In-game content behind paywalls/ Exclusivity on limited time events/mounts/etc

[Doozer]

So you in that regard, they should just put every mount/minion/title/etc on the mog station.

I guess that's one way to stretch it to keep the argument going.

[thansu]

If consumers never supported the Mogstation in the first place, then it never would have gotten to the point where it is now. Consumers just never realize they hold the most power in the industry. What are they gonna do, close the game down they invested so heavily to revive because we didn't buy the ridiculously expensive cosmetics? I like how the controversy of Star Wars Battlefront 2 worked, but it didn't teach consumers anything.

I can understand charging for services like Fantasia, server transfer, name change and extra retainers is streeeetching it, but so many of the outfits, emotes and mounts should have been obtainable in the game. The emotes for Play Dead, why isn't that a reward for Palace of the Dead? Why aren't the new dancing emotes just.. obtainable via. a unlock blue quest like the initial 3? I can just justify locking the seasonal things behind the paywall, if we could actually play the past seasonal events if we purchased the items in a bundle, like what GW2 does when you miss a Living Story.

"It's just cosmetics" is not a valid excuse when they are clearly using a portion of manpower to develop these items to loot extra money instead of fully committing to putting content and rewards into the game. If Square Enix is extracting the monthly sub revenue from FFXIV to fund other projects, don't give them more power to do so by buying the Mogstation items... But eh, the damage is already done and people are clearly content with the business practice.

[linayar]

people are clearly content with the business practice.

That's exactly it. People have always had the power to "vote with their wallets" and they have clearly voted.

[StriderShinryu]

I would be fine with it if it was just a timed exclusivity. But yeah, locking an in game item behind a several hundred dollar limited run statue or a limited issue high demand guide book is definitely annoying. At least put the item in the cash shop 6 months or a year after the statue/book/etc. releases.

[thansu]

I would be fine with it if it was just a timed exclusivity. But yeah, locking an in game item behind a several hundred dollar limited run statue or a limited issue high demand guide book is definitely annoying. At least put the item in the cash shop 6 months or a year after the statue/book/etc. releases.

Ahhh! Don't remind me of this, it hurts me so much that the Wind-up Dulia Chai and Nidhogg minions are locked behind the items... ;_;

[MsQi]

Yes. Many of the Mogstation items are made by Korean and Chinese 3rd parties who run the Korean and Chinese ports of the game over there. Some of their promotions and designs make their way over to our cash shop.

I guess "many" is relative, but it is relatively few.

[Controller]

Items from the mog station if it did not exist would be in the game. If their only source of cash flow were our subs. Then yes they would because its an item people have requested and why would they be? Because they want to keep your sub and if you say I want this mount/minion/glamour/etc and you get enough support they will do it.

No those items wouldn't be in the game. Those items were only made because of the cashshop. No cashshop no items made for it. Again... the only reason they exist is BECAUSE the store is here. That team that makes them wouldn't be a team making anything if the store wasn't here. Your sub is only here to let you into the game. It is in no way paying for you to have items made to be sold.

[MikkoAkure]

I guess "many" is relative, but it is relatively few.

Pretty sure most if not all of the "Asian" themed glam on the market board were made by the Chinese and Korean 3rd parties that run those servers. These all appeared in their versions of the game first. I'm not sure what strict rules you have for when you're allowed to use the word "many" but I feel like it works here.

[ForteNightshade]

They are making money with your sub fee. Then selling you an item that belongs in the game which you are paying them to create just to put on the shop instead of putting it in the game you spent your money on.

Except they don't belong in the game. Cash Shop items are developed by a different team—one who likely oversees micro-transactions in several Square Enix IPs. These items are typically made for the sole purpose of generating profit. Without the Cash Shop, most would not exist. As for the statues. They're essentially saying, "Here's something special since you just spent $300+." Most people actually want the physical item not just the emote.

These only complaint I'll readily support is everything should be account wide. Or at the very least, the option should be offered. I also wish they'd sell individual pieces since I don't always want the whole outfit.

You saying SE outsource cash shop items?

Yes. in fact, this is quite common in the game industry. EA outsources entire games regularly. Just to offer an example.

[kaynide]

The only thing I wish they did with cash shop was an in game way to earn crysta. Like gil to crysta (and not back to gil). I like a lot of the cash money items, but I would prefer to use my gil to purchase it, even if it was like a million gil to the dollar.