Online Store is Getting Worse!

[Illmaeran]

Mogstation is far removed from the game and isn't shoved in your face by any means. So if this is deemed predatory is on the lowest scale. If the cost is to high for you for whatever reason do what I and many others do and simply don't buy it

I'll argue that it's not predatory at all and people are using the term in a way that doesn't fit this game. Mogstation items are purely optional and cosmetic, and as such give no substantive benefit to the player. Predatory sales tactics are those in which the developer intentionally makes items that give substantive benefits to the player and design the game in such a way that said benefits are necessary to play the game at a more than sub-standard level. Predatory is a "create a problem then sell the solution" situation, or in other terms, design the game so the player is forced to spend money to make up for design deficiencies. In addition to that, having monetization schemes where the currency the person buys is in portions that are either insufficient or way more than is needed to buy items; forcing the player to spend much more than is necessary to get said item.

This game has plenty of items, emotes, mounts, minions, and dyes available strictly though in-game activities that one need not buy anything to get full benefit from their game purchase and subscription. If SE want to charge a premium price for luxury items that's up to them. It's up to the player to decide if that item is worth the price, aka has value to them. It may be distasteful to many to have a cash shop in a game that requires a purchase and subscription, but it's in now way predatory.


As a previous poster said; Mogstation purchases subsidize people who don't buy from it as the extra revenue helps keep sub costs down. Think what you will of people who buy Mogstation stuff, have extra retainers, or both, but realize they're the ones keeping your sub from hitting the $15 per month standard of other subscription models out there.

[XiRon]

Yknow maybe bc I'm petty and full of correct opinions but considering the devs screwed over hrothgar for 3 years by charging $10 for an ingame feature everyone else can enjoy, and nobody BUT hrothgar gave a wet fart until zepla dropped that video on hroth/viera hair, I just have to laugh.
Oh you think $22 is ridiculous? Nonsensical for a cosmetic purchase? Gosh tell me all about iiiiiiiituh.

[Iyrnthota]

Maybe I'm just weird but the game alone provides far more than mogstation ever will and with that in mind I don't see the issue here.

Mogstation is far removed from the game and isn't shoved in your face by any means. So if this is deemed predatory is on the lowest scale. If the cost is to high for you for whatever reason do what I and many others do and simply don't buy it

I won't argue the predatory point, cause I don't think I have the right experience/know how to make a definitive statement on that.

I will argue, however, that is is "shoved in your face". Any time you see a glam someone bought from the Mogstation, it is being advertised to you. Anytime you see a mount you might like that it turns out is Mogstation exclusive, it is being advertised to you. Anytime someone emotes at you using a Mogstation exclusive mount, it is being advertised to you.

The game itself might not splash it across the screen on login as so many other games do, but it is absolutely advertised overtly and persistently in the form of the playerbase that interact with it.

[Cheremia]

Snip

What sort of grinds my gears is the fact that people are saying f2p Games are less predatory because you CAN play them without paying anything. Maybe even endgame!

Just needs a lot of grinding, because you can buy these handy skips and things that can make it faster.
Sets with way better stats than you can get anywhere ingame? Got that! Sometimes they even have really hood effects, too!
Upgrade things for weapons? Yep!
Better pets if any? Yes
Better mounts if any? Yes

So while yes, you can indeed be f2p but chances are, you will never really be part of the current meta or get anything good fast.
And these games really want your money, since its the only way they make money.

Since f2p games „secretly“ is p2w

I see these games more as free to enter and nothing else.

[Kes13a]

I won't argue the predatory point, cause I don't think I have the right experience/know how to make a definitive statement on that.

I will argue, however, that is is "shoved in your face". Any time you see a glam someone bought from the Mogstation, it is being advertised to you. Anytime you see a mount you might like that it turns out is Mogstation exclusive, it is being advertised to you. Anytime someone emotes at you using a Mogstation exclusive mount, it is being advertised to you.

The game itself might not splash it across the screen on login as so many other games do, but it is absolutely advertised overtly and persistently in the form of the playerbase that interact with it.

you must not have to leave your house much, since doing so would have many things "shoved in your face" that you may want only to realize somebody had to buy them at a store. this has to be one of the less well reasoned "takes" on the whole thing.

[Iyrnthota]

you must not have to leave your house much, since doing so would have many things "shoved in your face" that you may want only to realize somebody had to buy them at a store. this has to be one of the less well reasoned "takes" on the whole thing.

I'm not entirely sure what your point is here.
"Advertising exists in real life, so it's okay in this game"?
Am I to draw a direct parallel to strolling through my local city center and strolling through the Limsa plaza?

I should hope I'm not the first one to tell you this, but games aren't real life, and nor should they be.

[LilyPendragon]

Do you have any proof they don't put the money they make from the online store back into the game?

The burden of proof there would probably rest on the people saying that they do put it back into the game. Yes, Yoshi has said it's the case but is there any actual evidence? I'm not likely to believe that, especially given Square's recent track record of spaffing money up the wall on stupid things (i.e NFT's)

[Jojoya]

I will argue, however, that is is "shoved in your face". Any time you see a glam someone bought from the Mogstation, it is being advertised to you. Anytime you see a mount you might like that it turns out is Mogstation exclusive, it is being advertised to you. Anytime someone emotes at you using a Mogstation exclusive mount, it is being advertised to you.

In that case, the entire world is an advertisement being shoved in your face. Everyone you see walking down the street is an advertisement for the clothes they're wearing. Everyone holding a branded drink cup in their hand is an advertisement for that company. Every car on the highway is an advertisement for that car maker.

Do you get upset that all those things are getting shoved in your face? Or do you only act that ridiculous over items in a game that you want but don't want to pay for?

The burden of proof there would probably rest on the people saying that they do put it back into the game. Yes, Yoshi has said it's the case but is there any actual evidence? I'm not likely to believe that, especially given Square's recent track record of spaffing money up the wall on stupid things (i.e NFT's)

Unless someone is a registered investor in Square Enix, they don't have any right to that type of information beyond whatever public disclosures are required by law.

If you think a company is engaging in shady accounting practices, why are you doing business with them? Why not go find a game where you feel the company is properly investing back in their product?

[Iyrnthota]

In that case, the entire world is an advertisement being shoved in your face. Everyone you see walking down the street is an advertisement for the clothes they're wearing. Everyone holding a branded drink cup in their hand is an advertisement for that company. Every car on the highway is an advertisement for that car maker.

Yes, it is.

Do you get upset that all those things are getting shoved in your face?

Yes, I do, and I do my very best to avoid them.

[Jojoya]

Yes, it is.

Yes, I do, and I do my very best to avoid them.

Somehow I doubt that. If you were truly affected that badly, you wouldn't be subscribed to the game in the first place. You'd be cowering in a closet somewhere with your eyes clenched shut.