I played Guild Wars 2 on launch. LOVED the game. LOVED my Asura. I quit after 4 months due to the cash shop draining my wallet.
I played SWTOR at launch. Game was fun, but quit because of bugs/balance. Went back 2 years later and loved the game. Loved their housing, loved the character customizations with armor (being able to transmog slots individually). I subscribed with a monthly sub. I quit after 3 months because of the crown shop draining my wallet.
I played WOW since 2004. When I did not play wow I was playing the above mentioned games (or Warhammer RIP). Of course I subbed to wow and did so for the vast majority of the 12 years I played. I stopped playing a couple months ago, although the last two expansions have been a love hate affair. I never felt they were abusing my wallet, so I gave them tons of money.
I started ESO about 5-6 weeks ago. I am LOVING the game. Housing could use more utility. Mounts and non combat pets could have offerings in game but overall I am enjoying ESO....for now.
I am fully willing to pay for a a game, even monthly as I have done for 12 years in another game, but the crown store greed not only turns me off completely but it has always resulted in me quitting a game.
I went to school for design. So, my perspective might be a bit different than the general player. When I study crown offerings, limited time items, and their overall cost It is obvious to me the psychological component in your design or approach to offering this content. It is designed to force the players hand into expensive purchases on a relatively short timer.
Bean counters have on MANY occasions destroyed games. I see that your European servers are dying down. It cant be due to content, this game has tons of content. Europeans are often more skeptical than Americans, I have to wonder if the crown store greed is a result of you losing customers. I know that why I often quit games like this with cash shops.
Value or a "good deal" is the secret into keeping people around. If I feel like I am getting my moneys worth I will never have buyers remorse but your crown offerings are extremely expensive for digital content and I am starting to regret playing this game. My GF and I intend on getting Morrowind for Christmas, but if I keep down this path of observation on how greedy you are with crown content it will surely end in a fight with my GF who loves this game as well and has no intention of quitting.
Depending on the crown package one buys determines their value, but I average it to 1 USD per 100 crowns. So a 2500 crown horse is $25.00 USD. a 500 crown item is $5.00 USD etc.
I purchased the adept pack. THAT was a good value and completely worth the money. The Clockwork house...is a joke of a price, as are most of the homes and mounts (ESP mounts).
I would not have as much of an issue if you offered this content in game, but its only accessible through the crown store. Which is starting to feel like if I want to customize a game that is traditionally popular with role playing, I have to empty my wallet at the rate of about 75 dollars a month.
I guess my question is. Is it your intent to limit your income by charging stupid prices for digital content that are a terrible value in and of tehmselves? It would seem to me that eliminating scam crates (which of yours are the worst in regards to drop %) and offering the content you make to be accessable full time, or maybe seasona (winter, spring, summer, fall) I know your design behind this is to force the customers hand with "limited time" offerings so you get their cash fast, but is this not shortsighted due to the fact that for the other 95% of the year you are missing out on selling this stuff to new players?
Look I get it. A company needs to make a profit. But what is more important to you. Gouging your current customers until they say they have had enough and quit which results in you preying on new blood, or maintaining a healthy relationship with your customer base which grows your customer base organically because of happy clientele?
Frankly I don't know why I am posting this. I know it will fall on deaf ears. I have to imagine you are completely aware of what you are doing and that its all done by design with intent. I guess for me this is some kind of catharisis that I may reflect on for when the crown store takes its toll and I once again leave a game due to greed.
(Take note of the mistakes made by EA recently and learn from it).
I played SWTOR at launch. Game was fun, but quit because of bugs/balance. Went back 2 years later and loved the game. Loved their housing, loved the character customizations with armor (being able to transmog slots individually). I subscribed with a monthly sub. I quit after 3 months because of the crown shop draining my wallet.
I played WOW since 2004. When I did not play wow I was playing the above mentioned games (or Warhammer RIP). Of course I subbed to wow and did so for the vast majority of the 12 years I played. I stopped playing a couple months ago, although the last two expansions have been a love hate affair. I never felt they were abusing my wallet, so I gave them tons of money.
I started ESO about 5-6 weeks ago. I am LOVING the game. Housing could use more utility. Mounts and non combat pets could have offerings in game but overall I am enjoying ESO....for now.
I am fully willing to pay for a a game, even monthly as I have done for 12 years in another game, but the crown store greed not only turns me off completely but it has always resulted in me quitting a game.
I went to school for design. So, my perspective might be a bit different than the general player. When I study crown offerings, limited time items, and their overall cost It is obvious to me the psychological component in your design or approach to offering this content. It is designed to force the players hand into expensive purchases on a relatively short timer.
Bean counters have on MANY occasions destroyed games. I see that your European servers are dying down. It cant be due to content, this game has tons of content. Europeans are often more skeptical than Americans, I have to wonder if the crown store greed is a result of you losing customers. I know that why I often quit games like this with cash shops.
Value or a "good deal" is the secret into keeping people around. If I feel like I am getting my moneys worth I will never have buyers remorse but your crown offerings are extremely expensive for digital content and I am starting to regret playing this game. My GF and I intend on getting Morrowind for Christmas, but if I keep down this path of observation on how greedy you are with crown content it will surely end in a fight with my GF who loves this game as well and has no intention of quitting.
Depending on the crown package one buys determines their value, but I average it to 1 USD per 100 crowns. So a 2500 crown horse is $25.00 USD. a 500 crown item is $5.00 USD etc.
I purchased the adept pack. THAT was a good value and completely worth the money. The Clockwork house...is a joke of a price, as are most of the homes and mounts (ESP mounts).
I would not have as much of an issue if you offered this content in game, but its only accessible through the crown store. Which is starting to feel like if I want to customize a game that is traditionally popular with role playing, I have to empty my wallet at the rate of about 75 dollars a month.
I guess my question is. Is it your intent to limit your income by charging stupid prices for digital content that are a terrible value in and of tehmselves? It would seem to me that eliminating scam crates (which of yours are the worst in regards to drop %) and offering the content you make to be accessable full time, or maybe seasona (winter, spring, summer, fall) I know your design behind this is to force the customers hand with "limited time" offerings so you get their cash fast, but is this not shortsighted due to the fact that for the other 95% of the year you are missing out on selling this stuff to new players?
Look I get it. A company needs to make a profit. But what is more important to you. Gouging your current customers until they say they have had enough and quit which results in you preying on new blood, or maintaining a healthy relationship with your customer base which grows your customer base organically because of happy clientele?
Frankly I don't know why I am posting this. I know it will fall on deaf ears. I have to imagine you are completely aware of what you are doing and that its all done by design with intent. I guess for me this is some kind of catharisis that I may reflect on for when the crown store takes its toll and I once again leave a game due to greed.
(Take note of the mistakes made by EA recently and learn from it).
