Cash shop confirmed

[Anonymoose]

I'm sure I'm not saying anything new, here (29 pages of 40 posts! TL;DR), but I feel the need to throw down my two cents in my own words.

Developmentally and mechanically, I don't have much against a cash shop. I support it, even. I want the game to succeed and I want to fund it. Didn't take the opportunity to celebrate a holiday, but want the item? Feel free to pay. It lowers the prestige of having been there, but raises money for the game. That's all well and fine; I wasn't flaunting my pumpkin head in some sucker's face 'cause they chose to skip Halloween that year, anyway, and it's not like they're selling the Dalamud Horn.

Needless to say, selling any item that provides any advantage in any way beyond aesthetics is clearly something that would make a lot of people lose faith in the game. Even selling the extra inventory space of extra retainers creeps dangerously close to that line, but who didn't have a mule or two in FFXI? It's not like they limited inventory to any degree that any meaningful advantage could be gained from 4 retainers beyond the ability to be a hoarder. SE realizes this, and that's wonderful.

But they've missed something just as important.

Selling items that were directly created for the cash shop, never giving fans the chance to celebrate them and obtain them by supporting the game in the right time or by having a certain level of skill (or determination), violates the spirit of this game and everything I've seen from it so far. When I see an exciting new item in a preview, you want my first reaction to be "I can't wait to get that!" not, "Wow, I hope it's not cash-only." And that's what I'm going to think from now on. That's going to be my first reaction to a beautifully designed piece of gear or a minion that brings a smile to my face: "Wow, I sure hope they didn't create that just to wall it off for a fee." Is that what you want to expect from us? Is that what we can expect from you? Should I be ready to accept that my subscription isn't worth your best work on anything that doesn't have stats on it, anymore? That's not the spirit of A Realm Reborn.

There should always be a chance - some chance - to get any item - just from being a loyal subscriber.

Yoshida-san, I've been with you since the beginning, and I know you're better than that.

[Darkshade]

I'm sure I'm not saying anything new, here (29 pages of 40 posts! TL;DR), but I feel the need to throw down my two cents in my own words.

Developmentally and mechanically, I don't have much against a cash shop. I support it, even. I want the game to succeed and I want to fund it. Didn't take the opportunity to celebrate a holiday, but want the item? Feel free to pay. It lowers the prestige of having been there, but raises money for the game. That's all well and fine; I wasn't flaunting my pumpkin head in some sucker's face 'cause they chose to skip Halloween that year, anyway, and it's not like they're selling the Dalamud Horn.

Needless to say, selling any item that provides any advantage in any way beyond aesthetics is clearly something that would make a lot of people lose faith in the game. Even selling the extra inventory space of extra retainers creeps dangerously close to that line, but who didn't have a mule or two in FFXI? It's not like they limited inventory to any degree that any meaningful advantage could be gained from 4 retainers beyond the ability to be a hoarder. SE realizes this, and that's wonderful.

But they've missed something just as important.

Selling items that were directly created for the cash shop, never giving fans the chance to celebrate them and obtain them by supporting the game in the right time or by having a certain level of skill (or determination), violates the spirit of this game and everything I've seen from it so far. When I see an exciting new item in a preview, you want my first reaction to be "I can't wait to get that!" not, "Wow, I hope it's not cash-only." And that's what I'm going to think from now on. That's going to be my first reaction to a beautifully designed piece of gear or a minion that brings a smile to my face: "Wow, I sure hope they didn't create that just to wall it off for a fee." Is that what you want to expect from us? Is that what we can expect from you? Should I be ready to accept that my subscription isn't worth your best work on anything that doesn't have stats on it, anymore? That's not the spirit of A Realm Reborn.

There should always be a chance - some chance - to get any item - just from being a loyal subscriber.

Yoshida-san, I've been with you since the beginning, and I know you're better than that.

Well said. Suggesting post be added to OP.

[tocsin]

I'm just going to also add to my posts here that I DO wish that the time that they spent creating the cash shop had gone into my favorite classes, the DoH and DoL's. seriously SE, I could care less about an odin pony, give me a damn set of crafters gear above ilvl 55!

Seriously, I would buy the hell out of that at the cash shop all day long.

[Tupsi]

Yoshida-san, I've been with you since the beginning, and I know you're better than that.

Then you'd know he stated he's open to F2P model if needed and microtransactions, meaning this isn't going against anything he has said. SE has plans for this from the get go for XIV in general -

Wada went on to outline the subscription and microtransaction models that FFXIV will employ, adding the company is looking to improve on the Final Fantasy XI system.

“The basic model hasn't changed,” he said. “It's a monthly flat rate service with additional charges for items that users want to buy.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/f...s-wada/0105940

Yoshida himself also has said out west (NA/EU) gamers are more likely to pay for what they want than pay a sub fee for online gaming, which is why F2P is so successful and MOBA games make so much money.

[Mjollnir]

WISDOM BEYOND HIS YEARS

Nael on the head with the proverbial Sleipnir or something.

1) Functionality like server transfer, retainers, fantasia. Fine.
2) Old event items that you've missed and were previously 1 gil. Seems a shame.
3) New items that you cannot obtain elsewhere. Not fine.

What would be worse is if I shelled out $10 for three minions and they became available in-game at a later date.

For some reason it would sit easier with me if the Sleipnir Mount was exclusive to a $50 Ltd. Ed. FFXIV PlayArts figure of Odin.

Either way I'd buy them up because I'm an unprincipled sucker.