Cash shop confirmed

[Sho86]

Again - I can understand peoples concerns regarding that.

But come on? So they expand the cash shop and include some vanity sets, some hair styles, maybe namingway cards.

But I highly doubt they would ever put races, classes/jobs, dungeons, trials, side stories etc into the cash shop.

I still have no clue why people who claim they love the game would ditch because of optional vanity. Maybe it's just the way I see it - Unless it directly effects the game (dungeons trials etc) I really don't see the issue.

I'm just gonna repost the entire thing this time, as its covers what your saying, from my perspective. I have no clue if its the exact same for others but should be around ballpark.

Fantasia - Each character gets one to begin with, and they are just a fancy name for a personal change of character looks/race. I don't lose or benefit from someone else using this.

Retainers - Yeah this one is a bit of "P2W" I suppose if you really want to force the issue. Although we're allowed two per character of which I've had no problem storing items in even as a full Lv50 crafter/gatherer. Even as an alt user I've kept all my mats on my crafter, so my hand is not forced to pay if I want to keep on par.

Cash shop opens a huge can of worms that can be a constantly changing hellride based on how they see fit. Starting with Minions yeah its same as fantasia for now, its a personal gain with no advantage other than looks. If they ever add mini-games with the minions, that suddenly changes. Mounts kind of the same deal, some stuff should have been included with lore thats already within the game as some pointed out with Odin's mount. Other mounts that just get thrown in and wouldn't have any real value to lore or given any bonuses (faster ride, no knockoff etc), is ok.

My main problem is what cash shop openings always lead too. They start small, then grow, and grow, and grow. "Vanity" can be a very loosely used term and expand to a ton of content; ranging from booster packs for Triple Triad that could include better chances of getting rare cards, or special items that affect Choco breeding/racing in some way. Since neither of these side games are progression or main story, it can be considered vanity fluff, yet this alters my game play directly if I want to stand a chance in these things.

It's anyone's guess as to how large it'll grow and how much they milk it, but I don't believe any company - SE or otherwise - when they throw promises out. Housing could be an easy example of promises.


Edit - and forgot about vanity gear. Thats a real issue too for economies and crafters. Old event gear has no business being there since it was already in the game, up for grabs every year the season event was out. If it were 'optional' on the grounds of buy it in the CS or wait for the event for the gil NPC, then sure, but its not. As for crafting, just have to wait and see how much vanity gear is thrown in.

Mostly the part about side games fits here.

[SongJoohee]

Snip

My worry is that they are now cutting rewards that were just going to be from playing the game to put into the cash store instead.

Slepnir is biggest example of this. We know an Odin trial is coming to the game. Every Extreme Primal drops a Horse mount, except Moogle. Slepnir was datamined on XIVDB to be a mount coming soon. Odin Shield was confirmed to be coming. There was huge demand for a proper Odin trial other than the FATE.

It's 100% that Slepnir was going to be Odin Extremes mount drop. 100%. I have no doubts at this point. It was cut out of the game to be sold in the shop. And that's the problem. How many rewards that were once going to just be in the game will now be in the store instead? Even if it is just vanity, if they had it in the game and they specifically took it OUT to sell it instead, it's bad.

[TheMunimai]

I don't know how to reply to both of you directly, but I can see where you're both coming from.

I was just trying to see your points of view - I can see the dangers of a cash shop (especially regarding TT booster packs and stuff), and I can see where your coming from in regards to getting an item containing a code rather just buying it outright.

I'm still fine with the cash shop idea - I like the game and it won't spoil my opinion of it, but we're all entitled to our own opinions.

I'm hoping it doesn't affect the game too much, but I guess time will tell.

[Amberion]

I still have no clue why people who claim they love the game would ditch because of optional vanity. Maybe it's just the way I see it - Unless it directly effects the game (dungeons trials etc) I really don't see the issue.

The thing is, is that vanity system is a big part of the game. It effects everything from crafting to events. You have to remember that an RPG is not just fighting.

The sad thing is that a lot of us saw this coming back when the retainers where announced. And people defended that then, by saying they wouldn't add a cash shop with ingame items in.

[Moqi]

I can see the dangers of a cash shop (especially regarding TT booster packs and stuff)

See, I actually don't understand this at all lol. I have no issues with booster packs and "augmented" gear (with the same design though, only better stats) because it is not new/exclusive content. It's more of a time managment thing. Let's say, I could sub for 3 months to learn Coil, or I could sub for one and use the money from the other two to buy gear/boosters and get everything done by the time my sub runs out. The content you have experienced with the packs and the one you have without is the same, one just took more time than the other.

That to me is much more fair than what they're setting up now.

[Shikiseki]

I have no complaints about a cash shop for items that are available in game but exclusive Cash Shop items, that do not revolve around server transfers, race/gender/name changes, is a little too far and clearly a step into the wrong direction (imo). Even if it's just vanity etc. Isn't it bad enough most of the cool gear is gated behind ridiculous requirements like 0.0001% drop rate from a map, hidden in a map or soon to come 4star items for a simple vanity shirt with literally 0 other benefits...

Maybe they can mimic WoW once they reach that stage but after 1 year, this is a really daring move, to say the least. The game's not established enough for me to justify a cash shop yet!

[ZephyrAM]

The cash shop simply needs to remain outside of the game itself, access restricted to the MogStation. If there's no UI for it in game, and you can play the game without ever knowing that it exists, then I'll be fine with it, almost regardless of what it sells (to a point of course).

I just have to hope they never connect it into the gameplay. No in-game store. None of those terrible chests that you have to buy keys for. Keep the cash shop in account management.

[SirTaint]

SE = Business
FFXIV = Revenue source
Cash shop = additional revenue
Good Revenue sources = additional funding
Additional funding = better content
Better content = more customers
more customers = more revenue
more revenue = happy developer


I understand most players are younger and don't fully understand the benefits of a profitable game/company, but the cash shop will benefit every player. Every time you see a $20 mount running around understand that the additional funding will trickle back into the game.

[Aivi]

why would SE risk losing many players due to this cash shop? lots of players are completely against this idea as they already pay for subscription.Limiting their choices isn't really helping. most players want to earn exclusive mounts and such in game while progressing or whatever. no point in selling it with real money, except of course more income for SE. many that I know already decided to quit because of this. hopefully SE can reconsider the cash shop even if it is already confirmed.

[Aegis]

I don't know how to reply to both of you directly,

If you want to reply to two people in the same post, go to the first post you want to reply to, click the little quotation with a blue + symbol at the bottom right of the post, then go to the second post and select reply with quote. Both quotes will be in your preview text pane.

SE = Business
FFXIV = Revenue source
Cash shop = additional revenue
Good Revenue sources = additional funding
Additional funding = better content
Better content = more customers
more customers = more revenue
more revenue = happy developer


I understand most players are younger and don't fully understand the benefits of a profitable game/company, but the cash shop will benefit every player. Every time you see a $20 mount running around understand that the additional funding will trickle back into the game.

Just because you can chisel extra money out of people doesn't mean you should. They could get even more money by adding stat boosts you can't get anywhere else. Especially if they then make a boss that almost, but not quite, requires those stat boosts.

It's not a question of profitability, but once you put profits before customers it's a downward spiral. Content generated now will go to cash shops when it could have been implemented in game as a reward for in game activities.

Also, that sequence works just as well like this:

SE = Business
FFXIV = Revenue source
Subscriptions = substantial revenue
Substantial Revenue = better content
Better content = more customers
more customers = more revenue
more revenue = happy developer

Unless you feel 2.5 m paying $10 a month isn't enough to keep the servers running?