Cash shop confirmed

[KenzieLynch]

I have to be honest, I don't like it.

This is purely anecdotal, but this month I have been rocking my howling eye costume that I got last year at the first Halloween event of 2.0, and running around the city states having fun. It's fun to have an item that not everyone else has, and making people laugh in surprise. It's my mark of having been with the game for a year, and when I saw that the Halloween event this year didn't include this item as a reward I was thrilled that Yoshi-P and team understood how I felt and how it's important to allow players a sense of identity. It's the same feeling as having a really rare mount you got lucky rolling on, and this dynamic is such a huge part of what makes an MMO. Of course I was wrong about the costume, as they will now sell it in the cash shop. I feel that the random money they will make from this is worth less than giving the player the sense of "you were here, you got the item. That's your memory and your mark and it won't be available again."

Recently I have been having this feeling of, what is the point? A player can join the game now and achieve what I have achieved in 1 year (which isn't a terrible amount, but still), in about 2 weeks. As of today, I know they can also just buy whatever I have collected as well. Personally, I'm a long haul kind of guy. I am careful with how I spend my time and money, but when I do invest in something I stick at it. Well, even i'm having doubts about the direction they are taking this in recent months. I hope you understand that i'm not trying to sound like a special panda, but making the point that a long-term sub is worth more than a quick buck. Also, the gap in time for veteran rewards is increasing, and when you compare the reward for subbing to the game for 365 days versus the Odin mount you can now buy in the cash shop...well yeah.

I'm not ringing the bells of doom or anything, I'm just saying that I would like Yoshi-P and team to consider that when a player joins an MMO they are effectively creating a home (away from home). A long term sub is your guaranteed revenue for the years to come, and in return you need to have respect for the time they have spent, which includes giving them a sense of accomplishment over the long term. I don't want to know that a player can join the game and have everything I have within a couple of weeks, and I don't want to see items constantly brought back from timed events for new players who weren't even around to just buy on a whim.

Why should I bother taking part in the latest seasonal event? Why should I bother farming leviathan for a chance at a cool mount when the coolest mount is now up for purchase on the cash shop? I know this is all sounding very 'special panda', but as someone who had planned to sub to the game over a long period of time, I need to know that I won't look back and see a lot of my time was wasted because I have nothing to show for it. Yes I know it's just a videogame, and I know it should be about pure fun, but I feel as though an MMO means a little more than that. End rant

[PEANUT]

Eh, I mean if the cash shop offers items like "Vials of Fantasia", then sure, great idea! But if it offers mounts/minions/gear etc. then I am kind of against it. I mean if this was a F2P game and not a P2P game then sure, add a cash shop with tons of cool stuff to buy to help financially support the game, but when you bought the game initially and are paying monthly, it's not cool to charge extra for mounts/minions/gear etc. unless they make it dirt cheap.

[IveraIvalice]

"Want your newly purchased minion to dance and sing when you are idle? for another small fee it can be yours"

>.>

[Black91CRX]

In any case, people need to chill out until they actually see it. Threatening to unsub before you even see it just makes you all look like a bunch of babies.

[Dyne_Fellpool]

In any case, people need to chill out until they actually see it. Threatening to unsub before you even see it just makes you all look like a bunch a babies.

Except they've already listed several of the items that will be for sale, including a Sleipnir mount and some minions. You can already see it.

Plus, I've seen it before. In other games. "Vanity items only" is always how it starts and it just slowly grows from there. But hypothetically, even if it stayed "vanity only" forever thats still already too much.
For the minion collector, this IS pay to win. For the mount collector, this is pay to win. Lots of people play the game for lots of different reasons besides "get best stats possible" and these reasons are all valid.

I just cancelled the automatic renewal on my subscription. This is a sad day, I was legitimately hyped for 2.4 and 3.0

[VeryLaZ]

Some peeps are getting way to worked up over this, and thinking about it way too much. It's an OPTIONAL service, don't like it? Don't spend any money.

SE is a company and it's products are made to make money/profit. This is a way for them to do it...get over it.

In the end...it's just a video game, so lets all just have some fun riding around in our Sleipnir Mounts.

[IveraIvalice]

Some peeps are getting way to worked up over this, and thinking about it way too much. It's an OPTIONAL service, don't like it? Don't spend any money.

SE is a company and it's products are made to make money/profit. This is a way for them to do it...get over it.

In the end...it's just a video game, so lets all just have some fun riding around in our Sleipnir Mounts.

So your ok with having to buy the game first then pay monthly to continue playing the game, and the after that fork up more cash if you want some things in the game? You can be happy thinking that SE only sees you as a cash machine but I'm not. I don't want them trying to entice me with shiny things for even more of my money when I already give them money every month.

In the end what is our monthly subscription really for?
Companies win me over by putting their fans before their wallet

[Musashidon]

In the end what is our monthly subscription really for?

to be allowed to log so we can play. aka p2p

If you want to put in a cash shop, then what, if anything, are you doing to earn my subscription fees? I will not play games that double-dip. I left WoW for that garbage, and I will leave FFXIV.

telling you to pay or you can't log in.

[IveraIvalice]

to be allowed to log so we can play. aka p2p

Our monthly payment is paying for developing items that they can sell to us for more money.

We're paying them to making us things to buy from them.

[kyuven]

Our monthly payment is paying for developing items that they can sell to us for more money.

We're paying them to making us things to buy from them.

That's a twisted bit of logic there. That's the same logic that says paying for a movie ticket or gym membership should entitle you to free stuff from the concession stand/vending machines. Before you say they just buy it, let me cite that luxury theaters with onsite cooks are currently pretty popular.
FFXIV's subscriptions are also a large contributor of the development of many other games, which you also have to pay for. Why aren't you angry that you, who helped fund it, don't get a discount on FFXV? Or Theatrhythm?