Thread: You think our Cash shop is bad...take a look at THIS

So, you think the FFXIV cash shop is bad?

Consider the example of Destiny. This AAA action game has no subscription, sounds great Yes? Except that to finance the continued updates to the game and servers, Bungie is introducing microtransactions....

The First Microtransactions For Destiny

Recently an update added 18 new emote to the game, except they are locked out. But, if you...Want To Buy All The Emotes In Destiny? It'll Run You $38

Note that there is no way that these emotes can be obtained in Destiny through gameplay, they require a micro-transaction to purchase in-game currency with real world currency - gotta buy those diamonds, coins, hearts, stars, or in this case Silver to get your stuff.

This is an example of the kind of non-sense that subscription free games ultimately have no choice about doing since they have to pay for the servers and future development somehow. It's also an example that demonstrates the positive benefit of a monthly subscription.

Which brings me back to FFXIV and my hope that they continue with the subscription model and take care to only add retired seasonal items to the cash shop in future.

I don't think I've ever seen a reasonable cash shop in an F2P game. They monetize it up and down. (Though, as you point out, they kind of have to to stay in business...)

Originally Posted by Wolf_Gang

How can I get dyes? Or right I have to buy them in a cash shop in a subscription game.

WTF...

Your retainer wishes to inform you that of the available rare dyes, only 3 are unavailable via retainer ventures.

Originally Posted by Skivvy

The FFXIV cash shop is bad. Outside of world transfers and fantasias, everything else should obtainable in game only (IMO). We paid for the game, we pay a subscription fee, and then they still charge on top of that for additional retainers, weddings, mounts, minions, etc. Sure, it's all optional, and a lot of it you CAN obtain in game (although very slowly, or only from special events), but it's still double-dipping on your paying customers.

Weddings (Eternal Bond) are free. The extras cost more.

Of the 98 items currently in the cash shop at least 80 were previously available in game through seasonal events, but have since been retired in favor of adding new seasonal items in game. Putting those in the cash shop provides new players who were not here, or players who were absent during or did not play the seasonal events an avenue to obtain specific things.

Of the remaining items there are 2 packages for upgrades to the eternal bond (including bridal chocobo), 4 minions, 3 dyes available singly or in packs of 10, and fantasia available in 1, 3 or 5 pack; and finally the Slepnir mount.

That's perhaps 10 unique items that have never been available in-game.

Originally Posted by Kosmos992k

but have since been retired in favor of adding new seasonal items in game. Putting those in the cash shop provides new players who were not here, or players who were absent during or did not play the seasonal events an avenue to obtain specific things.

You make it sound like these options are mutually exclusive. Those old items used to be available on seasonal event vendors for a tiny amount of gil, while new items you would get from the quest or some other participation.

It's not like seasonal items could never be obtained again before the cash shop, nor did we have to give up having new items for them to reappear.

edit: In fact, the whole controversy kicked off when, for some reason, the vendor that sells the previous years' items was conspicuously missing from that year's Halloween event. And then... Enter the Mog Station.