the cash shop

[Hiruke]

I just checked the keynote from the European Fanfest, and YoshiP did actually say that future minions would not be exclusively obtainable through the cash shop.

He just meant that while there would be cash shop minions, not all future minions would be cash shop minions. That is, they would release free in-game minions in addition to cash shop minions, not that all cash shop minions would be freely available. That wouldn't even make any sense.

[Tupsi]

Because you are buying something overpriced and allow big companies to remove content they would usually put in the game to the cash shop just to make more money. Yes, you could have the wedding items for free, unfortunately some players used the cash shop and SE saw that they could take even more money from you. That's pretty stupid to me.

Well by that logic Race/Gender/Server change should be free too - Those are cash shop items and are done via in-game systems (you can select your server in the client too.). The Customization item in XIV is an actual in-game item as well. They aren't taking content out of the game unless I miss the raids you can purchase in the cash shop.

What SE saw was the current trend of MMORPGs since at minimum 2004 players are willing to use a cash shop - Gaming as a whole is run on microtransactions these days. SE is simply following the industry trend.

[lololink]

Well by that logic Race/Gender/Server change should be free too - Those are cash shop items and are done via in-game systems (you can select your server in the client too.). The Customization item in XIV is an actual in-game item as well. They aren't taking content out of the game unless I miss the raids you can purchase in the cash shop.

What SE saw was the current trend of MMORPGs since at minimum 2004 players are willing to use a cash shop - Gaming as a whole is run on microtransactions these days. SE is simply following the industry trend.

Mounts, minions, dyes, wedding bonuses are content, when you have fun with your mount it is content, when you have a better cinematic in the wedding it's content. Considering how many people are doing FCoB it looks like Raid is more optionnal than vanity.

The only MMO P2P with cash shops are WoW and FFXIV and it's not since 2004. It's the industry trend yes, it's also a bad trend, but you can also freely give all your money to SE if you want so much to give them all your money, maybe they'll give you a keyholder !

[Stihllodeing]

Is there ANYTHING else in your life that you go out of your way to pay more than you actually have to?

Yes. But first off you can cancel your sub at anytime and do not have to buy anything from the mog station. You do not sign a term contract unless you pre-pay for example. Under that premise, these are the things I go out of my way to pay more for:

*Video games - My entire family plays a lot of games. I buy a lot of CE versions.
*Movies - If something is an early release and I don't want to wait I buy now.
*Dinning out/Dates - I can easily spend $100 on a meal for the family and drinks. I also buy some of the little extras when I take the wife on a date....they like that.
*Insurance - I research deductibles and other benefits. A couple of my policies appear to not be cost effective, but I like the security.
*Stuff/fun

So ya, that is my answer to what is (imo) a very rhetorical question.

[Teryaani]

Mounts, minions, dyes, wedding bonuses are content, when you have fun with your mount it is content, when you have a better cinematic in the wedding it's content. Considering how many people are doing FCoB it looks like Raid is more optionnal than vanity.

Another flavor of the "Vanity = P2W" argument. That never gets old does it? And no matter how many times it's pointed out that SE never agreed that every ounce of vanity is included with the subscription, it keeps getting made.

The only MMO P2P with cash shops are WoW and FFXIV and it's not since 2004. It's the industry trend yes, it's also a bad trend, but you can also freely give all your money to SE if you want so much to give them all your money, maybe they'll give you a keyholder !

What I want to know is why do those of you who insult the people who use the cash shop expect to change any minds at all? Tupsi is right, the more you do it, the more SE (and your fellow posters) just ignore you.

[Lycieus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqNuS03k6gI

[Bishop81]

Another flavor of the "Vanity = P2W" argument. That never gets old does it? And no matter how many times it's pointed out that SE never agreed that every ounce of vanity is included with the subscription, it keeps getting made.



What I want to know is why do those of you who insult the people who use the cash shop expect to change any minds at all? Tupsi is right, the more you do it, the more SE (and your fellow posters) just ignore you.

So you are OK with dropped gear looking like Lv2 rags when SE feels it needs to "encourage" cash shop sales?

[Teryaani]

So you are OK with dropped gear looking like Lv2 rags when SE feels it needs to "encourage" cash shop sales?

Because that's exactly what I was talking about? Oh wait, it wasn't.

Given that SE has only put the 1.0 seasonal items in the cash shop and the current favorite transmogs are 3/4 star crafted gear, I can't see what in their behavior would lead you to think they would do this. No, right now square is encouraging a handful of ultra crafters to dominate the market by not opening up crafting more. That has nothing to do with the cash shop.

[Bishop81]

Given that SE has only put the 1.0 seasonal items in the cash shop and the current favorite transmogs are 3/4 star crafted gear, I can't see what in their behavior would lead you to think they would do this. No, right now square is encouraging a handful of ultra crafters to dominate the market by not opening up crafting more. That has nothing to do with the cash shop.

The cash shop opens the doors to such "abuse". This is why many are against it.

How long will be it until things starts getting designed with "encouragement of cash shop patronage" in mind?

At that point, it's no different from a F2P game where every designed decision is geared towards extracting money from customers instead of giving customers a good time. This will not be a game I want to play.

I would like an honest transaction, where I pay for the entertainment I get and not where I'm constantly subjected to manipulation in attempt to get me to fork over cash.

[Valarian]

Endgame grind, time gated crafting mats, RNGesus powered relics for free, but fun items meant solely to be enjoyed will cost you extra.

Can they do it? Oh sure. Does it make money? Yeah, I'm sure it does. I play a game for fun, though, so putting a bunch of fun items behind a paywall because some folk are willing to pay extra for the privilege of enjoying themselves gives me pause, and the idea that they don't make enough money off our subscriptions to make developing fun things worthwhile would make a Vulcan raise an eyebrow.