Carbuncle mounts have arrived!

[Lathander81]

Slepnir mount would like to have a word with you. This have been a thing since 2014. Yoshi-P has already stated the "Cash Shop" helps pay for things like new server.

Right you are about that mount I almost forgot. Still the point is they have more than enough to pay for the servers with subs and retainers alone. Lets not even talk about the collectors additions, music, statues and all the other out of game purchases people make to the game. Basically you are telling me that SE needs people to pay double subs to run their servers?!

[BillyKaplan]

Still the point is they have more than enough to pay for the servers with subs and retainers alone.

For the servers, maybe. Then there's the actual costs of production, design, implementation, MAYBE the occasional increase in manpower, music, copyrights for music, copyrights for characters, PR, actually producing physical copies of the game, sums required for their agreements with steam and the like...
For the servers? Sure, they have enough (probably not but let's roll with it). But the game has a lot of other expanses. Those patches don't make themselves.

[Dyvid]

Right you are about that mount I almost forgot. Still the point is they have more than enough to pay for the servers with subs and retainers alone. Lets not even talk about the collectors additions, music, statues and all the other out of game purchases people make to the game. Basically you are telling me that SE needs people to pay double subs to run their servers?!

And how much does it cost to operate FFXIV on a daily basis because I don't have a clue. I'm telling you want was told to us 4 years ago when Mog Station first came about. Now the question for everyone is, would you accept a sub price increase to do away with cash shops or leave it as is?

For the servers, maybe. Then there's the actual costs of production, design, implementation, MAYBE the occasional increase in manpower, music, copyrights for music, copyrights for characters, PR, actually producing physical copies of the game, sums required for their agreements with steam and the like...
For the servers? Sure, they have enough (probably not but let's roll with it). But the game has a lot of other expanses. Those patches don't make themselves.

Don't forget having to pay companies to actually produce statues, collector edition items, CD and Bluray music disc, books, etc...

[Lathander81]

And how much does it cost to operate FFXIV on a daily basis because I don't have a clue. I'm telling you want was told to us 4 years ago when Mog Station first came about. Now the question for everyone is, would you accept a sub price increase to do away with cash shops or leave it as is?

Don't forget having to pay companies to actually produce statues, collector edition items, CD and Bluray music disc, books, etc...

So you think that SE is hurting so bad they need to pay someone to make exclusive items that cost over a normal sub? Are you serious? There are F2p games that are more reasonable than that.

[BillyKaplan]

Don't forget having to pay companies to actually produce statues, collector edition items, CD and Bluray music disc, books, etc...

I intentionally left out most things that were not directly contributing to the creation and constant maintenance of the game. But if I already brought that up, working with experts to help fend off the DDoS attacks we suffered from recently. That also costs money (an unplanned expense to boot, mind) and is required for the game to actually function. It's not hard to come up with things these carbies are helping to pay off.

There are F2p games that are more reasonable than that.

Do these F2P games need to deal with the same amount of active players/characters? Do they offer the same amount of immediately available storage? Armory chest space? Mount/minion/orchestrion logs storage? Because if they operate on a lower scale, of course they'll be able to charge less.
I am not even being hyperbolic here. If you want to win people over with this, you need to start offering numbers.

[DeaconMoore]

Don't forget having to pay companies to actually produce statues, collector edition items, CD and Bluray music disc, books, etc...

lol

The cost per item vs the cost they charge the end customer is vastly different.

[Kai_Lee]

This tread will eventually die off and be forgotten until SE put the next cash shop items that players want but do not want to pay for and another tread will be created to vent on that item...