Mogstation taking another step to the darkside

[Skivvy]

ESO for example, is faux "buy to play". It has a subscription model, that anyone who seriously plays it uses, while using it's "buy to play" nature to justify their ridiculous cash shop, limited items, loot boxes. SWTOR for example, is "free to play", but you better have a subscription to actually play that game. Also has lootboxes. Actually, most free to play games have a subscription model included, they call it premium or some other trash. "Free to play" is cow manure to try and justify their business practices.

ESO I've actually not played, so I know just about nothing on that game D: Will have to take your word on that.

As far as the B2P/F2P, I've played a couple of games with rather large shops (Archeage and BDO are probably the two biggest offenders), but oddly enough I feel less annoyed with buying things there as a whole compared to XIV. I know that those games also tweak certain in-game systems to try and push people towards their shops or their "premium accounts" like you mentioned. I actually totally forget about the 'premium' perks that many seem to have. Wasn't trying to be sneaky on purpose. X: My favorite guilty pleasure (Archeage) recently rolled out a B2P version of the game, so it's been a rather long time since I've dealt with that. But in the standard version, you did have the option to purchase the Patron (premium) status with in-game gold, so that was nice. Bit of a derailment with AA, sorry :X But yeah, while I don't agree with all the tactics in a F2P/B2P model, it does make more sense to me as they have no formal subscription in place.

With XIV, you have your sub, you have that companion app subscription if you want it, you can rent you retainers each month, and then you can buy all those other shinies that are cash-shop exclusives. I think a bit part of my annoyance comes from feeling like this game has so many short-comings in the game itself, can't implement so many things due to restrictions - but then the cash shop just keeps on pumping out new things on the regular that we should all be thrilled to be able to pay for.

e. I feel like I lost any point I may have started out trying to make. lol. I get the cash shop is here to stay, I just think SE's handlnig is a bit toooo much for this game. I'd kill to be able to have an option to buy things either from the shop or actually farm them up in-game. Make it annoying to get, sure! But the option would be nice to have.