This is just as tangible as a sunset or the view from a mountain or a child's smile.
Cute, but that is why I said "tad" :P.
If I said to you I will give you 2,000.00 every time you see one on a screen I believe you would make out quite well.
I'm sure, they're selling like hotcakes afterall.
The thing is, people want to argue that these things "don't exist". But cleary they do exist. Perhaps not in a form you can put on your bedroom night stand or in your kitchen but they are there in a form where people can enjoy them within the format they are presented.
It exists, at least as long as you play.
Otherwise, to make the leap, we are all spending money on games that aren't tangible and have absolutely no meaning. Which then begs the question "why are we here on MMORPG.com".
As far as the expansion argument vs buying a flying horse. Sure. But that is just a question of value.
Some people blow through expansion content so fast that they pretty much need more by the end of the week (if not sooner). But an in game mount that one can enjoy for the entirety of their game experience can last a lot longer.
Sure, that's true I won't deny it. Still to me asking for $25 dollars is asking to much. Considering the value of the base product, isn't even $25 .
However if people are willing to pay that, they obviously see $25 worth of value in it. Who am I to question what they consider $25 worth of value?
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
What you said is true, in the right areas. For example, ripping on this marketing plan of Blizzard's on here or as a Facebook post will not get the desired attention it would as if you were to post this on the wow forums and had a significant number of responses, IMO. But don't assume I don't watch the industry because of my statement, because I haven't "clearly" anything but state my opinion.
Well, you're still wrong, because the MMO companies DO have people reading important gaming sites like this one. Given the numbers - probably Facebook, too.
Sure, I am open to new knowledge if one can provide the facts.
EDIT: My point is if you are a union worker and your union is on strike, do you protest a few blocks down at the gas station, or do you make noise at the doorstep to the business itself? You want the attention of Blizzard, get ahold of them and state your concern. Its when people complain and moan elsewhere that they won't get as much notice. Maybe I am not coming across with my point that well, and that is my mistake.
Some full-length games only cost as much as this mount and those were made by developers potentially spending years making them; in contrast this thing is a shoddy re-skin which could have been made by a semi decent solo modder in his spare time.
The fact that people are buying it en masse however, might mark a scary evolution with companies offering future mounts and the like up for microtransactions (+ontop of a sub), while these things used to come without additional cost.
Feel free to use my referral link for SW:TOR if you want to test out the game. You'll get some special unlocks!
It's all about moderation and pickkng and choosing what is right for our lives at any given moment.
If you're spending real money on virtual items - you do have a problem. It's not just time that can be spent foolishly.
How can you justify that stance? If you spend money on alcohol since it is a poison you could be considered to "have a problem" If you play games at all you are escaping from reality. It's elitist to say "the way I waste my time and money has meaning, but you sir, are an idiot!" Why do people have a problem with other people having fun and doing what they want? It's not like your baleful looks get you better epics...
It's all about moderation and pickkng and choosing what is right for our lives at any given moment.
If you're spending real money on virtual items - you do have a problem. It's not just time that can be spent foolishly.
People should be and are free to spend their money on whatever they should so desire, and if the money they are spending is not being ill used in place of important things such as food or rent or medicine. Then what is the problem?
This is not the WoW I knew and loved. This is a whole new beast. I'm glad I was there in the beginning but power to those who enjoy what the game has evolved into.
$25 extra for some pixels, aside from the subscription fee. Oi.
It's all about moderation and pickkng and choosing what is right for our lives at any given moment.
If you're spending real money on virtual items - you do have a problem. It's not just time that can be spent foolishly.
But you are arguing taste here. You can't argue taste.
If I spend $25 on a virtual item and have met all my financial responsibilities is that any more heinous then spending $25 on movie tickets but I can't by lunch the next day?
If spend $1000.00 dollars on superbowl tickets but can't get my (hypothetical) kids the things they need isn't that worse if I have $1000.00 to spend but have the expendable income to do it?
We all spend money on things that someone else will be able to argue is useless or garbage. So you are saying that if you invite me over for lunch and I look around your house I can't find things you spent money on that really don't seem worth it? Or the opposite, things that I think you SHOULD be spending money on such as a new couch because yours has a hole in it and the evidence of waaaay to many burritos eaten over the years?
I'm a big believer in "take care of your financial obligations and then spend your money in a way that you enjoy". If that is on porn or "my little pony" or box seats at a sporting event, or game subs or those little garden gnomes you put in your, er, garden, then so be it.
Look, I spend more money on dress shirts than most average people would consider.
why? because they are of good quality, look great for my dress aesthetic and I enjoy them. As long as I take care of my financial obligations then I don't really feel like being dissuaded from buyng these.
But I could easily see someone say "well, you could just go to macy's and spend about 35 dollars on something that will still work. Whyt waste the money.
Do I have a problem? No one really suffers if I spend my money at Hugo Boss over Macy's. However, if I had a family or a lot of debt and I did this then "yes" that would be a huuuuuge problem.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
What you said is true, in the right areas. For example, ripping on this marketing plan of Blizzard's on here or as a Facebook post will not get the desired attention it would as if you were to post this on the wow forums and had a significant number of responses, IMO. But don't assume I don't watch the industry because of my statement, because I haven't "clearly" anything but state my opinion.
Well, you're still wrong, because the MMO companies DO have people reading important gaming sites like this one. Given the numbers - probably Facebook, too.
Sure, I am open to new knowledge if one can provide the facts.
EDIT: My point is if you are a union worker and your union is on strike, do you protest a few blocks down at the gas station, or do you make noise at the doorstep to the business itself? You want the attention of Blizzard, get ahold of them and state your concern. Its when people complain and moan elsewhere that they won't get as much notice. Maybe I am not coming across with my point that well, and that is my mistake.
You also go to the press.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
How can you justify that stance? If you spend money on alcohol since it is a poison you could be considered to "have a problem"
LOL you picked the wrong example. I agree with you. I don't drink alcohol.
I do, on my celestial steed. lol. After I have cooked my wife a nice dinner, done the laundry, cleaned up and done the dishes and have made sure she is ok for the night.
congrats to the fish( subscribers) that took the bait off the hook like hotcakes on crack. You also just showed bliz that the people are loyal and dumb enough to pay 25 dollars for some pixels and animation that probably took them a day or two to make.
But seriously, this is the first step in the wrong direction for the MMO industry and sooner or later this path will be well tread by many a MMO developer/publisher much to the dismay of the gamers' pocketbooks.
It is impressive but it also shows that Blizzard lacks integrity and is motivated souly by greed and it shows the people that brought it lack integrity and are motivated by vanity . Would we be as impressed if we saw Blizzard bring in player housing at a premium and a furnature cash shop ? .
In the end its upto people what they do with their own money but as the old proverb says "a fool and his money are soon parted" and in this case never a truer word was spoken .
Interesting... What is this "integrity" that you claim that Blizzard lacks? Would you care to be *specific*? As for vanity, there is and has always been a market for supplying that. Thats simply human nature.
How can you justify that stance? If you spend money on alcohol since it is a poison you could be considered to "have a problem"
LOL you picked the wrong example. I agree with you. I don't drink alcohol.
Choosing to abstain yourself is admirable, telling others they are wrong for not agreeing and acting as you do is tyrannical.
i would rather have alcochol and have fun for a night or two, instead of having some pixels in a game that i would leave, or eventually wither away.
And some people would rather eschew alcohol as they dont' like how it makes them feel or that you are just "renting it" and have fun in game with a "pixel" pet they can enjoy for as long as they play the game.
Remember, if you are arguing that "pixels" have no value then that means all video games essentially have no value. I think we all know that we derive enjoyment from our experiences in these games. They are just as tangible as movies or music.
I mean, how much do you spend for cd's or downloads? what are you paying for but sound waves organized in a certain way.
The only difference is that one is a light wave and one is a sound wave.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
What you said is true, in the right areas. For example, ripping on this marketing plan of Blizzard's on here or as a Facebook post will not get the desired attention it would as if you were to post this on the wow forums and had a significant number of responses, IMO. But don't assume I don't watch the industry because of my statement, because I haven't "clearly" anything but state my opinion.
Well, you're still wrong, because the MMO companies DO have people reading important gaming sites like this one. Given the numbers - probably Facebook, too.
Sure, I am open to new knowledge if one can provide the facts.
EDIT: My point is if you are a union worker and your union is on strike, do you protest a few blocks down at the gas station, or do you make noise at the doorstep to the business itself? You want the attention of Blizzard, get ahold of them and state your concern. Its when people complain and moan elsewhere that they won't get as much notice. Maybe I am not coming across with my point that well, and that is my mistake.
You also go to the press.
Will any naysayers to this way of offering gamers new items do that? Will you? If so, then all power to you or whoever does. I encourage it. If you want your voice to be heard, then do what it takes. Otherwise all anyone is doing is whining about this or whatever the subject maybe. Like I said before, I can understand that some people may not like this whole thing, but ...
It's all about moderation and pickkng and choosing what is right for our lives at any given moment.
If you're spending real money on virtual items - you do have a problem. It's not just time that can be spent foolishly.
Really? Its like any hobby in that regard. Using real money(such as it is) to provide oneself entertaiment is hardly a waste in my book. Nor would I consider it any type of problem. Its all about choices.
If customers are dumb enough to pay for a mount which they then have to pay a sub to access, then it's their money, that's fair enough. Who cares? Blizz can sell virtual green knob cheese and WoW addicts will buy it then pay a sub to access it. Every single month on every present and future character. With green knob cheese from Blizzards store just for them.
What you said is true, in the right areas. For example, ripping on this marketing plan of Blizzard's on here or as a Facebook post will not get the desired attention it would as if you were to post this on the wow forums and had a significant number of responses, IMO. But don't assume I don't watch the industry because of my statement, because I haven't "clearly" anything but state my opinion.
Well, you're still wrong, because the MMO companies DO have people reading important gaming sites like this one. Given the numbers - probably Facebook, too.
Sure, I am open to new knowledge if one can provide the facts.
EDIT: My point is if you are a union worker and your union is on strike, do you protest a few blocks down at the gas station, or do you make noise at the doorstep to the business itself? You want the attention of Blizzard, get ahold of them and state your concern. Its when people complain and moan elsewhere that they won't get as much notice. Maybe I am not coming across with my point that well, and that is my mistake.
You also go to the press.
Good luck with that... Unless your issue doesn't conflict with the corporate agenda, you are going to have a very difficult time getting access to the main stream media. From my perspective Blizzard is doing nothing wrong in their current actions. It is, and remains all about choice. People do not have to play WoW, nor do they have to purchase items from the item shop.
It's all about moderation and pickkng and choosing what is right for our lives at any given moment.
If you're spending real money on virtual items - you do have a problem. It's not just time that can be spent foolishly.
If we're going down that road, we might as well say everyone has their problems and leave it at that. There's far to much anonymity on the internet to be pyschoanalyzing people.
The only judgement call on an issue like this to made is, how it effects you personally. It doesn't have an effect on me, as i don't play WOW, or any mmo at present that offers micro-transactions, at least of the legal variety. If the game I currently play, starts offering them, only then will I need to make a decision based on such practices. I'd probably still play.
Not to say I wouldn't lose respect for the Developers or Company running said game. As long as I'm not buying they're not seeing support for it from me.
Will WOW's new model affect the rest of the industry? Who knows, it's possible, yet their new model could possibly positively affect other studios, that don't offer or support MT.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Some people think cash shops destroy games and the industry at large. Are we seeing any concurrent drop in subscriptions in the mmo genre? Has WOW subs taken a 25% hit or anything as dramatic as would be warranted by selling a near invisible horse in a cash shop and making 2 million dollars in four hours?
Comments
Sure, that's true I won't deny it. Still to me asking for $25 dollars is asking to much. Considering the value of the base product, isn't even $25 .
However if people are willing to pay that, they obviously see $25 worth of value in it. Who am I to question what they consider $25 worth of value?
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
If you're spending real money on virtual items - you do have a problem. It's not just time that can be spent foolishly.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Sure, I am open to new knowledge if one can provide the facts.
EDIT: My point is if you are a union worker and your union is on strike, do you protest a few blocks down at the gas station, or do you make noise at the doorstep to the business itself? You want the attention of Blizzard, get ahold of them and state your concern. Its when people complain and moan elsewhere that they won't get as much notice. Maybe I am not coming across with my point that well, and that is my mistake.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Some full-length games only cost as much as this mount and those were made by developers potentially spending years making them; in contrast this thing is a shoddy re-skin which could have been made by a semi decent solo modder in his spare time.
The fact that people are buying it en masse however, might mark a scary evolution with companies offering future mounts and the like up for microtransactions (+ontop of a sub), while these things used to come without additional cost.
Feel free to use my referral link for SW:TOR if you want to test out the game. You'll get some special unlocks!
How can you justify that stance? If you spend money on alcohol since it is a poison you could be considered to "have a problem" If you play games at all you are escaping from reality. It's elitist to say "the way I waste my time and money has meaning, but you sir, are an idiot!" Why do people have a problem with other people having fun and doing what they want? It's not like your baleful looks get you better epics...
People should be and are free to spend their money on whatever they should so desire, and if the money they are spending is not being ill used in place of important things such as food or rent or medicine. Then what is the problem?
This is not the WoW I knew and loved. This is a whole new beast. I'm glad I was there in the beginning but power to those who enjoy what the game has evolved into.
$25 extra for some pixels, aside from the subscription fee. Oi.
.
But you are arguing taste here. You can't argue taste.
If I spend $25 on a virtual item and have met all my financial responsibilities is that any more heinous then spending $25 on movie tickets but I can't by lunch the next day?
If spend $1000.00 dollars on superbowl tickets but can't get my (hypothetical) kids the things they need isn't that worse if I have $1000.00 to spend but have the expendable income to do it?
We all spend money on things that someone else will be able to argue is useless or garbage. So you are saying that if you invite me over for lunch and I look around your house I can't find things you spent money on that really don't seem worth it? Or the opposite, things that I think you SHOULD be spending money on such as a new couch because yours has a hole in it and the evidence of waaaay to many burritos eaten over the years?
I'm a big believer in "take care of your financial obligations and then spend your money in a way that you enjoy". If that is on porn or "my little pony" or box seats at a sporting event, or game subs or those little garden gnomes you put in your, er, garden, then so be it.
Look, I spend more money on dress shirts than most average people would consider.
http://www.hugoboss-store.com/Formal-French-Cuff-Dress-Shirt/hbna50121646,en_US,pd.html?dwvar_hbna50121646_color=120_Open-White&start=5&cgid=21300
why? because they are of good quality, look great for my dress aesthetic and I enjoy them. As long as I take care of my financial obligations then I don't really feel like being dissuaded from buyng these.
But I could easily see someone say "well, you could just go to macy's and spend about 35 dollars on something that will still work. Whyt waste the money.
Do I have a problem? No one really suffers if I spend my money at Hugo Boss over Macy's. However, if I had a family or a lot of debt and I did this then "yes" that would be a huuuuuge problem.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
You also go to the press.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
I do, on my celestial steed. lol. After I have cooked my wife a nice dinner, done the laundry, cleaned up and done the dishes and have made sure she is ok for the night.
Choosing to abstain yourself is admirable, telling others they are wrong for not agreeing and acting as you do is tyrannical.
congrats to the fish( subscribers) that took the bait off the hook like hotcakes on crack. You also just showed bliz that the people are loyal and dumb enough to pay 25 dollars for some pixels and animation that probably took them a day or two to make.
I'm glad I don't play WoW.
But seriously, this is the first step in the wrong direction for the MMO industry and sooner or later this path will be well tread by many a MMO developer/publisher much to the dismay of the gamers' pocketbooks.
i would rather have alcochol and have fun for a night or two, instead of having some pixels in a game that i would leave, or eventually wither away.
Interesting... What is this "integrity" that you claim that Blizzard lacks? Would you care to be *specific*? As for vanity, there is and has always been a market for supplying that. Thats simply human nature.
And some people would rather eschew alcohol as they dont' like how it makes them feel or that you are just "renting it" and have fun in game with a "pixel" pet they can enjoy for as long as they play the game.
Remember, if you are arguing that "pixels" have no value then that means all video games essentially have no value. I think we all know that we derive enjoyment from our experiences in these games. They are just as tangible as movies or music.
I mean, how much do you spend for cd's or downloads? what are you paying for but sound waves organized in a certain way.
The only difference is that one is a light wave and one is a sound wave.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
Will any naysayers to this way of offering gamers new items do that? Will you? If so, then all power to you or whoever does. I encourage it. If you want your voice to be heard, then do what it takes. Otherwise all anyone is doing is whining about this or whatever the subject maybe. Like I said before, I can understand that some people may not like this whole thing, but ...
http://www.wow.com/2010/04/15/poll-selling-the-celestial-steed-is/
Vote how you will, but look at the results.
Really? Its like any hobby in that regard. Using real money(such as it is) to provide oneself entertaiment is hardly a waste in my book. Nor would I consider it any type of problem. Its all about choices.
If customers are dumb enough to pay for a mount which they then have to pay a sub to access, then it's their money, that's fair enough. Who cares? Blizz can sell virtual green knob cheese and WoW addicts will buy it then pay a sub to access it. Every single month on every present and future character. With green knob cheese from Blizzards store just for them.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Good luck with that... Unless your issue doesn't conflict with the corporate agenda, you are going to have a very difficult time getting access to the main stream media. From my perspective Blizzard is doing nothing wrong in their current actions. It is, and remains all about choice. People do not have to play WoW, nor do they have to purchase items from the item shop.
If we're going down that road, we might as well say everyone has their problems and leave it at that. There's far to much anonymity on the internet to be pyschoanalyzing people.
The only judgement call on an issue like this to made is, how it effects you personally. It doesn't have an effect on me, as i don't play WOW, or any mmo at present that offers micro-transactions, at least of the legal variety. If the game I currently play, starts offering them, only then will I need to make a decision based on such practices. I'd probably still play.
Not to say I wouldn't lose respect for the Developers or Company running said game. As long as I'm not buying they're not seeing support for it from me.
Will WOW's new model affect the rest of the industry? Who knows, it's possible, yet their new model could possibly positively affect other studios, that don't offer or support MT.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Some people think cash shops destroy games and the industry at large. Are we seeing any concurrent drop in subscriptions in the mmo genre? Has WOW subs taken a 25% hit or anything as dramatic as would be warranted by selling a near invisible horse in a cash shop and making 2 million dollars in four hours?
Or is Blizzard just a little richer now?