I have never lasted long in any game where they have much of any real money exchange in game. I played GW2 for a short time on release. Got a char leveled up and the story finished. I then realized GW2 was not anywhere near GW1 like (which I loved so much) and found myself completely bored playing it after I finished the story. So I put the game down for a while….so I could forget what I wanted GW2 to be and come back when I could see GW2 for what it is.
Been back a few weeks now and so far having a great time. Then I get a few drops, Black Lion Chests, “Oh cool, where do I find some keys to open these?” Turns out gotta buy them with gems….yuck my gameplay has been directly mixed with a storefront. (In a small way admittedly). Anyhow, now I just throw the Black Lion Chests in trash, treat them as zero value junk as it appears most do.
Then today I log in and see new living content season 2. Sweet!. Go to play and get this message, “The next episode in this story is locked and will be skipped. Please purchase this episode if you would like to experience the story in its entirety.”
Well that sucks, that’s like saying here’s a free movie but only disk 2 is free. You need to pay to watch the beginning. I understand the watch a show or pay for it on iTunes if you miss it deal.
Well call me old school but that was one reason I loved GW1, I bought the game and I had the game. Mini expansions like sorrows furnace, EotN, etc were free and always available as such, as advertised. Expansion comes out? I was first in line at the store, but that was the good part. I go to the store and I buy it. That is the end of my shopping and on to the playing. I never had to worry, did I log in this week to get the expansion pack? Do I need to buy this or that to play? Am I missing something because I did not pay.
It is clearly obvious when they came up with this living story thing it was designed to make money. Why not free all of the time like gw1? Well because now they have a system to easily take money from you and they are capitalizing on that.
I want my games like I want my TV, all included all the time no matter what the cost/subscription fee. I do not want to be nickel and dimed every time I turn around, just give it to me straight. I will continue to play the GW2 content I do own until I no longer have fun or it is made to be nearly unplayable for us non-payers. But there are many other games out there I love and can take my time just as easily as GW2, Anet will not see a single penny from my bank account with their current system. Gimmicky costumes, minis, etc never really did it for me anyway.
In short I would rather pay monthly and have 100% content rather than log on to play and find some message that I need to pay more money now. Or items start dropping that incite the use of USD. Black Lion Trading is fine but keep that crap in black lion and out of my game!