PR issue:
1) New players getting a better deal than the current player base.
This one seems like it could’ve been solved by giving all players who pre-purchased 2 keys, one for the base game (which could then be used as a separate account or given to a friend), and one for the expansion.
Pricing Issue:
A value comparison of the base game to the expansion is bad it shows that while the BASE GAME has
28 PvE maps
5 WvW maps
2 PvP modes (team deathmatch and point capture)
8 (9 if you count fractals) dungeons with 25 paths (39 if you could each fractal as a path [this does not include the starting zone in fractals])
5 Trait lines per class
8 Crafting Professions
HEART OF THORNS
3 PvE maps (counting verdant brink as 3 maps giving them the benefit of the doubt)
0 WvW maps (the new borderlands maps are replacing the old ones so I don’t see how they can include that in the expansion)
1 PvP mode
0 Dungeons (at least that we know of so far)
1 New trait line per class
2 New guild halls
1 New crafting profession
This all being said I was planning on buying the expansion and still am, I have more than got my moneys worth out of the game, but with the current outrage of so much of the GW2 community I can’t bring myself to buy this expansion knowing that Anet might cave and offer a better deal to the community. I’d rather hold out for a better deal if its available.
Infamous Culverin(engi[Main]), one of every other class.
Karl Marx: “Go away! Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough!”
If you ask me many things are wrong with HoT pre-order – not just 1. Although, fixing just 1 of those things will probably make people look past the other things. For instance, drop the price, value is suddenly fine. Increase the value, price will seem fine. Give an exclusive item to players who are upgrading from gw2 (instead of the core game) the value of the package increases for veterans, making the price ok.
Hell, maybe if they just give us more details about HoT it will look better, because right now it’s 1 region, 1 char, elite specs and guild halls, which sounds tiny under 50$ price tag.
With that in mind, I think it’s a good idea to wait to pre-order until final dates."
I just can’t believe they took more than 3 years to come up with an expansion like this one, so little content. Other games normally takes what? 6-8 months? and in top of all this I still don’t see anything about precursors.
If they do release a better deal or reduce the price or add more things, it’ll be retroactively applied to those that have already prepurchased, otherwise that would just cause an entirely new kitten storm.
I just can’t believe they took more than 3 years to come up with an expansion like this one, so little content. Other games normally takes what? 6-8 months? and in top of all this I still don’t see anything about precursors.
Being expansion based was not their original business model for GW2. However due to player outcry over LS2 and wanting an Xpac, they switched.
It appears they are switching to a rolling expansion cycle. They release HoT, do content updates through that cycle, then release another expansion and continue on. Using a more limited gem store to supplement income.
Pricing Issue:
A value comparison of the base game to the expansion is bad it shows that while the BASE GAME has
28 PvE maps
5 WvW maps
2 PvP modes (team deathmatch and point capture)
8 (9 if you count fractals) dungeons with 25 paths (39 if you could each fractal as a path [this does not include the starting zone in fractals])
5 Trait lines per class
8 Crafting Professions
HEART OF THORNS
3 PvE maps (counting verdant brink as 3 maps giving them the benefit of the doubt)
0 WvW maps (the new borderlands maps are replacing the old ones so I don’t see how they can include that in the expansion)
1 PvP mode
0 Dungeons (at least that we know of so far)
1 New trait line per class
2 New guild halls
1 New crafting profession
Great summary. I still want an answer from Anet as to what the content model is we’re even paying for. Living Story is bundled in? We’re subsidizing content that doesn’t exist? Because it just doesn’t seem to be anything IN the expansion… which bugs me more than anything to then come out with a full $50 price.
At $50 I have no interest in the expansion based on what we currently know about it. I’d pay up to $25 for HoT or $30 if it included a character slot.
The bundling of the base game does not bother me since I don’t need a base game (already have it) and I’m fine with gimmicks to get more new people playing.
I was all set to buy the ultimate edition until I saw they weren’t giving charecter slots to the standard too….So price isn’t my problem.
The change in direction for the company the lack of character slot represents, given both their history and how they have marketed this expansion, is my problem. A moral outrage if you will.
