And the last bastion of non-Mog Station items gets put on Mog Station

[Theodric]

You missed the point there. The post wasn't against micro-transactions in general, but criticizing this particular one. Let's compare the mog-shop purchase vs. what I assume is an Amazon page. Same product, but Amazon offers it for less and without the restrictions the game has (only in-game, with an orchestrion you have permissions for, on a specific character), yet the game charges almost twice as much.

It's not unusual for there to be a 'mark up' for such products, though. You're basically paying for the 'luxury' of having them available to play in-game through the orchestrion. Sure, you can buy them elsewhere, turn off the in-game music and just play them in the background through other sources but these are simply targeted at players who make frequent use of their orchestrion whilst crafting, role-playing or idling.

[swiss_Momo]

I guess you might argue the scroll is more expensive as you are kinda broadcasting it to the whole server for free if you have your house/apartment open to visitors

[Zojha]

Games such as Fortnite prove that micro-transactions aren't going anywhere.

The continued existence of supporters prove that micro-transactions aren't going anywhere.

It's business. Taking a stand, complaining, morals, whatever are all irrelevant - the only thing that matters is the bottom line. If companies learn that they can make more money with micro-transactions that are more than cosmetics only, they'll start doing it. Doesn't matter what the consumers have to say if they don't act on it.

Reminder: We're in capitalism. The point of actors here, whether companies or consumers, is to be greedy (Aka: Maximizing their own selfish benefit) and rip each other off as best they can. Then the invisible hand will do the rest and guide the economy to the best result for all. Or so they say. If not, we blame it on externalities and the state.

[Vhailor]

The continued existence of supporters prove that micro-transactions aren't going anywhere.

This. SE is going to balance the profits from microtransactions against the possible negative economic consequences of offering them (i.e. people quitting on principle). Unfortunately, there's a significant imbalance here pointing in favour of offering microtransactions, from a profit standpoint.

If people want to help shift things in the other direction, they need to alter their purchasing decisions of SE products accordingly, and voice the reasons why. It might not add up to much on its own, but enough people doing it, we might see progress. I know personally, I do enjoy FFXIV still; it's a nice social game to play with my girlfriend. But, SE's push toward microtransactions influences my purchasing decisions in regards to other titles. I don't buy any of their shitty DLC for other titles they publish, and I'll very frequently wait for a sale on their games, because I feel like they're trying to milk enough from FFXIV already so as to not need ultra-healthy margins on other titles. If they were to stop getting so greedy, stop nickel-and-diming us to death in FFXIV, I'd begin purchasing more of their other titles full price.

There is another approach, too, that people can try: peer pressure. I not only avoid the Mog Station myself, but I say absolutely nothing positive about outfits or mounts that I know come from it. When the Carbuncle mounts released and some friends were talking about how cool they were, my reaction was 'eh, I'll never support the microtransaction bullshit, so I don't really care.' Again, in and of itself, this won't make a difference - but one of the main motivating factors for purchasing items on the Mog Station is bragging rights for that new mount or outfit. If nobody reacts positively, the bragging doesn't get you as far, and the desire to purchase items drops.

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The only other thing I can recommend to people sick of the Mog Station (and similar cash shops in other MMOs) is to keep realistic goals. For me, that means (a) being able to play the games I want to play, while (b) feeling as if I'm doing my part to discourage these shitty creations. I try not to set a rigid goal of 'no cash shop or bust', because that would just lock me out of MMOs. It's not a perfect solution, but it's working for me, at least.

[CorbinDallas]

I bought all three of them and I don't regret it, they make an awesome addition to my playlist, particularly the cover of Oblivion. Also, to second what someone else already covered, real money for orchestrion rolls has been a thing since the release of Duality.

[Nora_of_Mira]

Putting music rolls on the mogstation is just dumb and another way for SE to make petty cash. Music rolls should be loot drops or something we can purchase on the in game MB. The emotes are a stretch as well. I remember one emote costing from 7-12$ on mogstation. All that for a emote? #AllGreed


Emotes are so meaningless and should be gettable in game. If you do put emotes on HSN...sorry I mean mogstation, emotes should cost no less than 1-2$. Make some mounts like that fps dropping carbuncle mount gettable via the Gold Saucer mgp like the Fenrir mount.



I could go into a whole vent about how mogstation is becoming a shopping network and pointless stuff they add on there that could be in game rewards, but I'll save it for another time.

[Hamada]

But 5$ are less than 5€


Buy the orchestral versions as MP3.

1. cheaper
2. you can hear it anywhere and while playing any alt as well. You can even hear it while not playing at all.
3. you get it outside of the cash shop.

yeah I know NephthysVasudan missed the point of that post and I had a comment about it too but it was late at night and.. end up being missing, lol

[Sekkei]

The fact that those orchestrion rolls are double the price of a single song that can be downloaded digitally is what I find wrong with this. You can't take your orchestrion with you in the car and yet SE figures double price is worth only being able to listen to it in apartments, houses, and inns in a subscription based game. Access to your account being cut off for any reason means you're cut off from the orchestrion roll. Why buy it? :\

[Alleo]

You missed the point there. The post wasn't against micro-transactions in general, but criticizing this particular one. Let's compare the mog-shop purchase vs. what I assume is an Amazon page. Same product, but Amazon offers it for less and without the restrictions the game has (only in-game, with an orchestrion you have permissions for, on a specific character), yet the game charges almost twice as much.

Yeah I know that we are fighting a losing battle about the cash shop itself and as long as we get most stuff ingame I could live with it. (Albeit a bit annoyed if its something cool and unique that lands in there) But the biggest problem right now and something which can be changed is the price range of this stuff (and it being single character).

[DrWho2010]

The fact that those orchestrion rolls are double the price of a single song that can be downloaded digitally is what I find wrong with this. You can't take your orchestrion with you in the car and yet SE figures double price is worth only being able to listen to it in apartments, houses, and inns in a subscription based game. Access to your account being cut off for any reason means you're cut off from the orchestrion roll. Why buy it? :\

It's extra because it's from the arranged Eorzea Symphony album and it's Square Enix so stuff like this is gonna be at a premium. Just wait for a sale. This is all fluff. No one says you have to buy it. This is what i always don't get. Don't like it? Don't get it. Your game experience isn't going to suffer.