Very conflicted about the cash shop...

[Jandor]

Well... depending on the final implementation I might unsub.

Full disclosure, I barely play anymore anyway. I keep my sub running because I like to login occasionally and see what my friends are up to, maybe jump into some older content for fun, etc. it's barely worth keeping the sub going for to be honest, but I would have left it running basically indefinitely.

Cash shop though .

[Kiara]

Are you familiar with this image or one of its many variations?

It's not the exact same concept for an MMO, but I hope it gets the idea across. They're asking you to pay more for content that would already be in the game in one way or another. This means they don't have to design content so you can unlock it and they get you to pay for it on top of the subscription fee.

It's less effort from them and more money from you. I can't see that as something to be supported.

Great post Gramul. I posted a similar point yesterday:

I'm torn on the subject myself. Like a lot of you, all of those items (except the Art Book, real life Plushies, any Toys etc.) technically should be included as Rare Items / Rewards for playing the game in various battles / quests, etc.

But then I think about the state of Console Games as a whole:

* Look at Capcom's STREET FIGHTER series: They've been selling TONS of bonus Costumes as Add On Packs for a while.

But back in the day "Secret Costumes" would've been a Secret Cheat Code / Reward for clearing a game (ala, SNES / Genesis / Saturn / PS1 era). But nowadays people are used to it.

* Games like Grand Theft Auto, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, all the top Racing Games, etc., they all sell "More Cars! More Tracks! More Missions!" etc.


It feels like games as a whole are going this way, sadly.

I felt just as annoyed when I first started encountering DLC Packs on PS3, PS4, X360, Xbox One:

It's like, "I just spent $60 on your game, and you make me buy a DLC Costume Pack to get Costumes? That used to come free with games...

As long as Square keeps their promise that it's NEVER going to be "Pay to Win" (Game Altering) stuff, that's the most important part.

Ideally, they make ALL of the Cash Shop Items available to be EARNED IN-GAME still (like the rare Opo-Opo Minion from Brayflox Longstop (Hard), or Bluebird from Peisteskin Treasure Map), *and* for those that would rather buy it, they can go to the Cash Shop? Sure.

[Peachy]

People have farmed primals for mounts, lvled crafts to make more vanity or cooler housing items, fished for hours to get water proof cotton for the elusive bikinis. For that person who set the goal, obtaining the item is winning. But now those potential hours of gameplay can be skipped by just buying it. That's nice for some of you who don't care about your rl money or people who are tired of grinding these things, but by limiting things players can play with you might lose subs as a side effect (not because of the cash shop) because the person who would've gone the extra mile for a collectable now is bored because he isn't a raider and the item he would've played to get is purchased in the shop.

With new vanity items being 3 star synth and new i70 GC gear costing 20x the amount of allied seals then the i90 gear its clear vanity is not the most casual content in this game. For some of us its a major part of our current fun. Saying its not pay to win is meaningless when winning in this game is an abstract concept. I win every day by logging in and having fun.

[QUOTE=Kiara;2514184][COLOR=blue]* Look at Capcom's STREET FIGHTER series: They've been selling TONS of bonus Costumes as Add On Packs for a while.

* Games like Grand Theft Auto, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, all the top Racing Games, etc., they all sell "More Cars! More Tracks! More Missions!" etc.

These games do not charge a subscription and most offer a single type of gameplay, this example is not even close to whats happening with a MMO that double dips.

[Synestra]

Daym! I really never tought vanity would be this important for so many players :O dont get me wrong tho i can totally see the issues in selling game in pieces(DLC's are cancers of todays gaming)but as long as it doesnt affect gameplay i dont personally see anything wrong with CS, now if SE would start to sell actual high-end gear sets then i would totally agree with this.

[16bitBounty]

Bottom line I won't be subscribing after the cash shop is released. I'll go play a free to play game with cash shop. Square-Enix and their double dipping policy is getting out of hand. Anyone defending them is an idiot, plain and simple. My subscription ends in March. I can go play other games (Tera) if I want a cash shop, better clothing design there anyway.

[Kiara]

People have farmed primals for mounts, lvled crafts to make more vanity or cooler housing items, fished for hours to get water proof cotton for the elusive bikinis. For that person who set the goal, obtaining the item is winning. But now those potential hours of gameplay can be skipped by just buying it.

[COLOR=blue]* Look at Capcom's STREET FIGHTER series: They've been selling TONS of bonus Costumes as Add On Packs for a while.

* Games like Grand Theft Auto, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty, all the top Racing Games, etc., they all sell "More Cars! More Tracks! More Missions!" etc.

These games do not charge a subscription and most offer a single type of gameplay, this example is not even close to whats happening with a MMO that double dips.

Hi Peachy,

Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT advocating what SE is doing in the least. I agree it's not exactly the same, but there are many similarities:

Bonus Cars, Bonus Costumes / Secret Outfits, "Chibi / Big Head Mode," Extra Missions and more USED to be FREE content that was given out on most of the top Console Games via a "Secret Code" or clearing various content on the Hardest Difficulty (or doing some insane / grindy tasks).

But nowadays, Publishers are just piece-mealing it out and charging players for "DLC Packs" for all the stuff that used to be FREE. And there are still plenty of games that ship WITH the "Bonus / DLC Content" ON THE DISC ALREADY (ugh), so it was already on there, but you pay extra (on top of your $60.00 U.S. MSRP) to "unlock / buy" that Bonus Content.

Which is awful.

Just saying that, sadly, most games are going this way regardless of being an MMO or not.

[Zaft]

I definitely do not like it. Look at what happened on WoW. The in-game mounts are all lazy, uninspired palette-swaps while new, cool mounts with unique animations, looks and particle effects became $25 on the cash shop.

But you don't NEED to buy it! It's optional!

If this were a F2P game you'd have an argument. But I pay a monthly fee with the expectation that new content will be regularly added to the game that I can achieve through the game itself. Even if it's just cosmetic content being gutted, it's still content that they're taking away and putting behind a secondary paywall, and that is not OK.

Sleipnir could have been a rare mount drop from the upcoming Odin 8-man...but now it's in the cash shop. That's unacceptable.

[Merylx]

Hmmmm, I wonder if Primal Mounts will be buyable? What do people think?

[MiniTofu]

Bottom line I won't be subscribing after the cash shop is released. I'll go play a free to play game with cash shop. Square-Enix and their double dipping policy is getting out of hand. Anyone defending them is an idiot, plain and simple. My subscription ends in March. I can go play other games (Tera) if I want a cash shop, better clothing design there anyway.

Must warn you, they took away armor customization. Right now it's all in one set per set of style. There is no piece by piece customization.

[Tupsi]

But I pay a monthly fee with the expectation that new content will be regularly added to the game that I can achieve through the game itself. Even if it's just cosmetic content being gutted, it's still content that they're taking away and putting behind a secondary paywall

Ok Mr Zaft - Which Content did Yoshi P say would be behind a paywall in the announcement? I don't recall reading needing to pay an additional fee to partake in 2.4, 2.5 part 1 and 2 or any content in game already beyond the sub fee. Expansion will come at a cost to access that content.

Your sub fee is MOSTLY to "lease" you the right to access the MMORPG, anything else is truly at SE's discretion, because whether we like it or not, in order to play the game we had to hit "I agree". Didn't south park make a parody of what happens when you choose not to read the things you're agreeing to? xD