[Column] World of Warcraft: Play to Play for Free

SBFord · March 2015

Big news today for World of Warcraft players. Blizzard has announced plans to allow players to purchase game time with gold! Similar to the PLEX system in EVE or C.R.E.D.D. in Wildstar, you’ll soon be able to purchase a WoW Token from the auction house using gold that can be consumed for 30 days of game time. This is huge.

Read more of Reza Lackey's All Things Warcraft: Play to Play For Free.

Wighty · March 2015

So it Begins!

VassagoMael · March 2015

Unlike in EVE or Wildstar these bind to the first gold purchaser. Curious to see how that impacts it. I read a few months back that the majority of PLEX aren't used for game time, but are purchased by players as a long term investment. That won't be an option here, so that should keep the gold price lower than it otherwise would be.

kitarad · March 2015

I am curious how gold sellers will be affected.

Octagon7711 · March 2015

Next they will probably look at increased restricted F2P options.

JAFA · March 2015

"Current Market Value", but you have no real say in how much you charge for your 'Token'?

That's not "Current Market Value" that's "Whatever Blizzard think you should get for it" which is something else entirely.

"Current Market Value" is the point where what sellers are asking meets what buyers are willing to pay.

I imagine there's going to be an extra "Tax" hidden somewhere in these transactions, at least for the 1st week or two, until people work out how much it is, after which it won't be hidden (but will still be present).

TL;DR: I call SHENANIGANS.

zaberfangx · March 2015

Originally posted by kitarad
I am curious how gold sellers will be affected.

If they put a timer on how long they can keep the tokens be for it needed to be used up then will affected them a lot, if not, they'll juat farm the gold and buy the tokens and sell sub time on some web site cheaper then monthly cost, or offer the people selling the token more farmed gold.

Foomerang · March 2015

It'll be interesting to see this implemented in a ten year old game. I imagine the initial cost will be astronomical.

SurrealFieUp · March 2015

Didn't see mention of when this system may go into effect. Was there an approximate time frame given?

VassagoMael · March 2015

Originally posted by JAFA
"Current Market Value", but you have no real say in how much you charge for your 'Token'?

That's not "Current Market Value" that's "Whatever Blizzard think you should get for it" which is something else entirely.

"Current Market Value" is the point where what sellers are asking meets what buyers are willing to pay.

I imagine there's going to be an extra "Tax" hidden somewhere in these transactions, at least for the 1st week or two, until people work out how much it is, after which it won't be hidden (but will still be present).

TL;DR: I call SHENANIGANS.

You are clueless.

The seller go to the AH and inputs how much that want for their token and they are told how much they will get based on that price minus the normal gold sink fees. The price is determined by supply and demand, however if Derp wants to place theirs on the AH for 10x that no one will stop them. Their item simply won't sell and they will lose the deposit fee (one on the reasons for the deposit fee in the first place)

VassagoMael · March 2015

Originally posted by SurrealFieUp
Didn't see mention of when this system may go into effect. Was there an approximate time frame given?

Some time this year.

Akulas · March 2015

Can't buy under priced and sell for higher price later with this system.

VassagoMael · March 2015

mt

Salute · March 2015

This will R.I.P. many mmo's...

Wighty · March 2015

China's economy is going to take a hit on this one!

Enik · March 2015

I love this idea. If you're a casual player with more money than time it allows you to get gold safely. Hopefully it will stimulate the economy and get more people buying stuff on the AH too.

You certainly can't say that Blizzard aren't thinking and acting strategically regarding their old game in new times.

vadio123 · March 2015

well to blizzard dont make diference at all

but its solid kick in gold seller company

Daniel696 · March 2015

Finaly. The time of subs is ending, this is just holding the player numbers. Free to play for the win.

VassagoMael · March 2015

Originally posted by MisterZebub
Originally posted by VassagoMael
Unlike in EVE or Wildstar these bind to the first gold purchaser. Curious to see how that impacts it. I read a few months back that the majority of PLEX aren't used for game time, but are purchased by players as a long term investment. That won't be an option here, so that should keep the gold price lower than it otherwise would be.

Big news today for World of Warcraft players. Blizzard has announced plans to allow players to purchase game time with gold! Similar to the PLEX system in EVE or C.R.E.D.D. in Wildstar, you’ll soon be able to purchase a WoW Token from the auction house using gold that can be consumed for 30 days of game time. This is huge.

Players will also be able to purchase a WoW Token from the in-game shop using real money to then sell on the auction house if they would like to make some gold. The gold value of a WoW Token can fluctuate based on its current market value which will be determined by supply and demand. This provides a safe and secure way for players to purchase gold without turning to shady 3rd party farmers who could potentially compromise an account.

I think it the impact will be more players buying them from the cash shop to use to make easy gold rather than players using them to bypass a monthly fee. And now that player fidgets like Heirloom gear are bought directly with gold I see the token system being pretty popular.

Its win win for casual and hardcore players alike. Those that play a bunch will have amassed enough gold to play for free. Those that don't want to grind or play the AH but want tons of gold to buy lots of pointless shiny shit, now have a safe and legal alternative to going to shady back alley gold sellers.

And the gold sellers themselves actually come out of this pretty good as well. All those hacked accounts just became more valuable and they can also now generate gold to sell to customers just by paying a fee rather than spending time grinding it in game.

Its win win. So now everyone's happy. Well except for me. For some reason this news makes me rather depressed.

It is a balance though. If more people are buying them for cash than people who are buying them for gold the price will drop. Then more people will buy them for gold or fewer people will buy them for cash. It's basic economics.

orbitxo · March 2015

glad to see blizzard doin this- this isnt revolutionary, many mmos already do this= and still many want them togo f2p. nice to see the write up give credit to the ones that do it already.

VassagoMael · March 2015

Originally posted by vadio123
well to blizzard dont make diference at all

but its solid kick in gold seller company

Actually it will be a financial boon for Blizzard. The tokens will sell for more than the price of a subscription.

FrodoFragins · March 2015

What is the incentive for Blizzard on this? I assume it's the fact that players that want gold and don't mind spending cash will subsidize the freeloaders?

Dauntis · March 2015

I Think it is a pretty brilliant move for ol WoW.

Nadia · March 2015

Originally posted by Foomerang
It'll be interesting to see this implemented in a ten year old game. I imagine the initial cost will be astronomical.

in 2012,

SOE implemented a similar system, Krono, in a 8 year old mmo - Everquest 2

http://eq2wire.com/2012/10/29/krono-in-game-currency-going-live-today/

but they are different games so who knows?

PAL-18 · March 2015

Cash shop coming to diablo 3 and now full blown cash for gold shop in WoW .

Is this jacpot for FF XIV,might be.

Loke666 · March 2015

Well, someone is still paying the monthly fee so I don't see any larger problems but it ain't gonna stop gold sellers. It might lower the prices though.

GW2s gem system have the same basic principles since you can trade gems for gold but they still have goldsellers there and Wow is larger.

Of course a massive banning people who bought gold from third party together with this might lessen the number of people who buy unoffical gold, and that wouldn't hurt since so much of it are from hacked accounts today but it will still be pretty common no matter what Blizzard do.

On the bad side: this is a pay2win step for the game. No disaster or anything but a step.

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[Column] World of Warcraft: Play to Play for Free

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"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey