SE, you underestimate your power with the cash shop

[Faelandaea]

Or how about instead of abusing the stupid cash shop, you make those items available to unlock through ACTUALLY PLAYING THE GAME.

If you missed an event item the mog station allows you to pick it up. That's the only thing the cash shop should allow, past event items.

Everything should be unlockable through playing the game we subscribe for.

I agree on this with one exception: Cosmetics. I see cash shops make great use of cosmetics, and agree that some cosmetics should ONLY be available through other means to help support the game even more.

I do NOT believe in cash shops selling stat items, so before someone even brings that up to me, you are now corrected. HOWEVER cosmetics are awesome. I pay a LOT of money in the MMO games I play for cosmetic options.

I'm eagerly awaiting the Mog station to get black metallic dye. Charge anything for it - I'll pay it. I want it. Give us some cool Chocobo barding options in addition to what we have in game. Awesome. I'll buy those too. Outfits galore, some hair styles . . . those should be cash shop items to expand what we can get.

I agree with Calypsx that pretty much all game content should be attainable by playing the game, but cosmetics is not something I include in this in my view, and I'd support expansion of cosmetic items in the Mog Station. That way it's not pay to win, not an issue for anyone and everyone is happy.

[Adire]

Or how about instead of abusing the stupid cash shop, you make those items available to unlock by ACTUALLY PLAYING THE GAME.

If you missed an event item the mog station allows you to pick it up. That's the only thing the cash shop should allow.

Everything should be unlockable through playing the game we subscribe for.

This.

I remember when one of the selling points of a P2P model was that a cash shop wasn't necessary. What happened to that standard?

I also support most, if not all cosmetics being attainable in game. I'm aware that many people don't care about cosmetics. To me, making my character look cool and having many options to do so is more fun than raiding or getting perfect stats.

What happens when they realize that they're making such a profit off of cosmetics in the cash shop that they stop giving attention to cosmetics attainable in game though? The cosmetics people can get in game become stagnant and lackluster compared to the ones in the cash shop. That's what happens. It's a trend that afflicts many'a'mmo. And I'm sure that even people who say they don't care about cosmetics wouldn't want this to happen.

Not to mention, every piece of gear (even vanity) added to the cash shop could have been something added to the game, to say a fight or as something difficult to craft, to reward someone with a feeling of accomplishment.

When you add to the game, you add to the incentive to play the game. When you add something as a reward for accomplishment, you add something that many people like and keep people seeking that reward longer. Both of these contribute to the motive to log on and add to the time necessary for someone to log on and play, therefore increasing the length of time someone will subscribe and the likelihood that they will. For one specific reward or addition to the game, this time required to play to obtain it or feeling of achievement may be minor, but over time minor things add up. They still have a profit reason to add things, even glamour, to the game. It's more of a long term, cumulative investment than simply adding to the cash shop for a quick buck.

[Magis]

I agree on this with one exception: Cosmetics.

So why not put it in the game for people to collect, instead of forcing people who want said item to pay money ontop of their subscription? Why not; as Calypsx said; "play the game"?

[Mugiawara]

Is there a way to delete people from real life?

I just showed my mom then and she's like "I know that's right ugh..."
This is the best damn thing I EVER read on this forum and I friggin' love you for this.
Sig material. xD Oh man this killed my sides.

[SummerSkye]

Relm from FFVI > Anything and everything in FFVII and VIII

Let's see some Relm or Rydia love before more Cloud or Squall crap.

[Pinkie_Pie]

I just showed my mom then and she's like "I know that's right ugh..."
This is the best damn thing I EVER read on this forum and I friggin' love you for this.
Sig material. xD Oh man this killed my sides.

That's sad to hear to be honest, you know with the whole deleteing people from existence cause they have a different opinion then yours :-/

[Ashkendor]

What happens when they realize that they're making such a profit off of cosmetics in the cash shop that they stop giving attention to cosmetics attainable in game though? The cosmetics people can get in game become stagnant and lackluster compared to the ones in the cash shop. That's what happens. It's a trend that afflicts many'a'mmo. And I'm sure that even people who say they don't care about cosmetics wouldn't want this to happen.

This is kind of an alarmist stance to take on it. So far, nothing like this has happened. We're still getting plenty of items ingame, whether it be through crafting, achievements, or quests. They've even started to bring back some of the old items like the star spangled subligar (well, I know some people wanted it... it's... um... an interesting piece xD). I wouldn't doubt that there's plans to bring more items back and implement more items. They know people love glamour gear and I can't really foresee them moving all of it to the cash shop.

Not to mention, every piece of gear (even vanity) added to the cash shop could have been something added to the game, to say a fight or as something difficult to craft, to reward someone with a feeling of accomplishment.

The thing is, no matter what method they use for players to get said glamour gear, someone will complain.

Cash shop - "I already pay for a sub, why should I pay for this?"
Trial - "This fight is hard! I can't believe you gated it behind such difficult content!"
Dungeon - "The RNG on these drops is terrible! I've run it 50 times for the caster robe now!"
Crafting - "Crafters charge too much for it and gearing my own crafter is expensive too!"
Achievement - "I need to do too many of (xxx) to get this!"
Freebie - "Everyone has this now, what's the point?"

[Adire]

I'm aware. I don't think my post was alarmist, that's exaggerating a teeny bit. It's only a factual observation that I have made with other MMOs I have played (many, many. I could list them all if you wanted, and you could check on my claim if you don't believe it to be true.) And it's assuming that they increase the frequency of the cash shop updates as the OP is suggesting, not saying that it will happen at the current rate.

And I also did say that updates to the cash shop have been minor and slow, therefore I said that I'm aware most of what they're adding that is new IS to the game.

And you're right! People will complain no matter what.

The cash shop is still not the answer to that problem though.

I mean think about it. What will keep people striving to get things and give a feeling of accomplishment? Working towards a goal and feeling accomplishment at achieving it are big parts of an MMO. A cash shop where people can drop some money for instant satisfaction nullifies both, and adds no incentive to play the game for the particular item/items in question. Less reason to play = less time logged in = less chance of subscription renewal = less money for SE from that source. And as mentioned before, this isn't going to cause a problem on a small scale, if it's done a lot though, it will add up.

It's also unrealistic to expect SE to cater to every single person's complaints. A cash shop is basically saying "we'll just try to please these players, forget the rest" however.

All of the other things in your list have something in common: You're playing the MMO you're already paying for to get them. The cash shop option stands out as the only way to get something inside the game via outside means. It doesn't "fit in" so to speak.

And while I suppose it is fair to include it as an option sometimes, there should at least always be reasonable ways to obtain the same things in game.

I really don't understand why more MMOs don't adopt this practice if they HAVE to have cash shops.

[Whocareswhatmynameis]

You know what else they could do to make money?

Take out all of the dyes in the game, and sell them in the cash shop.
Take out all of the minions in the game and sell them in the cash shop.
Take out all of the Glamour prisms and sell them in the cash shop.

Dont encourage this behavior, only thing that should be in the cash shop should be name changes or server transfers. Maybe extra retainers and phantasias.

[Gramul]

...wh....
Why on God's green earth would you ever encourage a company to find more ways to take your money?

You want special vanity gear, encourage them to be from events or special crafting. Or even better, encourage them to fix the wardrobe space problem.
We can already buy the game, pay a sub + extra retainers, buy a security key if you can't get the app, pay for the expansion pack, buy whatever stuff is already in the cash shop and pay for account specific features like fantasia and server transfers.
Why not just tell them to add a donation button?