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WoW: 4 Box barrier for nubs
Vestige360
Member Posts: 27
So Cataclysm will be removing a lot of barriers for new people who may want to try the game for the first time. But how about what I will henceforth call the "4 Box Barrier". You can't tell me they are going to make folks buy 4 boxes to level a toon to the cap. I did not hear how Blizzard was going to address this at BlizzCon. Probably because they want to sell as many boxes as they can between now and Cataclysm.
How do you think it will be handled?
Comments
What?
imo Blizzard will maintain the sales at the current situation. It will only change if the market does. It's a simple rule that has been used since... forever.
If Blizzard starts to notice a sudden drop in wow's boxes purchase due to it's imense 4 box barrier, they will probably start to cut it by pieces. They would probably join WoW + BC into a single box (or an amazing offer 2 for 1), and watch how the market develops. If it stabilize and the sales can maintain an amount that will please Blizz, they'll stop there.
The same rule will continued to be applied. ie: WoW + BC / WoW + BC + WotLK (doubtful) / etc.
Another easier way to contour the situation would be to just cut each box's price. Reg WoW would see a continuos price drop for the acquisition with a free 30 day. This would also burn the stock pile.
Blizzard wants to attract new people to the game whith the WoW: Cataclysm expansion which is a reboot.
The problem though is the Burning Crusade Box and WotLK Box are not very great purchases once Cataclysm is released.
Each one only gets you about 10 levels and most of the end game content that was designed at the time the expansion was released will be obsolete.
In other words no one is going to pick up a game and try it out if they know they got to buy 3 more boxes just to reach end game. It just becomes obsurd at some point.
I imagine that Cataclysm is going to be a stand alone box that will replace the original box. Everyone will be required to purchase it but newbies won't have to bother buying the original box. Outland may be tossed in for free. Maybe WotLK will still be sold separetly.
well my guess is they will have an updated battlechest with vanilla, and the 2 xpacs so they won't get hit with the 4 boxes. But I doubt they will let people Skip TBC and WotLK when it comes out.
Ea is like a poo fingered midas ~ShakyMo
Currently, you get WoW+TBC for 30 bucks (WoW Battlechest), the same as they used to cost seperately. They sell it as a bundle now, rather than seperate boxes, which have been out of print since a while before WotLK was released. When Cataclysm is released, there will very likely be a new battle chest, containing WoW, TBC and WotLK for 30 bucks, and you "just" have to buy the Cataclysm box to complete it.
I don't think there's any barrier to newbies, cost wise. In total, it will cost the same as it does now. Right now, you pay 30 bucks for the Battlechest, and another 30 for WotLK. When Cataclysm is released, you will pay 30 bucks for the expansion, and 30 bucks for WoW+TBC+WotLK in the new battlechest.
Simple really.
Playing: WF
Played: WoW, GW2, L2, WAR, AoC, DnL (2005), GW, LotRO, EQ2, TOR, CoH (RIP), STO, TSW, TERA, EVE, ESO, BDO
Tried: EQ, UO, AO, EnB, TCoS, Fury, Ryzom, EU, DDO, TR, RF, CO, Aion, VG, DN, Vindictus, AA
Yes
They should just do what a lot of games do now days. Just put everything on one or maybe 2 DVDs. You pay like 30 bucks and you get everything. LOTRO, FFXI and others did so why not Blizz. Oh yeah thats right they just want peoples money so they will have to buy a Battle Chest that is overpriced then the latest expansion. Hell they are even still selling the Diablo 2 battle chest for 40 bones and that game is like 9 years old. But I can go buy NWN Diamond for 20 bones and and even get NWN2 Gold edition for 30 bucks.
Why Blizz? Why? I was actually going to buy Diablo 2 if it wasn't so damn expensive. Hell I could even get the Fallout trilogy for 20 bucks and get 3 damn games compared to one for twice as much. Blizz must think their shit is made of gold still after all these years.. I never played any thing besides WoW so IDK Im sure its a good game but come on they just overprice there shit IMHO.
Yes
Except you know that Blizz will make the expansion 39.99 cuz that is what WOTLK still is at. IMHO that is expensive for a expansion. 30 tops is what I'll pay for an expansion, but people don't seem to mind so Blizz will keep the prices till a lot of people don't buy it. The Battle Chest is also at 39.99 so Im guessing new players would have to pay upwards of 80 bucks if they want to level there characters to max.
Lorto had an expansion that was a seperate box? When did that happen? Same w FFX!. News to me, but then I don't really follow them. In fact the only fairly recent MMO's I'm aware of that heve had expansions, have been EQ2, WoW and GW in its iterations.
Edit: Plus newbies will actually make out cheaper than anyone who has been playing from the start. Current Battlechest + WOTLK plus Cat at 39.99 each is $120. Buying them when they came out + Cat means old timers will have paid $160. If they create a new Battlechest that has Vanilla, BC and Wrath for 39.99 then add Cataclysm Newbies are paying Half of what long timers pay/paid.
Lorto had an expansion that was a seperate box? When did that happen? Same w FFX!. News to me, but then I don't really follow them. In fact the only fairly recent MMO's I'm aware of that heve had expansions, have been EQ2, WoW and GW in its iterations.
I think you misread what I typed or maybe I mistyped what I ment to say. I got a buzz on.heh
Yeah I have the Mines of Moria + the original game sitting on my shelf , it cost me 30 bucks. I also have the FFXI 2008 collection that has the original game and 4 other expansions and it cost me 20 bucks but now its dropped down to 15 bucks.
Edit on your edit.
Yeah It is cheaper but not by much really if you compare it to others like EQ2. I can get everything for 39bones. I get the original game 5 expansions and 3 adventure packs. Both games came out in the same month Blizz obviously has had more success but yet you see Eq2 selling stuff for much cheaper.
It's a fair criticism to bring up. I'd guess they lower the prices and/or release a combo pack 6-12 months after Cataclysm's release.
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
Lorto had an expansion that was a seperate box? When did that happen? Same w FFX!. News to me, but then I don't really follow them. In fact the only fairly recent MMO's I'm aware of that heve had expansions, have been EQ2, WoW and GW in its iterations.
I think you misread what I typed or maybe I mistyped what I ment to say. I got a buzz on.heh
Yeah I have the Mines of Moria + the original game sitting on my shelf , it cost me 30 bucks. I also have the FFXI 2008 collection that has the original game and 4 other expansions and it cost me 20 bucks but now its dropped down to 15 bucks.
No, I read it properly, I really didn't know they had had seperate box expansions. FFXI has actually had four? Complete news to me, but, I really hadn't followed those two. I always thought the Mines of Moria was just a big Content update for LOTRO, should have paid more attention.
Lorto had an expansion that was a seperate box? When did that happen? Same w FFX!. News to me, but then I don't really follow them. In fact the only fairly recent MMO's I'm aware of that heve had expansions, have been EQ2, WoW and GW in its iterations.
I think you misread what I typed or maybe I mistyped what I ment to say. I got a buzz on.heh
Yeah I have the Mines of Moria + the original game sitting on my shelf , it cost me 30 bucks. I also have the FFXI 2008 collection that has the original game and 4 other expansions and it cost me 20 bucks but now its dropped down to 15 bucks.
No, I read it properly, I really didn't know they had had seperate box expansions. FFXI has actually had four? Complete news to me, but, I really hadn't followed those two. I always thought the Mines of Moria was just a big Content update for LOTRO, should have paid more attention.
Heh its all good I guess I was more confused on what you wrote.
Yeah MOM was a Expansion not just a regular content patch. FFXI has had 4 expansions, but I guess if your game is popular you can keep the prices the same and people will still buy them. Then the games that don't do well they just lower the prices so people will try them out.
Edit : Also I started playing EQ2 again till FE comes out but I have not spent a single dime on the game its self. I downloaded the free trial and then subbed from then on out. Right now Im only missing The shadow Odyssey right now. So I pretty much got EQ2 for free. I just don't understand why Blizz can still justify selling their games for as much as they do.
The OP obviously doesnt know about WoW Battle Chest.
Also, the other MMOs package their game and all subsequent expansions for around $20, which is great and makes getting into them easier for newcomers but, quite frankly, WoW doesnt need to.
WoW can afford to price new expansions seperately at $40 and package past expansions for $30. They are on top and they are in control. Thats the prerogative of being number 1.
If LotRO was the one with 11 million do you think they give away the game and the expansion away for $10? No they wouldnt.
Ah OK. I have not seen the WoW battle chest on the shelf before. Shows you how much I get out. If what you are saying is true then it is a moot point. WotLK will just be rolled into the battle chest.
However, there is still one point that is valid.
The original WoW contains a lot of content that is going to be blown away and probably never used. Does it make sense to require people to install this huge original world and then turn around and stick in another disk that just overwrites all the maps with new ones. Why not just create a new base game that includes Cataclysm?
Ah OK. I have not seen the WoW battle chest on the shelf before. Shows you how much I get out. If what you are saying is true then it is a moot point. WotLK will just be rolled into the battle chest.
However, there is still one point that is valid.
The original WoW contains a lot of content that is going to be blown away and probably never used. Does it make sense to require people to install this huge original world and then turn around and stick in another disk that just overwrites all the maps with new ones. Why not just create a new base game that includes Cataclysm?
You don't know that they won't, so slow down and stop worrying about things that are still a year away. Have some patience, and wait and see. A year from now, if they don't do the logical thing, then bring it up.
I *think* he's complaining about the fact that you'll have to buy WoW and three expansions to get everything after Cataclysm comes out. In fact, I expect Blizzard to be coming out with some sort of omnibus edition of WoW a few months after Cataclysm. Haven't heard any word of such a thing, but it really is getting to be time.
Yep, Rise of the Zilart, Chains of Promathia, Treasures of Aht Urghan and Wings of the Goddess. RotZ actually came out before the NA release, so the very first NA release was actually an omnibus edition that bundled it in. There was never a standalone edition of just RotZ anywhere except Japan.
Where have you been? They have been selling a Wow + BC box for at least a year if not more. I expect one selling the original plus the two expansions for the xmas season. Blizzard is not blind to merchandising opportunities.
I totally misread the post at first. Ugh!
On that note, I don't think blizzard is going to lose the chance to get subscribers by increasing the barrier to join the game. Past trends show that they want to get the game in as many peoples hands as possible, because they have a very good retention rate. The are not filling their coffers by selling game boxes, but instead by selling subscriptions. If I remember right, during the burning crusade the original game was could be found for as low as $10 bucks? Then the battlechest came out around the time lich king released.
If things continue along those lines we will see something marketed that allows players to buy 2 boxes. One for the lateset expansion and one for everything else. Though I would rather see an all encompassing 1 box gives everything approach, but the market is supporting 2 game box purchases for everything right now, so I doubt it will change.
Check the catalysm FAQ. i think it is already answered.
You don't need any expansion to see the new changed world. But you don't have access to L80-85 zones, plus a number of goodies if you don't buy the expansion.
Kind of nice playing a game with 10 free expansions and an 11th due anytime soon
Give me liberty or give me lasers
prob same way eq2 did it
Pfft, four boxes is NOTHING after you played EQ.
I stopped playing around expansion number 11 and they're planning expansion 16 for around November this year, last I heard.
Four isn't even worth talking about. Plus, you don't need to buy the whole lot in one go if you don't want to.
Smooth that molehill over - you'll never make it into that mountain you want.
Pfft, four boxes is NOTHING after you played EQ.
I stopped playing around expansion number 11 and they're planning expansion 16 for around November this year, last I heard.
Four isn't even worth talking about. Plus, you don't need to buy the whole lot in one go if you don't want to.
Smooth that molehill over - you'll never make it into that mountain you want.
Difference is if you by an EQ2 xpac you get everything with it.