I want an official response.

[NoloeTazier]

I feel that if a company tried to pull this garbage back in the day the people would eat them alive. People are just too docile and passive. The whole reason I am even paying a sub is to avoid a cash shop.

"WoW does it so it's ok." For serious though it all went down hill when businesses hired psychologists/psychiatrists that know how to work with words (same things politicians do). It's really easy to convince people nowadays that something like this is a good thing (well subjective really, though I'm anti-cash shop on a subscription). Look at how DLC and Cellphone games have evolved.