XIV: P2P or F2P? XI never has Cash Shop, why XIV has?

[Millerna]

While satchel are being disguised as rewards for using token, it still felt understandable. It's more like incentive than force to pay. XIV also has it's own version with free 2nd home point, which I have no objection for it.

Cash shop however, are very different thing compared with token. ^^;

Except that at the time storage was a major issue (especially storage that was available everywhere, not just in your mog house), so people bought the token for the storage. Items currently on the cash shop are nowhere near as valuable as the storage was back then.

A minion that does nothing vs adding a good amount of storage .. Guess which one most people would rather spend money on...

Not to mention, games these days are WAY more expensive to develop than 10 years ago, yet subscription prices have remained mostly the same. Obviously they're going to look at ways to generate additional income.

[Levis]

You know... I generally like Disney movies. But Frozen are among the most bottom list for me, might even the most bottom one.

I'm more of a "Lion King" era btw.

Hell Yes! Lion King Reigns Supreme

[lololink]

There are also a lot more players in mmos than before, ffxiv generates a lot of money, they don't lose any even with only the subs.

[Felis]

Except that at the time storage was a major issue (especially storage that was available everywhere, not just in your mog house), so people bought the token for the storage. Items currently on the cash shop are nowhere near as valuable as the storage was back then.

Also selling extra character slots for 1$ each slot that get added to the monthly fee (only the first slot is included in the normal sub).
How many mule characters had a average player in XI while storage was still limited?

[Millerna]

Also selling extra character slots for 1$ each slot that get added to the monthly fee (only the first slot is included in the normal sub).
How many mule characters had a average player in XI while storage was still limited?

Not sure about the average player, but most people I knew had at least 5-6 characters. I had 2 accounts myself, with a total of 8 characters .. (in fact, I still have an active account )

[Velhart]

Cash Shop thread #23354565434 since Live Letter. Now with FFXI reference bonus.

[Tupsi]

They actually sold (sell) item codes which is technically a cash shop - They said they would have had one for XI around ToAU era is the infrastructure supported it but Playonline didn't really support a "true" cash shop. Yoshida stated around when they introduced Fantasias/Retainer that NA gamers were more inclined to pay for what they want than a sub fee which is why games like LoL and F2P/B2P MMOs are insanely popular and profitable in comparison. Yoichi Wada stated he always had plans for FFXIV to have a Cash Shop even prior to 1.0 being released, but we know what happened when he rushed the game out.

So while XI doesn't have a cash shop, it released in an era where gamers were inclined to only have to make "one purchase' and where DLC and such didn't really exist or were free additions to a game. MMO wise you only had games like Maplestory that came out which took the cash shop concept to a whole new level.

[WHS]

tl:dr

Security tokens, Sound track cds, plush dolls, other physical goods sold by SE. These all have one thing in common they were physical property you bought as going to the local Walmart and buying a barbie doll. The minion, mount, or storage that may come from buying a physical good is debatebly different in design than a straight out digital good that says "shut up and take my money". Most players, some did but , most did not complain about such of these physical purchases. The company is starting a trend withe the EB stuff where they hype up a product, make us wait a long ass time for it, show it off like it's coming with no strings attached, then right before it's added to the game for us to obtain make it a cash shop purchase and sting most of us expecting it to be obtainable in game via other means besides cash shop.

I think the theme for this thread is not whether this is a business side of SE thing but rather does this feel like all the final fantasy you come to expect. I and many others do not get a Final Fantasy feel when we see a cash shop and stuff coming to our game being derailed to it instead. And as for it's only vanity items. Many of us including your jp player base as well hold dear those vanity / cosmetics. Just look for how much gil those go for on the MB's.

Remember how so many players complained about FFXIII and the direction it went with new concepts of game design and linearity? I think the cash shop idea is still very new and difficult for many old time final fantasy players who just don't come from other games and are not used to cash shops. Not all but alot of us play this game because its Final Fantasy and no other reason. I think it is moving way too fast and many players feel rushed. There is alot of emphasis in this game on vanity. Even battle gear can become vanity. Look at players with full 110 gear but still going for the lvl 90 stuff cause of the look. To be honest vanity is a time sink and I guess money sink to some. But I do not think badly of players who support it or desire it. I embrace them because they in an essence a part of my Final Fantasy. I respect my fellow players feelings and desires for all the content Eorzea has for us all.

[chrillix]

Genius choice to have the wedding items put in the cash shop.

Wife: "Wait.. you mean you didn't buy me the nicer looking wedding items from the cash shop?"
Husband: "No of course not. Who would actually pay for that?"
Wife: "But <InsertRandomNameHere>'s husband got them all for her!"
Husband: "Sorry I just don't think it's worth it."
Wife: "I'm having second thoughts... Goodbye."

[Kuwagami]

that wife isn't worth a damn. Greedy people in general aren't worth a damn