Emotes.............

[Elamys]

The cost of a subscription for an MMO hasn't changed in 20 years. Do you really think our subscriptions, alone, cover operating costs? But if the subscription cost was raised to really reflect the cost of running an MMO, everybody would freak out. There's a reason nearly every single subscription-based MMO has been $14.99 a month, it's what we expect.

Thinking that a shop for something like a piece of glamour or a fancy mount shouldn't exist because you pay a sub is absurd in the modern world. They are not content because they do not impact anything other than your appearance. You are not paying for access to a dungeon or raid. You are not paying for the best weapons or gear in the game. You are paying for a pair of earrings, or the ability to do a different dance than someone else while AFKing next to a gathering node or something. That's not content. That's aesthetics. And if it's really that important for you than yeah, you'll have to pay, because nothing about these vanity items impacts your gameplay at all.

Crafting is an actual activity you do in the game, and it creates items you need in other areas of the game...like gear, food, and potions. So that's still not even remotely the same thing. I think you are misunderstanding what makes the Mog Station items optional - they are nothing but appearance items. You don't play your black mage differently because you're wearing the Far Eastern Beauty's dress. The exceptions to these, of course, are the boosts, but those don't change fundamentally how you play either, since in MMOs, the real game starts at endgame usually.

I know the Halloween items used to be in the game, all the holiday items get added back, but they were still at a cheaper price point than the things that have been added back from other holidays.