it's just our brains, man" is not. Which you didn't necessarily say, but which was the original point of contention.

Anyway rant over, for real this time

Originally Posted by Mendzia

Housing will really be endless well of money for them, holy shit.

Dollhouses will forever be an extremely lucrative business for hobbyists and has been since the dawn of time.
Whatever shape it takes, wooden or digital, The Sims or World of Warcraft. Where the dollhouse goes, the money flows.

The dollhouse satisfies the creative itch in the most satisfying of ways for many people. The dollhouse takes many forms, for some people model trains or model airplanes. They are still by extent the dollhouse. A more contained and often more intricate design philosophy than the sandbox.

I find this housing business not so different from ESO housing system. People seems to forget that ESO housing system have something like this, were you can check a store, use paid currency to purchase items. Is just another sick move from Blizzard to farm more money from players, nothing new to see.

Originally Posted by Biomega

I mean... okay?

We all knew this was coming. Housing had to be financed somehow. Ya'll wanted this. Don't really see the big deal here. If no one buys any of it, they'll get rid of it REAL quick - but we all know that's not going to happen, don't we.

Obviously the most sensible solution. But as history has proven, theres the 1% of people who are whales, and at least another 10% who are hypocritical idiots, who will still buy everything, even though they complain about it. Leaving the majority to have to put up with garbage microtransations and premium currencies, because the minority who are using it, draw in enough profit to justify the continued use of them. : \

Originally Posted by Futuredanish

The Blizzard-Adult bootlicking will be enough to keep this around forever. Wow is actually dead now. If the original creators of the game could see what it is now they wouldn't have made it in the first place.

lmao@you if you think their goal was ever ANYTHING besides making money and being treated like 'rockstars, if rockstars were nerds'.

Originally Posted by Varanus

Obviously the most sensible solution. But as history has proven, theres the 1% of people who are whales, and at least another 10% who are hypocritical idiots, who will still buy everything, even though they complain about it. Leaving the majority to have to put up with garbage microtransations and premium currencies, because the minority who are using it, draw in enough profit to justify the continued use of them. : \

I think the percentage of hypocrits is higher in all walks of life

That said - to truly live off "Whales", WoW would need to have a much crazier cash shop. I don't even want to mention games outside the Blizzard library - so..you know...something Diablo Immortal like.

Video is 4 years old - but that is some insane stuff going on in the world of "actual" whales: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EcLbewUexg&t=9s

Disclaimer: This is not meant as a "WoW cash shop is not so bad after all" comment.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by SpaceMistakes

lmao@you if you think their goal was ever ANYTHING besides making money and being treated like 'rockstars, if rockstars were nerds'.

I think ID Software was treated that way...even when they were buying Ferraris - and even then ppl didn't mind apparently, but thought it was cool and well deserved. At least until John Romero went fully mental with his ideas and projects.

40yo dudes spending real money to buy fancy furniture for their video game houses seems absurd to me. Who is paying for this stuff?

Originally Posted by Pratt

40yo dudes spending real money to buy fancy furniture for their video game houses seems absurd to me. Who is paying for this stuff?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...

So, optional shit I don't need, and likely won't even want, and will probably be able to get recolors of in the game via other means? Cool.

Originally Posted by Just Passing through

This thread needs to be bookmarked, in case the currency is just in-game and similar to Tender

Not that I have an hope that will happen - but since housing don't really interest me, I would spend as much on it as I have spend on in-game items in the shop or actual Blizzard merchandise. Which is zero.

Most likely. I am like 90% (and 10% it will be real money) sure it will be simply the currency you earn through your weekly/monthly(?) neighbourhood events or whatever they are called (possibly whatever the theme of the event is, the decor you can buy is related to it) and you get some with buying an expansion bundle.

Originally Posted by Pratt

40yo dudes spending real money to buy fancy furniture for their video game houses seems absurd to me. Who is paying for this stuff?

I am in my 40's. I try to watch what I spend my money on like many people but seeing as WoW is one of my main hobbies I don't mind dropping a few bucks here and there on an item or some such. I don't make it a regular thing but on occasion. Making it seem like spending money on a video game seems like an older way of thinking. Back when the common consensus was that only people who "should, or would" play games are nerds, or social outcasts, or whatever verbiage you want to use.

To me this is a far cry from someone who can't control their impulses and buys each and every item, as well as Tokens up the wazoo.

Originally Posted by Zodiark

I am in my 40's. I try to watch what I spend my money on like many people but seeing as WoW is one of my main hobbies I don't mind dropping a few bucks here and there on an item or some such. I don't make it a regular thing but on occasion. Making it seem like spending money on a video game seems like an older way of thinking. Back when the common consensus was that only people who "should, or would" play games are nerds, or social outcasts, or whatever verbiage you want to use.

To me this is a far cry from someone who can't control their impulses and buys each and every item, as well as Tokens up the wazoo.

Problems with outright exploitative monetization etc. aside, it is absolutely high time this was normalized socially. "Lmao you bought a digital item for $20? That is SOOO weird rofl. Anyway, I dropped $300 on cocktails at the club last night and..." is just such a bizarre reality to live in.

People can and should spend their money however they want, as long as they do it safely, legally, and fully informed. And ain't no one get to judge you. Not for a WoW mount, not for a full-body furry suit, not for a tailormade shirt or a ringside tickets to the big match. Whatever. Don't shame people for spending their money on their entertainment of choice like wtf.

That being said, the caveat I mentioned initially does matter: exploitative and deceptive monetization in games is bad, and needs to be fought. EU is doing just that currently. Hopefully we'll get rid of things like loot boxes, in-game currencies, and so on and then we'll have a more transparent, fair, and straightforward way of spending money on a hobby we enjoy, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Originally Posted by Varanus

Obviously the most sensible solution. But as history has proven, theres the 1% of people who are whales, and at least another 10% who are hypocritical idiots, who will still buy everything, even though they complain about it. Leaving the majority to have to put up with garbage microtransations and premium currencies, because the minority who are using it, draw in enough profit to justify the continued use of them. : \

As someone who isn't against microtransactions but also doesn't pay real money for in game items I can safely say that I'm ok with letting people do what they like with their earned money as long as it doesn't become exploitive of people with addiction or take on the face of predatory transactions like selling 700 coins or 1200 coins with items being 1000 coins to buy.

Those are the kind of things I won't stand for and will protest against. I am all for them just putting up a price for an item and letting people decide if it's worth it. I am against forcing mandatory minimum purchase prices for items that cost less than the money you have to give blizzard to obtain them.

I view this as the same a tender. As long as it gives some from a sub cost and monthly grind, let whales and idiots spend to their hearts content. Overwatch 1 lootboxes were almost perfect in that regard - play the game, get free premium currency over time and get whatever you want for playing the game. Shortcut this by spending money if you want, but otherwise casual play = rewards.

Originally Posted by Biomega

Problems with outright exploitative monetization etc. aside, it is absolutely high time this was normalized socially. "Lmao you bought a digital item for $20? That is SOOO weird rofl. Anyway, I dropped $300 on cocktails at the club last night and..." is just such a bizarre reality to live in.

People can and should spend their money however they want, as long as they do it safely, legally, and fully informed. And ain't no one get to judge you. Not for a WoW mount, not for a full-body furry suit, not for a tailormade shirt or a ringside tickets to the big match. Whatever. Don't shame people for spending their money on their entertainment of choice like wtf.

That being said, the caveat I mentioned initially does matter: exploitative and deceptive monetization in games is bad, and needs to be fought. EU is doing just that currently. Hopefully we'll get rid of things like loot boxes, in-game currencies, and so on and then we'll have a more transparent, fair, and straightforward way of spending money on a hobby we enjoy, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Yeah I have zero problem with putting the kibosh on exploitative monetization and practices. I agree with your example also. People spend money on all types of crap. Yet if YOU don't spend money on something THEY would, or do spend money on then your the weirdo. Make it make sense.

Originally Posted by meheez

Sad way to earn money, considering how limited this whole building thing is.

If I wanted to build digital houses, the last place I would look at is WoW.

Limited? It might be a lot but not limited at all. Look at what are people building already. The only thing the you COULD call limited is the amount if Items in the catalogue and there is already tons. It will only get bigger.

Originally Posted by Biomega

I mean... okay?

We all knew this was coming. Housing had to be financed somehow. Ya'll wanted this. Don't really see the big deal here. If no one buys any of it, they'll get rid of it REAL quick - but we all know that's not going to happen, don't we.

we all knew theyd put stuff on the game store for housing...who knows why some are tossing fits about it

Originally Posted by MuckDweller

we all knew theyd put stuff on the game store for housing...who knows why some are tossing fits about it

It's also already been confirmed that less than 1% of housing decor are currently flagged to be involved with the shop in anyway. And you are 100% right this very much wasn't a surprise to anybody who had a single cognitive thought about this.