Blizzard keen on micro-transactions for WoW

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 9th November 2009
Comments (20) Stumble
Blizzard keen on micro-transactions for WoW

Blizzard is reportedly very keen to introduce optional micro-transactions to World of Warcraft at some point.

Blizzard may well be looking to introduce micro-transactions to World of Warcraft at some point in the future it seems, with Blizzard boss Michael Morhaime commenting to VG247 that it sees a lot of scope in the idea.

The comments follow the appearance of a new pet store in World of Warcraft that players can use to buy two new pets - a Pandaren Monk and a Lil' K.T. - a baby Lich. The pets cost £9 GBP each ($10 USD) and if you buy one before Christmas then your money goes to the Make A Wish foundation.

"We... expect digital sales to increase in the future, and plan to take advantage of it," Morhaime said when questioned further about the prospect of microtransactions in WoW.

Morhaime was clear that any such service would be entirely optional though and that they wouldn't heavily impact on the game experience.

"All value added services are not required, as they are optional only nor will they adversely impact the experience should customers decide not to participate or purchase them," he said.

Blizzard didn't comment on whether the micro--transaction system might replace on-going subscriptions or be added in on top of it.

Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
Quote geo139 9th November 2009, 11:36
I'm happy as long as they dont make it necessary to pay more money than the subscription to be competitive at the game! (which appears to what they've said!)
Quote kylew 9th November 2009, 11:44
I think the bigger issue is if $10=£9 is any indication to their pricing scheme, how are they gonna not get people boycotting these "micro transactions"?

Isn't the "micro" in micro transaction supposed to mean something to? I can't see where the micro comes in to play here.
Quote ChromeX 9th November 2009, 12:00
Quote:
Originally Posted by kylew
I think the bigger issue is if $10=£9 is any indication to their pricing scheme, how are they gonna not get people boycotting these "micro transactions"?

Isn't the "micro" in micro transaction supposed to mean something to? I can't see where the micro comes in to play here.

Indeed £9 doesnt seem like a micro amount to me, especially considering thats round about the price of one months sub. And yeah, I see blizzard are using the typical "lets rip off the brits" method of pricing, how the hell can you justify direct conversion for something that doesnt require shipping, import tax, physical distribution etc. I'll wager some guy sets a flag on your account that allows the new pets.
Quote matee 9th November 2009, 12:11
The GBPUSD rate did go down since 2005 (making Blizz huge amounts of money 2006-2008) but its centrainly not $10=£9 ratio now!
Quote sear 9th November 2009, 13:02
I still do not understand how people cannot realise how much microtransactions rip them off. Even with figures like Activision making $65 million+ from Call of Duty DLC, and it costing them less than 1% of that to make them... the profits are absolutely unheard of in pretty much any other business. Simply put, you do not get your money's worth, and on top of that, it has the awful benefit of fragmenting the community based upon not just the usual haves vs. have-nots, but free players vs. paying players.
Quote Isitari 9th November 2009, 13:44
Thank the Computer God I play EVE ;P
Quote ThunderBob 9th November 2009, 15:40
This just sounds like the million other MMORPGs out there that are free but you can 'buy' extra bits.

How long till you can buy equipment, extra raid dungeons etc

Sounds like the start of a slippery slope.
Quote Neat69 9th November 2009, 16:16
I knew this would be coming, if you talk to players on WoW, *alot* of them are only playing till SW:TOR comes out, so Blizzard need to make as much cash as then can before then.

I haven't bought anything in a game via mico-transactions yet, but I consider £2-3 micro, not £9. I also haven't bought any DLC, so I guess I'm the wrong person for this kind of thing.
Quote Star*Dagger 9th November 2009, 17:41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Isitari
Thank the Computer God I play EVE ;P

This is the most wise statement that will appear in this thread!

Not only is EVE the best MMO ever made, but when you get to a halfway decent level you can afford to use the in game currency to pay your monthly sub. Win, win and more in, that is EVE.

Yours in Caldari Plasma,
Star¤Dagger

P.S. Has 300k subs and they are the smartest 300k people in PC Gaming, come join us!
Quote nukeman8 9th November 2009, 18:31
more praise for eve as it deserves
the only mmo you can compete in "end game" pvp, in a mere few hours after you start playing
Quote Blackie Chan 9th November 2009, 18:44
Hmm, I would never buy a game that I have to continue to pay for with a monthly subscription. And I would never pay for a game after the initial purchase price. EVE sounds cool though I will have to research that.
Quote AshT 9th November 2009, 18:55
£9 for a pet in WoW ... ?

lol
Quote dyzophoria 9th November 2009, 19:59
actually $5 goes to charity

honestly its just a pet for pete's sake, not like a a legendary weapon =\
Quote Kiytan 9th November 2009, 22:25
not even like its the only way to get vanity pets in WoW (hell theres achievements for getting like 20 of them), and £9 does seem very excessive.
I do not see this going well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Star*Dagger

Not only is EVE the best MMO ever made, but when you get to a halfway decent level you can afford to use the in game currency to pay your monthly sub. Win, win and more in, that is EVE.

Yours in Caldari Plasma,
Star¤Dagger

P.S. Has 300k subs and they are the smartest 300k people in PC Gaming, come join us!

Not that you're much of a fanboy :P (also, everyone knows minmatar are better)
Quote LeMaltor 9th November 2009, 22:52
Eve is hardly the best, CCP are just about to roger all of 0.0 with the "domination" changes :p
Quote Horizon 9th November 2009, 23:02
Quote:
Originally Posted by Star*Dagger
This is the most wise statement that will appear in this thread!

Not only is EVE the best MMO ever made, but when you get to a halfway decent level you can afford to use the in game currency to pay your monthly sub. Win, win and more in, that is EVE.

Yours in Caldari Plasma,
Star¤Dagger

P.S. Has 300k subs and they are the smartest 300k people in PC Gaming, come join us!

how much game currency would you need to pay for a month, and is it trough the game or you buy from players?
Quote metarinka 9th November 2009, 23:49
it is a slippery slope, but I would trust blizz for staying in at the top.

They are already do lame things like paid name and server transfers. I think you should at least get 1 free server transfer per char. I could actually see that increasing the amount people play because it would be a lil easier to connect with friends on a different sever.

as for as Eve online.

I tried making the switch, hoping for the best, the only problem is the game is very esoteric and the combat is a very different pace. It's a much more "intellectual" game as opposed to straight out action. The balance is great for the people who don't want to be limited by reflexes or ping or want that experience, but in my mind the game is much slower and there's more limited ways to make money
Quote Scootiep 10th November 2009, 16:27
Truth be told, they're going to do whatever makes them more money. If there's a market for these "micro transactions" Then Blizzard will rip it wide open. It'll be very sad if it becomes a "Pay to experience" and not "Play to experience" the game atmosphere and I personally would cancel my account. But if they can make money doing it then my guess is that they will.
Quote Fozzy 10th November 2009, 19:02
I love blizzard games. They are IMO the best games for pc. Warcraft, diablo, starcraft, and WoW all good games...My problem is with the company itself. They create these awesome games then they do everything they can to make as much money as possible. It's sad really.
Quote Krazeh 11th November 2009, 14:03
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fozzy
I love blizzard games. They are IMO the best games for pc. Warcraft, diablo, starcraft, and WoW all good games...My problem is with the company itself. They create these awesome games then they do everything they can to make as much money as possible. It's sad really.

Oh noes, a company that's interested in making money? Whatever shall we do?? Really don't see what the problem is, none of the extras Blizzard have put up for sale are necessary to actually play WoW and you don't need any of them to be able to experience any of the game content. They're nothing more than nice little extras that people can spend their money on if they choose, noone is forcing you to spend anything extra if you don't want to.
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