Keep past content out of Cash Shop

[HakuroDK]

I'm fine with past content being in the cash shop. It allows players who did not attend those past events (due to, for example, not having a powerful enough computer to play the game before?) to get those items without them ultimately piling up and clogging all of the events. One can imagine the All Saints' Wake 2020. Suddenly, there's like 80-something event items and it just gets silly.

It also allows for people who didn't take part in, say... the Lightning Strikes event to get those items without forcing the event itself to come back.

I'm all for past content being in the cash shop so revisited seasonal content can be just a little bit fresher and one-time promotional content like Lightning Strikes, Burgeoning Dread, and Breaking Brick Mountains doesn't have to be repeated over and over again.

...and Yoshida was adamant that everything in the cash shop was exclusively fashion and cosmetic, and honestly? That's the best kind of cash shop, so I honestly cannot complain at all because there will not be a single thing in that cash shop that will allow players to perform better than anyone else.

I mean, there should still be exclusive items like the TGS Event Earrings, the Moogle Suit, the Event Chokers, 1.0 gear that got ported over to 2.0, Collector's Edition and Pre-Order items, etc. But I see zero harm in event content like the All Saint's Wake 2013 and Lightning Strikes items (if they do add Lightning Strikes content to the cash shop) being on the cash shop.

Full Disclosure: I started playing in Beta 3 of 2.0. I have no access to any 1.0 items whatsoever other than a single generic item used in a quest that I got from a Quick Venture one time. I pre-ordered the Collector's Edition. I have the Ahriman Choker event item and I will be getting the Moogle Suit event item. I have completed every single event and acquired every single event item (except female-exclusive gear), aesthetician unlock, achievement, and title ever since.

[Gramul]

I would prefer no cash shop or drop the subscription in alternative.
Then again, this may be the kick in the pants I need to let go of the game.

[HakuroDK]

I would prefer no cash shop or drop the subscription in alternative.
Then again, this may be the kick in the pants I need to let go of the game.

Can you explain to me why you feel that way? I mean, if it offered gameplay bonuses, I'd understand where you're coming from, but I have a hard time understanding that point of view when it comes to a purely aesthetic cash shop.

[Negotiator]

Well, we could say pretty much all lower lvl gear doesn't affect anyone's progression. People still wear them for glamor. The point the op is making is that the items have been available via npc all this time. Now SE has removed that npc to sell to you for cash. I disagree with a cash shop all together. Business wise, the best looks will eventually be reserved for the cash shop as incentive for you to really want them. Cash shops are a slippery slop for a subscription based mmos.

[HakuroDK]

The point the op is making is that the items have been available via npc all this time. Now SE has removed that npc to sell to you for cash.

Actually, that's downright false. The Calamity Vendor isn't getting removed at all. The past content in cash shops is for people who weren't in the old events.

[Saccharin]

This is utterly disgusting. I shouldn't be surprised considering the extra fee for more retainers. Offering cosmetic items and past event items for cash is a FREE TO PLAY feature. So not only do we have to pay a sub but we also have to pay if we want cosmetic gear. For comparison, World of Warcraft, a game that the developers modelled 2.x on does have their own cash shop and I don't like it one bit. The difference there is that the only things they sell are exclusive mounts and pets. There's no connection to them in game and you can't pay to grind less in game. Now here on the other had you can get out your credit card and buy stuff you earn in game.

I blame every poster here that says "best kind of cash shop" and "I wouldn't mind spending..." These people have allowed publishers to get away with these kinds of things. A cash shop in a subscription game should NOT be tolerated.

[Negotiator]

It wasn't the calamity vendor, it was different NPC. I know in old gridania, the npc was located by m'ketto theater...WAS. You can only buy stuff from calamity vendor if you've already obtained the item previously.

[Gramul]

Can you explain to me why you feel that way? I mean, if it offered gameplay bonuses, I'd understand where you're coming from, but I have a hard time understanding that point of view when it comes to a purely aesthetic cash shop.

Mainly, it's double dipping. It's greedy and cuts off content from people refusing to pay on top of their subscription.
I was wary with the special editions and additional retainers, but this a direct attempt to suck more money out of the players. Vanity items are a huge draw to this game. It gives crafters reliance and encourages people to play content over and over, helping to ensure that there will be players available for people approaching it for the first time.
Having a cash shop also allows them to avoid having to make or appropriate content to new gear. It's less effort on their part, but they're suddenly free to charge you extra for it, and you don't get to have fun clearing content for it.

I wish Square would just choose. You want to be a subscription MMO, include all content for players to unlock. If you want a cash shop, make it free to enter but have all the cool looking items behind a paywall. But please, don't try to take both at once. This sort of mingy behavior is what ultimately turned me away from WoW and other MMO's that tried the same.

If it did offer gameplay bonuses I would drop the game here and now.

[Prototype909]

Can you explain to me why you feel that way? I mean, if it offered gameplay bonuses, I'd understand where you're coming from, but I have a hard time understanding that point of view when it comes to a purely aesthetic cash shop.

Because now everytime something is revealed I'll have to think "Oh, is this content developed for everyone that I can get in game, or something that I'll have to pay extra/separate charge for". That isn't something you should have to worry about when you're already paying in a sub model.

[Synestra]

It wasn't the calamity vendor, it was different NPC. I know in old gridania, the npc was located by m'ketto theater...WAS.

Never knew that there even was vendor like that in-game.