Guild Wars 2

With the announcement of the expansion and the new price on PoF and HoT, there needs to be a discussion about LIving World Seasons.

First, I love the fact that the new expansion is costing 30$ now, and that HoT can be purchased as an extra for 20$. I think that’s an excellent model.

The problem however comes when we are reminded that this does not include the living world seasons. Now, before anyone grabs their pitchfork, I’m not saying that those should be included in the 20$ purchase, let me continue.

• First problem, during check out we can add Heart of Thorns but it’s never said that this doesn’t include Season 2 and 3.

• Second problem, Season 2 is packed in a corner together with the likes of extra character slots or minis. But Season 3 is nowhere to be found. There’s not even a mention that those can be later bought from the gem store in game.

• Third problem and this is my biggest gripe with Season 3.

Not everyone plays the game for the story, and season 3 started locking maps behind them.

I think it’s brilliant that someone that doesn’t care about the story can buy the game for a low price. It comes down to a choice of “Do I just want the gameplay, or do I want the story as well?”

But it becomes a problem when gameplay elements (new maps) are locked behind this second paywall.

You pay for HoT, Season 2 and 3 new maps are part of HoT, they are downloaded for your computer, but you can’t access them because you didn’t pay for that story.

No, actually you can access them if you happen to have Teleport to friend, so it’s not like it’s impossible, but it becomes an artificial limitation.

Again, I repeat, I think it’s completely acceptable to charge for those story elements, but please don’t lock gameplay elements behind a second paywall.

To summarize:

• Check out process should make it clear that you are not getting the full story content.
• Check out process should offer missing seasons or notify that they can be purchased through gems.
• Please, don’t lock maps behind story paywalls for those that come later. They already paid for their game and expansion, so don’t force them through a second paywall to maps that belong to the same expansion.

Wolfeng.3784:

gameplay elements (new maps) are locked behind this second paywall

I agree, the real problem is that they should bundle living world with the expansion purchase. Guild Wars 1 employed an elegant solution in which every expansion was a stand-alone game and when you bought each one you had EVERYTHING that came with it without any strings attached.

You can buy Living Seasons with in-game currency.

I doubt they would give it to you for free in the short-term, because doing so would

• reduce population during off-season as there is now less reason to keep the game installed in-between expansions
• destroy future Living Season marketability, as people who missed out during login period would just wait for expansions to get them bundled

voidvector.2780:

You can buy Living Seasons with in-game currency.

I doubt they would give it to you for free in the short-term, because doing so would

• reduce population during off-season as there is now less reason to keep the game installed in-between expansions
• destroy future Living Season marketability, as people who missed out during login period would just wait for expansions to get them bundled

I never talked about making anything free. In fact, I didn’t talk about making any changes to the pricing of any product whatsoever.

My point was that maps and any new future gameplay element introduced during a living world season should be included with the expansion it belongs to.

I’m talking about gameplay elements here, Anet will still sell the story.

The model stays the same but doesn’t lock players out of new maps just because they didn’t buy the expansion at the right time. This could potentially mean more players in those maps, and maybe, who knows, an event there might just spark their interest in actually buying the living world story to see what everything was all about.

Maybe seeing maps that can be unlocked through purchase of LW Seasons/Episodes are an incentive to buy.

Maybe offering an extra cost at initial purchase deters potential players from purchasing.

Once purchased, the information and option to purchase more (content or other) or to gain access just through gameplay (Gold-to-Gems) is readily found.

It’s likely the Marketing Team considered the different possibilities and decided this was the preferred plan of action, for now, at least.

What you suggested about adding Living Seasons to checkout is good.

I was responding to

Wishmaster.7693:

they should bundle living world with the expansion purchase

I assumed “bundling” to be free, but similar problems exist if you charge more for the bundle, as there are players who already own or who don’t want the bundle.

The new maps and lull at every new episode is one big reason why people would buy them. The story for me is very important and I beleave that most players who enjoys the story actually plays it when it goes live so it makes it free for them. Those who just skip story and rush through everything in a fem minutes are the ones who are so bored with the game and plays it in small bursts and misses the window to get the episodes for free.

If I where a new player I would play the game in story order and once I am at the episodes I have to pay for I would probably have gold enough to buy or have already bought the episodes. The expansion is HoT and not the seasons.

EdgarMTanaka.7291:

The new maps and lull at every new episode is one big reason why people would buy them. The story for me is very important and I beleave that most players who enjoys the story actually plays it when it goes live so it makes it free for them. Those who just skip story and rush through everything in a fem minutes are the ones who are so bored with the game and plays it in small bursts and misses the window to get the episodes for free.

If I where a new player I would play the game in story order and once I am at the episodes I have to pay for I would probably have gold enough to buy or have already bought the episodes. The expansion is HoT and not the seasons.

But the Seasons are only playable if you have the respective expansion, they are a part of it. And will end up being a selling point for them in the future.

The fact that the current players get the stories for free is fantastic and rewards those that stick with the game.

But why are late buyers being punished and locked out of maps for expansions they bought?

Lets say for example, if I buy HoT right now, I’m locked out of 4(not sure) maps because they are tied to the story. Why is that OK?

I’m not only being locked out of maps, I’m being locked out on gear, crafting materials that may be used for some new stats. I’m being locked out of gameplay elements that I paid for.

We are already splitting the community between those who expansions and those who don’t, and that is necessary side effect.

But why must Anet limit the community even further from those that weren’t playing that specific weekend?

I don’t see any reason or argument justifying limiting paying customers on what kind of gameplay content they can experience simply because they weren’t around at the right time.

Again, I don’t have a problem with Anet charging for the story that you missed. But gameplay elements should not be locked behind that paywall.

Maps are tied to Living World Episodes. This is an incentive to purchase said Episodes. It’s one of the ways, since Guild Wars 2 is buy-to-play, to create income for the studio. Some players are not interested that much in story, so this is another way to create possible income.

(It’s not a weekend, though; it’s 2 to 3 months of free acquisition.)

It’s just their model, as they don’t have subscription income. They also offer a way to obtain all Living World content, story and maps, at no real cash expediture…through Gold-to-Gems exchange.

It seems fair.