Is the Blizzcon stream too expensive?

[Deleted]

They charge for it to offset Blizzcon's cost so that they can actually justify running the event to shareholders, hiring and filling a convention hall isn't cheap

If you don't want to pay you can just read the summary on MMO Champ's front page and wait a couple of hours for recordings to hit youtube, completely for free

Except most big companies stream their conventions for free because these things are marketing tools. Thats why E3 or Apple announcements are streamed for free, because there’s more value in the long run from the marketing power of these things than their is in their value as a ticket. Blizzard are just greedy. And I'm not saying that because I hate Blizzard, I'm saying that because when you look at the way they behave they come across like they care more about making a penny now than a dollar tomorrow.

Edit: I now feel silly for not checking how old this thread was.

[Ianus]

i would gladly pay if they gave wod in it and 100 lvl char with blue dungeon gear... i think that would be fair transaction ..

[Deleted]

I don't really understand why one would pay to stream it. Pay to be there, sure, atmosphere, experience, all that. But to watch something that you could watch elsewhere, or later? Plus, most of the information being so early stages that it gets changed around a lot? I don't get it. So I wouldn't buy it, but with the bonus stuff you get I can see why others would.

[Deleted]

Oh yeah..It costs Apple 300 dollars to develop, build and ship an ipad, yet they charge up to 800 for them. Like hell they should be able to afford free streams. Apple had a profit of 37 billion in 2013. How do you make that much money? But ofc Blizzard is greedy.

Mr.Smartypants.
Blizzards profit margin is higher than Apples.
Your argument falls flat on its nose.

[Deleted]

I wouldn't buy even if it was $1. It blows my mind that there are people who are willing to pay for a stream of a glorified marketing event.

I reckon that a lot of people are (also) buying it for the ingame goodies. Which is absolutely fine.

[ZodaSoda]

Blizzard runs Blizzcon as a courtesy to their customers, they never have to put it on and they have never made a profit on a single Blizzcon, The stream is run by DirectTV who do make a profit and also run the entire stream and cameras at blizzcon, DirectTV will not take a job they would lose money on, like any company, so if the $40 stream really bothers you, blame DirectTV not Blizzard, Blizzard is just giving DirectTV their required money to run the stream.

[mehow2g]

So Blizzcon is an event where they get to show off whats new basically advertising and hyping games up and people have to pay 40 dollars to pay for an advertisement.

Yeah seems legit.

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2x Hobbit (or similar movie) in 3D HFR is 33€
Virtual BlizzCon is 29,95€

Ergo, BlizzCon is cheaper than 2 movie tickets..

You are paying to see a movie.

Blizzcon you are paying to watch advertising.

I get how people are fine with the money so am I 40 bux is really nothing for me, but its the moral of it all they are literally screwing the customer and they have been since 06 Blizzard is the most disgusting gaming company I have ever seen, I used to be their biggest fan.

[Deleted]

Blizzard runs Blizzcon as a courtesy to their customers, they never have to put it on and they have never made a profit on a single Blizzcon, The stream is run by DirectTV who do make a profit and also run the entire stream and cameras at blizzcon, DirectTV will not take a job they would lose money on, like any company, so if the $40 stream really bothers you, blame DirectTV not Blizzard, Blizzard is just giving DirectTV their required money to run the stream.

putting a webcam on and streaming to twitch would have been a 20€ cost with near zero effort.

This thread in itself shows why they do it: plenty of suckers to be parted with their money

[arcaneshot]

I don't really understand why one would pay to stream it. Pay to be there, sure, atmosphere, experience, all that. But to watch something that you could watch elsewhere, or later? Plus, most of the information being so early stages that it gets changed around a lot? I don't get it. So I wouldn't buy it, but with the bonus stuff you get I can see why others would.

The main event is actually the Live Raid. If that's not your thing, well....

putting a webcam on and streaming to twitch would have been a 20€ cost with near zero effort.

This thread in itself shows why they do it: plenty of suckers to be parted with their money

Except you didn't factor in that the person streaming it is the real sucker.

The thing people are betting against is people paying them to stream it to cover the cost of not having to pay $40. Do you see what's wrong with that?

So Blizzcon is an event where they get to show off whats new basically advertising and hyping games up and people have to pay 40 dollars to pay for an advertisement.

Yeah seems legit.

If you weren't poking for a fight you'd have realized the Virtual Ticket is offered as an alternative to going to the convention in person. If you're not that kind of person of course you don't understand.

Yet you can't use ignorance as a reason to make it seem like people are screwing themselves. It only seems that way because you chose to believe it.

[Deadite]

Yet you can't use ignorance as a reason to make it seem like people are screwing themselves. It only seems that way because you chose to believe it.

People can do what they want with their own money but Blizzard charging people money to view stuff they want them to pay money for is just bizarre to me. It is like if Walt Disney wanted to charge you $5 to see the trailer for Avengers 2. Paying to let Blizzard shill their own products to you is pretty amazing business acumen by them. They even get thanks for it as if they are doing you a favour. Remarkable!

[TheValkyrie]

Just wait a couple days and you can watch it all on youtube.

[Noctifer616]

It is like if Walt Disney wanted to charge you $5 to see the trailer for Avengers 2.

Actually you get the trailer for free (the opening ceremony) but if you want to see the behind the scenes and making of you need to get the Blu Ray (virtual ticket).

Or you can wait a day or two for the panels to show up on YouTube and watch it there for free :P

[Deleted]

People rly argue over 40 bucks? If you're not a total introvert basementdwelling hikikomori, you have most likely spent more than that for far less.

'Why buy a movie BD when it's available online anyway?'

[Deleted]

People rly argue over 40 bucks? If you're not a total introvert basementdwelling hikikomori, you have most likely spent more than that for far less.

'Why buy a movie BD when it's available online anyway?'

Just because i can afford throwing away 40 $ down the toilet does it mean i should do it? Because if yes than you are probably spending money faster than u are earning them. The argument here is if its worth spending money on watching the event not if ppl have 40 $ and can they afford it just saying

[Deleted]

Just because i can afford throwing away 40 $ down the toilet does it mean i should do it? Because if yes than you are probably spending money faster than u are earning them. The argument here is if its worth spending money on watching the event not if ppl have 40 $ and can they afford it just saying

Except by throwing 40$ down the toilet only gives you an increased water bill.

[Prothall]

I reckon that a lot of people are (also) buying it for the ingame goodies. Which is absolutely fine.

Isn't it funny, though, that people throw such a fit over other people paying $25 or whatever for in-game items like pets and mounts, but are perfectly fine with paying $40 for the chance to see a bunch of people sitting around, talking about games when they can get the news for free on websites like this one and see the events on Youtube shortly after?

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People rly argue over 40 bucks? If you're not a total introvert basementdwelling hikikomori, you have most likely spent more than that for far less.

'Why buy a movie BD when it's available online anyway?'

There are other reasons people argue over $40. Not everyone always has that money to spare. And besides, if I only care about one of Blizzard's games (I don't play Starcraft 2 or Hearthstone, and I haven't played Diablo 3 in months), why should I pay $40 to stream an event when I only care about what happens during one part of it. Like how people stopped buying CDs because they got tired of paying $15 for one good song and a disc full of junk.

[mjhyde13]

I dont mind paying for the stream, the goodies are a nice bounus, its the min specks that kill me, last year, so I missed the stuff I really wanted to see. So when I tryed to use the taped feature it keep lagging out, stopping and starting and when I tryed to move forward it broked and I had to start at begining

[Deleted]

I am amused that some people act as if it was a sacrilege that people dont want to buy a stream for blizzards large commercial show.

Blizzard is a multi billion dollar company that sells computer games and should be no sect that wants their followers to preach to them.

I know that Blizzard translates "loyal customer" to "someone who pays for nothing", but i wonder how many players payed their subs at the end of MoP, even if they had no content left to play. And i wonder how many just buy the stream for one ugly pet or to see one single panel which probably will offer nothing new at all.

Titan is cancelled, so there is not really anything new to expect when its about MMOs.

[Andyo]

Just read the information on a fan site live feed.

[Faesroll]

It could be 1$ and people would still complain about something.