Yoshida on "the dangers of going free-to-play"

[HoneyBiscuit]

You can say the same thing about cash shops.

The same can't actually be said.

"When you got F2P, you cant make money from the games content itself. . ."

First sentence of what you quoted, says why the same cannot be said of a cash shop. A cash shop is additional income in a subscription based game. It's only F2P games that can't profit off of content. They don't have to make profit from the cash shop in order for the game to go on. In fact they could sell one thing on the cash shop and continue development because it's not necessary for the games success. Items are required in F2P shops. They are not required in a subscription games shop.

He's basing this off of 400 likes? That's really what he determines whether or not something is wanted by the community? Oughh..

He made the choice because demand was high. And as an example, he mentioned when they were getting questions for the letter from the producer, that was one of the questions. That question received 400 likes. But that question was made under the pretense that items would be sold, since it asks "when will we be able to start" and not just "will we be able to." Interest in purchasing items was measured before that question was asked and before it got the response that it did. Just because more people didn't like it, doesn't mean they don't want items sold to them, but they were not interested in the answer. You make it sound as if there's 400 people out there that want items, and that's what made him decide. Right there on the spot.

I'd also say 400 likes on these forums is also pretty impressive.

[Namasu]

I'd pay extra money for HD texture pack. There's lots of demand on this forum for that too but I don't see Yoshi talking about it. I'd rather pay extra money to push Yoshi in releasing the original texture and ensure that every new gears are updated to the same fidelity. That would make a much better microtransaction "cosmetic" option than nickle and diming us for retainers, haircuts, minions and mounts.

[darkstarpoet1]

I'd also say 400 likes on these forums is also pretty impressive.

the thread asking for notorious monsters that was on the forums not too long ago was over 2k likes and the question got close to 1k when it was asked a long time ago in the live letters. 400 is more than most, but it's nowhere near as many as a question has seen.

[Nekodar]

the thread asking for notorious monsters that was on the forums not too long ago was over 2k likes and the question got close to 1k when it was asked a long time ago in the live letters. 400 is more than most, but it's nowhere near as many as a question has seen.

Difference being that these 400 were for a post in one of the question threads for producer letter live...
Without digging up the exact post and comparing the likes that question got with the other questions in the same thread, hard to say more than that...

[HoneyBiscuit]

the thread asking for notorious monsters that was on the forums not too long ago was over 2k likes and the question got close to 1k when it was asked a long time ago in the live letters. 400 is more than most, but it's nowhere near as many as a question has seen.

I can't really argue that a question has seen more likes. But that doesn't mean the interest for either thing in question was any more or less than the other. The interest is in the answer. I'm content knowing we'll be getting extra stuff to buy in a cash shop. I don't need to know when. I would not have "liked" the question, though I am still very interested in its subject matter. That's all I'm trying to say. The likes on that question is not a good judge of interest. And it wasn't what prompted the decision as some had suggested.

[Sunarie]

I think the whole thing saying "well the community is requesting items for purchase" is a double bladed deal. A lot of folks in the community are saying they want it as a purchase because getting it otherwise seems unlikely, or not an option. Fantasia potions are a good example of that. I'm quite sure it's the feature that people want, and they think the only way that feature will be considered is if they offer money for it. So then they ask for the option to purchase.. not with the intent for the higher ups to see "oh, they want a cash shop", that part just kind of happens, apparently.

Basically, what people actually seem to want is a way to obtain certain items, like a fantasia potion.. doesn't have to be a cash shop. What's seen is they want a cash shop. x.x Hopefully that made sense.

[Doo]

Basically, what people actually seem to want is a way to obtain certain items, like a fantasia potion.. doesn't have to be a cash shop. What's seen is they want a cash shop. x.x Hopefully that made sense.

Of course players want a cash shop have you seen the amount of RMT in game? Legalize it!

[Sunarie]

Of course players want a cash shop have you seen the amount of RMT in game? Legalize it!

I dunno, I think players just want the things a cash shop offers. If given the option to get that thing for free with the same amount, or very minimal effort, they'd take the free option. :P

[HoneyBiscuit]

Snips

Maybe, but that's not how I feel. I actually do want the cash shop. The things I would like to see available in the cash shop are things the developers hadn't actually considered or planned on implementing in game anywhere. I actually don't want them to focus on putting these kinds of things in game. Focus on the game you want to make. You just so happened to make a potion I can use to change my character and I want more of them. I'd pay for them out of pocket whatever. But I don't want to distract a single person from the dev team by making him implement a quest or something silly to get it. Then I can get what I want sure. But now it's a chore, and a waste of time for a nonessential feature. I personally prefer to get things like that instantly, and like having an excuse to further support the developer. Assuming prices are reasonable.

[Orophin]

Pay-to-play games like FFXIV, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty (thinking specifically of Call of Duty Elite vs DLC), etc. can have microtransactions while still charging sub fees. As long as the paid-for items are cosmetic and don't affect game balance, as Yoshi says, then there's no detriment to having them in the game.

Which still leaves me skeptical about the Venture system if there's no limit to how many can be undertaken at one time, especially considering there are items that can only be found through Ventures. I'm ok with Fantasia, but not a potentially advantage-giving game system that you can pay more money for every month and be able to have a leg up on the guy that can't/won't pay the extra money.

Guess we'll see what's what after the update tomorrow.