Online Store is Getting Worse!

[Raoabolic]

People keep buying so why not keep doing it? Also the exchange rate for dollars to yen is 142 right no so them making pretty much anything in dollars makes them INSANELY profitable in Japan. It really is worse then you think it is.

That is the devils barging we all make by playing FF14. They deliver a solid product and we all look the other way on their extremely excessive monetization.

Who is looking the other way? The line seems to be drawn between those that see the cash shop for what it is and zealous SE defenders. Thing is, the battle is being fought on SE's land. What side do you think SE is going to listen to? The minority who see the mogshop as a EA inspired creation or the legion who will blindly clap when the dev's parent company tell them to? lol

[SturmChurro]

We know that someone on the Nightmare mount has put in the time and effort to get it and we respect the player for that. We also know that someone riding the Megashiba bought it and as such, don't hold that player in regard the same way we do a player with the Nightmare mount. Yes, both are cosmetic, but I would argue their cosmetic importance is based on the mode of acquisition, not the mount itself.

Cosmetic importance is a big factor, otherwise people would literally not buy most cash shop mounts. The mode of acquisition is certainly a factor, but if something that isn't desirable is locked behind a grind, or achievement, less and less people will do it. There will always be collectors and the like out there, but the more aesthetically pleasing something is, generally, plays a big factor. Similarly, if something very desirable is locked behind low chance in a lootbox or the like (gacha games?), for example, people will feel a very similar sense of 'prestige' for having this item.

[PyurBlue]

I hadn't considered comparing it against expansion prices.
Where I am, to buy Endwalker on Steam currently it's 29.99, this glam set alone is 15.00.

It would cost me more to buy this glam set for two characters (which I would have to do, because it's Single Character only) than it would to buy the most recent expansion.

I think it's eye opening for sure. It's clear that the prices of these sets far exceed how much it takes to produce them. If SE really needed anywhere near $10 per sale to cover the cost of creating an outfit, how much of the budget was put toward the default ones in the $50ish game?

Willingly paying these prices doesn't make someone a bad person, but I think it should be fairly obvious why they create so many negative reactions. It's not just about affordability, but obviously milking profit to extreme degrees. I'd like to buy some mogstation outfits and I'm always willing to support developers for good work, but I can't justify paying $20 for $1 worth of effort despite being able to part with that $20 very easily. I don't think that it's inaccurate to say that it's beneficial for everyone if the prices of options items were more reflective of their cost of production, even if you can afford them as is. Given how massively inflated the prices are right now, even an 80% cut would almost certainly still leave SE with profit. I'm also sure that such a cut would not lead to a proportional drop in income as with lower prices they would likely increase sales.

[Deveryn]

Nah, I reckon even these days they could sustain on subs alone. Obviously we'll likely never know for sure, cause they're never gonna release that info, but I even with the increase in costs due to inflation over the years they'd be fine.

Least I'm honest enough to put it up front where my opinions are based, not hiding behind mysterious industry insiders and thinly veiled insults.

Edit: There's a daily post limit apparently.

I'm not hiding anything. I just don't keep it handy. It's 20 damn years of articles. The proof is out there. Just google it.
There's nothing thinly veiled about my insults. Why it's insulting to state the obvious lack of understanding on your part is another thing.

My point is this shop and its patrons are helping keep the sub cost down.

[Raoabolic]

I'm not hiding anything. I just don't keep it handy. The proof is out there. Just google it.
There's nothing thinly veiled about my insults. Why it's insulting to state the obvious lack of understanding on your part is another thing.

My point is this shop and its patrons are helping keep the sub cost down.

Source: Trust me bro. :^)

[Deveryn]

Source: Trust me bro. :^)

That's their source for all the evil SE is doing.

The last time I had this conversation was probably around 5 years ago. Like I said, you can find the info out there if you bother to look. I can't be arsed because ya'll aren't worth the time and won't listen anyway.

[Raoabolic]

That's their source for all the evil SE is doing.

I agree! I don't see why everyone gives EA so much flack. :^)

[Deveryn]

I agree! I don't see why everyone gives EA so much flack. :^)

Now you're fishing for a proper rant. They have really ruined so many good things.

[SturmChurro]

My point is this shop and its patrons are helping keep the sub cost down.

I don't know if that is necessarily true. It'd be nice to think of the mogstore as having a positive effect on the game, but as the years have gone on, I don't think it really is. I personally don't mind non-predatory cash shops, as I have said before on these forums. If the game likewise has desirable things to earn, then buying something desirable off of a cash shop - something that wouldn't have been created otherwise - only enhances the experience, in my opinion. I like outfits! However, I'd like to see a certain level of quality, especially if players are going to be paying a premium for said item, and this more and more doesn't seem to be the case. They also seem to be adding things that were already in the game to the store - not referring to seasonal items (although, some would argue those should be available in-game as well).

[Raoabolic]

Now you're fishing for a proper rant. They have really ruined so many good things.

Let me tell you about a fun series called Dissidia... lol