Posted by Shockum in Blue Milk & Cereal | 20 Comments
Blue Milk & Cereal: Would You Mind Micro-transactions In The Old Republic?
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Gear. Mounts. Titles. These have always been items of notoriety in MMORPGs which players would typically spend hours working towards acquiring through in-game questing. Then, Blizzard changed it all.
Although there had certainly been micro-transactions prior to World of Warcraft, when the market leader steps in it was immediately validated in a way it wasn’t before. With the introduction of the Blizzard Store, they allowed players to purchase non-combat pets and eventually mounts for their game account – for a real-world fee.
In addition, to much controversy, Blizzard’s upcoming Diablo 3 (although not an MMO) will allow you to use real money on the auction house to purchase in-game goods. The success, or failure, of this will most likely change the face of micro-transactions across the entire gaming landscape.
So far, BioWare has only revealed traditional a monthly subscription model for the game, and there are no signs of micro-transactions anywhere.
As for me, I’m staying away from these kind real-money transactions, should they be an option. EA is already getting $150 from me, plus an additional $14.99 per month. The only way they’ll get more from me will be through expansions. I think… :)
What about you? Do you care if certain micro-transactions are available for The Old Republic? If you do, what would you want to be able to buy? Or not be able to buy?
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Real money items is where a game start to fall apart. Thinking about profit and how to make money with easy content, that’s idiot and it’s thinking the community is idiotic. An item must be earned to mean something to the players. And the more difficult it’s earned, the more valuable it is for those players. But this?… Please. Who cares about something everyone can have juste by spending 5/10/20 $/€/£? it’s just worthless.
This guy knows whats up :P
Your right, I bought a mount in WOW when they first started the store up, but I was too ashamed to even use it. It had absolutely no “earned” value to me or anyone else in the game. You got laughed at for even having it.
I hate that bussiness model, just a money syphon not a real game mechanic just some filthy capitalist greed. Really hope EA never force BioWare to walk that path.
When we are paying a subscription for a game there should be absolutely no micro transaction for anything otherwise it defeats the purpose of paying a subscription.
This is my thought on microtransactions in a subscription based game as well. Microtransactions have no place when the game is collecting a monthly fee.
Microtransactions for me are only acceptable in F2P games.
there are so many inequities in the game by default, why bring in one that has such a strong polarizing effect? There will be always be people who can play more, who are more skilled, who are in the ‘it’ guild but why bring in just those who can spend more?
Those that have more money get a cut rate for being able to pay for a longer subscription time, and those willing to spend more already get access and trinkets for their more expensive version purchase. But the items seems to be fluff of sorts, no real impact on the uberness of a player.
if they want money sinks, then add them to items not player skill impacting, adjusting the ‘look’ of the player after its locked, maybe customize their spaceship, but Bioware don’t be flaming flargs and jump into micro transaction for impactful in game items.
I don’t have a problem with microtransactions.
I bought pets and mounts for WoW because of their usefulness or enjoyment having them around. Last time I checked, I earned the money that I’m using to pay for the items, and I’m free to spend that money on whatever I want. If that happens to be a fugly sparkle pony, then so be it, it’s my call.
As long as the items sold don’t offer anything that can’t be obtained in-game as well, then I don’t care what they want to sell. They can sell starting level raiding and pvp gear for all I care, just so long as the gear isn’t better than what you can earn in game which would nullify the content.
Pets, mounts, and vanity gear/items are all fine by me and most easily accepted in the gaming community. Some of the coolest pets in WoW came from the store. While the coolest looking mounts didn’t come from the store, some of the more useful ones did.
It was also a good way for them to make/earn their charitable contributions. Not because people in general wouldn’t donate without the “prize”, but because that prized pet gives people more incentive to do so. People are much more willing to give when they get a little something back. Unless you’re not the kind of person who believes in charity at all since, you know, they didn’t do anything to “earn” your charity.
Blizzard did it right with WoW, in offering “Vanity” items, mounts, non-combat pets, ect. None of the items have any effect on gameplay and as such it doesn’t matter that someone else spent real money on it.
Diablo 3 has the RMAH (Real Money Auction House), but it isn’t run by blizzard, its items found in game by players, sold by players. There are third party sites that still offer that service for Diablo 2, Blizzard is just cutting into their business and taking part of the profit themselves. There will still be a gold auction house run using the currency of the game for sales, and run the same way, player found items only.
I’m not certain if the RMAH will work or not, but since Blizzard is just there to give the players a sanctioned place to make those sales happen, and not sell items to players, I have no issue with it. Its just another player to player trade, if someone is willing to part with real money for a virtual item its no bother to me, all just time investment in one form or another.
But the games makers, selling weapons, armor, potions, ect… that are all on par with, or even better than what a player can get from playing normally, I don’t like. I said before its all just time investment, and I understand some people spent time at work, and don’t have time to play games, so I understand wanting to skip the time investment in the game when its more valuable elsewhere. But when you skipping ahead has a direct impact on MY gameplay there is a problem. When your 40 hours a week at work are worth twice as much as mine, and you can afford to spend extra cash on the game for new gear, that doesn’t bother me, until you then go into PvP and roflstomp me because of that advantage.
Games that either haven’t avoided that pitfall of micro-transactions, or seek it, are the ones I stay away from completely. DDO, LOTRO, countless free-to-play Korean MMOs, they all have boosts in their premium shop that you can not get through normal play. Some in items, some in stats, but all around things a non-paying customer can never have, that’s something I stay away from completely. I just hope SWTOR and Bioware can avoid it if they do make use of micro-transactions.
TLDR; Micro-transactions are only bad if they give paying players an advantage over non-paying players.
I will never make a micro-transaction and don’t think they should be part of the game. However, they do help to identify who the idiots are so you can avoid ever entering a group and/or conversation with them.
I dont see the problem. If you want to enhance your game with extra money do so, we all do it with expansion anyhow. Expansions bring gear and items needed to continue playing.
Some people dont have 30 hours a week or more to play the game, but still would like to raid, they cant, unless they micro transaction some gear.
For someone who bought the collectors edition would you consider that a micro transaction. I mean you get the in game store if you got the collectors edition. Just trying to see where I stand.
Nah that would not be considered a micro transaction, you get a statue, authenticator, music,books etc. Real tangible stuff.
I bought the collector’s more for the statue the digital content is a bonus. As for the authenticator I’ll probably try and sell it.
The problem for me with micro-transactions is this:
A few years ago when Second Life came out, the IRS was trying to push through congress a law that would allow them to tax on virtual items. It would allow for all items you have on your online character to be assessed for a real money value, allowing the taxation of these items. It was struck down because there was no possible way to attain a value for a virtual item. It was in no way a “real thing that could have value other than time invested”.
By allowing micro-transactions, especially on a game as widespread as WoW (or Diablo 3), the IRS can, in effect, open up the case again and push it through congress with no real issue because now items will have a REAL monetary value assigned to them.
“Oh look, you have full Tier 13 gear, and legendary weapons. We assess that at a $2,000 real money equivalent. Your taxes for that will be $200. Thank. Enjoy playing WoW further!”
but if the do thst then they have to go on to site that shows gear or what not then put price on them. in game store is the only why for them to put taxes on them if their bill doesnt get struck down again.
What they should do is sell tangible items in their store that are linked with in-game items. You buy a authenicator and you get a exclusive virtual item or you buy a t-shirt or hat and you get an exclusive speeder ect.. That would appeal to alot more people I think.
As long as they don’t sell power I’d have no problem at all with microtransactions for fluff items, cool looking outfits, perhaps special interior pieces for our ships, cool things that give you no real benefit in the game.
I agree with those who are saying Micro-transactions should not be used in a subscription based game. I was a long time wow player and loved collecting vanity items,BUT the introduction of Blizzard Store took the fun/challenge out of collecting.
I stopped playing WOW back in January in large part because of micro-transactions. Although I would have continued playing WOW until TOR, the amount of money they would have made for another year worth of subscription fees out ways the $150 worth of vanity items… assuming a large number of players feel the same way.
For me, one exception to the vanity items would be for an item were all profits are donated to a charitable cause.