Uh Oh... (ActivisionBlizzard rant inside)
So I know there's been a fair bit of concern over whether Blizzard would get all 'Kotick'd' after the Activision deal, and so far they seem to have been free of any Activision taint.
But now:
http://eu.blizzard.com/store/browse.xml?f=c:5,c:33
I REALLY hope this isn't the start of something real bad and a sign of things to come. I know a couple of pets or mounts or whatever isn't much, but up until a couple months ago, there'd been nothing in the way of 'real-money' items for like 4 years.
Although I guess when you've only got 15 or so million people paying £9 a month, times must be hard.
Hmm, doesn't seem very Blizzard like at all.
But now:
http://eu.blizzard.com/store/browse.xml?f=c:5,c:33
I REALLY hope this isn't the start of something real bad and a sign of things to come. I know a couple of pets or mounts or whatever isn't much, but up until a couple months ago, there'd been nothing in the way of 'real-money' items for like 4 years.
Although I guess when you've only got 15 or so million people paying £9 a month, times must be hard.
Hmm, doesn't seem very Blizzard like at all.
Replies
As for the online pets, maybe its not as sinister as you think?
http://www.wow.com/2010/02/17/blizzard-donates-1-1-million-to-make-a-wish-from-pandaren-pet-s/
But maybe that was some evil plot to get people warm and fuzzy with the idea of buying content? The pets are more like key chains and don't do anything in the game. I would be concerned when they cross the line and start selling actual items.
Agreed, let's hope it isn't though considering Kotick is such a big part of the company. The thing is, he has made it clear on many occasions that he values money above all else, so things could in theory change.
Edit: Ofc, that's expected of you as a CEO but yeah.
They already charge for account transfers, race changes and etc. Simple things that they could get by not nearly charging as much for. Once Cataclysm comes out they will only have the subscriptions and account things funding them forever... It's not strange to think they will want to open up some other sources of income.
Right now its a complete non game play changing factor though. So can't really complain.
The day you can buy "leet gear" is the day the gameplay becomes meaningless, and once the gameplay is meaningless the game is no longer fun.
I just hope it does stay with useless items, I much prefer the subscription model.
Blizzard know they'd lose their player base if they switched to free-to-play. I'm curious though, as it's 'ActivisionBlizzard' and they're not fully owned by Activision, does that mean they are fully in control of things like this?
What can I say, I'm a WoW player and I love my merch.
http://www.wowwiki.com/Reins_of_the_Spectral_Tiger
I wouldn't put too much stock into them doing it due to some sinister plot from the Dark Lords of Activision. It's not like this represents some sort of tipping point towards them FINALLY making a profit from WoW. They could literally leave the game on autopilot for another 5 years, send everyone home on paid leave in golden Humvees, and leave three server monkeys in an abandoned building to make sure the other two don't trip over a wire and the game would still turn a profit.
Vivendi owns Activision Blizzard and kotick is the CEO of Activision Blizzard.
?
This pet thing has been going on for a LONG time.
Doesn't affect the gameplay at all. They're just vanity items and theyre DAMN cool.
They have pets given out at Blizzcon at that year, and are releasing a Marine Pet if you buy the Collectors edition of StarCraft 2.
BTW the phoenix mount in the game was created soley for a kid who had cancer, and wanted a phoenix for his WoW avatar for his Make-A-Wish. They made it happen for him.
You should ask some of the other guys here at Blizzard, but from an outsider, it seems like they're in control of their own shizzle.
^_^
I wonder if this would even have been a complaint among the gamer community if blizzard didn't have activision in their name. yeesh.
Actually, I think that Vivendi sold their stake in Blizzard to Activision when Activision merged with Blizzard. I don't think Vivendi is involved with either company at this point. Vivendi also sold a lot of the IP that they owned to Activision at the same time. This pisses me off, because now Activision owns the rights to a lot of the old Sierra On-Line properties.
~ Don't get me started on that argument. I will RAGE.
I know these are 'useless' items too but it's the principal I was referring to. Paying real money (to Blizzard, not another player or website) for an in game item. While I'm sure as you say, this is nothing of much concern, it is the first time they've started to do it in WoW's history. But then I suppose as was mentioned, paid char transfers, race changes etc have always been paid services. Even those haven't been around long though.
I dunno, the game world seems to be getting all too excited about this whole 'freemium' model, and while that's another discussion in itself, I guess time will tell if Blizz decides to go down that road too.
Anyway the selling of pets has been going on for quite a while... I remember back then people were concerned that this would spread to selling armor and such but it hasn't so far. I don't think Blizzard would start doing that.
http://afkgamer.com/archives/2005/12/12/legends/
It was basically labeled a "Pay extra and get free l3wt" sorta deal that infuriated the regular gaming community who asked the question of why they weren't getting these premium services already? This actually went on for about 4 years or so.
Mixing RL money with ingame content will always be a source of contention among MMO players. Thankfully Blizzard has pretty much always kept any sort of "specials" like these as non-game-affecting items and trinkets. There ARE other MMOs out there that will genuinely offer the players paid and supported upgrades for cold hard cash.
Well, I've been a WoW player since before the Burning Crusade was released, and paid character transfer has been available as long as I've been playing.
Sure, the faction change thing is pretty new, but these services still require actual human intervention and man-hours to accomplish, so charging for them probably isn't as nefarious as all the Kotick-haters would have us believe.
Character Transfers were around well before Burning Crusade. I remember having to pay for one way back then. I think the price of them has been raised since then, but they've still been around since the game was released.
Yeah, thought so. Have to admit the faction transfer feature could be pretty tempting, especially if you're an Alliance PvP player on most servers.
It is... too extreme. I mean, look at this (sorry if posted)
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3178849
It is insane.
Personally i will not be buying it, it is a bit too much for me, and i prefer to play well for rewards instead of paying for them.
Like this chap:
Will be getting this on Sunday's raid, after some good effort tackling the hard mode bosses with my guild in the newest raid tier.
(I know nobody here really cares but I'm just proving my point, rewards should be something given in game for skill and effort)
I'm a bit worried where the bllizzard store may lead and if activision has anything to do with it. I am happy for Blizzard's amazing success (they're one company that deserves it) but i just hope they don't take this too far.
EDIT:
Holy jaffa cakes, really BoBo? :S
I've only ever seen one of those chickens, they're quite funny, certainly unique.
EDIT 2:
[ame]
BWAHAHAHAHA!
So fucking true!!
http://www.wowarmory.com/character-achievements.xml?r=Malfurion&cn=Boboda&gn=Altered+Legends
- BoBo
~ Okay, NOW I officially understand why you haven't updated your site since I started college, or why you never finish competitions.
The Truth is out.
Took these tonight:
and me riding the Cock!:
- BoBo
http://kotaku.com/5518416/world-of-warcraft-pet-sales-made-millions-for-blizzard-today
I almost want to get one. It has wings and sparkles!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activision_Blizzard
"Parent Vivendi"
best mount ever.
I am shocked and dismayed that it took that many posts for that to be said.
There are people in my guild in line in the queue to buy these right now. I heard the mounts couldn't fly from one zone into another without the player getting dismounted, any truth to that?
Bobo, all that fancy gear and your recent activity is raiding Uld? Achievement farm much? XD
I'm 50% through the LichKing fight on my Icc progression ... but yeah I'm going back to get those achievements too!
lol t9 :x
p.s. I got one too!
http://eu.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Burning+Steppes&n=Snuffles
Read it and weep! First in line for Shadowmourne too.
Yes, i probably play too much.
edit:
Oh, Bobo, you should definitely spec into Heroic Fury, just one talent point and it works wonders in ICC with all the movement fights.
http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Sargeras&cn=Sevtu
Behold, the lowly huntard!
http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Magtheridon&cn=Cloberela
We've only gotten to Putricide, we've just now become a more hardcore raiding guild rolling ICC twice a week, two groups. We're giving the 25 man a go tonight.
Just a correction.
*Selling 2 pets* Lil KuelThalas and Pandarian Monk (with the dog face) Have been going on soon after the WotLK release. With the Collectors edition it was the Ebonsomething pet.
Please continue your discussion here as I am really enjoying. By the way, just to add that Lil XT did really affect the game play for many people. As soon as someone bought it and summoned that pet in Dalaran people flew off from there...*Tarrible moment*