That would be fine of retainers were not going to get minions, and other items, exclusive to ventures.
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So.. to everyone going "omg people expect handouts" and the like.. Something to probably keep in mind is this type of backlash when a feature you have to pay extra for is introduced into a sub based game is completely normal. The typical player that does a subscription, is doing so because they don't really like dealing with cash shops, or players getting actual benefits in game just cause they tossed extra money in.
I'm on that side of the fence.. I will never ever play a F2P game as my "main" because I dislike feeling nickel and dimed ($2.00 here, $1.00 there and so on). I like knowing that I'm paying a flat fee to get access to everything every other person has access to in game. That's really all there is to it. The only games I've really seen that sell storage space (outside of maybe FFXI) are all F2P. This is not standard for a sub based game so of course people are going to be upset and want other options. There might be a bit of entitlement going on, but it's only because there's also deviation from the industry standard for subscription models.. expectations being based on previous experience and all.
Not only that, but the ventures could very well prove a significant advantage.. or a minor one. Ventures are going to provide items unique to the ventures, meaning you can't go farm them. We don't yet know what those items are worth, or even used for. We do know they're suppose to be rare.. so it makes sense that if you have more retainers going for them, your chance at getting them goes up. So.. people can pay for a leg up.. which again, is what a lot of folks choose a sub to avoid.
This is in the update notes... Go read them.
The items are rare drops from high level ventures only. Having more retainers allows more ventures per day. An advantage does not need to break the game to still be an advantage. Also, this is just the beginning. All companies use minor things like this to determine how much they can push players later. Look at the 360 day reward. It's 50 free aetheryte teleports. That is exactly the kind of thing cash shops use.
Maybe SE will add those as well. Maybe they won't. But the more people buy form the cash shop, the more SE will add. It's simple business.
Say you had a lemonade stand and decided to sell cookies on the side: No one buys the cookies. do you continue to make them? No.
Say lots of people bought the cookies? Would you expand the number of cookies you sold, or would you say, "I think my cookies are selling well enough. I'll just stop there."?
And yet people are falling all over themselves for a 1 time use potion to be added to the mogstation for real money.
Yes, but where does it say it will offer GAME BREAKING AND CHANGING items? You know, to completely KILL THE BALANCE of the game if you don't buy additional retainers?
Right, it's cosmetic and has nothing to do with changing the gameplay, or giving people an advantage. Precedent has also been set for race/name/faction/server changes to be in a real money shop. Those things have historically not been offered for free, save for server transfers for extremely high pop servers that are having issues, or for servers that are being closed.
I'm not saying it makes sense, or even that it's right.. I'm saying I'm not surprised by the uproar because SE isn't doing what's considered normal for a sub based game. I, personally, dislike the extra retainers because of the venture system. That's really the only bit that gives those paying a viable leg up (and frankly, I don't care how small or large people think it is.. it's a leg up, doesn't have to be game breaking for me to dislike it). Others aren't going to like it for just being something additional to pay for when that same something has never been behind a pay wall in their previous sub based games.
And guess what, someone with 2 retainers will have access to the same exact minions and items as someone with 3 and having that third retainer won't give you more credits to initiate more ventures either.
This isn't "Hahaha if you want to participate in this content then give us more money! Otherwise no access for you!".
This is "Hey, if you want to spend a bit more then we'll give you this minor convenience that most people don't fully utilize anyway."
Going by that logic experience boosts for gathering/crafting/grinding, and perhaps luck boosts (so that the item you're grinding for has a higher chance to drop) could also be sold in a cash shop. A leg up, even if it's just a minor convenience, is a leg up.. and lots of people avoid F2P, and choose subs instead, to avoid people being able to pay for a leg up.
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Why do you hate America, women, advancement of human kind, and cats?
You monster.
Speaking for myself, the issue of hoarding in an MMO is something that has been re-enforced by dozens of other games. I've lost track of how many times a development team has goofed up and an item that is needed for crafting is removed from the loot tables. Other times it's been issues where a drop has been adjusted to be more rare. Or hell, look at what we have coming this week. Several items that can easily be acquired are going to have their delivery methods totally changed. There's just been too many instances where something that was as common as dirt suddenly becomes stupidly rare due to an error or a planned change.