Eternal Bond - Standard Plan and Gold Plan

[Meltzeiferion]

The cash shop does not bother me any more than it did when it was released. Our sub fee does not pay for everything, as added things require added work. I have no delusions about them giving us literally every penny we pay for back in content; they're a business, afterall. But the "we already pay a subscription!" statement only goes so far. That subscription only pays for so much. If the cash shop is allowing them to provide extra content through transactions, that's fine with me. Perhaps people would be happier if they raised the subscription fee to compensate instead?

The problem with assuming that cash shop = funds more content of the game is that...

We don't really know how SE allocates any of the money it gets from FFXIV. It could be that 100% of the cash shop money goes back to the game, or it could be that none of it does. They could put 100% of the cash shop money back into the game but compensate by taking more of the sub fee money for other projects. The argument that cash shop is good because more money for the game isn't necessarily a good argument because we are just customers without the right info.

IF they truly need more funds to be able to create new content in the game, I would personally be more ok with sub fee increase over a cash shop. Alternatively as there seems to be many people that just want to straight up support SE, maybe they could add an option to add more money on top of your sub fee just to support them/the game. I don't have a lot of income at the moment, but if I was given the option of cash shops vs. optionally upping my own sub fee to support more content going directly to the game for ALL players, I would up my sub fee to keep out that cash shop. Maybe I'm crazy though. :P

[Norna]

Maybe I'm crazy though. :P

Nah, I feel the same. Before this cash shop business, one of the fun things was that, barring very few things (from Limited Editions/Legacy), everyone had access to everything (even if it's a grind at times), including old event items when events rolled back around. This no matter their economical (except sub) situation, or if SE's systems dis/likes their credit card numbers or not.

I also would feel better about this if we would know that the money goes back into improving the game, instead of being skimmed into the new Tomb Raider/Thief/WhateverOtherFranchise (I give a little leeway to planning the next online Final Fantasy, but only a little). I hope that they at the very least will increase staff and improve the server capacity.

[Folsom]

The problem with assuming that cash shop = funds more content of the game is that...

We don't really know how SE allocates any of the money it gets from FFXIV. It could be that 100% of the cash shop money goes back to the game, or it could be that none of it does. They could put 100% of the cash shop money back into the game but compensate by taking more of the sub fee money for other projects. The argument that cash shop is good because more money for the game isn't necessarily a good argument because we are just customers without the right info.

And no game company really offers this info; the only question customers can answer is whether they're willing to pay what the company is charging. To imply that what SE is doing is "disgusting" or "double-dipping" or whatever is an opinion that also can't be made with the info; people are just more liberal in their insults than they are in considering what else might be going on. (Apparently, people think "I don't want to pay that much" sounds much worse when they say "BECAUSE IT'S DISGUUUUUUUSTIIIIIIING", or hide behind it, anyway.)

Absolutely, if they are charging too much, or people don't think the content is worth it, they shouldn't pay. To speculate about how horrible of a company they are because of reasons they can't possibly be privy to, as some others are, is pointless.

IF they truly need more funds to be able to create new content in the game, I would personally be more ok with sub fee increase over a cash shop. Alternatively as there seems to be many people that just want to straight up support SE, maybe they could add an option to add more money on top of your sub fee just to support them/the game. I don't have a lot of income at the moment, but if I was given the option of cash shops vs. optionally upping my own sub fee to support more content going directly to the game for ALL players, I would up my sub fee to keep out that cash shop. Maybe I'm crazy though. :P

The problem here, of course, is that a sub fee increase would price some people out of the market. Optional content does not. An increase in sub fees from, say, $15 to $17 a month, is probably a lot more likely to turn people away than not being able to have a pet, a mount, or whatever, because they have to pay for a general increase if the sub fee goes up, whereas they don't if it doesn't.

We absolutely don't know if they are adding staff to design things for the game for content from the cash shop; if we did, we could make a more informed decision. However, it's very doubtful that SE (or any other company) will offer specifics about their company to appease customers like that. It's just not the way current corporations work.

[Meltzeiferion]

And no game company really offers this info; the only question customers can answer is whether they're willing to pay what the company is charging. To imply that what SE is doing is "disgusting" or "double-dipping" or whatever is an opinion that also can't be made with the info; people are just more liberal in their insults than they are in considering what else might be going on. (Apparently, people think "I don't want to pay that much" sounds much worse when they say "BECAUSE IT'S DISGUUUUUUUSTIIIIIIING", or hide behind it, anyway.)

Absolutely, if they are charging too much, or people don't think the content is worth it, they shouldn't pay. To speculate about how horrible of a company they are because of reasons they can't possibly be privy to, as some others are, is pointless.



The problem here, of course, is that a sub fee increase would price some people out of the market. Optional content does not. An increase in sub fees from, say, $15 to $17 a month, is probably a lot more likely to turn people away than not being able to have a pet, a mount, or whatever, because they have to pay for a general increase if the sub fee goes up, whereas they don't if it doesn't.

We absolutely don't know if they are adding staff to design things for the game for content from the cash shop; if we did, we could make a more informed decision. However, it's very doubtful that SE (or any other company) will offer specifics about their company to appease customers like that. It's just not the way current corporations work.

I did also suggest an optional sub fee increase for those who might be willing to pay more just to support the game and not just a straight increase for everyone. I even said I would up my own sub to help pay for it so that ALL of the content is in game and not a shop instead if that was necessary! I'm perfectly fine with the concept of supporting the game/company, I just want things to all be available in game for everyone too.

Yeah corporations don't work like that and I agree that the lack of info goes both ways... but can you really blame people for taking that lack of knowledge, the idea that SE is for profit organization and that FFXIV seems to be successful as is off the sub fee to a conclusion that SE is milking them for more money? Arguably as a customer that is probably actually a pretty smart decision and I think is reason enough for them to be bothered. People have been burned in the past with assumptions that a company was using their money a certain way.

It's really all opinion based though and I don't really blame the people who feel they are supporting the game by buying stuff in the cash shop, I just personally think there are nicer ways to support the game that would leave the content available to everyone. I'm an inclusive sort and I want people to enjoy their experience, to be able to take the same roads as others and be able to acquire the same rewards. Anyways, I'll likely not respond any further as I tend to get too deep into discussions and find it hard to stop. :P

Nice talking to ya!