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Well, if you didn't pre-order the Imperial edition, and you don't feel like saving in-game money to buy one - you can just purchase a horse from their cash shop. In this interview released today Matt Firor confirms. Is this the first stepping stone of what Matt Firor calls a "variety of additional services for interested players?" Time will tell what else the cash shop offers over time, but I highly doubt they will leave it at this forever. Personally it doesn't sit well with me paying a sub and also having these cash shop purchase options for significant things (a horse is very significant in this game). And before you yell "wow did it too!", let me say 2 wrongs don't make a right.
What types of items or services can we expect to find in the Zenimax store?
The purpose of the store is to offer interested players a variety of additional services. At launch we’re going to have two items: the ability to upgrade to the Imperial Edition, and an entry level horse (Palomino colored). The horse you get in both purchases is functionally the same, but the Imperial Edition is the only way to ever get the White horse. We have the Palomino horse available to allow players to purchase a basic mount without purchasing the entire Imperial Edition.
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As shocking as Lindsay Lohan admitting she has slept with a lot of other celebrities.
You stay sassy!
Just wanted to point out, this isn't an issue of right and wrong. It's an issue about video games.
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 worry about the "slippery slope", but the timing of the idea makes sense. You can upgrade to imperial (for $20 I'd assume? The difference in price between Standard/Imperial) in the shop to get a horse, or skip the other "features" and just buy the horse itself. Either way, you wind up with a horse for money.
I would like if this was removed when the Imperial upgrade is removed, if that ever happens. Doubtful, but I can dream. As long as the edition upgrade stays the horse isn't specifically a huge deal to me - but its enough for me to keep an eye on things.
- Nellus
Would it be better if I worded it for you this way Mr. Knit Picky?
2 ethically questionable business practice decisions from video game companies does not equal an ethically sound/moral business practice decision from a video game company.
This isn't a signature, you just think it is.
By the time WoW did this, it was possible to obtain a mount with an hour of gameplay on a fresh account. It would of been completely different having a cash shop with a mount on release.
Which AAA MMO released post-WoW hasn't got F2P in some form? It's naive to thing ESO will stay Sub-Only. They are about maximizing short term profits it seems, which leads me to believe they are planning on doing what SWTOR did when the sub model is no longer the most profitable option. Selling cash shop mounts on day 1 does not bode well for the future.
I'd have to wonder about your definition of "ethical" then.
Im not sure how I feel about this...
Cash Shop on day 1!
Ditto as I would have to wonder about yours. So you feel there is nothing unethical or shoddy for a mmo company to launch a sub-based mmo with a cash shop already in action selling a fairly significant in-game money/time sink item?
Oh!
A Palomaino Horse ....that's.....a Gamechanger.......totally.
All P2W now, it runs 999 Miles per hr and picks up loot for you and does not poop in Cyrodil as other Mounts do.
I'm so shocked.....and will never ever by MMO's again. Really.
Aerowyn's Video Compilation of ALL things Guild Wars 2
no, unless there is much much more than just being able to buy a horse, something you can also get in game anyways.
i also don't see anything wrong with what wow does with their cash shop either (last i checked at least).
now, if they restricted parts of the game and forced you to unlock them with a cash shop, while charging a sub fee at the same time, then you would have a point.
Well that's a complete 180 from a few months ago. Granted I had figured they'd offer these pre-order incentives some other way. I wouldn't be surprised to see imperials join those horses at some point. A whole race cut off from a significant portion of players (those who purchased standard editions) seems unlikely when they could continue to make money from it.
Either way I'll have to deduct some points from Zenimax for flip flopping on this. The no cash shop statements are one of the reasons I got interested in this product. I mean they even went out of their way to correct a publication that called their idea for extra "fun things" a cash shop, that makes little sense in this light.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Also, the main obstacle for a mount in WoW isn't the mount itself, but the riding skill.
It is a game changer. Its the 1st step in the wrong direction. First its a palomino horse. Whats next? the Light horse.
Im worried cause its the first step in the wrong direction. How many times now have Devs said something about their new game, and have failed to keep the promises made.
No game cash shop cause its a sub. Get a horse and a race in the CE...now. this.
LOL. Sure mate. It will change everything. And after selling 200 of these Horses they go F2P, but just for 1 Month after that the Game will get closed. Man.....
But seriously.
Thats nothing. You get all Horses ingame for your 15 Bucks or 13€'s. No need and no advantage here. So what? Just because i DONT WANT the ingame Horses, ill go and buy a one which has another color, a Shop is Bad. C'mon. ANd dont get me wrong here, i'm an "worst case" thinker as well. But hell.....simply speaking; I dont care if someone will go for that and other things later on.
Aerowyn's Video Compilation of ALL things Guild Wars 2
Are there mounts already in-game? Yes.
Are they purchasable with in-game currency? Yes.
Does having a fluff shop affect the game in a any way? No.
Is this something to get one's undies in a knot? No.
Do I care about them having a WoW-like shop? No.
Yeah, I'm going to say it, WoW has a similar shop and it didn't affect a fucking thing. Not until they started selling insta-level 90s. If Zeni starts doing that, then I'll complain. Or selling each thing that made the Imperial edition unique separately. But otherwise, I don't give two shits.
There isn't a single game out there that doesn't have a shop these days. I don't like a lot of them, but the few I don't mind are not interfering with my playing. I'll still have full access to the game, regardless of some silly shop.
And that's as far Zenimax is going to go, is fluff. They made some boneheaded moves, sure, but they're not going to do something as stupid as do a F2P shop in a sub game. That would hurt them a lot and they know it.
You know what's fun about chaos? I do, but I won't tell.
The subscription only MMO is dead.
Thats the way MMOs are now.
I dont nothing forcing me to play the game. Ill play until I stop having fun for the money that im willing to pay, then i move on.
i never cared much for cashshops in game and neither shoud other people. getting mad over something like " he's faster on his horse he bought with EUROSSSS"
well guess what there are people driving cars that goes faster then your car.
The point is not the horse, the point is there selling shit on the CS. Something that as a Sub user I shouldnt have to see.
Im also a worst case thinker. The worst case is that next they will sell a Light horse. its the first step down a very slippery slope.
I dont care that Joe Schmoe gets a horse from eh CS. I really dont. I see this as a way for ZOS to start testing the waters of the CS.
Several in this thread still don't understand this is only the beginning. It was an outright lie and will be expanded on. Funny thing is all the haters caught hell for saying cash shop and free in first year. Step one complete and it isn't even released yet.
I ask you, would you prefer new mounts or other additions to be made and placed in game to earn, or would you prefer they be designed and offered through this shop?
Saying this doesn't change anything is short sighted. Their original statements were saying all things will be available in the game, that's the reason they wanted a sub based system to begin with. This type of offering can completely change that sort of plan.
SO yes this could be a game changer.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson