Guild Wars 2

The following numbers are a comparison of the quantity of skins made available post launch via in-game content and cash shop. The intent of this post is to provide detailed information on how much of the new skin-based content has been provided as an obtainable item in game, and how much has been simply released via the cash shop. This does not include outfits, or ‘town clothes’ as they were. These numbers are taken from the Wardrobe Storage as well, please let me know if there are any missing. Also, this does not include weapon skins or aquatic gears.

Individual armor skins available in the game currently: 1260
Individual armor skins available upon launch: 992
Individual armor skins added post-launch: 268

Of these 268, 167 (62% of all new armor skins) were only available via the cash shop.
This means only 101 (38%) individual set pieces have been added that were available as in game rewards.

It is also important to add that out of that 101 there were offered as in game rewards for actually playing the game, none of them aside from the Ascended are “complete sets”. Most of them in fact, are simply components of other semi-sets (3 items or less) where you needed to purchase corresponding set pieces from the cash shop (such as the Scarlet’s set where you could only earn the helm in game, the other pieces needed to be bought from the cash shop).

To sum up the important information above, there have been 268 armor/back skin additions to the game since launch, and of that – 62% of them have been cash shop exclusive purchases. There is only 1 complete set offered as an in game reward, the rest are only individual pieces. All other new complete armor sets have been added as cash shop exclusive items.

Now, I’m not trying to complain that there are too many new skins added as cash-shop only. I would argue that some of the best looking sets (subjective) have been cash shop only – such as Phalanx (I’m one of the few who really likes the female version of Phalanx), Braham’s, Aetherblade Light Armor and Magitech Medium armor. I would also point out again, that there has been only 1 full-set offered as in-game reward since launch as well.

What I specifically am requesting, is that for every set or individual piece offered in the cash shop, that there be a completely different set or individual piece offered as an in-game reward. I say different because nobody wants to see an argument between “well my version is from the in game reward and is by default better than your cash shop variant version”.

Now. I have offered up the numbers – please correct me if I missed anything. Discuss! Support! Debate! Argue!

Thanks,
-Lore

Ascended Armor says hello.

I don’t care too much about skins so I dunno how situation looks but if they only gonna put good looking armors in the store then people also buying from store will stop playing faster because there will be less challenge to obtain items.

Gem store really isn’t a cash shop, as you can convert in-game gold for gems and an 800 gem armor set is about 70g-75g atm, a little more than half the cost of cultural armor. I also don’t feel that the best skins are gem store only, as mixing and matching in-game armors can produce a unique and appealing set.

I just see the skins in the gem store as more of souvenirs of LS or skins that don’t quite look like they belong in the game, but add more flair choices to players(looking at you, Zodiac armor).

Ugh, I hate when they move my threads. This isn’t gemstore feedback, this is game feedback. Mods need to learn to read -_-;.

Anyways, as mentioned above; you’re putting good looking armors behind a low-effort wall. A couple bucks gets you a new set? Good thing I didn’t have to do real content to earn that! Again, thats fine if thats how you want to play – but those of us who would prefer to master new content and be rewarded good armor sets for it are being shafted by Anet wanting to put it on the easy-street of cash shop.

More rewards for actually participating in content please.

Also, thanks for bringing up ascended armor. I didn’t see it in the wardrobe so I didn’t know it existed! I’ll update my thread since I just found it as well too.

Thanks!
-Lore

I agree, too many skins get added to the shop, too little for ingame achievements. And if there is ingame means to get it, its either helm/shoulders/boots/back (exception the ugly ascended armor sets)

What you said would be true if the game barely had any skins but it has over a 500+ skins. The issue seems to be more like you feel entitled to more skins even though you do not.

They are lot of skins, if those are not enough, nothing will be enough. Arenanet biggest problem at least for the longest time was not having any decent looking armor skins on the cash shop and that was a little sad.

In any case they wont be any new armor until the living story at BEST.

But there is no skin imbalance. Why don’t you compare the amount of possible skins vs the amount of skins in the cash shop before making a comment.

This whole thread just reeks of QQ, I am entitled to more skins.

I agree with the OP, I don’t mind Anet putting some armour skins in the gem store but it’s become too imbalanced – and before someone pipes up and says ‘you don’t have to spend real money to obtain these’, true but for those of us that don’t have much time to grind gold for limited time items it can be a problem.

Most of the skins in the gem store are actually ticket skins and therefore meant to be extremely difficult and costly to have. Right now there are few if any armor sets in the gem shop that do anything for me.