Guild Wars 2

HawkMeister.4758:

So to get new players old ones need to be screwed over?

Yes. They already have our money.

Since we’re trying to state facts, don’t forget that about 70% of the ‘content’ in the past 3 years = weeks of grinding for new skin/title/clutter.

What I find strange is that a lot of people are complaining not about the price, but that new players get the core game for free. It’s as if they would have preferred it if HoT cost $60 BUT new players had to pay $70 or $80 instead.

Personally, I’m actually glad that the core game is free. That means the game becomes more accessible for a lot of people. I payed $60 for the game when it launched in 2012. I had 3 years to enjoy it and seen it as money well-spent with over 4000 hours put into the game. If new players get the core game for free (basically), so be it. It really doesn’t affect me in personally, and will bring a lot of life into the game.

That said, I’d definitely want a free character slot.

As a side note, as we are not getting a free character slot, they could at least let us use the extra base game for friends or something.

the price is not fine…

why would anyone who owns the base game “pre-order” for another unusable copy of the base game and HoT.

I mean even looking at the price while it is less than what i payed for the base game the notion that its fine is wrong.

You know what would be perfectly fine an option without the base game for the actual price 29.99

Or just giving it to those who have been with the game for 3 years now since apparently the bulk of the cost is in the base game. So why should they have to pay again for the product they already own.

This just saves me the $30-40 I would have been willing to pay for this expansion…I can’t say I’m shocked really – this seems like something NcSoft would pull (making customers pay for something twice.) It’s fine, when the expansion is on sale for Black Friday I might buy it if it isn’t a disappointment.

Ephemiel.5694:

warbignime.4610:

Khristophoros.7194:

Yeah I’d still be mad cuz it’s only going to add like 3 new areas.

Source please? If you don’t have any reliable source then please do not make any foolish comments like this.

The reliable source? Oh idk, the beta? You know, that thing where a lot of people had to pray they got a drop [the most idiotic way to get into a beta ever] so they could access?

You do realize the beta is an unfinished version of the expansion for testing with no confirmation as to how many maps there are.
ALSO: EACH MAP HAS 3 LAYERS TO IT!!! Think the Gove but the size of queensdale

Bubi.5237:

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.

Is it 2 separate codes or it’s 1-in-2?
Can I add HoT to my “old”-account while using the “free” as a separate?
Or I’ll lose the extra account if I don’t want a fresh-start?

That’s an interesting way to look at it. I lose the bonus if I attach the expansion to my account. ):

Ephemiel.5694:

warbignime.4610:

Khristophoros.7194:

Yeah I’d still be mad cuz it’s only going to add like 3 new areas.

Source please? If you don’t have any reliable source then please do not make any foolish comments like this.

The reliable source? Oh idk, the beta? You know, that thing where a lot of people had to pray they got a drop [the most idiotic way to get into a beta ever] so they could access?

You get to test in a part of ONE map, what makes you think there are only 3 new areas?

I agree with this completely. I know a few guildies who already pre-ordered, but I know a few others who haven’t and aren’t even planning to. Until this changes, my money stays with me.

But at the same time, they are doing the right thing by asking them to have perspective, and asking them to withhold their money in the first place. I’m one of the people that is upset about the way the HoT stuff is being handled and I completely agree with what they are trying to get across.

Frankly speaking A-Net’s marketing people have screwed the pooch. They didn’t coordinate a more widely seen reveal and additional information on the content to be included with the announcement of preorders, something no one should pay for anyways as explained above. They have done some mistakes with how they are approaching edits in the wake of the outburst, and if they don’t come out with a better response than the few curt ones delivered by the few A-Net staff that have decided to frequent the forums this issue is going to get much worse.

A-Net is being extremely generous towards new players with this, allowing them to enter in at a low price point, and giving them the chance to explore the game fully. They’re doing this because they need new blood to keep their game going strong, since the cash shop will support them as long as people come in to the game. I support this aspect of it.

That being said, I’m not prepurchasing. Not only because its a bad idea, but because their marketing team didn’t put in a simple addendum to the new game that would have made everything bearable and equivalent to how they treated gw1, give people that own the game a character slot. Every expansion (Actually full featured game) of gw1 came with enough additional character slots to allow you to have the new classes introduced in it. If they had kept that practice up at the very least there wouldn’t be the current outpouring of hate that there is from the more vocal members of the community.

Not to mention the core game went on sale not that long ago. Those new players who bought it then are getting shafted the most. “Thanks for buying, now here’s the expansion when you could have gotten the core for free. Laff.”

Even ANET recognizes it was a kitten move to do this if reddit posts are to be believed.

I bought gw2 when it launched. I payed around 45 euros. I played allmost 3 years, never bought any gems with real money.
Whatever the expansion will cost, i will buy it and i’m ok whatever the price is. Because i don’t plan spending a dime of real money (again) after that purchase.

The sliminess is what bothers us. You’re deflecting.

InfinitytheSoulWarden.5963:

Manijin.3428:

I don’t mind new players getting a free copy of the game. However, the content that ANet has shown to us simply does not justify $50. When we bought GW2, the promise was that we were buying a complete game to play, and what they have shown us simply does not look like a complete game, or at least that much worth of content. We’ve shown, as a community, that we’re willing to spend money on continuous updates and new skins and conveniences, and have done our job supporting our devs.

I’ll be happy to pay $50 for the XPac, as long as ANet proves I’m getting $50 in value. Tell me how much story I’m getting. Tell me how much new world I’ll get to explore. Tell me SOMETHING more than “You get way less than GW2, for the same price.”

We got to kill 1/6 elder dragons and are given 2/3 of the 2nd, then oh would you look at that we need to pay to finish the game.

Again, I don’t really care. I enjoyed the content of GW2, and even if the Living World stuff (which was bonus content) didn’t complete before the expansion, it was always bonus content. GW2 gave you dungeons, a fun leveling experience, lots of different zones, multiple different personal stories (even if they all ended up kinda the same), and had you take down Zhaitan. That’s fine. The base game had lots of content, especially given its price.

The whole thing about the living world finishing in the expansion is… well, irrelevant. You got free content. You don’t get to complain about free content. That’s like buying a pizza, and then getting a couple of free slices, then getting mad because you have to buy the rest of the second pizza.

Convince me that the content is going to be of the quality and quantity of the base game at that price, and I’ll buy it. Otherwise, drop the price, because I can’t justify spending that much money on as little content as they’ve told us. The content they’ve shown looks fun, and like a good start, but I’m gonna need a heck of a lot more than that if I’m gonna spend that much money on it.

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.

Is it 2 separate codes or it’s 2-in-1?
Can I add HoT to my “old”-account while using the “free” as a separate?
Or I’ll lose the extra account if I don’t want a fresh-start?

Anyone knows anything regarding this issue?

I’m just going to come out and say my opinion; No I would not be as mad paying 50$ if I knew the core game was not being given for free to new players and excluded from me for having an existing account

warbignime.4610:

Ephemiel.5694:

warbignime.4610:

Khristophoros.7194:

Yeah I’d still be mad cuz it’s only going to add like 3 new areas.

Source please? If you don’t have any reliable source then please do not make any foolish comments like this.

The reliable source? Oh idk, the beta? You know, that thing where a lot of people had to pray they got a drop [the most idiotic way to get into a beta ever] so they could access?

You get to test in a part of ONE map, what makes you think there are only 3 new areas?

There’s most likely 3-5 new maps if you think about it.

If there was a significant amount of content, ANet would have advertised it in more detail. If there was a new town or dungeon, they would have mentioned it.

You do not get an additional account. If you already own an account the “free one” will have no effect
This is only for new players looking to join the guild wars 2 community

It is 2-in-1 as far as I am aware, which incidentally is what is creating about 80% of the rage, the fact that if you have an existing account you want to upgrade, you don’t even get the free core game.

Ofcourse the prize is fine.Lets compare it to one other successfull MMOs.If i wanted to play WoW i’d have to pay 20$ for the core game + 50$ for expansion which is 70$ in total.For HoT i have to pay only 45 and that is 25$ less than WoW(without even counting the subscription)

Eh… I’m eyeing that Ultimate Edition… bloody hell the Dollar → Rand exchange rate is horrid. Still probably get it though. Maybe Deluxe though…

What is worth it to you and what is worth it to others is not always the same.

TL;DR, Making it more expensive for new players is more important than issues about the actual price of the expansion.

To add insult to injury the price shows + core in the gem store.

The difference between a pizza and a story is the cliff hanger.

unless you are hung up on " would that next piece taste even better then the last" after eating a whole pizza
you have no suspense eating at you.

campare to Nightfall and Faction NOT WORTH IT!!!!!!!

xBrownZ.7360:

If you google “gw2 buy” and cache the page. You’ll see the “DIGITAL HERO EDITION” was $40 two hours ago. Now the expansion includes that core game for $50, without the 3 extras that no one really cared much for. These were: Suit of Legacy Arpmor, Mithril Box, and 10 Experience Boosters. So if you’re a veteran, the idea is you pay $40 for the core game and $10 for the expansion. The idea is the expansion price is being inflamed, it’s
actual price is around $20-$30. We would have agreed to $35, but not anymore. They just make the game more expensive than it is, and make it sound good. But veteran players get screwed, and new people basically pay $40 for the game, and $10 for the expansion. If they bought it after they release the pre-purchase. The point is that, veteran players get screwed. And new players get a great deal. When it should be at best equal on both ends, because both veteran and new players should matter. More so the veterans, who sunk their money into the GemStore like most of us have.

Great sales pitch. They should sell life insurance with the way they marketed this one. False advertising made legal. Nice that 10 purchase prepared ppl to pay it again for HoT in
. Yep they helped them prepare

I agree with what you say. The content shown to us so far is not worth any more than $30 to me, if even that. I do not condone a fifty dollar expansion, let alone a fifty dollar expansion with little shown, no release date, and they don’t even include a character slot for the new profession. I’ll gladly spend my money elsewhere (GOG/Steam sales) and wait until the price drops, if i’m still interested by then.

Yes, the last addon from WoW had more content then this announced expansion, as I see so far. You can correct me if you like. If you would open an other map region too or offer more, then we could talk about it, so I’ll will wait until a sale.

50$ or euros (they like to convert 1:1) is a ridiculous price for an veteran player, but I’m not really surprised about anet, not after 2 1/3 years.

It might be fine for you, but not for me. I respect your opinion though and hope you find value out of it.

Khristophoros.7194:

warbignime.4610:

Ephemiel.5694:

warbignime.4610:

Khristophoros.7194:

Yeah I’d still be mad cuz it’s only going to add like 3 new areas.

Source please? If you don’t have any reliable source then please do not make any foolish comments like this.

The reliable source? Oh idk, the beta? You know, that thing where a lot of people had to pray they got a drop [the most idiotic way to get into a beta ever] so they could access?

You get to test in a part of ONE map, what makes you think there are only 3 new areas?

There’s most likely 3-5 new maps if you think about it.

If there was a significant amount of content, ANet would have advertised it in more detail. If there was a new town or dungeon, they would have mentioned it.

Well, there is gvg in guild hall which everyone wants and would build up massive hype. They did not advertise that a single bit until today.

JUN YANG.4328:

campare to Nightfall and Faction NOT WORTH IT!!!!!!!

GW1 had no living world content that came in between expansions, please stop your QQ and realize this

I’d be less annoyed but I’d still wait for a discount. $50 is… steep for what we’re getting, especially without a character slot.

Lorisaga.2058:

1. Sells base game for $10-$20 (for at least a year until HoT) 9 Dungeons, Entire “living breathing world”, Countless hours

2. Sells Expansion for 3 – 5 times price of base game 1 Dungeon, an area, Maybe 40 hours max

3. ????

4. Profit

You are forgetting the original price of the game

Quite true with the maps, but that makes me wonder when the heck will HoT come out since i’d imagine every one of those areas will get a beta [and prepurchasing it clearly says you have access to them].

Here’s my reasonning (despite my rant upward)
ultimate is better than deluxe if you’re already a gem buyer and know you’ll buy 50$ worth of gem either way (which is my case)
So, basically, you get the 50$ gems that you’d have bought one day, can use it or store it or whatever, and you pay standard edition for all the deluxe upgrades
Is it worth it?
I don’t know, I’m still conflicted even after the purchase (I got 2 char slots though :o shhh!)
that 4k gems is nicely stored and won’t go anywhere, I know I’d buy the equivalent a day or the other, so I just made it now and I’m done with it…
see it how you want

Yes it is definitely worth it.The guild halls are just awesome!!!

Lets compare price to one other successfull MMO.If i wanted to play WoW i’d have to pay 20$ for the core game + 50$ for expansion which is 70$ in total.For HoT i have to pay only 45 dollars and that is 25$ less than WoW(without even counting the subscription)

MashMash.1645:

Pockets.3201:

They are asking us to pay just about the same price as the base game was on release, for a fraction of the content.

This!

yep, that is a good way to put it – 100% true.

I am very disappointed by their decisions and actions in this.

This needs to stay on the top of the forums for as long as possible. Just like the Engi Forum’s Hobosack thread.

Kitsune.1902:

I don’t really understand. The instant I read the core game is included in the expansion, I felt disappointed. I knew the response from the majority of existing player community would be largely same. If it was clear to me within a second, I can’t possibly imagine it was unexpected to a.net either. If that’s the case, then why do this?

I think the normal – and in my opinion much more fair – way to do this would have been to drop the price of base game to – for example – $25, and lower the cost of all expansion options by the same amount. Current players would get $25 value for their existing game and have the expansion at reasonable cost. New players would not have to pay a dime more than they do now – since they’d get the game and expansion at the same cost. It is because of this that it feels clear to me adopting this different strategy has nothing to do with making it cheaper for new players. It has everything to do with making the current players pay more for the expansion.

The people who bought the base game recently would not feel so complitely screwed over either – sure, they’d have paid more for the base game, but it shouldn’t be unexpected that the game goes on sale for the launch of expansion.

Is the extra $25 drawn from all current players really worth all the feelings of unfairness and disappointment this decision causes? Really what’s worst about this whole thing to me, isn’t the extra cost, but that feeling it leaves. That the purchase of original game was just obsolated, simply to milk a few extra coins from me.

Throwing in a consolatory character slot wouldn’t do a thing about it. Frankly I don’t need another extra character slot, I have plenty of them already – and I’d already kept a throw-away character in one slot to free it up for revenant. It’s amazing how quickly the excitement over the expansion can die.

Well said.

I was very exited after I saw the Guild Halls video and hear Colin saying I could pre-purchase HoT. I went to the website to buy it and I was in shock. About the price and about the stupidity of not splitting buying the base game and the expansion. It felt like a kick in the balls. And I decided to not pre-purchase. An hour later I realize that a lot of that initial emotion was probably not fair. Now I am just very disappointed about the pricing. And I still didn’t pre-purchased. Because it still feels like a kick in the balls.

Zappix.7928:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/hot/Anet-removes-FAQ-line-about-req-base-game/first#post5157026

Enjoy.

Dear ArenaNet THIS is highly bad business…
This is also false advertising for everyone who bought the game between the FAQ-Post and today. This is not the ArenaNet we knew.

You really have a good hand on screwing your player-base and causing a rage-wave haven’t you? – the forums and reddit are exploding like hell and the people complaining are right.

it is totally ok to price the XPac with 50 bucks
it is totally ok to give the base game for free to new players*
it is totally ok to deliver different packs with different inclusions

*BUT it is absolutely not OK to forget the loyal playerbase who financed the game over the past years. Where is the benefit for the Veterans?
I get more for my money if i create a new account than i get if i upgrade my existing one.

If you include the Basegame to the HOT Pack it is totally obvious that its unfair for the existing veterans if they get nothing if they upgrade for the same price the new players have to pay.

This is typical 0815 business – praise potential new customers like they are gods on earth and screw everyone who is already one. – point 1 is totally ok … point 2 is not.

If you’re really interested in the existing players just upgrade every HOT standard edition to the Deluxe edition if the key is used on an existing account or give us at least the free choice between two or three of the In-Game-Items of the Deluxe-pack (like you did with the GW2 Heroic Edition) or do whatever you want but giving NOTHING in return is just wrong.

or let’s do some simple math … if you buy HOT you get a fresh account … so give the upgraders all the corresponding character-slots and a new bank-tab in addition to their chosen HOT-Pack (sounds stupid? it is, but it’s fair) :-P

TL;DR in 3 words:

Don’t be Blizzard

moiraine.2753:

Yes it is definitely worth it.The guild halls are just awesome!!!

Lets compare price to one other successfull MMO.If i wanted to play WoW i’d have to pay 20$ for the core game + 50$ for expansion which is 70$ in total.For HoT i have to pay only kitten and that is 25$ less than WoW(without even counting the subscription)

Don’t forget WoW sub fees

If you don’t believe me look, this is all they have to say about new areas:

The Heart of Maguuma

New adventures await you in the heart of the Maguuma Jungle. Confront the growing hordes of Mordremoth’s minions, discover allies from ancient civilizations, and battle new enemies.

Tackle challenging group content.
Explore new open world jungle maps.
Experience new events and storylines.
Test your mettle in new boss battles.

How much content does that really sound like? Notice that they don’t make any mention of dungeons or towns.

Eight Samurai.6840:

So if an existing player buys the ‘core game’ again then shouldn’t we get 5 character slots for buying it again?

Wait wut? That’s NOT how it works!? I just assumed buying the base game again would net me 5 new slots. Slots are extra? That’s nuts…

I don’t see how adding a character slot would completely destroy their company…
There’s no reason not to add one at that price.
HoT is essentially a standalone now with their FAQ change, which means it should (like Factions and Nightfall) at the very least include a character slot or two.

Khristophoros.7194:

How much content does that really sound like?

It sounds like a glorified content patch.

lithiumwing.5493:

xBrownZ.7360:

lithiumwing.5493:

But it’s not $50 for the bundle, you’re buying the expansion for $50 and they’re throwing in the core game as a bonus. :/

don’t let words like bonus fool you. That’s for door to door salesmen. If they wanted you to not buy it they would use words like have to or pay additional features
Go google guild wars 2 buy, and look up the cached page you’ll see what I talked about in another post. Those new players will have to deal this this. Because, two hours ago Guild Wars 2 “DIGITAL HEROIC EDITION” was sold for $40. Then they added the expansion for $50 including the $40 game without the 3 extra meh items… that no one cared much for anyway. So yeah.. we gotta buy the game again for $40 it seems, and then pay $10. Great job.

Yo I was just responding to Clarissa. They just stated on Facebook in a replay that $50 is for the expansion and the core is a freebie. Scroll down from what you quoted or look on the prior page because I’m not happy with the price either for what’s being released.

that

Yes! Jail those criminals at Anet! What scum! Life imprisonment minimum!

Also agree, I would have paid the $50 without this ‘Free Core Game’ nonsense that indeed is just basically a middle finger to anyone who bought the original game and has been supporting/playing all this time.

This is not how you treat loyal customers who have stuck with you for years.