Cash shop confirmed

[Black91CRX]

This argument is based on facts. The simple fact that we had something before and now we have to pay more to get what we had access to before

Access to what before? Event items? Offering a cash shop alternative to someone who missed a past event or is simply new to the game is great. Otherwise they'd never have a shot at it.

[ApolloGenX]

Honestly, this is just the "painful" phase. Eventually, the shop will expand and the game might go F2P. At that point, the shop will make perfect sense. It's just the awkward period where they still require a sub and have this shop that is kind of awful.

If subs drop but shop purchases increase, eventually it would make sense to drop the sub requirement and just go for shop sales. They might keep the sub as optional for some convenience things (like EQ 2 does)... and so they can claim they made good on the "never F2P" promise... because it's not "completely F2P"... even though it pretty much will be.

[IveraIvalice]

Access to what before? Event items? Offering a cash shop alternative to someone who missed a past event or is simply new to the game is great. Otherwise they'd never have a shot at it.

That's true for things that people missed out on that others had a chance to get in game already. But what about those things that will never be released in game and are only available on the cash shop. That's what we're talking about. For the entire duration of this games life when a minion or mount was being released we would know we could get it by playing the game. Now there will be things we can't get by playing the game and only obtainable by paying more money.

[Roris]

Access to what before? Event items? Offering a cash shop alternative to someone who missed a past event or is simply new to the game is great. Otherwise they'd never have a shot at it.

So instead of offering those past items for purchase from event NPCs during seasonal events like they had done so far, they're now offering them for real money. If that isn't greedy, I mean smart business, I don't know what is.

[Starlord]

The sad part is actually that we won't be able to stop it at this point unless people make big riots on every server or something.

The way this 1 thread is going, might is well call it a riot lol!

[Cineic]

Yeah, i bet that they start selling new unlockable hairstyles for all characters (these will sell like candy), new face paints, tattoos, costumes etc etc. I don't really mind it, i pay only 9.99 each month, but it is always shame to see this happen.

[KiraHime]

At the risk of being labelled a white knight, I'd thought I'd maybe offer a different view point on this argument, that maybe some people hadn't considered as they have quite passionate view on this topic already.

When 2.0 was preparing to launch I and other 1.0 players were ecstatic to discover we would be given a chance to use the character creator which was vastly enhanced to the 1.0 version. To give a way for players to 'flag' this option an item called Fantasia was created. Shortly into the launch people saw this option and wished they could have a do over as many rushed making their character to get into the game and regretted it later. SE thus gave every player one as a reward for subbing.

Numerous threads appeared on the forums with massive demand for a way to obtain more fantasias. I recall several threads on 'How much would you pay for a fantasia'. In effect we were asking SE to let us pay money for an in game item, that had a purely cosmetic effect... a vanity item. SE listened and fantasias were made available for a set price via the mog station. People bought them in droves and returned to the forums to ask the limit of 10 fantasias per account was removed.

Fast forward to the recruit a friend campaign. People paid for new copies of the game and a 90 sub to receive a vanity item. Before people argue it was for the circlet, an item which confers an in game advantage. The draught chocobo was an additional 60 days subscription past the friendship circlet.

Understandably, not everyone wants to spend money to obtain items they cannot otherwise get, but if not a majority certainly a very vocal section of the community has asked for it if not by name but by their actions and requests that SE offer certain services or items for a real money cost. Indeed within this thread there was a request for a paid name change service.

[Miya_Carbuncle]

Oh no, SE is selling vanity items that wont affect anything gameplay-wise, surely this means the game will go F2P and Pay2Win!

... Lol.

Also, people taking it so personal that they're selling minions and such are silly as well. It's just vanity stuff, and you get a plushie as well for the money.

[myahele]

Hmmm, I wonder if Fenrir will also be a mount that we must pay for? The 3d rendering we saw lhad a gap on his waist where a sadle can be installed.

Its just sad that content is cut from game (like the chibi scions and sleipnir) to be placed on the cash shop.

[Teirshin]

The sad part is actually that we won't be able to stop it at this point unless people make big riots on every server or something.

The only thing SE would understand clearly is subs tanking like an iron weight into the Marianas trench....

... but people are both too addicted to the game and too attached to the characters they've invested thousands of hours into in order to abandon it all to make a protest of that magnitude.

And even if 10% of the subs quit, the remaining players who buy anything and everything the cash shop offers will make up the difference, and then some.