The Blizzard Store and the Monthly Fee. What you need to realize.

[Deleted]

We chose to go with the subscription-based model instead of that approach. We've taken the approach that we want players to feel like it's a level playing field once they're in WoW. Outside resources don't play into it -- no gold buying, etc. We take a hard line stance against it. What you get out of microtransactions is kind of the same thing and I think our player base would feel betrayed by it. I think that's something else you have to decide on up-front instead of implementing later.

--Rob Pardo, Blizzard's Senior Vice President of Game Design (2/20/2008)

This quote should be in every major article about WoW mictrotransaction so people would know how Blizzard has changed and that it's not worth investing money into their games anymore.

Source:
http://wow.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gd...pproach-to-mm/

[Bloodfire]

Some time in AUG

Guess numbers are between 6.5 to 7M atm.
Perhaps less, but IMO it's hard to fight with current social MMO market and Mobile Market also. People spend more $ on those F2P games.
Imo, the best exit in this situation is to cut off sub price a bit and revamp old designers that were in BC (well, I don't talk for everyone, but for me, the design of BC content and items looks the best out of all).
You can't compare WoW to EVE Online in terms of numbers.

P.S.: Mobile Gaming Market revenue in China only is 300$ M.

[SodiumChloride]

I don't understand why anyone would want to pay more money either. I feel betrayed from subscribing only to have a few items unavailable to me unless I pay again for it.

We chose to go with the subscription-based model instead of that approach. We've taken the approach that we want players to feel like it's a level playing field once they're in WoW. Outside resources don't play into it -- no gold buying, etc. We take a hard line stance against it. What you get out of microtransactions is kind of the same thing and I think our player base would feel betrayed by it. I think that's something else you have to decide on up-front instead of implementing later.

--Rob Pardo, Blizzard's Senior Vice President of Game Design (2/20/2008)

Damn I think you just won the thread.

No amount of word twisting is going to get their defenders out of this one.

[Deleted]

When I go to the movies, I pay for the ticket and get free drinks and snacks.

Oh wait...

[Deleted]

The more resources Blizzard has, the more content they can develop and the better off we are as players.

You are naive if you think that Blizzard could or would do more for WoW if they had more money at their disposal.

My guess is that the company is being royally screwed by taxation and needs to compensate.


Also the sheep in this thread are absolutely disgusting. Consumers like that deserve what's coming for them.

[Bloodfire]

This quote should be in every major article about WoW mictrotransaction so people would know how Blizzard has changed and that it's not worth investing money into their games anymore.

Source:
http://wow.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gd...pproach-to-mm/

Do you have a link to hard talks when the Store was opened at the first time? I'm pretty sure that rage and whine was about the same as it is atm.

[Deleted]

You pay a monthly fee to be able to log in to your account and play; nothing more, nothing less.

Also, that's an absolutely absurd suggestion that only exists in the small-letters of the legal crap we have to accept every so often.

In the real world, nobody expects simple access from a subscription in an MMORPG. And everyone here knows that very well, or they choose to ignore it.

[DrSteveBrule]

We chose to go with the subscription-based model instead of that approach. We've taken the approach that we want players to feel like it's a level playing field once they're in WoW. Outside resources don't play into it -- no gold buying, etc. We take a hard line stance against it. What you get out of microtransactions is kind of the same thing and I think our player base would feel betrayed by it. I think that's something else you have to decide on up-front instead of implementing later.

--Rob Pardo, Blizzard's Senior Vice President of Game Design (2/20/2008)

I'd like a source before I can sig this.
I've never been more reluctant to pay for a game I enjoy.
That quitting day is coming closer and closer.

[Jessicka]

You are naive if you think that Blizzard could or would do more for WoW if they had more money at their disposal.

My guess is that the company is being royally screwed by taxation and needs to compensate.


Also the sheep in this thread are absolutely disgusting. Consumers like that deserve what's coming for them.

The game is only getting cheaper to run as they develop the tech to develop it further and the initial outlays and investments get paid off and outlive their budgetted lifespans. I think it's much less a matter of their need to find new revenue streams, but more a case of simply selling shit just because they can. Nothing more or less to it.

This quote should be in every major article about WoW mictrotransaction so people would know how Blizzard has changed and that it's not worth investing money into their games anymore.

Source:
http://wow.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gd...pproach-to-mm/

All these things so far are simply an extention of TCG items which were real money transactions, I think the quote from Rob Pardo linked above is rather disingenuous and a case of preaching to the choir, meanwhile he's selling Spectral Tiger mounts over the counter in stores from which people are going on to profiteer for literally hundreds of pounds in real money for them.

So sure, quote that with this from 2007 next to it.

[Syran]

Blizzard knows there's a portion of playerbase who will cough up money for every novelty being put into the stores, it's an easy way to make some extra buck with minimal time and resource investment. They do it because they can.

It's a dubious practice though, at least in the eyes of people who aren't willing to pay extra for ingame items in the subscription based game. Bashiok and the band of merry CM's can spin this around as much as they want with their cute blue posts, the truth is there, it's a simple money grab for extra profit.

[bigmac]

I'd like a source before I can sig this.
I've never been more reluctant to pay for a game I enjoy.
That quitting day is coming closer and closer.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mi...betray-players

[SodiumChloride]

I'd like a source before I can sig this.
I've never been more reluctant to pay for a game I enjoy.
That quitting day is coming closer and closer.

http://wow.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gd...pproach-to-mm/

[Gilian]

Every time Blizzard announces something new for the pet store we see the same threads come up about how a game with a monthly sub fee shouldn't have a microtransaction store. I get really frustrated when I see these posts because some people just don't get it.

You pay a monthly fee to be able to log in to your account and play; nothing more, nothing less.

Blizzard is a business and they have to do with that money whatever they feel will be most profitable. This can be anything from developing PvE and PvP content to developing items for the Blizzard store. The purpose of the former is to keep people subscribed to WoW and maybe even bring old people back/new people in. The latter is designed to bring in additional revenue to be able to develop more content.

The most important thing to realize is that Blizzard will NEVER make Tier Sets or any current content gear available for cash; they are not stupid enough to do that and you can mark my words that it'll never happen.

The Blizzard store is not a slippery slope, it is a smart business move to bring in more money for the company. The more resources Blizzard has, the more content they can develop and the better off we are as players.

So we need to realize they are trying to make profit and they never make mistakes so we just have to agree with everything they do and trust them putting our well spend money back into the game to improve it?
And that bold part is basically you saying everyone should shut up and no one got something to say about this.

If you are not a "fanboy" then I don't know who is.

[Daedelus]

I unsubbed today, been playing since early 2006 - and this is where I get off. It's the principle and the lack of integrity on Blizzard's side - not the current content.

You waited until this to unsub? Why didn't you unsub when the Blizzard store first opened? Or when Recruit a Friend came out? Or Scroll of Resurrection?

[Gilian]

Blizzard knows there's a portion of playerbase who will cough up money for every novelty being put into the stores, it's an easy way to make some extra buck with minimal time and resource investment. They do it because they can.

It's a dubious practice though, at least in the eyes of people who aren't willing to pay extra for ingame items in the subscription based game. Bashiok and the band of merry CM's can spin this around as much as they want with their cute blue posts, the truth is there, it's a simple money grab for extra profit.

Exactly. And there is no reason to support this at all. Except for the awesome benefit that we can now just buy a pet ingame instead of having to go through all the trouble of opening a webbrowser.

[SodiumChloride]

You waited until this to unsub? Why didn't you unsub when the Blizzard store first opened? Or when Recruit a Friend came out? Or Scroll of Resurrection?

Straw that broke the camel's back. Enough is enough.

[Deleted]

Straw that broke the camel's back. Enough is enough.

See you back next week ?

[Duster505]

There is no doubt that Blizzard is crossing a line if they add in game shop with items like XP boosts and lesser charms. They are then admitting that there are ways to make the game MORE enjoyable by cutting the grind. The players will then no longer be on a level playing field like Rob Pardo talked about. That also means that Blizzard is NOT true to their subscribers in bringing out the absolute best product possible for those players. They will have to pay extra.

In regards to in game store selling mounts, pets, and cosmetics. That would be the FIRST game that has that sort of in game store and also decides to charge players sub for using those item. The code of conduct when it comes to such shops has always been that the price of those items go for paying the service of using those items. You are not charged extra for just login into the game. This is for me just a matter of basic code of conduct to respect the consumers and their rights to use an item they have bought. Blizzard would be breaking that code if they still charge sub fees.

Finally. Blizzard can make WOW F2P if they want. They can also keep the game as sub based if they want. What they can not do is to have both and take the absolute worst of both F2P and Sub and push it into the same product.. It might be acceptable for some loyal players - but there will be some that will walk away.

But the main concern - and the obvious - is that there will be very few if any new players ready to pay for the original Box + the expansions + the sub fee + then buying extra items like XP boosts in ingame shop to make the Less grindy and more enjoyable. Cause ppl are not stupid and they will see when a company has crossed the line. And there is no doubt that Blizzard will cross the line if they intend to have a business model like that. They can not stay true to the gamers and expect gamers to find that acceptable. No consumer would accept it. And gamers are still consumers.

[Deleted]

Companies might as well stop having a PR department.

There are so many fanboys who will readily defend their company and apologize and tell you they did no wrong that it's laughable. Diablo 3 was a prime example for that, this thread is too.

[SodiumChloride]

See you back next week ?

I wasn't the one saying I would quit. Just explaining why people would wait until now to quit.

That said, my "resistance" to quitting just got lowered by this announcement. If I have to deal with F2P "mechanics" might as well play a F2P game. GW2 has a Mac client coming up ...