Poll: Would you pay $21 to change the biz model of the game.

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  1. #1

    Would you pay $21 dollars a month to change the biz model?

    One thing that does not get brought up much in talking about WoW's business model is that the sub fee has not changed since launch. It has always been $15 dollars. (with some scaling due to buy more save more pricing)

    A question I have is would you, and by extension enough people, be willing to pay $21 dollars today to steer the business model back towards the path it was in the years of launch, less cash shop items and less token sale driving efforts in game...hypothetically allowing those efforts to go back into outright game development. Hard to say the direct impact that it would have on actual gameplay, but presumably it would change the in-game economics and some of the motivators and world design/development due to no longer having the cash shop and freeing up a small team of devs to go back to actual game rewards/quests/things.

    $21 dollars is, rounding up, the value of 2004 $15 today.


    One thing I do not think many who complain about cash shop items consider is that they are taking in the same sub money, but the production costs have skyrocketed during the years due to many factors, not to mention the overall sub level has dropped considerably - with momentary spikes up again. The cash shop is part of what has kept that fee at $15.

    Thoughts.
    Last edited by TickerDS; 2019-11-23 at 06:51 PM.

  2. #2
    Spam Assassin! MoanaLisa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TickerDS View Post
    A question I have is would you, and by extension enough people, be willing to pay $21 dollars today to steer the business model back towards the path it was in the years of launch, less cash shop items and less token sale driving efforts in game...hypothetically allowing those efforts to go back into outright game development. Hard to say the direct impact that it would have on actual gameplay, but presumably it would change the in-game economics and some of the motivators and world design/development due to no longer having the cash shop and freeing up a small team of devs to go back to actual game rewards/quests/things.
    I wouldn't pay it. The business model is fine because all of the optional store stuff is just that...optional. As well, art is budgeted (some of it outsourced) and World of Warcraft's revenue pays for other stuff besides World of Warcraft development. Token sales also support a safe, legal way to buy and sell gold which has always happened although much less safely "in the years of launch." That's not going away. It's popular (obviously) and whether or not you or I approve of it is irrelevant.

    As a footnote it's important to acknowledge that due to offshore currency shifts against the dollar some subscriptions have increased in price.
    Last edited by MoanaLisa; 2019-11-23 at 07:39 PM.
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  3. #3
    Honestly if I couldn't pay for WoW with gold I wouldn't be playing already, so if the goal is to take away tokens and also charge more money I would just stop.
    .
    15 years ago $15 a month was fine because WoW really was one of the best games around, now I can find a dozen other highly engaging and rewarding games that are either free (DotA 2, Path of Exiles, etc) or $60 and under.

    In all honesty WoW in its current form and with the current competition in the market is not worth $21 a month. That being said, as long as WoW tokens stuck around I really wouldn't care, Blizzard could charge $50 a month as long as tokens exist and it wouldn't bother me since I'd be buying those with gold anyway.

  4. #4
    I prefer optional non p2w micro transactions over mandatory extra fee every month. People having shiny mounts/mogs that I don't really doesn't impact my gameplay as much as having 6 less $ per month without feeling rewarded for it lol

  5. #5
    I dislike FOMO tactics far more than I dislike the store. If it would solve those issues as well, yes I would pay more (though I'm never subbed 12/12 months anyway). But a higher price with exclusive items added in to carrot stick you into subbing more frequently would just push me out of the hamster wheel and ultimately kill the game for me.

  6. #6
    It wouldn't work. They'd just take the extra dollars and have MTX on top of that.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by TickerDS View Post
    One thing that does not get brought up much in talking about WoW's business model is that the sub fee has not changed since launch. It has always been $15 dollars. (with some scaling due to buy more save more pricing)

    A question I have is would you, and by extension enough people, be willing to pay $21 dollars today to steer the business model back towards the path it was in the years of launch, less cash shop items and less token sale driving efforts in game...hypothetically allowing those efforts to go back into outright game development. Hard to say the direct impact that it would have on actual gameplay, but presumably it would change the in-game economics and some of the motivators and world design/development due to no longer having the cash shop and freeing up a small team of devs to go back to actual game rewards/quests/things.

    $21 dollars is, rounding up, the value of 2004 $15 today.


    One thing I do not think many who complain about cash shop items consider is that they are taking in the same sub money, but the production costs have skyrocketed during the years due to many factors, not to mention the overall sub level has dropped considerably - with momentary spikes up again. The cash shop is part of what has kept that fee at $15.

    Thoughts.
    I would gladly pay $25 a month instead of having predatory MTX tactics. I am not saying Blizzard is at that point, and I am actually quite content with their MTX practices, but I speak with that opinion from my experiences with Jagex and Runescape which is just abysmal. I played their game on and off for 16, 17 years and I cannot fathom playing it again with how plagued it is with MTX.

  8. #8
    What is MTX?

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Amerissis View Post
    What is MTX?
    I'd guess it's micro-transactions

  10. #10
    While I personally wouldn't mind paying more money to Blizzard (as much as some people accuse them of shady tactics and as much as that may be true) as it would ultimately lead to more attention/content put into the game...

    I voted "No" because the subscription cost is already high enough to discourage many of my poor friends to pay it and play together with me :3 So I guess I can poor more money into Blizzard via optional stuff and leave the mandatory sub fee as low as possible, and I'd even remove it if I could.

  11. #11
    We'll, if it stopped them from adding mounts etc etc on the shop I need to buy anyway (Which I do every year when they have there 50% sale!)....idk, maybe.

    WoW without tokens is no good through...I havent paied for a sub since WOD I think.
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  12. #12
    No reason for anything to change.
    If the price ever went up for accessing my character at max level, I would likely stop playing though.
    The price should be going down if anything.
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  13. #13
    I already pay $19 CAD, would be pretty irked if it went up to $25 or $26
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  14. #14
    I already pay that for FF14. 12.99 sub, $2 for each additional retainer (I have 3) and the companion app to do auctions and the extra bag space ($5). So that’s $23.99. For me it’s absolutely worth it. I don’t subscribe to TV, just FF14, WoW, Hulu (with Disney+), Netflix, and Prime. That’s like $80 a month for my entertainment, most of which I share with my family and friends. I save a lot of money because I don’t go out to eat often and I don’t drink, smoke, or recreationally use drugs. I don’t go to movies. So my time outside the house is for work, hiking, and going to the beach. (I live in Florida.)

    So yeah, I’d pay whatever price they charged. I don’t play WoW as much as I used to, but I’ve been subbed since beta and it’s such an in grained part of my social life that I wouldn’t leave. It’s how I “hang out” with most of my friends from back in NY and NJ.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by TickerDS View Post
    One thing that does not get brought up much in talking about WoW's business model is that the sub fee has not changed since launch. It has always been $15 dollars. (with some scaling due to buy more save more pricing)

    A question I have is would you, and by extension enough people, be willing to pay $21 dollars today to steer the business model back towards the path it was in the years of launch, less cash shop items and less token sale driving efforts in game...hypothetically allowing those efforts to go back into outright game development. Hard to say the direct impact that it would have on actual gameplay, but presumably it would change the in-game economics and some of the motivators and world design/development due to no longer having the cash shop and freeing up a small team of devs to go back to actual game rewards/quests/things.

    $21 dollars is, rounding up, the value of 2004 $15 today.


    One thing I do not think many who complain about cash shop items consider is that they are taking in the same sub money, but the production costs have skyrocketed during the years due to many factors, not to mention the overall sub level has dropped considerably - with momentary spikes up again. The cash shop is part of what has kept that fee at $15.

    Thoughts.
    You forgot about one thing. 21 dollars is a lot for some countries. For example in my country some people earn 21 dollars/day! I don't have this problem but imgaine what could happen with players base.

    Also it was proved that micro transactions are far better than p2p money making wise

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by CaptRik View Post
    I'd guess it's micro-transactions
    Really? There's not even an X in there. I've never seen this term before and now twice in a row. Guess there's a new bandwagon to hop on to

  17. #17
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    If they really wanted to add huge bucks? Put BMAH/removed items in the cash store.

    It’s certainly not P2W.
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  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by MoanaLisa View Post
    I wouldn't pay it. The business model is fine because all of the optional store stuff is just that...optional. As well, art is budgeted (some of it outsourced) and World of Warcraft's revenue pays for other stuff besides World of Warcraft development. Token sales also support a safe, legal way to buy and sell gold which has always happened although much less safely "in the years of launch." That's not going away. It's popular (obviously) and whether or not you or I approve of it is irrelevant.

    As a footnote it's important to acknowledge that due to offshore currency shifts against the dollar some subscriptions have increased in price.
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  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Amerissis View Post
    Really? There's not even an X in there. I've never seen this term before and now twice in a row. Guess there's a new bandwagon to hop on to
    Hehe yeah... only a guess but I guess it's somehow an abbreviation of Micro-TransaXions. I couldn't think of anything else relevant to this thread for the meaning

  20. #20
    Elemental Lord sam86's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Druitz View Post
    You forgot about one thing. 21 dollars is a lot for some countries. For example in my country some people earn 21 dollars/day! I don't have this problem but imgaine what could happen with players base.

    Also it was proved that micro transactions are far better than p2p money making wise
    a day... in the WORST country on earth at least 33% of ppl living there earn 36$ or lower in an entire f8cking month
    Last edited by sam86; 2019-11-23 at 08:10 PM.
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