Huh? if I were in blizzards position i would never do cash shop but focus on how I can let the customers that are already playing enjoying the game with the possibility to get new ones.

Don;t tell me you think there will only be those 2 pets in the cash shop because that would be stupid.

In my opinion there was no need for an "article" since he;s just defending and not taking the possibility of the many that are wondering what will happen.

...

Originally posted by whisperwynd

Originally posted by Xondar123

 

Yeah, because newspapers never featured "letters to the editor" where people never wrote in to take issue with a thinly constructed opinion piece meant to rankle and cause controversy. Those things were invented with the internet and never existed before.

Here, ladies and gentlemen, is someone who is only aware of the last 15 years of reality.

 

LOL If you even knew anything about the field, you'd know that "letters to the editor" did very little to the inner workings of the actual editing of the newspapers.  It took real journalists to weed out those other journalists because of shoddy research and such, not the people reading it.

I'd say your version of reality is as skewed as your failures in it.

Oh, so now some random anonymous journalism "expert" on the internet is telling me what "reality" really is. Gee guys, I guess I was wrong all the time. The crap spewed in this stupid opinion piece is completely correct!

Originally posted by Xondar123

Yeah, anyone who disagrees with an opinion on this site only does so because they want that writer's job. Any more pathetic justifications for this article?

Hey a pathetic justification in response to the pathetic negative responses to the article. All of you act like Blizzard rules your life and you needs the pet and its hilarious. How can you take any of these seriously? Maybe its because I work for customer service that attends to people nationwide and I get the same responses and I see similar responses here and the funniest thing is, it isn't even a price increase to anything. No one is making you buy these pets nor is it required for anything extra (i.e. raids, instances, PvP BG's etc.). These are really just virtual toys with no value in regards to game experience. So again, are you that entitled to these pets or can you just let it go? ;) You and other haters just come off as childish (and most likely you could be just a child with little to no understanding to how the real world works).

Either don't pay for the freaking pets or the store or suck it up and fork over the cash if you think its so freaking cool. Your subscription only entitles you to the game itself and you have all the access to everything minus a couple virtual items -_- Kids....

Originally posted by Xondar123

Originally posted by Stradden

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

Originally posted by Gyrus

Couple of points:

Jon Wood - I think you are out of touch with your audience.  

He didn't write it for his audience. He wrote it for his clients.

Gaming sites don't serve their members. Unless they are paying members.

*sigh* Ya know, Gyrus' statement, I personally believe to be incorrect, but at least the statement makes sense. MMO_Doubter, once again you're off base with a nice conspiracy theory. I honestly don't know what else to say to ya on that subject.

In the case of this article, I didn't write it because any advertiser told me to. I didn't write it because I thought it would reflect the opinions of the audience. I didn't write it because I thought it was the opposite opinion of the audience either. I took a subject that was in the news and wrote my opinion on it... Which is the point of a column.

Disagree with me, fine. That's cool. As much as I'd love for everyone to agree with every word I ever say, just because I say it, that just ain't how the world works. So yes, disagree. That's how it's supposed to work when it comes to opinion pieces. I wrote my opinions and backed them up with examples of why I believe them to be true. Some others in this thread have made some pretty good arguments on the other side. This creates a dialogue which, when it comes to disagreements, is the first step toward solving them. Understanding the other side's position is always a good idea.

I'm not trying to write what my audience wants to hear. Everyone wants an un-biased media, I hear that day in and day out. The thing is that someone being un-biased means that sometimes they are going to share your views and sometimes they won't.This is the reason that we have polarized left and right news outlets. Everyone wants to feel like their opinions are the "un-biased" truth, but all opinions are colored by the personal experiences of the opinion holder. Many people believe that if their opinions are unbiased than anyone disagreeing must be terribly biased.

Anyway, that's my rant on the subject. You may all continue beating me mercilessly with a stick.

 

If this is true, then put your money where your mouth is and do away with your corporate sponsorship for just one day. Show us that you aren't ruled by the companies that pay your ad dollars.

I bet you can't do it. I bet there's no way you will ever do it and you and your co-workers are standing around the office sniggering at this post.

I agree with a lot of what you wrote and the reaction of many players here is a bunch of b.s propaganda.

WoW has always made money from extra products not related directly to their games. Trading cards, board games, comics etc. They have a successful expansion series which you have to pay for each expansion just to get access to the new areas. What the hell does it matter if they give vanity items in an item shop? Anyone who plays WoW knows these vanity items do nothing to effect your game play. All it does is make you look cool and if someone wants to pay for it then fine. Some fans may love the idea, it's what fans do.

I am against f2p and item malls personally. In this case, it's a harmless way to make money. This is the obvious, any reasonable person can see that.

Jon Wood you shouldn't have to feel as if you owe anyone anything other than your honest opinion. I prefer that honesty as it has stirred up debate and brought so much more attention to another issue gamers must address. "We don't know what we really want. We are simply responding to what is commonly accepted."

If f2p and item mall games were the first kind of mmorpg to come out and became very popular before p2p games came out, I can imagine the anger and hatred that would proceed from gamers if the first subscription based mmorpg would have hit the scene. It might have started flame wars and even if that p2p mmorpg was more polished and offered more features than the f2p mmos, players would hate on it until it eventually survived the chaotic propaganda. Eventually after some brave gamers actually subscribe to the game and like it, the p2p market would have then become more accepted. The people will then follow the trend.

Someone started the flame war about Blizzard's decision to add vanity pets and the popularity to be against it has caught on. Champions Online did it but of course, it's not consider as important. Blizzard has been creating vanity items for years, T-Shirts, Mugs, collectibles etc, and no one dare announced that Blizzard was too greedy over the course of several years. Blizzard is successful and can capitalize on their success provided they are not hurting the game experience. Get over it. If you don't like their merchandise, don't buy it. These vanity pets are just virtual merchandise and quite honestly less annoying than Level 80 Orc T-Shirts. 

EDIT: I am not one to apologize for my opinions so don't expect one.

Originally posted by bloodaxes

Huh? if I were in blizzards position i would never do cash shop but focus on how I can let the customers that are already playing enjoying the game with the possibility to get new ones.

Don;t tell me you think there will only be those 2 pets in the cash shop because that would be stupid.

In my opinion there was no need for an "article" since he;s just defending and not taking the possibility of the many that are wondering what will happen.

I guess Blizzard's accountants have determined that gouging a few is more profitable than pleasing many.

The math might be a bit off, though - long term.

Failing a change in this policy, I won't be buying SC2, D3, or any other Blizzard products now, so in my case they have just cost themselves a few hundred dollars.

Blizzard has been know for many years for quality PC games. Well, now they are known for something else, as well.

Originally posted by Jairoe03

Originally posted by Xondar123

Yeah, anyone who disagrees with an opinion on this site only does so because they want that writer's job. Any more pathetic justifications for this article?

 

Hey a pathetic justification in response to the pathetic negative responses to the article. All of you act like Blizzard rules your life and you needs the pet and its hilarious. How can you take any of these seriously? Maybe its because I work for customer service that attends to people nationwide and I get the same responses and I see similar responses here and the funniest thing is, it isn't even a price increase to anything. No one is making you buy these pets nor is it required for anything extra (i.e. raids, instances, PvP BG's etc.). These are really just virtual toys with no value in regards to game experience. So again, are you that entitled to these pets or can you just let it go? ;) You and other haters just come off as childish (and most likely you could be just a child with little to no understanding to how the real world works).

Either don't pay for the freaking pets or the store or suck it up and fork over the cash if you think its so freaking cool. Your subscription only entitles you to the game itself and you have all the access to everything minus a couple virtual items -_- Kids....

Where did I ever mention Blizzard or indicate that I care what they're doing? I'm just sick of this website's obvious pro-corporate, pro-mega-profit stance. I'll bet that every bit of this site is whored out for money. I wonder how much a studio pays to be featured in a Top 5 list.

Originally posted by Xondar123

 

Oh, so now some random anonymous journalism "expert" on the internet is telling me what "reality" really is. Gee guys, I guess I was wrong all the time. The crap spewed in this stupid opinion piece is completely correct!

Oh, Doth I offend? Was it not you who first quoted me and commenced with the insults?!

Nice to see that you think opinions other than yours is stupid crap...really puts my own opinion of your future posts in perspective.

Originally posted by Xondar123

Originally posted by Jairoe03

Originally posted by Xondar123

Yeah, anyone who disagrees with an opinion on this site only does so because they want that writer's job. Any more pathetic justifications for this article?

 

Hey a pathetic justification in response to the pathetic negative responses to the article. All of you act like Blizzard rules your life and you needs the pet and its hilarious. How can you take any of these seriously? Maybe its because I work for customer service that attends to people nationwide and I get the same responses and I see similar responses here and the funniest thing is, it isn't even a price increase to anything. No one is making you buy these pets nor is it required for anything extra (i.e. raids, instances, PvP BG's etc.). These are really just virtual toys with no value in regards to game experience. So again, are you that entitled to these pets or can you just let it go? ;) You and other haters just come off as childish (and most likely you could be just a child with little to no understanding to how the real world works).

Either don't pay for the freaking pets or the store or suck it up and fork over the cash if you think its so freaking cool. Your subscription only entitles you to the game itself and you have all the access to everything minus a couple virtual items -_- Kids....

 

Where did I ever mention Blizzard or indicate that I care what they're doing? I'm just sick of this website's obvious pro-corporate, pro-mega-profit stance. I'll bet that every bit of this site is whored out for money. I wonder how much a studio pays to be featured in a Top 5 list.

What? Grow up, make some money and get laid.

Originally posted by KarmaCry7

I am against f2p and item malls personally. In this case, it's a harmless way to make money.

Those two statements are contradictory.

This is the obvious, any reasonable person can see that.

Any reasonable person can see that content that used to  be provided at no additional charge will be offered in the cash shop instead. A little at first, then more.

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

Originally posted by KarmaCry7

I am against f2p and item malls personally. In this case, it's a harmless way to make money.

Those two statements are contradictory.

This is the obvious, any reasonable person can see that.

Any reasonable person can see that content that used to  be provided at no additional charge will be offered in the cash shop instead. A little at first, then more.

That doesn't make sense. Once they charge you for in game items that are not vanity and just for show, flame all you want. Till then it makes NO sense.

EDIT: Have you even played WoW? They aren't recalling all previously earned vanity pets and saying pay for them now. Geez. If you want free clothes, the Salvation Army is still open. Do you not get it?

Originally posted by KarmaCry7

 

 Once they charge you for in game items that are not vanity and just for show, flame all you want. Till then it makes NO sense.

Originally posted by Xondar123

Where did I ever mention Blizzard or indicate that I care what they're doing? I'm just sick of this website's obvious pro-corporate, pro-mega-profit stance. I'll bet that every bit of this site is whored out for money. I wonder how much a studio pays to be featured in a Top 5 list.

Well, I figured you were on the same bandwagon of the rest of the negative posters for the actual topic of this thread. I believe this isn't about whether or not MMORPG writers are being paid off by studios to be mentioned in articles. This is about the new ingame store by Blizzard. So excuse me for staying on topic, I would probably suggest you do the same or create a separate thread before you get confused again for caring about Blizzards In-Game store ;)

Originally posted by Jairoe03

Originally posted by Xondar123

Yeah, anyone who disagrees with an opinion on this site only does so because they want that writer's job. Any more pathetic justifications for this article?

 

Hey a pathetic justification in response to the pathetic negative responses to the article. All of you act like Blizzard rules your life and you needs the pet and its hilarious. How can you take any of these seriously? Maybe its because I work for customer service that attends to people nationwide and I get the same responses and I see similar responses here and the funniest thing is, it isn't even a price increase to anything. No one is making you buy these pets nor is it required for anything extra (i.e. raids, instances, PvP BG's etc.). These are really just virtual toys with no value in regards to game experience. So again, are you that entitled to these pets or can you just let it go? ;) You and other haters just come off as childish (and most likely you could be just a child with little to no understanding to how the real world works).

Either don't pay for the freaking pets or the store or suck it up and fork over the cash if you think its so freaking cool. Your subscription only entitles you to the game itself and you have all the access to everything minus a couple virtual items -_- Kids....

Wrong. Its not kids that are arguing about this topic. Its full grown men...full grown men that are taking virutall pets like if Blizzard is our modern time Judas.

Grown men...damn.

edit: when will mmorpg.com delete the 13th number? Like they do in hotels, boats and flight numbers? 

Originally posted by KarmaCry7

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

Originally posted by KarmaCry7

I am against f2p and item malls personally. In this case, it's a harmless way to make money.

Those two statements are contradictory.

This is the obvious, any reasonable person can see that.

Any reasonable person can see that content that used to  be provided at no additional charge will be offered in the cash shop instead. A little at first, then more.

That doesn't make sense. Once they charge you for in game items that are not vanity and just for show, flame all you want. Till then it makes NO sense.

EDIT: Have you even played WoW? They aren't recalling all previously earned vanity pets and saying pay for them now. Geez. If you want free clothes, the Salvation Army is still open. Do you not get it?

There are many people that collect those pets and they were mostly gotten ingame now these fellas need to pay to get them? so nothing has changed? right....

Wolf

yes i cry wolf

Cause i see the wolf

Open your eyes to!

This is what it is.. A Item Shop for the game  World of Warcraft..

BAD?

It could be!!

It will Be!

Blizzard could Make Mount_Pet_Maker  Program That you could use to design your own..

Like the mapmaker for Starcraft II.

Then for a fee you could get your own designed  pet or mount added to the game.

Is it bad??

Some will say NO!!

Its a Game! Why not let us do what we want and Blizzard get paid for it.

Originally posted by KarmaCry7

That doesn't make sense. Once they charge you for in game items that are not vanity and just for show, flame all you want. Till then it makes NO sense.

EDIT: Have you even played WoW? They aren't recalling all previously earned vanity pets and saying pay for them now. Geez. If you want free clothes, the Salvation Army is still open. Do you not get it?

I played for four years. My subscription ran out a couple of months ago.

I'm not saying old content will be moved to the shop. I'm saying that the kind of content that they used to add without additional charge will be going in there instead.

My objection to this practice has nothing to do with my own ability to buy. I am quite used to spending $100 or more a month on PC gaming.

 I really am getting sick of people complaining about these kinds of issues all the time. It's like sitting in a room crowded with little children and they've all just been told that they can't have sweets. So, they have convulsions on the floor, squirming kicking and screaming. Cry all you want, it isn't going to change anything when the cause is so ridiculous and pointless.

Business is business. Welcome to reality. There are lines that should be drawn and never crossed, but this isn't one of them. Now, go have a nappy.

[ Mod Edit ]

Originally posted by Mequellios

 I really am getting sick of people complaining about these kinds of issues all the time. It's like sitting in a room crowded with little children and they've all just been told that they can't have sweets.

And the fun part its not children that are crying now. Its adults. A psychology would probably say somthing about they are behaving like this is besuse they miss something from their youth.

If you don't like people expressing their opinions don't look simple.

Originally posted by bloodaxes

If you don't like people expressing their opinions don't look simple.

I for one believe its funny and I like to read all the hate this subject gets from this "community". Soon 400 posts about this subject and most are quite hateful.

I think the sheer numbers of posts on this subject really show how strongly people feel about this subject . This is over a couple of pets imagine the day Blizzard expands on it and includeds  far more contentuous items to its item shop . I think even for the most ardent fan of WoW there will be a point when such a thing is unacceptable .

Originally posted by bloodaxes

Originally posted by KarmaCry7

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

Originally posted by KarmaCry7

I am against f2p and item malls personally. In this case, it's a harmless way to make money.

Those two statements are contradictory.

This is the obvious, any reasonable person can see that.

Any reasonable person can see that content that used to  be provided at no additional charge will be offered in the cash shop instead. A little at first, then more.

That doesn't make sense. Once they charge you for in game items that are not vanity and just for show, flame all you want. Till then it makes NO sense.

EDIT: Have you even played WoW? They aren't recalling all previously earned vanity pets and saying pay for them now. Geez. If you want free clothes, the Salvation Army is still open. Do you not get it?

There are many people that collect those pets and they were mostly gotten ingame now these fellas need to pay to get them? so nothing has changed? right....

No, nothing has changed. They didn't add a price to the old vanity pets you can still earn in game. To tell you the truth, this idea could have been added in the begining (charging for vanity pets). Vanity pets are pointless but makes more sense if someone actually paid real money for it. I still have the Blizzard Bear and I often have that follow my Hunter around. It changes NOTHING about your charcter's ability to perform in game.

If they made more cool vanity stuff, that would be the only extra merchandise I would consider getting. (Mugs, T-Shirts and all the other stuff is just corny). I would never leave the house with a level 80 Hunter T-Shirt but a cool companion that does nothing but looks nice would be cool. Paying for mounts, items, potions, etc isn't cool, vanity pets are. Pointless, but nice.

Originally posted by bloodaxes

If you don't like people expressing their opinions don't look simple.

That's a gross generalization. I'm glad we're all so grown up that we make these to try and belittle the argument another person. That's pathetic. You know better than that.

I stand by this, "there are lines that should be drawn", for everything. This includes what is deemed to be plain ridiculous. Crying about a business movement made for the *gasp* purpose of making money, yet still complying to good business, is where the line is drawn. And players wonder why game companies are listening to them less an less.

Originally posted by Simiel

Originally posted by Stradden

MMORPG.com's Jon Wood uses his column this week to look at the recent announcement that Blizzard will be offering in-game pets for real life money and the fan reaction, or over-reaction to the news.

Yesterday, Blizzard announced that they would be adding an in-game shop where players could buy vanity pets, and in characteristic fashion, the MMO world went bat dung crazy. Even my Facebook, which is loaded with MMO folks, was taken over by posts about Blizzard moving to microtransactions.

I swear, the way people react to these things you'd think that item stores were Godzilla and Western players were the poor residents of Tokyo just trying to get away from the damned thing, wrecking everything they know and eating everyone they love.

For the record, they're not, but we'll leave my personal opinions about item mall based games for another rant entirely. Instead, we'll focus on this particular announcement. Comparing this announcement, by the way, with microtransaction revenue models games, is like comparing apples and zebras. It just doesn't make any sense.

Read Wood: WoW Pets and Boy Who Cried Wolf.

 

Lame, old arguments combined and transformed into a semi-fancy worded article by someone who does not matter at all.

Anyone could write the same, in fact, they did, but their opinions don't shout as loud as those of a guy whose job is to write for an MMO website in boring and uncatchy English.

Now he would think that his reference between micro-transaction and zebra is smart, but it's a horrible analysis. People don't compare the announcement to the micro-transaction, they assume that the announcement LEADS to transaction, this guy is writing a column here for a reason, and it might just be too obvious for me to even talk about.

Sorry if the focus of this post is shifted, what I want to say was, it's obvious that people over-reacted to the announcement, but on the other hand, this guy is no genius, anyone could have figured this out without his awesome column. On the other hand, who is he to disprove the other argument without further proof? Continuously comparing components of WoW to movie tickets and apples and zebra doesn't prove that your argument is any more accurate than the opposing reasoning, so this mighty Jon Wood is just another forum poster, in my goddamn opinion. SORRY "MY FRIEND".

 

That reply was as useless as smashing your head into the wall.