Guild Wars 2

You’re right about everything, you don’t need to be cleared up. But you draw the wrong conclusions.

Many people wont know and ask CS, so they still succeeded in scamming them for some easy money.

I just fell like Jon Snow actually…
Why Anet…..why u did this to old players…

A free slap in the face might be free, it doesn’t make it desirable.

Also technically, I don’t think you can buy the core game anymore so it isn’t free. It has no price really.

they basically telling veteran players ‘’kitten you, we value new costumers more than you guys cuz we are greedy and need more money’’ and shoving our mouths with core game that we bought 1-2 year ago. no extra slot, no benefits, nothing you pay 50 dollars and get core game and heart of thorns and not release the HoT expansion separately which would be 20-30 dollars cheaper and no money is not the issue here people can afford 50 dollars but not what they did…great anet what a kitten move.

It’s terrible alright, poor old players. What?

Shifu.4321:

They WON’T remove the core game free with expansion. As bad as you think this backlash may be, that would even be worse. It would be removal of a feature, which is probably the one of the worst things you can do in a game. And it’s up for prepurchase, so there’s already money involved.

They’ve made their decision with this. The best they can do is to compensate existing players, no moving backwards.

They can compensate core players with a discount for the core game. What is it now? $40? So anyone who bought the expansion at $50 should be refunded $40 if they already had the core.

rapthorne.7345:

Did people go insane and claw the walls when they merged the original GW trilogy in to one pack for a lower cost?

Did they go mad and scream scream when WoW merged it’s first three expansions in to the base game cost?

I really fail to see what the big deal is.

Because GW1 expansions had content…………

We don’t know to full extent the entire HoT content. The new zones – how big and replayable will they be? Keep in mind that the standard edition price is realistically 60 (since pretty much everyone will want a new char slot) which as far as I remember makes it on par with the original game on release but with what seems like a fraction of the content.

Just adding my voice to this rather large pile.

I bought the base game already. Unless ArenaNet are saying that the base game is now free, I fail to see why I should pay the premium on HotT as if I am a new customer. I am not. I am an existing player that’s already forked out a relatively high premium to play GW2.

Basically, you got the pricing model wrong and your marketing team clearly has limited experience with gaming demographics as someone, anyone, should have seen this one coming from a mile off. This has happened time and time again in the industry, where a game developer has arrogantly misfired and then been arrogantly stubborn about it. You should have thought about it, you didn’t, your fault.

Firstly, there should have been four editions. Even if it was only $5-10 cheaper for the standalone expansion or some form of gem bonus. Or, indeed, why not give existing players free stuff from the in-game store, or bespoke armour and outfits, or something of some value that makes us feel like we’re valued on an equal footing with new customers? Because right now it should be quite clear to you that we do not.

Secondly, you should ask yourself long and hard questions about the real (and not perceived) value of your game. Is it actually worth the amount of money you are asking, or are you inflating the price to cover your financial under-performance in the eyes of NCSoft? Does the expansion add over half the content that was originally created for the game? Or is the pricing model suggestive of an attitude from you that content is worth more after a base release? Or are you indeed not giving the base game away for free, as you say, and are in fact hiding the cost in the expansion price? All sorts of messed up right thar.

Your marketing team and accountants done messed up again. Stop listening to them.

The idea that you’d give the base game away for free, but not reward veteran customers for their loyalty, is quite ridiculous. We’re the reason you’re in a position to make an expansion. We’re the reason there’s demand for it. We’re the reason this game is still going despite your weak launch content prior to seasonal content. We spent our cash on your game so that you could make more expansions.

Why can’t you throw us a bone? Why do you have to nickle and dime us? Why is it that new players get rewarded with free content, but old players get penalised and get nothing for their loyalty?

It’s not a closed ecosystem. You’re not selling insurance or cars. You have to provide incentives for us to stay as well as providing incentives for new players to come in.

We’re loyal to you, why aren’t you loyal to us? A veteran player is for life, not just for Christmas.

Machiavell.7396:

Give option to buy only expansion with a godkitten free character slot for the hours and bugtesting we did in your game or I swear personally I’m gonna make so much trouble that game will be empty and nobody will play it.

I’m with you on the only expansion + character slot, but my main reactions to this comment were nervous amusement (if there is such a thing) and extreme curiosity. I wonder if any one person actually has the power to do such a thing. Does such a person play this game? The rational part of my mind says “probably not” but then again… I mean, Machiavell, come on, you’re not connected to one of the Borgias, right?

$50 is fair for an expansion, what I have an issue with is not having a character slot with it.

They are adding 9 elite specializations and 1 new profession. 20% of the profession based features are the REVENANT.

Not having a character slot with the purchase means, in order for me to have a Revenant when HoT launches:

1. I need an already empty character slot, or
2. Buy a new character slot for $10, or
3. Delete an old character slot (but they’re adding this horizontal progression system to the game, so players don’t have to delete pre-existing characters)

Anet, “Buy our game, disclaimer: you won’t actually have access to all of the features we’re hyping you for unless you shell out more money”

rapthorne.7345:

Did people go insane and claw the walls when they merged the original GW trilogy in to one pack for a lower cost?

Did they go mad and scream scream when WoW merged it’s first three expansions in to the base game cost?

I really fail to see what the big deal is.

It’s mainly the lack of character slot for veteran players to try the new class with the basic expansion.

For example, all of my toons are level 80 (17 of them) and I’d be unwilling to delete any of them so I’d need to pay extra to play something included in the expansion.

It’s a small issue for sure, but an important one to a lot of players.

The worst part is, ArenaNet understands this. But they are not the ones who are setting the prices, NCsoft do. Those Korean kingpins are ripping us of, not Anet. And poor Anet has to look at this armageddon in forum and receive all the guilt.

I think we need a constructive thread to propose some realistic change to current HoT bundles.

50$ / 45Euros for an expansion with fairly small amount of content (comparing the prices and amount of content in core game and expansion) seems steep.
The same price for a game + expansion makes a great deal.

To put it bluntly, anyone who owns the game will pay twice the price a new player will.
You can say the core game is a free bonus, and the price only covers expansion, but the fact remains: any veterans buying the expansion are essentially punished for buying the game earlier.

I understand ANET wants to attract new players, but you have to agree it seems like they are doing it at expense of current players.

My suggestion is to add value to/alter current offers so they don’t feel like we are paying for the core game for the 2nd time. I feel like any of the following options would be fair:
-Reduce the price of all packages by 10-15$ to anyone who is upgrading (already has the core game), or add set of cheaper packages that do not include the core game.
-Give upgrading players an exclusive token of appreciation: A skin, an outfit, an accessory with exclusive visual effect – essentially anything, non-acquirable from other sources, that a player could show off.
-Gem compensation would also be reasonable.
-Add, a character slot to basic package, reduce the price of the other 2 accordingly.

Any constructive criticism and/or support is appreciated.

I missed it earlier. There’s no release estimate?

Come ON. They’ve been stringing people along with the infinite continue coin for 20+ months now. That is unassailable evidence that if they don’t give a timeline in advance, they’re perfectly fine walking away with your money for what might be literally years.

I’m not saying this will definitely follow that pattern, but they’re the ones who set that precedent.

serenke.4806:

You’re right about everything, you don’t need to be cleared up. But you draw the wrong conclusions.

Could you please clarify?

I think we are in the minority. I just wanted to open some peoples eyes who are thinking that they are kittening us.

Right in the feels and pride of GW2 player… They hurt me badly.

Exactly this , some people are just being whinny bench.

I’d have to pay about $125 to buy this in the UK. Yes, I am being ripped off.

Shifu.4321:

Acharyn.4738:

It doesn’t matter what ANet meant. The players are speaking, and they have time to change it.

They WON’T remove the core game free with expansion. As bad as you think this backlash may be, that would even be worse. It would be removal of a feature, which is probably the one of the worst things you can do in a game. And it’s up for prepurchase, so there’s already money involved.

They’ve made their decision with this. The best they can do is to compensate existing players, no moving backwards.

its totally ok to deliver the CoreGame+Exp boundle for 50 Bucks
but its not ok to force veterans to buy that version by not selling an special upgrade version

Playerbase will dive deep down because of their shenanigans.

Animism.9803:

rapthorne.7345:

Did people go insane and claw the walls when they merged the original GW trilogy in to one pack for a lower cost?

Did they go mad and scream scream when WoW merged it’s first three expansions in to the base game cost?

I really fail to see what the big deal is.

Because GW1 expansions had content…………

Ah, so we’re basically buying a box or a nice loading screen with HoT then?

Indeed.. Feels like i’m stabbed right in the heart.

They won’t and that’s about it. Many already bought it, no way they will adjust price. End of thread.

upsdn.5426:

Machiavell.7396:

Give option to buy only expansion with a godkitten free character slot for the hours and bugtesting we did in your game or I swear personally I’m gonna make so much trouble that game will be empty and nobody will play it.

I’m with you on the only expansion + character slot, but my main reactions to this comment were nervous amusement (if there is such a thing) and extreme curiosity. I wonder if any one person actually has the power to do such a thing. Does such a person play this game? The rational part of my mind says “probably not” but then again… I mean, Machiavell, come on, you’re not connected to one of the Borgias, right?

It looks like a statement of anger. Reasonable anger. Not a reasonable threat.
However if someone has enough resources they could take down an MMO if they really wanted. It wouldn’t be too hard.

Regina Buenaobra.6193:

To clarify: $50 is the price of the expansion. We included the core game as a free bonus to make it easier for new players to get into it.

In this case you favour new players only and ignore old members. In my opinion if new players receive free core game, old players should get other type of bonus, example X number of gems.

nerevar.6247:

stof.9341:

Sold Out.7625:

Because THIS IS THE EXPANSION PRICE. Live with it. You don’t pay more for the Core game. But reading is hard, I know.

This isn’t a matter of “this is the price” or not. It’s a matter of doing it in a way that doesn’t result in kittenstorms on the internet. ANet is notoriously bad at that.

It’s a matter of perception. I know that perception is very subjective but as I said, manipulating and predicting percetion is part of the job ANet should be doing.

In this case, the perception is that :
- I’m a veteran player, I paid I don’t know how much for the game and currently you can get it for as low as $20 if you do it smartly. I can let that slide since everything lowers in price over time
- The expansion comes out and costs me $50
- The expansion has one of the major features be a new class and it’ll cost me $10 more to play it cause … my char slots are maxed for some strange reason

So, as a veteran, I feel like I’ll have after the HoT purchase spent $80 to get the game, while new players will have spent $50 for more or less the same value. Yes I know it’s not the same thing, those $80 gave me one extra char slot etc… But it’s perception. And the perception currently is that I’ll have to spend $30 more than new players to enjoy HoT.

This is too much plain and simple. Hence the complaints. What ANet should have done is throw us virtual bones that are more or less worthless but shift the value perception to a point where nobody complains. The easiest would be to give a free chat slot to players that already own the core game. It’s shift the value perception by a whole $20 back.

New players will also have to drop $20 for Season 2 pack if they want to play through it and won’t be able to relive the living content that most of us veterans were able to play through. Also the core game is F R E E with the expansion. If you already own the core game it doesn’t effect your just paying for the expansion while the core game is F R E E for those you don’t have it, but y’know a SMALL amount of people will complain when they don’t get something free.

You just don’t get it. To current players, they are paying $50 for the expansion; and new players are paying $50 for the expansion and the free core game. Why such disparity exists is beyond me.

It doesn’t matter the core is free or not; it certainly isn’t free for us and we’re paying the same price as the new players and getting half of the package.

Ok let’s not panic ppl, instead vote with wallets. If the price doesn’t please you (and that includes me as well) let’s just sit down, wait for a-net to prove to us they deserve the 50 bucks/euros and wait for the game to get released.

With boxed versions/activation keys and different regions we’ll get HoT for more reasonable price level, if we only say no to pre-purchase and hold our horses. It’s not like we’ll be playing the game more then those that buy it at day one, unless you mean those few hungry hours of beta….

So veteran players must pay $60 to enjoy the whole expansion where a new player just needs $50? Seriously? You gotta be kidding.

Uncertain expansion… it is not any more uncertain than GW2 for its pre-purchases, I would argue less so. Regardless, your post makes it sound like there is a chance that the expansion could get canned.

Well, in theory you are right and if it does ArenaNet is responsible for reimbursing those who paid for an undelivered product (this is no kickstarter after all). So unless ArenaNet files for bankruptcy (which is arguably far less likely than before GW2 was released) there is very little chance of us loosing the money for the purchase we make.

We don’t owe ArenaNet, but they don’t owe us either they are free to decide on the price of their goods (or in this case them and NCSoft most likely) just as much as we are free to either buy them or not.

No “veteran” is asking for it to be removed, surely a few do but those are not the majority or will ever be.

It is also not weird that new players get an easier way in, ofcourse Anet wants new players. Any veteran can understand that.

What most veterans cannot understand is that there is simply no benefit, at all for them. If we look at GW1 it was very simple. You bought a campaign while you own a game? That gives you 1 additional character slot, that is what most people have been asking.

Giving free copies? Great, more players! But why are veteran players, loyal players, those who have given free advertisement for 3 years a choice between “make a new account and you get more or get less in value”. Does that sound right? It certainly doesn’t feel right to me.

There is another debacle about the game being sold due to hot sales (10$/€) and they got shafted, but in the end veterans care about how they are treated, and at the moment us being loyal is taken advantage off.

You can word it nicely, “it’s free, therefor it holds no value within the 50$!!!” but which sane person really believes that?

Anet outdid themselves 8 years ago. Now it bites them.

By the same logic, it costs Anet nothing to add an extra character slot in the basic expansion purchase.

The majority of the upset seems to be the lack of a character slot for veteran players to try the new class with the basic expansion.
For example, all of my toons are level 80 (17 of them) and I’d be unwilling to delete any of them so I’d need to pay extra to play something included in the expansion.
It’s a small issue for sure, but an important one to a lot of players.

Pandaman.4758:

ArrogantHero.4965:

Dott.5672:

OP is very aptly named.

Oh god, no, now you’re expressing all over the carpet. We just had that washed!

Shifu.4321:

Animism.9803:

rapthorne.7345:

Did people go insane and claw the walls when they merged the original GW trilogy in to one pack for a lower cost?

Did they go mad and scream scream when WoW merged it’s first three expansions in to the base game cost?

I really fail to see what the big deal is.

Because GW1 expansions had content…………

Ah, so we’re basically buying a box or a nice loading screen with HoT then?

Pretty much yes… Amount of content compared to base game is so low that 45 euro feels like buying yet another CoD.

Why in Europe the game is more expensive than US?

The prices for HOT in US are 49.99 USD / 74.99 USD / 99.99 USD

In Europe the prices are with almost 1/3 more expensive :

44.99 Euro / 74.99 Euro / 99.99 Euro

Why Anet?

And please allow the existing players ONLY to buy Expansion not the entire game again.

Thank you and excuse my english.

Shifu.4321:

Here’s what most likely happened:

Anet DID plan to make the expansion as a separate purchase from the core game. So they did all these sales so that people would get the game and naturally upgrade to the expansion.

But one day, some marketing or business development guy thought to himself: “If we made the core game FREE with the expansion, that would lure in even more players.” So he makes the core game come free with the expansion, because hell, why not? Of course, they probably failed to consider that a lot of people would be kitten over this, but eh, sometimes that happens.

So kittenty situation, but I don’t think Anet meant any malice.

Stay out of adjudicating or lawmaking anywhere ever. “I don’t think x meant any malice, despite how malicious what they did seems. Probably some stupid person decided it might work and they went along with it.”

That’s really poor judgment on your part.

look at this pic, no 1 would complain if it would be like this

I’ve just discovered the HoT preorder announce and I have a single thing to say : lmao.

I’m a veteran player playing since the beginning.
I have 8 characters slots, all taken by a different class.
I’m essentially a WvW player, PVE does not interest me anymore, but it’s just my own way of playing.

I’m not a greedy person, I don’t hesitate to buy differents kinds of products for my own entertainment.
But I’m not an idiot and I won’t pay 50$ for playing the revenant.
Moreover the Addon include the original game Gw2 that I already own and there is not a single character slot bonus.
And when I see all the angry topic about this news, I can say I’m not alone to think that.

Sorry to say that Anet, but your marketing department is shooting a bullet in your feet.

darkdomino.9578:

It’s just arrogance, plain and simple. Lot of people are voting with their wallets on this one.

You realize for a non-subscription game making the necessary big play to bring in a fresh crop of gem store shoppers, a bunch of veterans who’ve bought everything leaving the game is more like cleaning house than a giant fiscal disaster, right?

Understand what you’re saying when you call yourself “loyal”. Either it means you play a lot but don’t buy a lot, in which case your “loyalty” means virtually nothing to the bottom line OR you spend a lot and are invested in the game and have sunk costs so high $50 probably seems like peanuts and they know good and well they’ve got their hooks into you and don’t especially need to play courtship games.

Sure, it could have been handled more gracefully at the outset. I’m sure they’ll throw the vets a bone at some point – beyond the fact the vets have 80th level characters and a 3 year head start on the new crowd. But this outrage is mostly a sign they’ve correctly gauged how much people want to stay a part of the game they’ve come to love.

Nikon.9038:

Regina Buenaobra.6193:

To clarify: $50 is the price of the expansion. We included the core game as a free bonus to make it easier for new players to get into it.

In this case you favour new players only and ignore old members. In my opinion if new players receive free core game, old players should get other type of bonus, example X number of gems.

We don’t even get one extra slot…

Shame. Shame. Shame. Shame.

Nikon.9038:

Regina Buenaobra.6193:

To clarify: $50 is the price of the expansion. We included the core game as a free bonus to make it easier for new players to get into it.

In this case you favour new players only and ignore old members. In my opinion if new players receive free core game, old players should get other type of bonus, example X number of gems.

Isn’t the core $40? How many gems is that?

upsdn.5426:

Shifu.4321:

Here’s what most likely happened:
Anet DID plan to make the expansion as a separate purchase from the core game. So they did all these sales so that people would get the game and naturally upgrade to the expansion.
But one day, some marketing or business development guy thought to himself: “If we made the core game FREE with the expansion, that would lure in even more players.” So he makes the core game come free with the expansion, because hell, why not? Of course, they probably failed to consider that a lot of people would be kitten over this, but eh, sometimes that happens.
So kittenty situation, but I don’t think Anet meant any malice.

Stay out of adjudicating or lawmaking anywhere ever. “I don’t think x meant any malice, despite how malicious what they did seems. Probably some stupid person decided it might work and they went along with it.”

That’s really poor judgment on your part.

Yes, I’m speculating since I’m not in a law court. Jail me for it!

How much will you have to pay for HoT in your own currency region?

In £, we will be paying £34.99, £59.99, £79.99

In the UK the 3 tiers will cost $55 – $94 – $125 give or take fluctuations.

Shifu.4321:

Animism.9803:

rapthorne.7345:

Did people go insane and claw the walls when they merged the original GW trilogy in to one pack for a lower cost?

Did they go mad and scream scream when WoW merged it’s first three expansions in to the base game cost?

I really fail to see what the big deal is.

Because GW1 expansions had content…………

Ah, so we’re basically buying a box or a nice loading screen with HoT then?

Come on man… no need to defend something that obviously has a relative size of a normal console game DLC pack, yet we waited a serious amount of time, and are paying way over twice or thrice the price…

Fay.2735:

I don’t understand why people are raging so hard. I mean yes $50 is quite a lot but it almost seems like nobody here has ever bought another game before. Let’s have a look shall we:

Evolve: $60 Pre-purchase
GTA V: $60 Pre-purchase
ArcheAge: $50 Founderspack
Sims 4: $60 Pre-purchase
WoW Mists of Pandaria: $40 Pre-purchase
Wildstar: $56 Pre-purchase

And so forth…. and if you think you get way more content for that you’re terribly misinformed. From the glimpse we seen of HoT we’re almost, virtually getting a new game and knowing Anet they will probably add tons of more, FREE content thereafter.

People keep complaining all the time how they would pay a subscription if it meant more content, then they give you a big chunk of content at a reasonable price in comparison to the rest of the market and people complain???

You get a full new game for that price…I’d buy it.
But what do you get for HOT? so far i seen guild halls and a map nothing more then that, oh and 1 class and some new system they are going to put in game before hot anyways. So what am i paying for?

Are you kidding me???