I want an official response.

[Yasune]

It's like how some products are labeled "batteries sold separately". Batteries are required in order to use said product, but it was not ever intended to be sold to you as part of the product's cost. In this case, "Sleipnir sold separately".

I'm sorry, what? That whole "batteries sold separately" is not the right example to compare with the cash shop issue. Sleipnir was already in the game and could be implemented. In this said product, the batteries would have to already be in the product but then you'd have to pay to use it after you already bought said product. If the product were a remote control, the company would have to both make the remotes and the batteries but they don't. Batteries are an entirely different industry and is not built into remotes. Sleipnir is not a battery. >.>

[Pancakes]

Personally I couldn't care less about primals, coil etc etc. I don't do that.
But I do care about wedding, dyes or pretty gear.
So I get all the things I dont care about every patch but I don't get anything that matters to me.

... Yet I pay a monthly subscription all the same...

How is this fair?

Trust me, if I could exchange all "content" for those few dyes or better wedding I would. But what saddens me even more are all those "professional" people on this forum who tell everyone what is important and what is not. To each his own you know.. We all pay the same price, why can't we all enjoy the game on the same level?

[Wildsprite]

But it is. You are paying for a product and you are not being delivered the whole product.

ahh but you're wrong, you're not paying for a product. you're paying for a service. initially you paid for a code and if you want the expansion you will pay for another.
gonna complain about that too?
by your logic we should get all of the premium stations when we pay for our cable or sattelite service.
your cable and sattelite services offer optional pay per view do you complain about those too?
before you say the comparison is wrong I think not. its the same fallable logic you're using.

here is what I suspect is happening with our sub money. it's all going back to the main company and they are giving very little back.
if we want better service the money for that has to come from somewhere hence the cash shop.
nothing sold in there gives you better stats or any advantage over other players.
take a step back, take a deep breath.

[Squa11_Leonhart]

do i
do i
do i
do i

i broke down your argument.

[Mjollnir]

I get that the cash shop is here to stay.

But S-E can put an end to the schism this feature of the game has caused between the Cash Shop Apologists and the people who are right (I might be a bit biased there) once and for all.

Square-Enix, please put Savage Mode Coil 2-3 on the cash shop for £5 per raid. No new gear rewards, just titles and maybe a minion. Or a dye. Or a wedding. Or something.

See if these 'mount/minion/glamour/appearance/past event content is just optional' people complain then.

If not, how about access to any future Beast Tribe Quests for £10 per tribe?

Does a fee to increase your weekly lockout on Tomes count as Pay to Win? No? £2 per week should cover the additional data storage their servers need.

How about the much-anticipated Free Company Airship Factory? £100! (though you expect at least 20 FC members to chip in, so it's not really that much) Airship dyes? £10. New Sails? £20. Different-shaped Hull? £30.

I'd buy them all, if I wasn't paying a subscription (it's funny that 90% of other MMOs don't charge you to 'access their servers')

[tocsin]

snip...

Actually, yes, that would be a great idea.

Yoshi has said this is a "Theme Park MMO". so lets make it as such. 12 dollars a month buys you your entrance ticket, then only pay for exactly what you want to do. Don't like to raid? don't support it! don't like new beast tribes? don't pay for that either. Focus the most development on the items that sell the most, to make the most people happy.

I'm 100% on board for this. 1 entrance ticket, and whatever it costs to access crafting and gathering, please!

[polyphonica]

by your logic we should get all of the premium stations when we pay for our cable or sattelite service.
your cable and sattelite services offer optional pay per view do you complain about those too?

Or perhaps more to the point given the analogies they've used for this game... when you buy a pass to enter a theme park, all the souvenir shops, concession stands, mini-games, and commemorative photo packages should be included in the price you pay, and not just the rides/attractions. Theme Parks have been playing the "optional add-on" game forever.

Basically the whole argument comes down to the perception of greediness, and the concept of value for money spent. People are willing to pay through the nose for a day at a theme park plus all sorts of "optional services" because it's a special event. Or they'll go to a theatre, and pay the ticket price + add-ons (3D, IMAX, pre-selected seating) + over-priced concessions because it's a date night, or whatever. The value-per-dollar people get out of an MMO subscription is way higher (50 cents per day?), but there's still a perception issue with having add-ons on top of that. But it seems that the market has been shifting slowly, because a lot of people would be willing to pay more than $15/month for something that's their primary form of entertainment, but nobody wants to actually be the one to pull the trigger and raise that price due to "sticker shock".

[Magis]

Nobody is being ripped off -_-

You can't even access those things you bought without an active subscription. At least in a F2P MMO, you can login whenever and see what you bought. But here, you are buying an item, and then paying monthly for the privilege to see/use that item. How the hell is that not being ripped off?

[silentwindfr]

...But it seems that the market has been shifting slowly, because a lot of people would be willing to pay more than $15/month for something that's their primary form of entertainment, but nobody wants to actually be the one to pull the trigger and raise that price due to "sticker shock".

actually it's false, this people will scream if the subs increase actually, they are ok to pay overcharged item on the cash shop, because it's one time. ask them to pay more per month and they will be the first to leave.
same for the player that spend tons of cash into a cash shop into a free to play, ask him if he want him game to become a subs game where all the content of the cash shop will be included free. the answer will amaze you, it's willoften be a big NO!
why? because it's a bragging right that they buy, it's not really the cosmetic stuff, but a bragging right to show off. it's a bit like the people that buy the last iphone and after show off, even if it have cost them one arm for buy it. it's only a matter of bragging right and being lazy, yes lazy, because if it was into the game, it will ask time and dedication for get this item and they don't want to dedicate themself for this.

for make simple, they have cash or willing to pay with cash and want to be able to braggs and skip time on doing stuff in game.
that the sad reality of the trouble about the cash shop.

[einwol]

I understand that the cash shop enables SE to make money. I'm glad they are able to do well. I bought a computer and the game to support them as Final Fantasy XI helped me get through dark times in my life. With that said, I find the lack of opportunities to get "optional items" in game discouraging. I love the ADS mount for PVP, it is a great incentive to do PVP even though the took away the exp earned from the launch of stormblood. But I look at something like the Carbuncle mount and I believe it is cash shop only. I love carbuncle, but I wouldn't buy as it feels like I'm being exploited. We get taken advantage of all the time in real life: costs for food, housing, education, the list goes on.

It is the exploitation that burns here. I too would like Yoshi-P to respond to this fact. If not directly acknowledging how they are treating us, but by revamping the rewards in-game. Eureka could present opportunities to address this.