Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
WoW Adding a F2P Style Cash Shop, Confirmed by Blizz.
Fly666monkey
Member UncommonPosts: 161
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125672-Rumor-World-of-Warcraft-To-Add-Microtransactions
What started as a rumor this morning after several players noticed an XP boosting item in the public test shard has been confirmed by a Blizzard Employee as part of an upcoming in-game cash shop.
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/9377319765?page=9#177
While no mention has been made of the game moving to a free to play model, this has gotten the rumor mill churning. If WoW is planning on going free to play, could this be the final nail in the coffin for subscription-based MMOGs?
Comments
For some reasons I find this extremely funny.
Also, I'm sure that "store" will have plenty of mounts and pets, Blizz already sell those for WoW.
"We are currently exploring the possibility of adding a way for players in certain regions to make purchases directly within the game," Zarhym says. "We'll provide additional updates on our plans as development progresses."
Well if I had to guess which regions would both want and be comfortable with things like XP potions, I'd say the Asian market would fit this description best.
I think we all know WoW will at some point in time, go F2P. But I'm expecting it to remain P2P with Cash Shop for a long time - basically double dipping just because they can.
What I do think this is saying is that they are under pressure to improve revenue and with the slow drain of players and the lack of new players flooding in they have to make more money from existing players to maintain current cash flow.
They've also moved 70% of their Titan staff to other projects (and I'd assume a number of them would go to the WoW team) so they're looking to increase their speed at content creation which, being Blizzard, is glacial.
And they've got to grab the cash while they can, because there are some potential heavy hitters coming out soon that will continue to chip away at WoW subs. TESO, Wildstar, EQN, FFARR
I'm sure you're right, it's also the area of the world they lost the most subs from.
I can't actually imagine the point of an XP boost in WoW for anyone but brand new players, and even then it's so fast most people blink and miss it already. I suppose if you just want your new character to 90 asap then you could blitz it in a day or so, at least up to MoP content.
However, I am sure I recall Blizzard swearing honest god that the Celestial Steed was not NOT *NOT* (!) the start of a slippery slope into the usual cheesy F2P boosts.
Disappointing. I would hope that being subbed gives you the same exp speed as these pots and they are going to merely add some F2P servers.
WTF are you people smoking?
They've been doing these microtransactions for YEARS. YEARS!
Server transfers, race change, gender change, name change, sparkly horses, cloudy dragons, chimera pets, panda pets.
Bitching about it at this point seems a tad ridiculous.
"ZOMG they're putting their microtransactions IN THE GAME" (as opposed to being a battle.net browser....)
This is gaming quicksand at it's best. QUICK DO SOMETHING TO STOP PEOPLE FROM LEAVING IN DROVES. Chug chug chug (only forcing people to leave quicker).
Yeah, Its funny how some people are like "WOOAAW! Blizzard add here some microtransactions".
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.? -Albert Einstein
"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent" - Qui-gon Jinn. After many years of reading Internet forums, there's no doubt that neither does the ability to write.
So if you notice that I'm no longer answering your nonsense, stop trying... because you just joined my block list.
Remind me when gaining XP was hard and needed a boost?
They may as well sell a "Scroll of Maximum Level" for $100 each and be done with it. Why even bother leveling.
I blame the players, not Blizz. Blizz is just providing items that the players want (apparenlty).
I think the fact that they are adding an in-game store is the main reason why this is getting the attention it is. This is the exact reason that I DON'T think they're testing the waters with the XP booster: they've had plenty of time to figure out what people are willing to pay for microtransactions. The XP booster and in game cash shop seems more in line with a steady switch to a Free to Play or Freemium Model.
This is just speculation, of course.
I have a feeling its going to be used to milk more cash from current users before throwing F2P in the mix. Blizzard isn't above milking its users for money, so having a cash shop with some goods would net them more cash in the long run, until they decide to just go F2P after they feel they got as much as they could from paying subscribers and think its right to go F2P and run on its 'popularity' train before it becomes irrelevant. I think its not really a surprise to anyone in me saying WoW has been far from the 'best' game out there for years now, much of its remaining dominance has been through nostalgia and the use of its numbers left from it. At this point, it is not enough to keep the game going at a steady population. With so much choice and terrible decision after terrible decision trying to cater to casuals, its causing dedicated players to move on, many of which might of gotten more casual friends into the game who leave as well, due to them leaving or just not being as dedicated to it.
Wow was a game that brought me plenty of enjoyment in the past, but its time to accept its not the same game it use to be and its aging in the process. Bad game design choices and age can quickly make a big nostalgic game become irrelevant and cause it to 'bleed out' when the market is so over saturated.
In a world of sharp knives, you would be a spoon.
Meh, old game is old. All this signifies is that this game is losing subs at a high rate & that they are projecting this trend to continue. All failing games eventually seek the crutch that is free to play to maintain the illusion of a virile & healthy population. F2P is essentially the toupee of the mmo industry.
Those hoping this signals that P2P is on the ropes are underestimating the P2P player base along with the new FFXIV mmo. Also, like others in numerous posts have said, this isn't exactly a new practice for WoW. It's just that they are trying to make the act of spending money appear to be part of the game & less like online shopping. It's easier to separate you from your money that way. Much like modern day slot machines. They appear to be games but suck your account down to the last & leave you at the gates of Limbo.
If WoW goes F2P, many players will seek refuge in another P2P game which could truly be the self inflicted death blow mmo players have been prophetically babbling about for years.
Spot on, I bear no grudge against WoW but if anything I would think it would just encourage people to leave. Depends if the number of people that would use this exceed the number of people that leave in disgust ^^
I sometimes make spelling and grammar errors but I don't pretend it's because I'm using a phone
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Mounts and pets you can get in game for in game currency but XP potions looks like shop only that's a bit different unless you can buy them with in game currency.
Even if you earn less then 75 million per month, would you risk losing it all? We shall all just have to wait and see.
In a world of sharp knives, you would be a spoon.
WoW going to F2P, doubt it. I doubt it because the fan base has already labeled F2P = fail.
That won't mean that Blizzard won't add things to level faster. Many ways with it already in MoP, and it's clear they want folks to level 90 quickly.
My qualm in all of it, once a player does get there the content gets old quick. Which in turn players want even more content.
After all the changes that Cata brought, frankly I don't enjoy the game. To be told my class of choice was too simple, when those asking to make it more complex lied that it was just a two button class -- and the devs agreed -- more so. When things like that happen, it kills the fun of the game. You're always be reminded what the devs said. A XP boost to raise another class is pointless. Between Cata and MoP, I still played less of them than WotLK. WotLK it was wall-to-wall raids with ICC and no need for LFR for it, either. 25 man raids. But Cata came and flipped every thing over, despite we told them the changes would ruin the game. We were right, millions left and even more are leaving.
It comes down to respect basically. Waste a players time, money and effort players leave with a bad impression of not only the game the publisher, too. It's just a class to Blizzard, but it's something a player put all that time and money in to play, just to have it thrown like a ragdoll "just because" is just wrong.
I would love to return to those WotLK days, but the way the game is going (like bosses doing the AoEs, removing a fun part of downing mobs) it's pretty clear what WoW is becoming, a game much like a shooter and as generic. Boring. Which reflects the game play and mechanics since WotLK (why nerf the boss? Just buff the players). I won't lie, I liked it like that being powerful, not the boss's play toy.
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
If this were any other game/developer people would be holding up blizzard approched to population managment as a great alternative to simply closing servers and forcing migrations on players.... yes WoW has a population issue on many realms but blizzards solution does have features that a simple shut down x amount of servers do not.
I don't know why I bother but features include;
Has anyone noticed that almost no one bothered to actually read the topic in discussion? they probably don't even realise that Blizzard has been doing micro transactions for years through batlle.net. Only difference is that they are adding it in game for sake of convenience.
It is amazing how many people just immediately jumped 'WOW is going F2P i told you so' bandwagon. Desperate much?
"The problem is that the hardcore folks always want the same thing: 'We want exactly what you gave us before, but it has to be completely different.'
-Jesse Schell
"Online gamers are the most ludicrously entitled beings since Caligula made his horse a senator, and at least the horse never said anything stupid."
-Luke McKinney
[mod edit]
NEW IDEAS that can refresh the STALE state of MMORPGs