Blizzard cash shop, interesting question!

Bandar83 · April 2010

Hello everyone,

I've been following the community reaction on the recent cash shop items from Blizzard. There is a lot of argument about it. I figured that I would ask a hypothetical question and see how that changes the debate.

What would you say/How would you react if Blizzard offered player housing in the cash shop?

I'm just wondering because the biggest case for the cash shop that I've seen is that it's ok as long it doesn't affect gameplay or is a "fluff" item. Technically player housing is a "fluff" item, because it does not change gameplay mechanics or give any player an unfair advantage.

Please try to be as civil as possible. This is just a hypothetical question, they haven't done it yet and I haven't heard any rumors stating they are going to do it.

Thanks for your responses in this discussion.

biofellis · April 2010

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Bandar83 · April 2010

Originally posted by biofellis

Player housing isn't 'fluff'.

If theres any storage, it's like buying bank slots.

If there's a location, it'll be like an extra hearthstone- or at least a different location.

Depending on where it can be placed/purchased, there may be tactical or convenience issues for some.

Definantly a potential issue for guilds and assembly as well if they can't get 'halls' & such.

It's not that simple.

It is that simple. It doesn't change how any player affects another and does not change the core mechanics of the game. All the stuff you mentioned does not give one player an advantage over another. In other cash shops, storage space etc. is "fluff".

That is why player housing is technically "fluff".

biofellis · April 2010

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Bandar83 · April 2010

Originally posted by biofellis

Originally posted by Bandar83

Originally posted by biofellis

Player housing isn't 'fluff'.

If theres any storage, it's like buying bank slots.

If there's a location, it'll be like an extra hearthstone- or at least a different location.

Depending on where it can be placed/purchased, there may be tactical or convenience issues for some.

Definantly a potential issue for guilds and assembly as well if they can't get 'halls' & such.

It's not that simple.

It is that simple. It doesn't change how any player affects another and does not change the core mechanics of the game. All the stuff you mentioned does not give one player an advantage over another. In other cash shops, storage space etc. is "fluff".

That is why player housing is technically "fluff".

No. It does change how players affect each other- else why would you waste your time advocating it? If houses are all inside established player cities on no-pvp servers, then yes, much less impact- but if people can claim houses 'out in the wild', then there becomes a possibility for significant convenience/tactical advantage. The 'stuff' I mentioned covered 'location'- you know running 'home' and changing equipment. You should probably also get your 'rested' bonus there- another neat perk you ask me- not having to start at the Inn.

Also, this isn't 'other cash shops'- you were talking about storage. All storage costs gold in blizzard games and has a finite limit for expansion. This could allow you to change that- without in-game gold investment- or at least a 'reset' scale. (as succesive slots cost more to buy in every other aspect).

And we won't even get into out of town placement or PvP 'safety'/defensability.

So, not fluff.

I agree with you to some extent, but storage is also limited in most games and tiered as WoW's model is. IF the player housing is in the wild it is still a non issue. You have no tactical advantage from housing placement. Even on a pvp server you can't attack an opposing player except in neutral territory. So player housing will be safe even on a pvp server unless they allow player housing in neutral areas, which I think would be interesting. As far as convenience issues, most cash shops offer convenience items.

The reason I'm advocating player housing because in some cases it is considered a game feature rather than "fluff", but with the success of the cash shop, Blizzard has little incentive to add it as a feature. Instead they now have incentive to offer it as a fluff item.

Things like rested xp, placement (with the exception of neutral territory), convenience, storage, etc. DO NOT affect other players. They only effect the player who purchases them.

Bandar83 · April 2010

I consider guild housing a separate issue. I can see that affecting multiple players, but why would blizzard offer them together when they could charge for both. Business wise it would make more sense to sell guild and player housing as separate options.

I wonder how many people would jump at the option to purchase guild housing with cash? I bet a lot of people would drop $30-50 for a guild hall.

Hpnotiq · April 2010

Im sorry, but I have to say housing would be part of your paid subscription. It changes many things and is a selling point for more subscriptions. However, if there were micro-transactions for decorations, rooms, merchants etc, I think that would be playing it safe both ways.

Bandar83 · April 2010

Originally posted by Hpnotiq

Im sorry, but I have to say housing would be part of your paid subscription. It changes many things and is a selling point for more subscriptions. However, if there were micro-transactions for decorations, rooms, merchants etc, I think that would be playing it safe both ways.

I'm with you. I think it should be a feature included in the subscription. However, with the success of the items in Blizzard's cash shop. I wonder if it will instead be thrown in as a cash shop feature? They have the potential to make exceedlingly more money using the cash shop.

Which brings me to ask, will the community react against placing a feature like that or will they complain a little and fork over the money for it anyway?

alderdale · April 2010

Offering something thats actually beneficial to your character development and making it only available in a cash shop for a P2P game is the low of all lows.........

Now you have the taken the cancer that is F2P cash shops and infected a game with a predictable price model (P2P).

Bandar83 · April 2010

Originally posted by alderdale

Offering something thats actually beneficial to your character development and making it only available in a cash shop for a P2P game is the low of all lows.........

Now you have the taken the cancer that is F2P cash shops and infected a game with a predictable price model (P2P).

I agree with you with the exception of F2P being a cancer. I believe it is a viable option in a non subscription based game.

However, Blizzard/WoW is big enough now, that they can lose subscriptions and still make more money off micro transactions than the loss of subscriptions will cost them.

I think if any company could pull off player housing/guild halls as RMT's, it will be Blizzard.

There seems to be a fine line of RMT's that players allow in subscription based games. At this point I'm wondering:

1) is player housing/guild halls where gamers draw the line?

2) are gamers helpless to stop something like that?

biofellis · April 2010

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Tutu2 · April 2010

I wouldn't be happy if guild halls and player houses were to be cash shop items, at all. They should be avaliable in patches.

ScalperOne · April 2010

My prediction:

Bit by bit they will ad more and go that little bit farther till it is normal for the userbase. They go as far as they can sell.

Mehve · April 2010

Originally posted by ScalperOne

My prediction:

Bit by bit they will ad more and go that little bit farther till it is normal for the userbase. They go as far as they can sell.

They'll keep going until the number of people who quit paying subscriptions outweighs the profit they get from it. We don't expect celebrities to be models of upstanding and ethical behaviour - there's a whole industry and population subset that gets off on their bad behaviour, in fact. So I can't imagine why we'd expect the largest MMO to suddenly become a philanthropist either.

Illyssia · April 2010

As WoW runs towards the end of its natural life cycle then cash shop is the logical way for Blizzard to go. I think after a few months of Cataclysm and as they start to reveal what they are up to with their next generation mmorpg then a full cash shop will appear for WoW. After all why make artificial barriers in the game, rather than players having to endlessly run heroics, and then hit 10 man content before being able to chew the latest 25 stuff why not just let them pay $100 and give them the 10 tier set and they can jump straight in, after all guilds can always end a trial if they are terrible player. If BLizzard were to make the objective of the end-game raid dungeons content and say Legendary Weapon instead of regular epic gear content it would work better I think.

Bandar83 · April 2010

Originally posted by biofellis

Originally posted by Bandar83

However, Blizzard/WoW is big enough now, that they can lose subscriptions and still make more money off micro transactions than the loss of subscriptions will cost them.

Did you read what you typed?

What sense does that make?

Apparently you didn't pay enough for your box, or the two expansions, or the monthly fee- no. Blizzard should deliver more content- not because of a commitment to providing a good game- or actually doing something like 'adding content' to earn their 'subscription fee', but because you're willing to pay more?

"Things like rested xp, placement (with the exception of neutral territory), convenience, storage, etc. DO NOT affect other players. They only effect the player who purchases them."

Just because you don't see the convenience doesn't mean it's not there. Likewise I guess +1000 xp potions would probably good in a cash shop too- because that's way less than a player might get from the 'rested xp bonus', right?. Summon scrolls would be fine in the cash shop too- as location/'convenience' is a non-issue- and 20 slot bags? Make then $1 a pop- the grind in time to earn these is probably less cost-effective- right? Hell- sell levels! "They only effect the player who purchases them"

If people leave the game, it's because they recognize the trend towards money-grubbing opportunism, and away from earned achievements. That your kinda game? 'Cash for perks?' More power to ya.

I think you've already shown where gamers draw the line. Long as they get what they want, they'll 'sell out'. Heck- that's people in general- so no suprise there. There may be 'consequences' in the long run- but in the meantime, they have their 'virtual shack' they can pay more to decorate, and Blizzard can laugh all the way to the bank.

It makes perfect sense. As long as they don't lose more subs than the profit that they make off of the cash shop they will continue to push the line. As far as expansions go, most people even if they quit will pick up the expansion to see how it's changed, so they won't lose much in that aspect.

You keep saying "you" in your posts. I am against the cash shop. I've already left WoW and refuse to play sub based games that have cash shops. Even if, all they offer is "fluff". I'm just trying to be the devil's advocate and trying to get people to understand where this could all be heading.

In this post you bring up some valid points. Some of the things you mentioned are already in other cash shops. I fear that more games, especially AAA games, are going to see this as a major success and try to copy that as well.

zevian · April 2010

Ive played WoW for over 5 years now, its like a daily thing. FOr some reason since they released the STeed i dont really have the desire to play.

A cash shop in warcraft while an amazing idea, just turns me off.

DerWotan · April 2010

Originally posted by Mehve

Originally posted by ScalperOne

My prediction:

Bit by bit they will ad more and go that little bit farther till it is normal for the userbase. They go as far as they can sell.

They'll keep going until the number of people who quit paying subscriptions outweighs the profit they get from it. We don't expect celebrities to be models of upstanding and ethical behaviour - there's a whole industry and population subset that gets off on their bad behaviour, in fact. So I can't imagine why we'd expect the largest MMO to suddenly become a philanthropist either.

Exactly. The next thing will be a (slightly) more expensive mount with 310 % speed (1 month before cataclysm) -> rest/stat potions -> reduce lockout potions -> -1 Tier gear -> top "epic" gear -> END

so there's still a long way to go but I'm sure there are enough dump people willing to pay monthly and feed Blizzard with the extra bucks. Only remaining question at which point will be subscription lose outweight the IS income? Personally I think once the release the potions.

Think about UO 4 things come to mind: freedom - pvp - housing - RP

So housing isn't fluff its an USP for some people. Anyway I fully agree they would add it to the cash shop because they have become endless greedy now.

Aetheus · April 2010

I personally would not take kindly to Blizzard adding player housing to their cash shop. They are a P2P MMORPG and for them to try and tunnel players into paying out even more just to get some extra content (that quite frankly, should already be there), then I'd be packing up and buggering off.

If it's going to be done there should always be an alternative means of obtaining it through the game without paying extra money, what you pay on the online store should be for a different style only.

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