RPG game with updates longer than 2 years, is a solo player's wet dream.
True story.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.
I'm interested to see just how many people gobble this one up. I think that even with the obvious and blatant negativity surrounding it that it'll probably sell even more than SWTOR did in the first week.
I'm seeing far more negativity in general than either SWTOR or GW2 pre-release. If this thing does sell a metric shit ton, then developers will know that forum rhetoric is a useless indicator of sales and a great IP can take you the distance. But if it's sales are really weak, a whole different narrative will develop.
It'll be fun to watch either way.
The Elder Scrolls franchise IS unique. Price scales it has won't work on new titles, but on established titles with a rabid fan base for over 10 years, it will.
RPG game with updates longer than 2 years, is a solo player's wet dream.
That is a really good point. I mean I paid over $70.00 USD I think way back with oblivion to get the best edition. And, the collectors edition of skyrim was initially a lot more then they are asking for the elder scrolls online now (sealed NIB it re-sells for over $200.00 USD secondhand). If you don't think about it as what they are asking you to pay for an MMORPG. But what they are asking you to pay for another elder scrolls game that happens to be an MMORPG (and in-so much your basically getting the areas and in part the content of all previous elder scrolls games). It is actually an outrageously good price.
I really think it's the method, and not the perceived madness that is throwing people off.
I really think it's the method, and not the perceived madness that is throwing people off.
I think a steady diet of "free" gaming gets people shocked that there's a price to produce it, actually.
It's an unique title, and due to it's uniqueness it'll hit its target market well.
If I didn't have a fondness for my Holy paladin so much, and PvP wasn't included, I'd buy ESO as I bought all their titles since Morrowind. I'll just wait for the next ES offline RPG, besides I love modding the game and that's half the fun (can't do that with MMOs).
It is a unique title indeed. Will be really interesting to see how well it performs and how many untapped single player ES players they can bring into the MMO fold.
Let's hope for the best, it could give the industry some positive impulses.
Honestly...I would rather had a rewind game as the next Elder Scrolls. Maybe something that even goes back to the time of the Dwemer, and makes them a playable race. However, time line wise they have always been forward focused. Which makes me in reflection want to see a game series or MMORPG that is really into diving deeper into it's own lore with regression in time and resurrection of long dead and forgotten places as apposed to time-progression and unveiling entirely new locations.
That said, I probably will get this (and at that will probably go for the collectors edition).
Honestly...I would rather had a rewind game as the next Elder Scrolls. Maybe something that even goes back to the time of the Dwemer, and makes them a playable race. However, time line wise they have always been forward focused. Which makes me in reflection want to see a game series or MMORPG that is really into diving deeper into it's own lore with regression in time and resurrection of long dead and forgotten places as apposed to time-progression and unveiling entirely new locations.
That said, I probably will get this (and at that will probably go for the collectors edition).
I think if we did go back to revisit their lore in real-time, it would ruin the creepy, eerie and frightening dungeon crawls in their ruins in the present.
It's their mystery and secrets that remain hidden that make them interesting...like a never ending archaeology hunt.
Honestly...I would rather had a rewind game as the next Elder Scrolls. Maybe something that even goes back to the time of the Dwemer, and makes them a playable race. However, time line wise they have always been forward focused. Which makes me in reflection want to see a game series or MMORPG that is really into diving deeper into it's own lore with regression in time and resurrection of long dead and forgotten places as apposed to time-progression and unveiling entirely new locations.
That said, I probably will get this (and at that will probably go for the collectors edition).
I think if we did go back to revisit their lore in real-time, it would ruin the creepy, eerie and frightening dungeon crawls in their ruins in the present.
It's their mystery and secrets that remain hidden that make them interesting...like a never ending archaeology hunt.
I have to disagree...
I think it would give you a much greater appreciation for that feeling. Because, it would make a character you played part of that history. I don't think the most interesting point to the lore is what you don't know. It's when you pick up a book to find it is talking vaguely about the events of one of your (essentially) past lives. Things you were their for. When you realize that you know more then the "author" of a dusty tome. Because, you were there for that.
No ability to solve a mystery makes it a simple-minded intrigue. Something that is interesting. But, ultimately unimportant. If you go as deep as you can and still get no real answers. Then lore falls flat. And, it just becomes padding for what they are unwilling to explain.
Likewise if you go really deep only to find answers that don't match the empirical evidence and with no evidence to support them becomes cemented as lore (like the Falmer turning out to Not be the regressed remnants of the once great Dwemer civilization), it feels like your curiosity wasn't rewarded fairly.
There is nothing to be lost by going back and doing a 'fall of the Dwemer' centric game. really there is only appreciation for the existing lore to be gained. It may even inspire many after to play back through all the games just to find how the Dwemer game connects all the dots.
Finally 'getting' the big picture is extremely satisfying. If you just go on deepening the mystery. If you answer one or two lingering questions eventually but at the same time add 10 more to the stack. Ultimately you fall short. Because, in the end, to tell a good story you cannot fail to tie everything up in a neat bow. The only remaining mystery should only be an illusion of remaining mystery. The feeling that the story could go on without it actually extending into anything deeper. teasing is all well and good. But closure is needed at some point to make all of it worth it.
Honestly...I would rather had a rewind game as the next Elder Scrolls. Maybe something that even goes back to the time of the Dwemer, and makes them a playable race. However, time line wise they have always been forward focused. Which makes me in reflection want to see a game series or MMORPG that is really into diving deeper into it's own lore with regression in time and resurrection of long dead and forgotten places as apposed to time-progression and unveiling entirely new locations.
That said, I probably will get this (and at that will probably go for the collectors edition).
I think if we did go back to revisit their lore in real-time, it would ruin the creepy, eerie and frightening dungeon crawls in their ruins in the present.
It's their mystery and secrets that remain hidden that make them interesting...like a never ending archaeology hunt.
I have to disagree...
I think it would give you a much greater appreciation for that feeling. Because, it would make a character you played part of that history. I don't think the most interesting point to the lore is what you don't know. It's when you pick up a book to find it is talking vaguely about the events of one of your (essentially) past lives. Things you were their for. When you realize that you know more then the "author" of a dusty tome. Because, you were there for that.
It's like faith. If you search too far you can get discouraged with self-doubt, once you found out what you actually thought their history could've been, didn't turn out that way.
This is how I see them in the present, I don't want to know all about them, as it'll spoil the fun of their mystery to me...
Gaming is a luxury, and it's producers can charge a price they feel their market will buy.
Pure economics.
Thank You:) This made my day.
Apparently you are well informed on the gaming market and the competition every new game faces (hint: ignoring f2p just because the said game is p2p, will bite you in the ass. Hard.)
Even with all the es fans, I doubt eso will stay afloat as a p2p title for a long time and the pricing policies they are flaunting support my doubts. They are already preparing for the transition to f2p.
Honestly...I would rather had a rewind game as the next Elder Scrolls. Maybe something that even goes back to the time of the Dwemer, and makes them a playable race. However, time line wise they have always been forward focused. Which makes me in reflection want to see a game series or MMORPG that is really into diving deeper into it's own lore with regression in time and resurrection of long dead and forgotten places as apposed to time-progression and unveiling entirely new locations.
That said, I probably will get this (and at that will probably go for the collectors edition).
I think if we did go back to revisit their lore in real-time, it would ruin the creepy, eerie and frightening dungeon crawls in their ruins in the present.
It's their mystery and secrets that remain hidden that make them interesting...like a never ending archaeology hunt.
I have to disagree...
Having seen the unofficially official answer to "what happened to the Dwemer," I have to agree with Kevyne on this one: at least in this particular case, the mystery was far better than it's answer.
But that aside, TESO already is way in the past relative to the rest of the series. Just not as far back as the time of the Dwemer.
Gaming is a luxury, and it's producers can charge a price they feel their market will buy.
Pure economics.
Thank You:) This made my day.
Apparently you are well informed on the gaming market and the competition every new game faces (hint: ignoring f2p just because the said game is p2p, will bite you in the ass. Hard.)
Even with all the es fans, I doubt eso will stay afloat as a p2p title for a long time and the pricing policies they are flaunting support my doubts. They are already preparing for the transition to f2p.
I believe since all their sales since Morrowind were successful, they'll find success in ESO as well.
Modder types will still want the offline version, but for the fans it'll be an added treat.
I don't agree that the Imperial race is included in the Collectors edition, though. A permanent vampire race would've worked (since from Morrowind those vampire mods were so popular). Basic player races since Morrowind should never be extras.
"...I personally believe to be entirely disrespectful to the gaming populace that invests money into this form of entertainment. I simply can't fathom how they believe charging $80 is fair in order to experience all the game has to offer, especially considering it charges $15 monthly with its subscription model..."
World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, EvE Online, Age of Conan, Anarchy Online, Asheron's Call 2, Star Wars Galaxies, Champions Online, City of Heroes, Everquest II, Fallen Earth, Lineage II, Rift, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Star Trek Online...
I have played all of these MMOs and they all have something in common. They all charged an initial fee to purchase the game (some still do) and they all have charged (some still do) a monthly fee.
The initial fee generally started at $60 and went up from there depending on which package you wanted. If you wanted a CE, then you paid more. It's up to you, as the consumer, to make that choice.
Feeling disrespected that a company is choosing to use the "classic model" for their product is, in my opinion, a bit silly. Modern MMO publishers have a choice to use F2P, B2P or the "classic model".
I have no intention of playing ESO. It doesn't interest me.
That said, I think people need to understand that price hikes for computer games are LONG overdue. Game prices haven't changed much, if at all in the last 20 years. Just as an example take a look at Diablo 2. It cost $60 in 2000, the same exact amount as D3. However, if you factor in inflation since D2's release it would cost over $90 today.
Subscription prices haven't changed much either. $15 dollars has been the going rate for MMOs for over a decade.
So, face it folks, prices ARE going to go up eventually. The only thing that has kept them somewhat lower is the fact that more people own computers and the industry is more competitive. That wont last forever tho, especially since computer use has been on the decline in recent years in many countries and people might as well get used to it now. It wont be long before computer games cost $80-$100 for major titles.
I have no intention of playing ESO. It doesn't interest me.
That said, I think people need to understand that price hikes for computer games are LONG overdue. Game prices haven't changed much, if at all in the last 20 years. Just as an example take a look at Diablo 2. It cost $60 in 2000, the same exact amount as D3. However, if you factor in inflation since D2's release it would cost over $90 today.
Subscription prices haven't changed much either. $15 dollars has been the going rate for MMOs for over a decade.
So, face it folks, prices ARE going to go up eventually. The only thing that has kept them somewhat lower is the fact that more people own computers and the industry is more competitive. That wont last forever tho, especially since computer use has been on the decline in recent years in many countries and people might as well get used to it now. It wont be long before computer games cost $80-$100 for major titles.
Next gen console games are already more expensive and you can bet they'll adjust their PC counterparts accordingly.
That said, I think people need to understand that price hikes for computer games are LONG overdue. Game prices haven't changed much, if at all in the last 20 years.
It's not needed, since the volume of sales have increased, as more and more can afford computers and consoles.
20 years ago there wasn't that many people with computers. Today most households have at least one. The sheer volume is why the pricing has remained consistent.
I agree with OP. It seems that consumer protection laws lately do not apply to gaming companies.
Information, as one of the basic consumer rights is "The right to be given the facts needed to make an informed choice, to be protected against misleading advertising or labelling."
So, selling pre-orders for a game, which is still under heavy NDA just does not seem to fit here. And no, consumers are not to blame here, it's the governments who should intervene and stop this practice.
I agree with OP. It seems that consumer protection laws lately do not apply to gaming companies.
Information, as one of the basic consumer rights is "The right to be given the facts needed to make an informed choice, to be protected against misleading advertising or labelling."
So, selling pre-orders for a game, which is still under heavy NDA just does not seem to fit here. And no, consumers are not to blame here, it's the governments who should intervene and stop this practice.
Pre-order =/= pre-purchase. As long as you have the information before your credit card gets charged, which won't happen until April, there is not even a theoretically valid complaint here.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.
I agree with OP. It seems that consumer protection laws lately do not apply to gaming companies.
Information, as one of the basic consumer rights is "The right to be given the facts needed to make an informed choice, to be protected against misleading advertising or labelling."
So, selling pre-orders for a game, which is still under heavy NDA just does not seem to fit here. And no, consumers are not to blame here, it's the governments who should intervene and stop this practice.
Pre-order =/= pre-purchase. As long as you have the information before your credit card gets charged, which won't happen until April, there is not even a theoretically valid complaint here.
"What does The Elders Scrolls Online cost? Players can pre-purchase digital versions through The Elder Scrolls Online Store (https://store.elderscrollsonline.com). The digital Standard Edition is priced at $59.99 (€54.99 / £49.99) while the digital Imperial Edition is priced at $79.99 (€79.99 / £69.99). Players can also pre-order physical editions through participating retailers worldwide. "
So, you are pre-purchasing digital editions, and pre-ordering physical ones.
That said, I think people need to understand that price hikes for computer games are LONG overdue. Game prices haven't changed much, if at all in the last 20 years. Just as an example take a look at Diablo 2. It cost $60 in 2000, the same exact amount as D3. However, if you factor in inflation since D2's release it would cost over $90 today.
Subscription prices haven't changed much either. $15 dollars has been the going rate for MMOs for over a decade.
So, face it folks, prices ARE going to go up eventually. The only thing that has kept them somewhat lower is the fact that more people own computers and the industry is more competitive. That wont last forever tho, especially since computer use has been on the decline in recent years in many countries and people might as well get used to it now. It wont be long before computer games cost $80-$100 for major titles.
I can't speak for the US but in the UK ~10 years ago most new releases were ~£30 for the PC. They are now ~£50. 20 years ago they were lower than that. To say prices haven't changed in 20 years is false. They have risen faster than the rise in pay (with many not having seen pay rises equal to inflation in over 5 years, if they have even seen pay rises).
I agree subscription charges haven't changed much. In just over 10 years they have risen by ~£2 to £9.
A large change as well has been the increasing prevalence of digital distribution in the PC market. A move that looks set to start on the consoles this generation too. However this has not led to any savings for the end user and digital copies cost as much as retail copies, with many physical stores selling below RRP at a greater frequency than any digital distributor.
I agree however that it won't be long before prices rise again. But not because of companies struggling to make ends meet, but because people will accept it.
The game only costs 59.99. You can talk yourself out of every game if you like - but I think it looks promising. Zenimax has made some excellent games of late like Dishonored and Fallout 3. That's more then Blizzard can say - as their last good game was WCIII (not counting WoW).
I think I will buy it play it a month and quit if I don't like it. Good luck with hating on a game. You might win on the message boards but you lose IRL because you don't get to play any new games.
I want to support the companies that spend the kind of money MMO makers do on fun for me. A good MMO costs as much as a motion picture but provides a heck of alot more entertainment. They are some of the best deals in entertainment.
The game only costs 59.99. You can talk yourself out of every game if you like - but I think it looks promising. Zenimax has made some excellent games of late like Dishonored and Fallout 3. That's more then Blizzard can say - as their last good game was WCIII (not counting WoW).
I think I will buy it play it a month and quit if I don't like it. Good luck with hating on a game. You might win on the message boards but you lose IRL because you don't get to play any new games.
I want to support the companies that spend the kind of money MMO makers do on fun for me. A good MMO costs as much as a motion picture but provides a heck of alot more entertainment. They are some of the best deals in entertainment.
^ This right here sums it up for me. I liked what I saw in beta and I'll pre-order. Way too much complaining and hate about this game in my opinion. The oldest advice applies: if you don't like it, don't play it.
The game only costs 59.99. You can talk yourself out of every game if you like - but I think it looks promising. Zenimax has made some excellent games of late like Dishonored and Fallout 3. That's more then Blizzard can say - as their last good game was WCIII (not counting WoW).
I think I will buy it play it a month and quit if I don't like it. Good luck with hating on a game. You might win on the message boards but you lose IRL because you don't get to play any new games.
I want to support the companies that spend the kind of money MMO makers do on fun for me. A good MMO costs as much as a motion picture but provides a heck of alot more entertainment. They are some of the best deals in entertainment.
Yes it takes a lot of money to make a good mmo, but good mmos in the past have never needed or used these kinds of tactics to make money, which would make anyone suspicious that this is not a good mmo.
Yes it takes a lot of money to make a good mmo, but good mmos in the past have never needed or used these kinds of tactics to make money, which would make anyone suspicious that this is not a good mmo.
Games also didn't cost 100 million dollars to produce, either.
If WoW was made today, the cost would probably get to 200mil (and probably will be the cost of Titan in the end).
How do you expect a F2P to pay for that? Out of thin air?
Yes it takes a lot of money to make a good mmo, but good mmos in the past have never needed or used these kinds of tactics to make money, which would make anyone suspicious that this is not a good mmo.
Games also didn't cost 100 million dollars to produce, either.
If WoW was made today, the cost would probably get to 200mil (and probably will be the cost of Titan in the end).
How do you expect a F2P to pay for that? Out of thin air?
Yes, if ESO was f2p and this was an $80 founders pack we were talking about then your argument would be spot on and it would be quite cheep compared to say other f2p titles that have offered founders packs such as: Neverwinter, Asura Kingdom, or Scarlet Blade.
Comments
True story.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.
That is a really good point. I mean I paid over $70.00 USD I think way back with oblivion to get the best edition. And, the collectors edition of skyrim was initially a lot more then they are asking for the elder scrolls online now (sealed NIB it re-sells for over $200.00 USD secondhand). If you don't think about it as what they are asking you to pay for an MMORPG. But what they are asking you to pay for another elder scrolls game that happens to be an MMORPG (and in-so much your basically getting the areas and in part the content of all previous elder scrolls games). It is actually an outrageously good price.
I really think it's the method, and not the perceived madness that is throwing people off.
I think a steady diet of "free" gaming gets people shocked that there's a price to produce it, actually.
It's an unique title, and due to it's uniqueness it'll hit its target market well.
If I didn't have a fondness for my Holy paladin so much, and PvP wasn't included, I'd buy ESO as I bought all their titles since Morrowind. I'll just wait for the next ES offline RPG, besides I love modding the game and that's half the fun (can't do that with MMOs).
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
It is a unique title indeed. Will be really interesting to see how well it performs and how many untapped single player ES players they can bring into the MMO fold.
Let's hope for the best, it could give the industry some positive impulses.
Honestly...I would rather had a rewind game as the next Elder Scrolls. Maybe something that even goes back to the time of the Dwemer, and makes them a playable race. However, time line wise they have always been forward focused. Which makes me in reflection want to see a game series or MMORPG that is really into diving deeper into it's own lore with regression in time and resurrection of long dead and forgotten places as apposed to time-progression and unveiling entirely new locations.
That said, I probably will get this (and at that will probably go for the collectors edition).
I think if we did go back to revisit their lore in real-time, it would ruin the creepy, eerie and frightening dungeon crawls in their ruins in the present.
It's their mystery and secrets that remain hidden that make them interesting...like a never ending archaeology hunt.
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
I have to disagree...
I think it would give you a much greater appreciation for that feeling. Because, it would make a character you played part of that history. I don't think the most interesting point to the lore is what you don't know. It's when you pick up a book to find it is talking vaguely about the events of one of your (essentially) past lives. Things you were their for. When you realize that you know more then the "author" of a dusty tome. Because, you were there for that.
No ability to solve a mystery makes it a simple-minded intrigue. Something that is interesting. But, ultimately unimportant. If you go as deep as you can and still get no real answers. Then lore falls flat. And, it just becomes padding for what they are unwilling to explain.
Likewise if you go really deep only to find answers that don't match the empirical evidence and with no evidence to support them becomes cemented as lore (like the Falmer turning out to Not be the regressed remnants of the once great Dwemer civilization), it feels like your curiosity wasn't rewarded fairly.
There is nothing to be lost by going back and doing a 'fall of the Dwemer' centric game. really there is only appreciation for the existing lore to be gained. It may even inspire many after to play back through all the games just to find how the Dwemer game connects all the dots.
Finally 'getting' the big picture is extremely satisfying. If you just go on deepening the mystery. If you answer one or two lingering questions eventually but at the same time add 10 more to the stack. Ultimately you fall short. Because, in the end, to tell a good story you cannot fail to tie everything up in a neat bow. The only remaining mystery should only be an illusion of remaining mystery. The feeling that the story could go on without it actually extending into anything deeper. teasing is all well and good. But closure is needed at some point to make all of it worth it.
It's like faith. If you search too far you can get discouraged with self-doubt, once you found out what you actually thought their history could've been, didn't turn out that way.
This is how I see them in the present, I don't want to know all about them, as it'll spoil the fun of their mystery to me...
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
Thank You:) This made my day.
Apparently you are well informed on the gaming market and the competition every new game faces (hint: ignoring f2p just because the said game is p2p, will bite you in the ass. Hard.)
Even with all the es fans, I doubt eso will stay afloat as a p2p title for a long time and the pricing policies they are flaunting support my doubts. They are already preparing for the transition to f2p.
Having seen the unofficially official answer to "what happened to the Dwemer," I have to agree with Kevyne on this one: at least in this particular case, the mystery was far better than it's answer.
But that aside, TESO already is way in the past relative to the rest of the series. Just not as far back as the time of the Dwemer.
I hope they do.
F2P is better model in long term perspective but P2P is still unsurpassed for launch - racking up the money from box sales, especially for big titles.
No issue there. You would be stupid not to ask money people are willing to pay, and people do pay for newly released games.
OP:
A company is charging money for their product?! They ask price they want? Unheard of! Outrageous!
Sky have just fallen, it's official.
I believe since all their sales since Morrowind were successful, they'll find success in ESO as well.
Modder types will still want the offline version, but for the fans it'll be an added treat.
I don't agree that the Imperial race is included in the Collectors edition, though. A permanent vampire race would've worked (since from Morrowind those vampire mods were so popular). Basic player races since Morrowind should never be extras.
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, EvE Online, Age of Conan, Anarchy Online, Asheron's Call 2, Star Wars Galaxies, Champions Online, City of Heroes, Everquest II, Fallen Earth, Lineage II, Rift, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Star Trek Online...
I have played all of these MMOs and they all have something in common. They all charged an initial fee to purchase the game (some still do) and they all have charged (some still do) a monthly fee.
The initial fee generally started at $60 and went up from there depending on which package you wanted. If you wanted a CE, then you paid more. It's up to you, as the consumer, to make that choice.
Feeling disrespected that a company is choosing to use the "classic model" for their product is, in my opinion, a bit silly. Modern MMO publishers have a choice to use F2P, B2P or the "classic model".
Hypothetically, are you going to not play Wildstar because they're going to do the same thing? (http://www.wildstar-online.com/en/the-game/business-model/)
<facepalm>
I have no intention of playing ESO. It doesn't interest me.
That said, I think people need to understand that price hikes for computer games are LONG overdue. Game prices haven't changed much, if at all in the last 20 years. Just as an example take a look at Diablo 2. It cost $60 in 2000, the same exact amount as D3. However, if you factor in inflation since D2's release it would cost over $90 today.
Subscription prices haven't changed much either. $15 dollars has been the going rate for MMOs for over a decade.
So, face it folks, prices ARE going to go up eventually. The only thing that has kept them somewhat lower is the fact that more people own computers and the industry is more competitive. That wont last forever tho, especially since computer use has been on the decline in recent years in many countries and people might as well get used to it now. It wont be long before computer games cost $80-$100 for major titles.
Next gen console games are already more expensive and you can bet they'll adjust their PC counterparts accordingly.
It's not needed, since the volume of sales have increased, as more and more can afford computers and consoles.
20 years ago there wasn't that many people with computers. Today most households have at least one. The sheer volume is why the pricing has remained consistent.
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
I agree with OP. It seems that consumer protection laws lately do not apply to gaming companies.
Information, as one of the basic consumer rights is "The right to be given the facts needed to make an informed choice, to be protected against misleading advertising or labelling."
So, selling pre-orders for a game, which is still under heavy NDA just does not seem to fit here. And no, consumers are not to blame here, it's the governments who should intervene and stop this practice.
Pre-order =/= pre-purchase. As long as you have the information before your credit card gets charged, which won't happen until April, there is not even a theoretically valid complaint here.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.
Quoting from offiical web-page:
"What does The Elders Scrolls Online cost? Players can pre-purchase digital versions through The Elder Scrolls Online Store (https://store.elderscrollsonline.com). The digital Standard Edition is priced at $59.99 (€54.99 / £49.99) while the digital Imperial Edition is priced at $79.99 (€79.99 / £69.99). Players can also pre-order physical editions through participating retailers worldwide. "
So, you are pre-purchasing digital editions, and pre-ordering physical ones.
I can't speak for the US but in the UK ~10 years ago most new releases were ~£30 for the PC. They are now ~£50. 20 years ago they were lower than that. To say prices haven't changed in 20 years is false. They have risen faster than the rise in pay (with many not having seen pay rises equal to inflation in over 5 years, if they have even seen pay rises).
I agree subscription charges haven't changed much. In just over 10 years they have risen by ~£2 to £9.
A large change as well has been the increasing prevalence of digital distribution in the PC market. A move that looks set to start on the consoles this generation too. However this has not led to any savings for the end user and digital copies cost as much as retail copies, with many physical stores selling below RRP at a greater frequency than any digital distributor.
I agree however that it won't be long before prices rise again. But not because of companies struggling to make ends meet, but because people will accept it.
The game only costs 59.99. You can talk yourself out of every game if you like - but I think it looks promising. Zenimax has made some excellent games of late like Dishonored and Fallout 3. That's more then Blizzard can say - as their last good game was WCIII (not counting WoW).
I think I will buy it play it a month and quit if I don't like it. Good luck with hating on a game. You might win on the message boards but you lose IRL because you don't get to play any new games.
I want to support the companies that spend the kind of money MMO makers do on fun for me. A good MMO costs as much as a motion picture but provides a heck of alot more entertainment. They are some of the best deals in entertainment.
^ This right here sums it up for me. I liked what I saw in beta and I'll pre-order. Way too much complaining and hate about this game in my opinion. The oldest advice applies: if you don't like it, don't play it.
Yes it takes a lot of money to make a good mmo, but good mmos in the past have never needed or used these kinds of tactics to make money, which would make anyone suspicious that this is not a good mmo.
Games also didn't cost 100 million dollars to produce, either.
If WoW was made today, the cost would probably get to 200mil (and probably will be the cost of Titan in the end).
How do you expect a F2P to pay for that? Out of thin air?
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
Yes, if ESO was f2p and this was an $80 founders pack we were talking about then your argument would be spot on and it would be quite cheep compared to say other f2p titles that have offered founders packs such as: Neverwinter, Asura Kingdom, or Scarlet Blade.