Q:
So when are we going to get this “VIP” subscription option for our regions?
Hopefully never.
Based on what the devs said when it was datamined, never.
Short answer no, long answer noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Never. As it should be.
I made a thread recently, outlining how i envisioned a VIP subscription (which i am in full support of), which filled up quickly with close minded haters threatening to quit the game if such an option is added to it. I say, let the small percentage who will actually go through with quitting do so, and let the game improve and flourish on the increased income it will no doubt recieve by implementing VIP!
There were even some in that thread foolish enough to call a VIP service “pay to win”. Apparently they forgot that right now, the only way to efficiently get gold in the game is by directly buying it, which is the most direct form of “pay to win” in existance
I made a thread recently, outlining how i envisioned a VIP subscription (which i am in full support of), which filled up quickly with close minded haters threatening to quit the game if such an option is added to it. I say, let the small percentage who will actually go through with quitting do so, and let the game improve and flourish on the increased income it will no doubt recieve by implementing VIP!
There were even some in that thread foolish enough to call a VIP service “pay to win”. Apparently they forgot that right now, the only way to efficiently get gold in the game is by directly buying it, which is the most direct form of “pay to win” in existance
That’s because your suggestion would ruin the game’s economy. And be a definite pay to win.
Please tell me what those gems can buy now that is something that those who do not pay can’t get access to?
Pay to win is when people who pay get access to things that those who do not pay do not have access to.
Your suggestion is pay to win. You’re giving those who pay access to no diminishing returns while those who don’t pay diminishing returns. And a portion of the players who don’t pay, can’t pay.
People who regularly give ANet money already get VIP treatment. They just pay for what VIP skins and services they would like to have, rather than paying a subscription and accepting whatever ANet feels you are worthy of.
I made a thread recently, outlining how i envisioned a VIP subscription (which i am in full support of), which filled up quickly with close minded haters threatening to quit the game if such an option is added to it. I say, let the small percentage who will actually go through with quitting do so, and let the game improve and flourish on the increased income it will no doubt recieve by implementing VIP!
There were even some in that thread foolish enough to call a VIP service “pay to win”. Apparently they forgot that right now, the only way to efficiently get gold in the game is by directly buying it, which is the most direct form of “pay to win” in existance
you must play some other game , because i have a very nice gold influx from dungeons/wvw/tpvp and tilll 1. july gold pav farm…or you are a cuasual playing 1 hour a day and tries to measure yourself with hardocre players who play 10 hours a day , which would be stupid of you
and would be very disapointed if gw2 would get subs mode , gw1 was fine without it , gw2 is fine without it , i also guess that everyone that suggest such things never played gw1 and comes from other mmos with sub fees, so pls…go back to them and pay there you monthly sub, the best thing of guild wars was always that it is sub free , the name alone stands for sub free playing , its the image it made since day one of gw1
I spend enough every month on gems to pay a sub. If they instituted a VIP model I would probably find something else to play. I don’t want to feel like I have to play because of a subscription, not to mention the negative effects it would have on the community.
So when are we going to get this “VIP” subscription option for our regions?
As soon as the region that inspired you takes over the world.
which filled up quickly with close minded haters threatening to quit the game if such an option is added to it.
Yea everyone who does not agree with your opinion is a close minded hater..
The chinese vip system isn’t perfect, but it has features that seem really nice.
Atm, 2 week Banker golems/one time Bl merchants/one time TP access are already in the gem store. VIP system is mainly just a more polished version of this that is sub based and all wrapped up in one package and without the rng of finding the permanent BL vendors. I would rather pay $10 a month for the convenience access on all my characters rather than buying and using items that are character bound and take up bag space.
The extra gold and bonuses/bags from the Chinese system are bad but the convenience features should be implemented, even if they were to charge a small sub or larger onetime upgrade.
I personally prefer a tiered subscription upgrade system where you unlock more/get more bonus stuff as you pay for subs, kind of like the achievement rewards system (subbed months need not be consecutive). Such as giving a gathering tool/the infinite salvage/makeover kit/extra bag slot every month or something. And bigger rewards such as access to the special areas royal terrace/airship at the 6 month/year mark.
or they could make the whole thing free, but that is a highly unlikely outcome.
(edited by dodgycookies.4562)
@dodgycookies: I’d rather not have any subscription. That way, I can choose what goodies I get for my money I choose to spend on gems. If I want to get skins with my gems and no unlimited tools, then so be it. Or vice versa.
Not letting ANet decide what it wants to give me for my money.
And I want to choose when I get it. If I want to go 2 months between paying then I should be able to without losing access to anything. And before you say that the months don’t have to be consecutive to keep adding, you lose the opportunity for whatever the item of the month is if you don’t sub in a particular month.
Never, because this game will become as bad as Old Republic.
Edit: apparently the S in S WTOR is censored O.o
(edited by DjJazzman.4031)
you would be paying for the convenience access, not the items that act as a bonus though i can see your point. Perhaps bonus items are a bad idea
Edit: i was thinking not of “this is june’s bonus sub item” but rather more like the achievement reward system where “you have reached # K AP! # months of subscribed! here is a free <insert item>”
Not paying for the next month would only lose you access to the instant banks/merchants which would be the same as your banker golem running out or having no more merchants/tp items/res stones/repair cannisters.
The main part of the vip system that i like is that it is account based access to the current character bound convenience items (which i buy) at a similar/lower cost but with a more polished execution. The bank golem alone is 1000 gems per month currently . Add in the other items and i am spending about 1600 gems per month for these services. If all that stuff is available with account wide unlimited access for 1250 gems per month, i would be all over it. Add in a discount for other gemstore vanity items would sweeten the deal even more for many people like myself.
It could even be an account-wide buff that stops ticking whenever you log off, like the bday boosters/ meta primers. So that if you stopped logging in for a while, your “sub” access would not go away.
(edited by dodgycookies.4562)
The moment any subscription is introduced it is /uninstall GW2 time for me. Why? Because I paid for a subscription free game. Your argument would probably be that you don’t have to pay for a subscription, that the game would still be free to play for everyone else. That’s where I say you’re wrong. Once a subscription plan is introduced, every other player is then playing a subpar game.
No thank you.
Never, because this game will become as bad as Old Republic.
Edit: apparently the S in S WTOR is censored O.o
it’s because of the ‘as’ before it.
They are already offering the most of services that the vip system provides through various gem store items currently available. By that measure you are already placed as a second class citizen if you do not buy these items. Do you consider the banker golem a subscription? BL Merchants and TP? Res stones and repair canisters? Are you playing a subpar game because of their existence in the gem store? Freaking out about “OHNOSUBSCRIPTIONP2W!!!” before considering what is actually being offered leads to parts of the western version being subpar compared to the Chinese.
The current items are more expensive and an inferior product when compared to the new iteration. I do not like paying extra for an inferior product when i know the company already has a better product for less, but for some reason is restricted for me to buy because of the irrational fear of “subscriptions”. I understand that some people hate the gemstore in its entirety and that is ok. But we all know that it is here to stay regardless of player opinion. All I am saying is if there must be a gem store and revenue must be made, at least put in the good stuff rather than leaving us with bad product.
I am not in favor or the full royal/vip system, only a few of the convenience features. The other “features” of the gw2 china business model and subscription are mediocre to outright bad and should not be implemented, but the convenience item implementation is so much better of what is currently available in the NA/EU version and at a lower cost to boot. This point is fact not just opinion. Players should have the choice of buying the cheaper, superior product that they already have released rather than be stuck with the current items.
(edited by dodgycookies.4562)
BUY GEMS… why do you people need to be charged monthly for something you can do yourself?
I’d also like to see VIP only areas and arenas and VIP only access to WVW siege weapons etc.
Should always be just either one or the other — f2p or p2p…never both please…….
People who regularly give ANet money already get VIP treatment. They just pay for what VIP skins and services they would like to have, rather than paying a subscription and accepting whatever ANet feels you are worthy of.
This.
Buying gems already gives you access to extra character slots, more storage space, infinite gathering tools, exclusive armor and weapon skins, exclusive minis and a bunch of other stuff. But unlike a subscription or VIP service you can pick and choose what you want and when you want it, instead of paying in advance and getting whatever they decide to give you.
VIP was introduced for the Chinese market, due to regulations that require subscriptions to be part of an entertainment package.
Bwhahaha a sub fee would suddenly make this game better, yet here you are playing Gw2 instead of sub fee wow.
*in cool announcer voice * For only 39.99 a month each month you’ll receive a randomly chosen booster. You’ll also get a sweet 20% off store items after we jack prices up 40%. After 7 months you’ll maybe receive a newly old reskinned weapon with FLAMMMMMMES ( .000001 % chance account bound). Gw2 subscription- louder, uncut , raw , fireworks , explosions, popcorn
I made a thread recently, outlining how i envisioned a VIP subscription (which i am in full support of), which filled up quickly with close minded haters threatening to quit the game if such an option is added to it. I say, let the small percentage who will actually go through with quitting do so, and let the game improve and flourish on the increased income it will no doubt recieve by implementing VIP!
There were even some in that thread foolish enough to call a VIP service “pay to win”. Apparently they forgot that right now, the only way to efficiently get gold in the game is by directly buying it, which is the most direct form of “pay to win” in existance
Trust me I’ve been down that road multiple times with game developers, suddenly asking for a subscription after having an RMTAH and adding DR to a game this old would only harm it further.
you would be paying for the convenience access, not the items that act as a bonus though i can see your point. Perhaps bonus items are a bad idea
Edit: i was thinking not of “this is june’s bonus sub item” but rather more like the achievement reward system where “you have reached # K AP! # months of subscribed! here is a free <insert item>”
Not paying for the next month would only lose you access to the instant banks/merchants which would be the same as your banker golem running out or having no more merchants/tp items/res stones/repair cannisters.
The main part of the vip system that i like is that it is account based access to the current character bound convenience items (which i buy) at a similar/lower cost but with a more polished execution. The bank golem alone is 1000 gems per month currently . Add in the other items and i am spending about 1600 gems per month for these services. If all that stuff is available with account wide unlimited access for 1250 gems per month, i would be all over it. Add in a discount for other gemstore vanity items would sweeten the deal even more for many people like myself.
It could even be an account-wide buff that stops ticking whenever you log off, like the bday boosters/ meta primers. So that if you stopped logging in for a while, your “sub” access would not go away.
Then your system IS pay to win. Unless it’s sellable in the gem store for gem prices.
NOT tied to the subscription.
And your X months of subscription gifts ARE pay to win. And ANet would do “this month’s” special. Or more likely a “this LS cycle’s” special.
Perhaps I should have been more specific. It is only for sale on the china gw2 gem store for a price of 1250 gems/30 days, though they could adjust the pricing and duration for the na/eu market. It is not a direct sale of money to subscription. No cash money needs to be paid if you have the gold. You can only buy it in the gem store and can use gold to gems conversion to gain access. As i said before, it is the same as the current convenience items just bundled together at a lower cost and with a better account wide implementation.
You guys should research what is actually included in the vip/royal system and how it is implemented in china before deriding it as a “subscription”. It is pretty fair imo, with a few major caveats, and for the most part not pay to win. This is what i mean by an irrational fear of anything resembling a subscription and leaving the na/eu gems store with inferior products.
As for “sub” gifts.. it would be like..do i want to pay 1000 gems only for the infinite gathering tool? or pay 1250 gems for the tool and also get instant bank access for the next 30 days. I don’t see that as pay to win at all and a better value than what is currently on the gemstore.
I understand the anet promise of a no sub everything is fair gw2. But I am a realisitic person. They have already implemented the convenience items and boosters for gems and they are not going back. Why not make the convenience items better? It would not change any current game play or costs, be cheaper in gems as a whole, and have account wide access which makes the items that are bought have even more value. As long as instant services provide no tangible game play advantage then i see no reason to make these items even better than their current implementation.
(edited by dodgycookies.4562)
VIP subsciption, like the “free to play players vs. paying players”.
Mostly I’ve seen that people who want Subscriptions, because they want an “easy mode I can pay for”, because of DR system, too hard to move around all game worlds and etc.
Spend some real money on gems, NCsoft takes most of it as I’ve heard, ANet gets a small bit out of gems and gem store…
Since you can buy gems with ingame gold, it’s even more crossed transaction.
All gem store items account bound, so that you can use them on any character. Even the infinite T6 gathering tools are now account bound…
If you’re looking for priviliges and advantages over free playing players, find a new game, since GW2 isn’t a game for you.
Well, if china has some form of laws against BuyAndPlay-No-subscriptions-MMORPGs, well, let them.
If GW2 would get monthly fees, it would die and close up it’s servers very soon, since majority of players are here for the Guild Wars name selling point: No monthly fees.
On one thought, these “ADD MONTHLY FEES TO GW2, BECAUSE I WANT A EASY MODE” topics should be removed the instant, since it serves no innovation or anything to GW2 at all.
(edited by FrostSpectre.4198)
The VIP, as said, is China only. And it gives stuff that is free for us. Like forum access and better connections, from what I’ve heard (though my sources may be dubious). And it only exists because the richer districts of China who play game are so bored into the “pay to win” mentality that they just simply don’t like games they can’t pour money into (again, according to my single Chinese friend, so information may be biased).
It won’t ever come here. And if it did, it will be when Guild Wars 2 dies – and it will die because of the VIP bull.
Dear Lord no, it would ruin the game, I like the model the way it is already, if they added this “VIP” crap I and a lot of other people wouldn’t bother to play the game anymore.
No, i am asking for a item on the gem store that offers a bundled account wide instant merchant tp and bank access on a monthly basis. Same as the current items, but cheaper and better. Does not have to be labeled “vip” or anything else. Why is cheaper and better a bad thing?
I could say the reverse if you consider instant merchants, tps, and bank golems to be unfair, then perhaps this isn’t the game for you?
I am already buying and spending on average 1600 gems a month for these services. The china version has the exact same services i am currently paying 1600 gems for bundled together at a cost of 1250 per month for sale on the gem store. How can this be a bad thing to improve the current items in the gem store while lowering the cost at the same time?
The rest of the vip system is crap, i just want the convenience implementation. But any word of “vip” and people freak out and close their minds to the actual cool and good stuff that anet developed for china.
(edited by dodgycookies.4562)
Then buy a royal terrace pass or a captain’s airship pass, i’m sure you’ve heard of them, can it be that hard to transfer them to different characters? they’re all account bound.
No, i am asking for a item on the gem store that offers account wide instant merchant tp and bank access. Same as the current items, but cheaper and better. Does not have to be labeled “vip” or anything else. Why is cheaper and better a bad thing?
I could say the reverse if you consider instant merchants, tps, and bank golems to be unfair, then perhaps this isn’t the game for you?
I am already buying and spending on average 1600 gems a month for these services. The china version has the exact same services i am currently paying 1600 gems for bundled together at a cost of 1250 per month for sale on the gem store. How can this be a bad thing to improve the current items in the gem store while lowering the cost at the same time?
Other players dont’ want you to have the service. They want you to teleport to town just like them.
As for VIP access, there is a bunch of game that works like that already. So ironically GW2 will become a B2P game with VIP access just like a bunch of F2P games on the market.
It’s up to Anet, surely there will be a few people quiting over this, or there will be some potential customer that won’t buy GW2 because of it. Surely Anet probably boost some money over it too. It’s up to Anet to see if it is worth it.
i have all the terrace/airship passes but they are still only usable for 1 character at a time and you have to leave your map/where ever you are. and are unsuable in wvw , which is why i spend gems on merchants/tp/ and the bank golem more expensive but more convenient, however still only usable on 1 character at a time. Even if i spend thousands of gold on the permanent versions, the “item must be in inventory” problem still exists.
Have you seen the china gw2 interface? it is awesome. Sell/bank/tp straight from your inventory interface on any character without special items in your bags. And no taking up bag slots with lots of items. That is what i want. if its free so much the better, but we know it wont be free.
the items and services are already in game/gem store in an inferior form and are not going away. If you disagree that is your perogative and from that perspective the game is arealdy p2w. But realistically speaking ncsoft/anet are not going to remove them. But for those who do already buy the items, they already put in the development for a better version. I just want to choice to be able to buy that version
(edited by dodgycookies.4562)
Just buy a bunch of Vip access for all your character. Personally I have 9 permanent bank licnese.
Unless it is really good, very few people will buy it just like the 2 week golem. If it is very good, people that dont’ want to spend 15$ a month will be quite kittened.
If Anet think it is a good idea to have VIP membership here. So be it.
And you know why people arn’t kittened even though those services are already in game/gem store in an inferior form? Because it is in an inferior form, but if it is in a superior form, people’ll felt forced they have to buy it.
(edited by laokoko.7403)
Just buy a bunch of Vip access for all your character. Personally I have 9 permanent bank licnese.
Congratz? I personally dont have that much gold, and atm the gems to gold conversion is a bit low for me to consider buying it with gem to gold conversion. it would cost $200 for all 3 perm merchants which isn’t too bad considering, but if i am spending $200 i would want it to be account bound. But you still have to keep them in your bag. Can you use while auto running? In no way are the current items better than the china implementation. If you have that much gold to buy 9 perm bankers, i am sure you would have enough gold to buy a month long instant services access pass which would be better in every way.
Edit i take your point in that if the current items were better people feel forced to buy it. I guess i draw the line on features “essential to game play” differently.
(edited by dodgycookies.4562)
Just buy a bunch of Vip access for all your character. Personally I have 9 permanent bank licnese.
Congratz? I personally dont have that much gold, and atm the gems to gold conversion is a bit low for me to consider buying it with gem to gold conversion. But you still have to keep them in your bag. Can you use while auto running? In no way are the current items better than the china implementation. If you have that much gold to buy 9 perm bankers, i am sure you would have enough gold to buy a month long instant services access pass which would be better in every way.
Edit i take your point in that if the current items were better people feel forced to buy it. I guess i draw the line on features “essential to game play” differently.
I didn’t even say VIP access is a bad idea.
You obviously felt like it is essential for you to pay 15$ a month if they implemented the VIP service. So many people might felt the same way. And many people dont’ want to pay 15$ a month. So it is very true Anet might loss some players because of it.
So the question is weather Anet make more money from the VIP compare to the loss of players in the long run.
I apologize for being terse. I was a bit irked at those deriding something they had a knee jerk reaction to despite not knowing what was offered and how it was implemented.
Yes, from my perspective of players already paying for services, a the “vip” convenience services seems to be a good idea. it is never a good feeling to be spending money on a service knowing that a better one is available for less, but just not to me. So a $15 worth of gems per month item seems “essential” because of what i am already currently paying for.
I respect those of differing opinions and was only making a suggestion and trying to be informative. Though i have discovered that my definition of the boundaries of a pay 2 win game is an uncommon one. It is up to the devs to weigh the risks and benefits and roi of adding such a item. From the reactions of those in the forum, i would say that the chances are remote. But I look at what i believe to be a better service and longingly sigh with a bit regret at what could be.
(edited by dodgycookies.4562)
I apologize for being terse. I was a bit irked at those deriding something they had a knee jerk reaction to despite not knowing what was offered and how it was implemented.
Yes, from my perspective of players already paying for services, a the “vip” convenience services seems to be a good idea. it is never a good feeling to be spending money on a service knowing that a better one is available for less, but just not to me. So a $15 worth of gems per month item seems “essential” because of what i am already currently paying for.
I respect those of differing opinions and was only making a suggestion and trying to be informative. Though i have discovered that my definition of the boundaries of a pay 2 win game is an uncommon one. It is up to the devs to weigh the risks and benefits and roi of adding such a item. From the reactions of those in the forum, i would say that the chances are remote. But I look at what i believe to be a better service and longingly sigh with a bit regret at what could be.
I only objected to anything that is only for people who pay a subscription or buying x item in the store y number of times.
I don’t have an issue with a bundle costing less than the items would if bought individually.
But nothing like nolij’s dr removal. That ruins the economy and is pay to win. I don’t pay to win items in the store.
A package deal is one thing, but a subscription is something else. I see no issues with ANet offering package deals. If you buy the items included with it anyway, it maybe saves you money. If the deal is sweet enough, others who would not buy the items piecemeal might buy them because they’d see the savings. This could be a win for ANet as well as consumers.
However, once you call it a subscription in the West you will get people expecting better service, and other things to make it “worthwhile.” That essentially creates a tiered community, such as one sees in Western Freemium MMO’s. So, don’t ask for a subscription, VIP or otherwise. Ask for a “package deal.”
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