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Looks like a Microtransaction blog from Anet is coming
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Some people have rational concerns. This could quell them. As for the trolls and fifth columnists, they are beyond reason to start with so nothing will change their minds. I'm sure the blog will be directed at the former group of players rather than the latter.
But wait a minute. According to ANet themselves, they don't need anything but the box sales to keep the game going. That's the cornerstone of the whole "developers have to justify subscriptions because we at ANet don't need them" routine in denouncing the subscription model.
Of course, despite that, I agree with you. Saying they'll have a cash shop to help support and fund the game is far more realistic and honest than believing that a wave of box sales once every couple years will be enough to keep the game, the servers, employee salaries and all other expenses covered indefinitely. Unless they have an influx of money from other sources, investors or what-not, those box sale revenues are going to run out eventually.
Fact is, subscriptions are as viable a payment method as they've ever been. Cash Shops selling compulsory items in a F2P game are an alternative. ANet's "buy to play" with optional cash shop items is another alternative. In all cases, the welfare of the game rides entirely on how well made the game is, and how well it gains and maintains a healthy enough population.
Is it wrong of me to be more excited about seeing the reaction to this blog than the blog itself?
I better get to pay in dollars in that store. No way I'm going to pay 33% higher prices for that too, just like shown on buy.guildwars2.com
Well, it'll be big news for people who never played GW1. But when GW1 came out we had like 4 slots and it was enough for quite some time... Since GW2 is going to be an even bigger game than GW1 I'm guessing it'll take you even more to fill up the slots you'll have with characters...
As you guys said, if I'll want more chars then I'll buy it after I fill up those 5 slots.
"Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life."
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My concern isn't so much about exactly what is and isn't in the cash shop. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see stuff in there that gives advantages either,
However, my concern is what players can do with the items they buy.
Especially around consumables. Yeah they seem harmless enough as a cash shop item, until people start buying them with the intent to resell or trade in game for other items and services.
That will eventually turn the game to a cash shop based economy
Ok, I'm only going by GW1. But nothing you could buy in the cash shop could be used by anyone except characters on YOUR account.
One of life's lil hand grenades
Its even better, there are no more PvP only chars, even if you level em entirely in PvP, you still can go out and PvE with them, which is way better then restricted to PvP only.
PS: Martin said: "No speculations, please" And we do just that
hehe
I never said I don't want consumables to be available, but It's a bad thing where people with big bugets can pull ahead of people who don't because they frequent the cash shop.
They do not need the sub..
if you have a cash shop with stuff like extra character slots for your account, cosmetic outfits, name changes, gender changes, extra storage chests and stuff in there costs from 5$ to 15$ the profit from it is a lot less. Not everyone will buy stuff from the cash shop (I never bought a single item from the cash shop in GW1 and never missed a thing or was at any kind of disadvantage) and those who will probably wouldn't spend 15$ every time they'd go and buy things in it unless you're an outfit fan and buy them all or feel like changing gender/name every now and then.
I think that's still a lot smaller profit than the profit of monthly sub. So if GW1 managed to pull it of, I think GW2 will do even a better job. Cash shop is probably there like a backup and/or extra profit maker to keep the money flowing after the initial box sales so they can make alot more content. Something like in GW1, yes
"Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life."
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You mean, items sold in the shop to turn into an exchange unit? I agree with that if its what you mean. Only items that are found in game should be turn into that, ike the Ectoplasm orbs.
I know people are using GW1 as the model, and it is reassuring, but It's still a wait and see thing for me. I already watched FunCom make the same promises they (in their own words) Would not sell "power" in the Cash Shop. And now Anarchy Online is flat out Pay to Win. Not because of what they are actually selling, but what you can "convert" those items into after you buy them.
GeeTee I know you didn't say that. I was just trying to ease your mind that from past experience this has not been a route anet has gone down. I see no reason to believe they would suddenly change tactic. I remember trying out Dungeon Runners I think it was. Everything I picked up was cardboard. My clothes, weapons etc. If you didn't want cardboard things you had to pay real money. Dumb. SO I agree with you and I think some people and not saying you, are making anet guilty of past practices from other game developers and the game is not even released yet. People see cash shop and the sky starts falling.
One of life's lil hand grenades
It's fine, I TOTALLY misread your reply. Dude, and I am sorry for that.
hey no worry!!! Just thought I offended you and that wasn't my intentions promise !
One of life's lil hand grenades
Well, it's no secret that to tell what someone will do next...Look at what they have done before......And honestly, that is the ONLY reason I am giving GW2 a second look. Becasue according to everyone here, they were responsible with their prior cash shop.
Unlike a certain other new game soon to be released who's parent company has a slightly tarnished reputation.
I'm really not worried about Anet's microtransactions. If the game is super good quality and well made I have no issue with paying money for cool things in the game as long as they don't increase player power and I believe Anet when they say they won't increase player power.
Cosmetics is a great way to make money and believe it or not they will make tons from skins. Anyone who has gotten into League of Legends knows that those skins sell for 10$ a piece and they're literally a inch tall.
If expansions are well thought out and large I will have no issue dishing out 60$ every 6 months to be able to do new dungeons or play a new class.
For me it's all about quality.
The issues come up when you pay money for something that is bad quality. (sweater)
I've no issue at all with buying boxed expansions if the quality justifies it. To me, that's just in place of a subscription.
And while almost any other game having a cash shop is a deal breaker, I am going to trust ANet will do what they say.....They have so far.
what games doesnt have a cash shop... been a long time since i played one
Why not just post the cash shop, or what they have so far?
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The person who is certain, and who claims divine warrant for his certainty, belongs now to the infancy of our species.
WoW is a good example. WoW has RMT (Real Money Transactions)
They allow you do do things that are more at the account level or they allow you to have cosmetic items in the game. They do not sell items that can be used in the game that do anything stat wise. And beyond that, what you can get, is limited to your caharacter or your account. What WoW does not have is a button in the gaem tha tbrings up a little mini browser that connects you to a database full of items that do afffect your character's stats in one way or another. And beyond that They cannot be traded. This is fine, I don't think anyone has issues with this type of set up.
And no one would get upset if a game with a cash shop started offering potions and buffs right? Standard consumables readily available in the game anyway? no big deal right? But what if they aren't bound? Now you can then buy them in large quantities and take them to your server's auction house and put them up for bid undercutting everyone else.
See where this is going?
I see where you going but just having something easier accesible doesnt make it any different. Now they can mess up the cash shop but if they do it wont be because they allow you to do it while in game. I dont see a difference between doing it at the account level or in game, Also i would hope that everything you pay real money for is bound and once you use and item say transmutaion stone on an item that item becomes bound.
I agree that you in no way should you be able to sell what you get out of the cash shop. selilng pots is also fine as long as you cant re sell them for ingame cash cuz then you might as well just sell in game money in the cash shop
because it wouldnt matter, those that opose it or say that its gonna be pay 2 win are still gonna say it. it will just change to there hiding the p2w stuff till release or we still dont know what all there gonna sell and so on
What ArenaNet has always said is the that fees required to maintain an online game are much, much smaller than what the subscriptions people are paying have led them to believe. They say that a game can be run on a fraction of the subscription prices that are currently being charged and that companies have been reaping exorbitant profits as a result.
As far as I understand the model, the box sales will pay for the development of the game and kickstart new expansions. The cash shop will cover the ongoing maintenance costs and also feed back in to further development, perhaps even funding the entirety of live team who will continue to add free updates to the base game.
Bingo! You hit the nail on the head.
In once case, I am fine with it, (With in reason of course) in the other, It's a cash shop based game economy and I am out.