I like the basic idea, but not the premium part of it. They already make enough money.
Your possible pool selection for a premade group for normals and heroics goes from those people listed on a single server to every player contained in a region. How is that not a gameplay perk? And beyond that, then both you and I agree that the extra fee for this service is frivilous because you, as someone who would not make use of the service at all, agrees that the current subscription fee is fine where it is, then how in god's name can you justify them charging more for this? Your logic is circular.
"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 think a whole bunch of you are mis-'quoting' Blizzard saying they will "never release paid content that alters gameplay" - I do believe they only said they would never release paid content that provides a competitive advantage.
If you think running randoms with people on your RealID list of the same faction is a competitive advantage, I guess you could consider this a bad thing.
Considering some of you have already canceled your subscriptions on principle for a change that is likely months away, I can only assume you were already committed to canceling for other reasons. If you don't pay for this service I cannot imagine how it changes anything about your current game-play.
However, I do agree that the grey area they've been playing in with downloadable content is creeping closer and closer to the edge (obviously as this thread closes in on 1,000 replies). As other posters here have pointed out though, the remote auction house is so much more of a competitive advantage than this ever will be.
That is the stupidest thing I think I have read in this thread so far. Better gear is a gameplay perk because it directly affects the performance of your character, whereas this feature does not. If you are going to provide counter-arguments, at least come up with one that doesn't make you look like an idiot.
Amazed at how many people in this article can't read. "Certain elements of the cross-realm Real ID party system will be premium-based". Not to put words in Blizz's mouth but perhaps the premium is only to do raids as well as 5 man's or some other sort of buff or bonus to the group.
If you don't like paying for this...don't buy it. Simple as that. If no one buys it, Blizzard doesn't keep doing "premium" things.
Alternatively, you can run around forums like Chicken Little yelling "THE SKY IS FALLING" over something that doesn't exist yet.
I can guess what most people are going to do.
Same not paying, I don't play bullshit "free" mmos, because they make you pay for eveyrthing(besides them being shitty), I play Wow and pay it already, since Activision took over things are really going out of control.
I don't play the game nearly as much as I did before, I only play like 6 months of WOTLK without being serious and I'm on my second month of Cataclysm, only played in December/half January and come back now.
Anyway what I mean is I probably will get to a point were I will just drop it all together, not that I would ever buy those services but the greed is just annoying me, they don't think of the users of the game anymore.
I don't mind the mounts and pets on the virtual shop, but paying for backpack upgrade, paying for extra character slots and this stuff just makes me disheartened with a company that I like so much since a kid.
Wow, you're sure being generous with other people's money. What are you, a democrat?
I am of the exact opposite mindset. There is absolutely no tangible gain to this service. I would very much resent them justifying an increase in subscription price just to make this feature available (that slope is more slippery than the one you think this service as a premium seems to represent)
The people who partake of it are not going to be gaining better gear. There's no possible perk that I couldn't gain by simply putting together a competent group of people on my own realm (which takes about 10 minutes in trade chat, assuming I don't already have that resource pool available in the guild). Having this service does not make you more elite. Guilds are not going to require it for entrance, you will not be sat down or disqualified from any activities because you don't have it.
Now, if they ever extend this ability to raiding, you could make an argument for it that I could get behind. But as it's proposed now? It's a nice feature. It's not a game changer, and it's certainly not a gamebreaker.
This reeks. I don't mind them charging for the remote AH and remote guild chat - they're external services. And I don't mind the silly mounts and pets in the Blizzard store - they're just a bit of fun. I've always been able to say that when I log into the game, after paying like $15 a month, I'm getting the full version of the game. I've always known that I'm not missing out on any important content or features in the game because I'm not paying enough per month to access them. With this update, that will no longer be the case and that is some god damn bullshit.
"next month were merging all servers into one merging both factions and making a new class called "hero" who can be all 10 current classes for the price of 10$ per reroll"
And with that I'm done for good. Goodbye blizzard.
Perhaps you should read a bit further then? Let me show you... "Certain elements of the cross-realm Real ID party system will be premium-based, though only the player sending the invitations will need to have access to the premium service." There is the rest of what you stopped quoting. Either Blizzard TOTALLY messed up what they were trying to convey OR ... the element that needs to be premium-based is the ability to invite, not accept, Real ID party invites. The implication is, indeed, that to DO this, you need at least one person WITH a premium account.
Great idea, horrible implementation. I already pay monthly, and the ability to PLAY should not be in any way influenced by a premium account. Mounts, pets, even changed looks and stuff, sure. Mobile AH is pushing it, but since it's a mobile app, I can see it. Actual game play parties? No.
"And then, as though awoken from a blind stupor,the people of the internet realised that: no one gives a damn.
And no damns were given." - Calon, MMO-Champion (source)
Nicely done by blizz... adding the chance to get a loot bag to 'get tanks' back into 5mans which in turn made the runs even worse with dps etc throwing some tank gear together etc etc.... and oh wait look at this..
A premium based idea which you have to pay for in order to play with friends and not the usual nub tards you get stuck with. Clever company is clever!