Do You Think FF XIV Will Start Getting The Hate WoW Gets Because of The Cash Shop?

[_Koneko_]

Errm, please do not underestimate the effect of a cash shop. If the cash shop will become the main cash cow of a game then the company will put more resources to it. This means smaller expansions and smaller content patches but more store mounts or store emotes or other "services" etc. This is a rational business decision but almost never healthy for a game.

Cheers

there is barely anything in the cash shop other then a few character outfits or things that belong to other games like the ff 7 bike granted I'm a bit of a whale but honestly there disappointedly little in the shop you can't even buy lyse's stormblood intro outfit that many people wanted i'm not saying wrong i'm merely saying from the pov of someone who has whaled in many mmos over my nearly 40 years of life this cash shop is not even worth talking about

now if it was BDO or Blizzard level of cash grab i'd agree with you

[Sotaris]

Errm, please do not underestimate the effect of a cash shop. If the cash shop will become the main cash cow of a game then the company will put more resources to it. This means smaller expansions and smaller content patches but more store mounts or store emotes or other "services" etc. This is a rational business decision but almost never healthy for a game.

Cheers

Don't feel this applies to this game, not at this period of time anyways.
But if we talk in general among the industry, you're correct. A company will make more money short-term by having a agressive monetization through a microtransaction store-front, like Blizzard and most F2P games. I think the only two F2P games that I think of doing it right is foremost Path of Exile and Warframe, but I'm not 100% about Warframe since I haven't played that game in years but Path of Exile I'm still playing on and off.

[VictorTheed]

Cash Shops don't really bother me, as long as they don't lock the story behind the Cash Shop or make it to where Cash Shops is the only way to progress in game, then they can sell gil tokens, strong gear, cosmetics, whatever.

As long as I have the choice to play the game myself and get stuff in game then I'm ok, I don't have to use the Cash Shop unless I want to is how I like it and if Cash Shop exclusives remain as certain cosmetics or jump potions then I'm fine, just don't lock progression or story behind it.

[MilkieTea]

Don't feel this applies to this game, not at this period of time anyways.
But if we talk in general among the industry, you're correct. A company will make more money short-term by having a agressive monetization through a microtransaction store-front, like Blizzard and most F2P games. I think the only two F2P games that I think of doing it right is foremost Path of Exile and Warframe, but I'm not 100% about Warframe since I haven't played that game in years but Path of Exile I'm still playing on and off.

I feel like this is the operative term here. Short-term. SE's cash shop is noninvasive and allows for players to completely ignore it - no advertisements other than the most basic of ones on the loading screen and nothing in-game to lead players to it. It's also nearly impossible to purchase anything from the cash shop without gates in the way at every step. Their monetisation model is the complete opposite of aggressive, and it's quite obvious that they're not interested in the short-term but in the long-term success and profitability of the game.

[Illmaeran]

I was thinking about this topic on the way in to work the other day. Let's say the average network engineer in Tokyo makes $60,000 US per year so with payroll taxes, benefits contributions, etc, that's roughly $75,000 annual cost to the employer. At $15.00 US per month, that's 5000 subscriptions required to pay for that single employee. I'm sure a majority of income from game/expansion sales is re-invested in development, but with such a large staff and recurring costs, subscription fees likely don't cover the daily cost of running the game. Since game/expansion sales are a one-time capital injection that spikes and drops off quickly, income from secondary monetization streams can make a big difference.

I don't expect the Mogstation to ever cause widespread anger the way cash shops in other games have. Since the items are completely optional, and to my understanding, have no effect on things like collection achievements, SE will likely continue to be an example of how to run a cash shop. I can't blame them for having one either since subscription fees are generally unstable, having another monetization option that focuses on the dedicated players who are more likely to spend money, is a good way to make up for lost income during subscription slumps. Personally, I find the items I would potentially want to be too expensive to be worth it, but that's just me. On the other hand, I'm more than happy to toss them a few extra dollars a month for more retainers. From what I hear, all the extra money is funneled toward development of the game so it's even better. Subjective perception of value, and all that.

[Ranhansha]

Defending the cash shop because it's optional is the most absurd reason ever, yet it's the one I see tossed around the most. Do you know what else is optional? The story, trials, raids, glamour, housing, Gold Saucer, fishing, gathering, extra jobs every expansion.
You don't need all of that to enjoy the game and not everyone enjoys those features, but they are available for everyone in case they want to give it a try.
Additional services, ok. Fantasia, ok. Items from past events for people who missed them, ok. Skip potions, ok. Leveling alters, ok.
Items that could be included as rewards for content/events that get snipped from the actual game, not ok.

The fact this is not Blizzard does not mean this is something we should settle for. Also, not everything's great. Genderlock is a mistake. If Iuse a Fantasia (which I paid for) suddenly I can't wear some other items for which I also paid. And if you are a Viera or Hrothgar, chances are you won't be able to use the hairstyle but pay the same for them. MogStation is wrong on many levels but people refuse to see it because as long as they can pay 40$ and get their dopamine rush in exchange for their brand new mount or waifu dress, that's cool. S-E knows, and they play their cards, apparently, somehow, that makes them super good people because they are not Blizzard.

And before anyone says, you already support them with your monthly subscription, they are not dying, this is the most profitable FF game in history. At least be honest to yourself.

[Poporito_Popoto]

MogStation is wrong on many levels but people refuse to see it because as long as they can pay 40$ and get their dopamine rush in exchange for their brand new mount or waifu dress, that's cool.

So you're upset that other people are happy? Sounds like a you problem.

[Jijifli]

Cash Shops don't really bother me, as long as they don't lock the story behind the Cash Shop or make it to where Cash Shops is the only way to progress in game, then they can sell gil tokens, strong gear, cosmetics, whatever

If you wanna argue cosmetics, go ahead (even if I think they should be in game, or at least... account wide...). But do not put actual impacting gear in there, ever. And for the love that is bots and markets, do not ever, ever put that token here. WoW RMT spam might have gone down with the token, but its actual botting issue horribly HORRIBLY spiked up with it. I remember when I had trouble finding bots on WoW, now they might Boomy congo lines across half a zone and it's ignored because it promotes token sales (since those bots can just buy the tokens with their gold, thereby not needing to use stolen credit cards to fund delaying their bans by a long ass time). And that's ignoring the issue it caused with run sales spiking (also promoting token sales) that plague the game's systems. If you think 10 listings of obvious rmt run sales is a problem, wait until it's 100, and actually doing it with token sales so it's not even against ToS, that'll certainly be noticeable.

[Vahlnir]

Don't feel this applies to this game, not at this period of time anyways.
But if we talk in general among the industry, you're correct. A company will make more money short-term by having a agressive monetization through a microtransaction store-front, like Blizzard and most F2P games. I think the only two F2P games that I think of doing it right is foremost Path of Exile and Warframe, but I'm not 100% about Warframe since I haven't played that game in years but Path of Exile I'm still playing on and off.

With Warframe they allow players to grind for most everything, including the premium currency, without having to pay a single dollar. The grinds tend to range from "eh, not bad" to "OH MY GOD WHY?" in intensity, which encourages players to buy Platinum (the premium currency). Without it things can be a bit rough and take a lot longer. Platinum makes things a lot more enjoyable, in my opinion. It's probably the only free to play game I don't mind throwing money at for multiple reasons.

[kaynide]

Errm, please do not underestimate the effect of a cash shop. If the cash shop will become the main cash cow of a game then the company will put more resources to it. This means smaller expansions and smaller content patches but more store mounts or store emotes or other "services" etc. This is a rational business decision but almost never healthy for a game.

Cheers

Aside from their initial offerings and old event items, the things made in the cash shop are 100% funded by things purchases made in the cash shop. In addition, 100% of cash shop profits go right back into the game. So yes, while some of the profits are allocated for new cash shop items, a large chunk of it goes towards QoL or things that the community wants but not necessarily high priority to the devs.

The biggest example being the last wave of housing wards.