How to justify the Cash Shop
Cosmetics are fine to have in a cash shop…, also B2p is a MUCH better model with cosmetic micro transactions then a pay to win F2p model…
Sorry GW is never going pay to play or free to play…its a 1 time price game and if u cant handle that…bye? “you wont play” the game as is sept you’re posting on forums meaning u have a account…ok thanks for the money bro…see ya
If they make the game F2P, I’m done. I bought the game primarily because it’s a one-time purchase price with extras on the side if I want them.
Also, this game isn’t pay-to-win. Not even remotely. There is nothing that you can buy in the cash-shop that is superior in any way to anything in-game. In fact, there flat out is not anything that even has stats.
Pay-to-win means that you can buy things with real money that are superior to what can be obtained through normal gameplay means. There is nothing that even comes close to meeting that criteria.
I thought we were way past these arguments. Doesn’t WoW have an item shop in addition to the sub fee and paying for the initial game? There are much worse payment models than what GW2 has.
Why isn’t it fair? You get all of the content and more without resorting to the gem store. You can make gold selling things to the people who paid for the gold. Finally, you can still beat them in WvWvW and PvP easily. How is this not fair towards you? Are you those people who think that working is easy?
Cosmetics are fine to have in a cash shop…, also B2p is a MUCH better model with cosmetic micro transactions then a pay to win F2p model…
Sorry GW is never going pay to play or free to play…its a 1 time price game and if u cant handle that…bye? “you wont play” the game as is sept you’re posting on forums meaning u have a account…ok thanks for the money bro…see ya
They sell gold, were have you been? Gold isnt a cosmetic, its the thing in this game. In every MMO. In life. Besides, even if it was just cosmetics (which its not) why do you think cosmetics are fine in a cash shop? They arent, getting unique items is part of the PVE competition, and in a competition it shouldnt be pay to win.
Why isn’t it fair? You get all of the content and more without resorting to the gem store. You can make gold selling things to the people who paid for the gold. Finally, you can still beat them in WvWvW and PvP easily. How is this not fair towards you? Are you those people who think that working is easy?
Its not fair because this is a multiplayer game and I cant compete on a level playing field with cash shop players. Its not fair because theyre charging you twice to win.
What are people buying that gives them an edge over you in any way? You say gold. In that regard, what are people buying with that gold, in game, thats giving them an edge over you in any way?
I just started playing 2 days ago. I have no clue what people are buying. I’m genuinely curious about it.
If he can convince me that this game is P2W I will buy him some gold from Anet.
Well, we really can’t have an argument about feelings.
Why isn’t it fair? You get all of the content and more without resorting to the gem store. You can make gold selling things to the people who paid for the gold. Finally, you can still beat them in WvWvW and PvP easily. How is this not fair towards you? Are you those people who think that working is easy?
Its not fair because this is a multiplayer game and I cant compete on a level playing field with cash shop players. Its not fair because theyre charging you twice to win.
They have to work for the cash so they wont be able to spend as much time playing. If anything YOU have the advantage. What do they win? When you die in GW2 PvP its NEVER because the other guy paid cash. Its because you were outplayed. “You” applies to everyone. I played an MMO in the past where they sell u a +10 armor where you cant get past +3 in any way. This means the guy has a +70% chance to dodge me. How screwed up is that? Here spending gold gets you only the same things FASTER. You still have the advantage of skill and experience. Beyond that you can rely on your thinking and reaction.
I had 130 gold (selling drops & crafting materials) when i traded 50 for gems to invest. And buy more slots. I cant get legendaries because i dont WvWvW enough. Right now im focused on equipping my 5 avatars with exotics.
I work 10 + hours a day.
I do “feel cheated” when i found out about ascended and the last story mission. But i dont let that stop me from playing the way i want and having my fun.
Cosmetics are fine to have in a cash shop…, also B2p is a MUCH better model with cosmetic micro transactions then a pay to win F2p model…
Sorry GW is never going pay to play or free to play…its a 1 time price game and if u cant handle that…bye? “you wont play” the game as is sept you’re posting on forums meaning u have a account…ok thanks for the money bro…see ya
They sell gold, were have you been? Gold isnt a cosmetic, its the thing in this game. In every MMO. In life. Besides, even if it was just cosmetics (which its not) why do you think cosmetics are fine in a cash shop? They arent, getting unique items is part of the PVE competition, and in a competition it shouldnt be pay to win.
Gold has 0 effect on ur power in this game, “where” have you been? I can obtain a full set of exotic gear without paying 1 copper as well as a full set of sigils and runes…I would suspect most users who sell Gems for gold are doing so because they dont have time to farm mats for their legendary “skins/aka cosmetics” And need more gold now…which doesnt effect my gameplay in 1 bit…im sorry even if u have 9999 gold in ur bank, it wouldnt make u a stronger player in any aspect
What are people buying that gives them an edge over you in any way? You say gold. In that regard, what are people buying with that gold, in game, thats giving them an edge over you in any way?
Dont play stupid, you know what and why.
Ok, pretend that we all really are stupid. Explain to us this pay to win that you are going on about.
Ive already explained it. What dont you understand? Besides its not something you have to explain, its a feeling, and the feeling is of being ripped off. If you dont feel it then youre just a sucker. And thats who this games apparently for.
I am a sucker now? well ok, I still don’t see how the shop is pay to win. so you can buy gold with gems- it is hardly a secret and has been around since the betas. Gold does not make you win though- it can make you look really pretty and that is about it.
The game model works great- if you don’t like it feel free to play a F2P game of your choice.
Personally I feel the box price acts like a filter to keep the F2P trash crowds out.
Gunnar’s Hold
Cosmetics are fine to have in a cash shop…, also B2p is a MUCH better model with cosmetic micro transactions then a pay to win F2p model…
Sorry GW is never going pay to play or free to play…its a 1 time price game and if u cant handle that…bye? “you wont play” the game as is sept you’re posting on forums meaning u have a account…ok thanks for the money bro…see ya
They sell gold, were have you been? Gold isnt a cosmetic, its the thing in this game. In every MMO. In life. Besides, even if it was just cosmetics (which its not) why do you think cosmetics are fine in a cash shop? They arent, getting unique items is part of the PVE competition, and in a competition it shouldnt be pay to win.
Gold has 0 effect on ur power in this game, “where” have you been? I can obtain a full set of exotic gear without paying 1 copper as well as a full set of sigils and runes…I would suspect most users who sell Gems for gold are doing so because they dont have time to farm mats for their legendary “skins/aka cosmetics” And need more gold now…which doesnt effect my gameplay in 1 bit…im sorry even if u have 9999 gold in ur bank, it wouldnt make u a stronger player in any aspect
This.
I’ve bought gold for this reason … i work 15 hours a day and don’t have time to farm mats/globs. I’ve also bought extra bank space and character inventory space. I also wasted $50 on rubbish wintersday boxes, so it looks like i’m the fool.
80 Necro (5), 80 Guard (4), 80 Mesmer (3)
80 Ranger (3), 80 Warrior (3), 80 Thief (3)
80 Ele (2), 80 Engi (3), 80 Rev (2)
80 Ranger (3), 80 Warrior (3), 80 Thief (3)
80 Ele (2), 80 Engi (3), 80 Rev (2)
If the game was F2P, things would be a lot different. Repairs? Canisters only. Trait manuals? Gem store only. Legendary components? Gem store. etc etc.
There would be so many bots that the prices of everything would be nothing. Gold would be worthless and the exchange rate would be extreme.
If being able to legally buy gold = P2W = should be F2P then…
Have you played WoW? Is WoW P2W? Did you know Blizzard sells gold?
P2W is when a player who spends $ is stronger stat-wise than a player who doesn’t or when the player who doesn’t can’t catch up to the player who does within a reasonable amount of time.
I’m not quite sure what justifying the cash shop means. In this business model, the purpose of the cash shop is quite simple, to make money to run the game along with a profit.
I’ve seen notions all over the forums saying that people don’t have to buy from the cash shop, which is true, to an extent. An individual doesn’t have to buy anything, but when the gaming populace as a whole doesn’t buy from the cash shop, this game ceases to exist.
I don’t understand some people’s idea that gaming companies are some charitable organizations that provide a game and additional content out of the sheer goodness of their hearts. It’s all intended to get people to spend more money, in this case in the cash shop, to keep the game up and running and to make a profit. The more people spend, the more the company can invest in the game while still retaining a certain profit margin.
I’d say move along since:
1) this seems to be a troll (or OP is a kid who feels cheated that people who can’t play for hours upon hours every day can have the same stuff he does)
2) there is already a longer thread about the gemshop and if it provides any real benefit so this one is likely to get closed.
They arent, getting unique items is part of the PVE competition, and in a competition it shouldnt be pay to win.
PvE is not a competition.
“I think that players are starting to mature past the point of wanting to be on that
treadmill, of being in that obvious pattern of every time I catch up you are going to
put another carrot in front of me” – Mike O’Brien right before Ascended weapons
treadmill, of being in that obvious pattern of every time I catch up you are going to
put another carrot in front of me” – Mike O’Brien right before Ascended weapons
I don’t want people here who can’t afford WoW but want to be the same bottom-feeding scum. So no, keep up the model and keep the shop as much out of the game as possible.
Make the game F2P , free to play. Cash shop players pay for normal players, its how the model works.
Keep it like it is, the box-price is an incentive to keep the cash-shop free from must-have-to-participate items.
If the game was F2P, things would be a lot different. Repairs? Canisters only. Trait manuals? Gem store only. Legendary components? Gem store. etc etc.
There would be so many bots that the prices of everything would be nothing. Gold would be worthless and the exchange rate would be extreme.
If being able to legally buy gold = P2W = should be F2P then…
Have you played WoW? Is WoW P2W? Did you know Blizzard sells gold?
P2W is when a player who spends $ is stronger stat-wise than a player who doesn’t or when the player who doesn’t can’t catch up to the player who does within a reasonable amount of time.
less than 2 months ago you could buy the mats to craft a set of exotic armor, jewelry and weapons for under 8gold, or buy them already made for under 14 gold. Today it will cost you over 40gold to buy everything., I know I just did it.
There is no way you will have that much gold by level 80 if you are a new player, level a character through crafting (even if you farm mats to use for craft) run dungeons so you buy and convert gems to gold to get your exotic set is that not pay to win.
Now some would argue that you dont need exotics to play the game and they are fools to think that. You can start to equip exotics at 65 iirc and at 65 you will trash anyone of equal skills in rares or mastercraft gear in wv3 for obvious reasons.
Again people need to stop tunneling on the idea item stats is the only form of pay2win.
and furthermore Blizzard has never sold gold and is currently in several anti-trust lawsuits against gold reseller sites your conspiracy theory that they are behind gold reseller sites is childishly laughable.
edit: you could have 40gold by the time you reach 80 if it takes you a month to get there but if you play linearly through the game and not purposely drag out leveling to 80 you’ll end up with with approximately 12gold that is the amount if you do dynamic events in every zone for map completion.
(edited by Asglarek.8976)
If the game was F2P, things would be a lot different. Repairs? Canisters only. Trait manuals? Gem store only. Legendary components? Gem store. etc etc.
There would be so many bots that the prices of everything would be nothing. Gold would be worthless and the exchange rate would be extreme.
If being able to legally buy gold = P2W = should be F2P then…
Have you played WoW? Is WoW P2W? Did you know Blizzard sells gold?
P2W is when a player who spends $ is stronger stat-wise than a player who doesn’t or when the player who doesn’t can’t catch up to the player who does within a reasonable amount of time.
less than 2 months ago you could buy the mats to craft a set of exotic armor, jewelry and weapons for under 8gold, or buy them already made for under 14 gold. Today it will cost you over 40gold to buy everything., I know I just did it.
There is no way you will have that much gold by level 80 if you are a new player, level a character through crafting (even if you farm mats to use for craft) run dungeons so you buy and convert gems to gold to get your exotic set is that not pay to win.
Now some would argue that you dont need exotics to play the game and they are fools to think that. You can start to equip exotics at 65 iirc and at 65 you will trash anyone of equal skills in rares or mastercraft gear in wv3 for obvious reasons.
Again people need to stop tunneling on the idea item stats is the only form of pay2win.
and furthermore Blizzard has never sold gold and is currently in several anti-trust lawsuits against gold reseller sites your conspiracy theory that they are behind gold reseller sites is childishly laughable
You make no sense at all. I fail to grasp how market prices have anything to do with p2w cash shop (which doesnt exist in this game). You blame ANet for player driven market?
Please refrain from posting replys like this it make you look silly.
P2W? I don’t think you know what it means. P2W is when there’s an exclusive item in the cash shop that causes the player to have such an advantage that no amount of skill can surpass the gap:
SPvP boosts everyone to 80, unlocks all skills and gives standardized gear.
WvW is mostly group based, but at cap, Skill can surmount the difference in stats.
All content is available in-game.
Not seeing how the game is P2W.
Keep the B2P, since it guarantees money for further development.
Life is a journey.
Time is a river.
The door is ajar.
Time is a river.
The door is ajar.
If the game was F2P, things would be a lot different. Repairs? Canisters only. Trait manuals? Gem store only. Legendary components? Gem store. etc etc.
There would be so many bots that the prices of everything would be nothing. Gold would be worthless and the exchange rate would be extreme.
If being able to legally buy gold = P2W = should be F2P then…
Have you played WoW? Is WoW P2W? Did you know Blizzard sells gold?
P2W is when a player who spends $ is stronger stat-wise than a player who doesn’t or when the player who doesn’t can’t catch up to the player who does within a reasonable amount of time.
less than 2 months ago you could buy the mats to craft a set of exotic armor, jewelry and weapons for under 8gold, or buy them already made for under 14 gold. Today it will cost you over 40gold to buy everything., I know I just did it.
There is no way you will have that much gold by level 80 if you are a new player, level a character through crafting (even if you farm mats to use for craft) run dungeons so you buy and convert gems to gold to get your exotic set is that not pay to win.
Now some would argue that you dont need exotics to play the game and they are fools to think that. You can start to equip exotics at 65 iirc and at 65 you will trash anyone of equal skills in rares or mastercraft gear in wv3 for obvious reasons.
Again people need to stop tunneling on the idea item stats is the only form of pay2win.
and furthermore Blizzard has never sold gold and is currently in several anti-trust lawsuits against gold reseller sites your conspiracy theory that they are behind gold reseller sites is childishly laughable
You make no sense at all. I fail to grasp how market prices have anything to do with p2w cash shop (which doesnt exist in this game). You blame ANet for player driven market?
Please refrain from posting replys like this it make you look silly.
I made no assumptions regarding market prices and who is in control of it but that would be a good topic of discussion is it really market driven or is it being manipulated by AN but I digress. My only point is that spending real money in the cash shop to buy gems to convert to gold is an advantage to those that can afford it and it does give an advantage over those that cant in so far as time investment.
And what is wrong with me having additional inventory space, or faster access to exotics, or a pretty skin? That’s not P2W in any way, shape or form. I shelled out some cash, supported the game you and I both play and got something nice in return. Devs win because they get money, you win because you get not to pay a sub and still fully experience an AAA MMO and I win because my money actually bought me something useful.
P.s. You can quite easily get exotics without paying a gold through dungeons or karma and it doesn’t even take that long.
P.p.s. Pay2Win is, by definition, an advantage in stats and nothing else. “Saving” time through it it’s not P2W unless that time is absurdly long ( it’s not ).
“We have no first-person view because stupid people would lock into it”
“You can’t have more than 10 HS decks because that would confuse people”
“30 fps is more cinematic”
“You can’t have more than 10 HS decks because that would confuse people”
“30 fps is more cinematic”
(edited by Wolfheart.1938)
P2W? I don’t think you know what it means. P2W is when there’s an exclusive item in the cash shop that causes the player to have such an advantage that no amount of skill can surpass the gap:
SPvP boosts everyone to 80, unlocks all skills and gives standardized gear.
WvW is mostly group based, but at cap, Skill can surmount the difference in stats.
All content is available in-game.
Not seeing how the game is P2W.
Keep the B2P, since it guarantees money for further development.
The meaning of words and phrases change over time the old paradymn of what p2w means is evolving to mean more than just stats of an item for sale by real money in game.
If the game was F2P, things would be a lot different. Repairs? Canisters only. Trait manuals? Gem store only. Legendary components? Gem store. etc etc.
There would be so many bots that the prices of everything would be nothing. Gold would be worthless and the exchange rate would be extreme.
If being able to legally buy gold = P2W = should be F2P then…
Have you played WoW? Is WoW P2W? Did you know Blizzard sells gold?
P2W is when a player who spends $ is stronger stat-wise than a player who doesn’t or when the player who doesn’t can’t catch up to the player who does within a reasonable amount of time.
less than 2 months ago you could buy the mats to craft a set of exotic armor, jewelry and weapons for under 8gold, or buy them already made for under 14 gold. Today it will cost you over 40gold to buy everything., I know I just did it.
There is no way you will have that much gold by level 80 if you are a new player, level a character through crafting (even if you farm mats to use for craft) run dungeons so you buy and convert gems to gold to get your exotic set is that not pay to win.
Now some would argue that you dont need exotics to play the game and they are fools to think that. You can start to equip exotics at 65 iirc and at 65 you will trash anyone of equal skills in rares or mastercraft gear in wv3 for obvious reasons.
Again people need to stop tunneling on the idea item stats is the only form of pay2win.
and furthermore Blizzard has never sold gold and is currently in several anti-trust lawsuits against gold reseller sites your conspiracy theory that they are behind gold reseller sites is childishly laughable
You make no sense at all. I fail to grasp how market prices have anything to do with p2w cash shop (which doesnt exist in this game). You blame ANet for player driven market?
Please refrain from posting replys like this it make you look silly.I made no assumptions regarding market prices and who is in control of it but that would be a good topic of discussion is it really market driven or is it being manipulated by AN but I digress. My only point is that spending real money in the cash shop to buy gems to convert to gold is an advantage to those that can afford it and it does give an advantage over those that cant in so far as time investment.
Which ANet mentioned at every journalist conference they attended. Every time they were asked about cash shop they said there will be way to catch up for those that have limited playing time by spending $$.
I think you are complaining for sake of complaining since your arguments are pale.
And what is wrong with me having additional inventory space, or faster access to exotics, or a pretty skin? That’s not P2W in any way, shape or form. I shelled out some cash, supported the game you and I both play and got something nice in return. Devs win because they get money, you win because you get not to pay a sub and still fully experience an AAA MMO and I win because my money actually bought me something useful.
P.s. You can quite easily get exotics without paying a gold through dungeons or karma and it doesn’t even take that long.
To me it means nothing but to say its not (converting gems to gold) an advantage is shortsightedness and uninformed. Take 2 competitive players in a race to be first max crafter, lvl80 etc the person with more disposable income that can invest in the gem exchange will win everytime that is a fact and in lay terms shows it is to some extent p2w.
The meaning of words and phrases change over time the old paradigm of what p2w means is evolving to mean more than just stats of an item for sale by real money in game.
Having more gold than someone doesn’t mean you ‘win’ (unless your [not you personally] definition of winning is having more gold than someone else), so my point still stands.
Life is a journey.
Time is a river.
The door is ajar.
Time is a river.
The door is ajar.
The main issue I see with a F2P (ignoring all the other major issues which would make this impossible) is the amount of bots we’ll see in this game would substantially increase to an uncontrollable amount. One time payment model is significantly decreasing the amount of bots in game.
And what is wrong with me having additional inventory space, or faster access to exotics, or a pretty skin? That’s not P2W in any way, shape or form. I shelled out some cash, supported the game you and I both play and got something nice in return. Devs win because they get money, you win because you get not to pay a sub and still fully experience an AAA MMO and I win because my money actually bought me something useful.
P.s. You can quite easily get exotics without paying a gold through dungeons or karma and it doesn’t even take that long.
To me it means nothing but to say its not (converting gems to gold) an advantage is shortsightedness and uninformed. Take 2 competitive players in a race to be first max crafter, lvl80 etc the person with more disposable income that can invest in the gem exchange will win everytime that is a fact and in lay terms shows it is to some extent p2w.
Getting something or somewhere faster is not pay2win by any means, unless getting said progression done takes forever and/or is fundamental to playing the game. The meaning of words change over time, but this is not the case, unless you can reference some official source and not you basically repeating your (warped, wrong) definition of it. Competitive players don’t race to achieve the most meaningless things faster, they are in SPvP, in WvW and speed-clearing dungeons, and nothing you buy in the cash shop, not even gold, gives you a significant advantage in any of these areas.
Let’s take an FPS with a co-op mode like say, Borderlands 2. Now Gearbox decides to sell a code which gets you to the last boss and to max level with good gear in the blink of an eye. By definition, Borderlands 2 has now become P2W. I don’t think I need to explain further why this is idiocy.
“We have no first-person view because stupid people would lock into it”
“You can’t have more than 10 HS decks because that would confuse people”
“30 fps is more cinematic”
“You can’t have more than 10 HS decks because that would confuse people”
“30 fps is more cinematic”
I like the B2P cash shop model.
F2P games have way too many immature players running around causing problems for other players as their form of entertainment.
With the cost up front for GW2 I havent seen that nearly as much.
Jairlyn: Guardian- Yak’s Bend
You can buy gold on the gem store. Do you even play this game?
So their advantage is they can buy more skins to put on their exotics?
For day to day things (buying salvage kits, waypoints, repairs) the game has plenty of gold to go around without buying from gems. I’m drowning in unused karma even after buying all my karma exotic armor (might go for legendary not sure yet).
I am trying to see how buying gold from gems from $ gives is pay2win.
Jairlyn: Guardian- Yak’s Bend
Gold has 0 effect on ur power in this game, “where” have you been?
Bullkitten.
How much does it cost to make the quiver? The ectos alone are worth a fortune.
Money DOES give you an edge against other players, period.
Gold has 0 effect on ur power in this game, “where” have you been?
Bullkitten.
How much does it cost to make the quiver? The ectos alone are worth a fortune.
Money DOES give you an edge against other players, period.
Two things about this. First, if you’re concerned about agony resistance then you can also get a backpack with AR from fractal drops (and you should have enough for it at the point when you start needing that extra resistance), also Anet have said that they will make them cheaper to craft. Second, if you’re looking at stats then the ascended backpacks are (going by gw2db) worse than getting even a rare one and putting in an upgrade component. If gw2db is wrong and the MF’d ascended backpacks also include an orb then they have 4 higher mainstat and 2 higher secondary stat.
To gain any noticeable advantage you will have to spend a significant amount of real money on gems to buy gold. Very few players do this. It’s not a problem.
(and by noticeable , I mean getting an ascended back item, which actually isn’t that noticeable)