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  1. #1
    High Overlord Aligerous's Avatar
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    The store is becoming obnoxious.

    With the recent appearance of the ravager and fiery horse store mounts (well, presumably), that brings the total number of mounts available for purchase to 9, not including their various other promotions (Digital Deluxe editions, SoR, Recruit-a-Friend, etc). This isn't really that big of deal, but it seems like they've started adding mounts A LOT more frequently lately.

    Besides mounts and pets, they started adding more and more additional things to the shop. The transmog helms (which were and are way overpriced), the experience elixir and charm bag (for Asia only), and the Boost to 90. Plus, the store has become far more prominent and in-your-face - look at the addition of the in-game shop as well as the button allowing you to buy things on the character select screen.

    I don't think of the items on the store have crossed the line into pay-to-win territory, but I feel like they could end up there. Even if every item is entirely cosmetic, it feels like they're starting to spend far more time and resources on store items compared to things available in-game. Compare the Iron Skyreaver and the Fey Dragon to the other mounts added in 5.4. The Sky Golem holds up, but the Galakras mount, the Kor'kron Wolf, and the Juggernaut all seem lackluster by comparison.



    This makes me wonder, why is Blizzard stepping up their game with regards to the store? A few months back, they were even establishing a "Microtransaction Strategy" unit, hiring some new people for it. Obviously, with the introduction of Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard is entering the free-to-play market. Do you think they could ever push WoW in that direction? Blizzard already makes a big chunk from the store alone (213 million in 2013 - League of Legends made 624 million, meanings WoW's cash shop makes more than a third of League's total revenue).

    Tons of games have seen success after making the switch, and while WoW still dominates the sub market, it's in a decline. Once it slips a bit more, wouldn't it seem like a good idea to go free-to-play? It has the potential to reinvigorate the game. I'm sure there's tons of potentially or formerly interested players who just can't justify the sub fee when compared to games like League of Legends, but would love to play, and quite probably pay for things like cosmetic microtransactions.

  2. #2
    Your post is obnoxious, the store is about as in your face as carpet underfelt.

    Infracted.
    Last edited by Lochton; 2014-05-25 at 01:11 PM.

  3. #3
    Scarab Lord Forsedar's Avatar
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    The store doesn't bother you in-game... ever. EQ and SWTOR both have the stores up front and center, always bugging you about going to it. WoW could do it as well but they do not. The store is there if you want to go on it, but for those who want nothing to do with it will not see it.

  4. #4
    wow has ingame store ?????


    sorry i didnt notice.
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  5. #5
    I am Murloc! Grym's Avatar
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    The other games HAD to make the switch because they cannot survive the subscription model *cough*SWTOR*cough*

    Blizzard however, if you check sub number (minus Asian market players as they don't pay subs), times by the monthly sub cost, that is how much money they are getting, per month, on top of whatever selling in the store.

    They are not doing that switch to F2P anytime soon, stop dreaming.

    PS.

    Lets say currently Blizzard get $X from sub every month.
    Currently Blizzard make $Y from store average per month.

    IF Blizzard go F2P, Blizzard now make $Z from the store a month on average.

    $Y - $Z = the increase in store income, let's say it is $D (for difference)

    unless $D > $X, it is not worth it.

    Out of 7mil sub, let's say 3mil of them are Asian players, that leaves 4mil of monthly paying sub, 4mil x $15 = $60mil a month.

    I seriously doubt the increase in store income will be anywhere near $60mil.
    Last edited by Grym; 2014-05-24 at 10:32 PM.

  6. #6
    Warchief Redpanda's Avatar
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    did they say the ravager and horse are going to be in the store?

    ps this isnt anything new and we can only speculate on the future, and go off what we know in the present. :\
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  7. #7
    They know the subs will keep declining quickly so they're trying to milk the maximum market size for as long as they can

  8. #8
    Most of the money from Blizzard Store mounts/pets go to charity FYI.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Redpanda View Post
    did they say the ravager and horse are going to be in the store?
    No. As usual, it's only a baseless assumption from the OP.

  10. #10
    Scarab Lord Manabomb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Forsedar View Post
    The store doesn't bother you in-game... ever. EQ and SWTOR both have the stores up front and center, always bugging you about going to it. WoW could do it as well but they do not. The store is there if you want to go on it, but for those who want nothing to do with it will not see it.
    That's mainly because a store is those games primary revenue where as in WoW, you not only have a store full of overpriced goodies that end up being pushed out despite the huge void of content, but you also have to pay a premium of 15$ a month+expansions to even play the game.

    In my opinion? Blizzard makes a huge amount of money through subscription services alone. Those mounts, pets and helms should be somewhere in game either locked behind achievements or rng boss drops. WoW tends to act like a subscription mmo with a bunch of F2P elements tacked onto it because profits. Even though one would think they would earn more profit behind those pets/mounts being a grind than them costing an extra fee at the store.

    Then there is the issue of availability, which basically means any mount that comes out, for the first month it's seen constantly everywhere and then basically forgotten. Perfect example, last week I saw for the first time in months a celestial sparkle pony (the first store mount ever made) and I started to think of all the other mounts that don't really see much light (Like the chimera thing).

    All in all, those mounts could be in the game, or they could be both in the game and through the shop and you pay the 25$ premium fee to avoid the grind or whatever in getting the mount, instead of having to pay 25$ to just get the mount. I like multiple alternative paths to success, and so does Blizzard. So. Yeah. There's that.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Tehterokkar View Post
    Most of the money from Blizzard Store mounts/pets go to charity FYI.
    Could we get some actual numbers on that or are you just blowing that out of your ass? Last time I checked, the last time money from mounts/pets bought from the store went to charity was when hurricane sandy was a thing and cinder kittens are cute.
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  11. #11
    Titan Yunru's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tehterokkar View Post
    Most of the money from Blizzard Store mounts/pets go to charity FYI.
    Nope...only when they are making some kind of promotion. 99.999999999% goes in blizzard pockets. (not counting taxes)
    Don't sweat the details!!!

  12. #12
    Scarab Lord Forsedar's Avatar
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    Wait, so just because Blizzard makes a lot of money means that its crazy for them to have a store to purchase mounts and vanity items?

    That is ridiculous. If people are using it (which they are), then why is it a horrible idea? Its another way for them to make money- but its not like the items even affect us. I don't like the mounts. I don't care about pets and the transmog helmets aren't crazy awesome looking enough to spend money on them (for me). However, people still pay so that is why they keep adding to it. Just because Blizzard is 100% fine without that store doesn't mean that its wrong of them to have it.

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  13. #13
    Elemental Lord Rixis's Avatar
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    Wasn't the ravager basically said to be a recruit a friend mount? They released the image with the tag line of something about friends

  14. #14
    It's not like we're getting ads about these mounts anywhere other than here and the launcher. Where as real F2P games bombard you with shops ads or require you to use said shops just to make the game tolerable.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Tehterokkar View Post
    Most of the money from Blizzard Store mounts/pets go to charity FYI.
    what charity is getting the money from?
    -Guardian cub
    -Cinder Kitty
    -Lil KT
    -Blossoming ancient
    -Cenarion Hatchling
    -Pandaren Monk
    -Soul of the Aspects
    -Lil Ragnaros
    -Lil XT
    -Winged Guardian
    -Fey Dragon
    -Iron Skyreaver
    -Heart of the Aspects
    -Swift Windsteed
    -Armoured Bloodwing
    -Celestial Steed

    And the Moonking Hatchling and Alterac Brew Cub no longer give any money to charity

  16. #16
    Scarab Lord Forsedar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RaenavenBlacksun View Post
    It's not like we're getting ads about these mounts anywhere other than here and the launcher. Where as real F2P games bombard you with shops ads or require you to use said shops just to make the game tolerable.
    Exactly this. Its a pointless discussion of people complaining that they can't get the goodies on the store without paying. If you want it, buy it. If you don't want to buy it- you don't want it badly enough. Move along.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by RaenavenBlacksun View Post
    It's not like we're getting ads about these mounts anywhere other than here and the launcher. Where as real F2P games bombard you with shops ads or require you to use said shops just to make the game tolerable.
    But WoW isn't F2P.

    Also where does Rift bombard you with the shops or require you to use it?

  18. #18
    Could we get some actual numbers on that or are you just blowing that out of your ass? Last time I checked, the last time money from mounts/pets bought from the store went to charity was when hurricane sandy was a thing and cinder kittens are cute.
    Pet and Mount Bundle

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    Last edited by Verrai; 2014-05-24 at 10:41 PM.

  19. #19
    The Lightbringer Daws001's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Deja Thoris View Post
    Your post is obnoxious, the store is about as in your face as carpet underfelt.
    Thank you, I was coming here to say essentially that. I don't even think of the store until someone starts bitching about it.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Forsedar View Post
    Exactly this. Its a pointless discussion of people complaining that they can't get the goodies on the store without paying. If you want it, buy it. If you don't want to buy it- you don't want it badly enough. Move along.
    That's some nice strawmanning, would expect better from a moderator.

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