Mount for Sale! Get Your Mount Here!

[mjayg]

As we mentioned here - http://wow.stratics.com/#31423 - a flying mount is being sold for $25 (!) in the Blizzard Store.

Most players don't seem to mind this, and many have queued up to buy one causing waits as long as six hours!

However, some players have complained about how Blizzard is heading into "game breaking" territory by starting to offer something with actual in-game functionality in the store (unlike the pets which are just for fun). Of course, some players object to a subscription game having a "cash shop" as all.

What do you think of this move on Blizzard's part? Good for the game or bad for the game? Did you decide to buy the mount? Either way, what were the reasons for your decision?

 

[JHall]

on one hand it seems like rmt, on the other i think if they're going to provide valuable content people one it should be ok to monetize it..../discuss

 

[TheWaffleCult]

25 dollars is way, way too much. Monetizing mounts? Sure. But 25 dollars!? That's half the price of a full other game, and more than a month of WoW sub.

 

[jkindave]

Sissy mount for sissy players. I thought that this was a game of destruction and killing and stuff... If I wanted unicorns and rainbows I would've went somewhere else. On the flip side, my wife likes it and it keeps her occupied.

 

[mjayg]

I actually think $25 is an insane amount of money to charge for something like this, but hey, people will obviously pay it. We'll see how long before I lose my mind and buy one too.

Honestly, I do think they are setting a bad precedent by selling something with actual functionality without providing a way to get one in-game. I'm hoping mounts is as far as they'll go but we'll see...

 

[Rogal]

This mount is not game breaking

I got one for my fiancee because she thought it was pretty. I like the idea that is scales with your riding skill. Now they just need one more "macho" looking.

 

[mjayg]

This mount is not game breaking

No, but it is setting some precedent. How long before you can buy a weapon or other items in the shop? Look at how much money they made off this mount... can we really believe the Activision-Blizzard board of directors are not going to want them to exploit this?

 

[Rogal]

No, but it is setting some precedent. How long before you can buy a weapon or other items in the shop? Look at how much money they made off this mount... can we really believe the Activision-Blizzard board of directors are not going to want them to exploit this?

That's the worry on a lot of people's minds, mine included. I saw no harm in gifting the horse as it is just for show but an actual useable item, a sword or some new, unique spell for $$ is way over the line and game breaking.

Surely Blizz wouldn't throw the game off balance like that.
I know eve online does the rmt game time to isk thing and it did impact the game, mostly for the negative making billionares overnight etc.

 

[mjayg]

Only time will tell. Blizzard is part of Activision now after all...

 

[Sindris]

I can see them charging 5 bucks for a fun little addition like a pet or a mount, but 25 dollars for what amounts to digital fluff... P.T. Barnum had it right. People really will form a line to get ripped off.

 

[Suraknar]

I personally think it is ridiculous, and anyone that thinks it is fine to monetize stuff like that unfortunately does not know better.

See, back in the days, mounts like that were given as a gift to long time customers, not an item you had to pay for. Ultima Online did this with its 1-2-3-4 etc... year Rewards, SWG as well and many others.

Not to mention that mounts as in-game items were never something the play had to buy in the first place from a vendor. In Uo and SWG you could just go out there in the wilderness and tame a mount and use it all you wanted sell it to other players or buy it from other players etc.

I have always found that WoW had a negative mount system in the game to begin with, mounts costing 4-5k Gold. It only adjusted its approach (offer mounts faster and cheaper to players in game), only as part of its aggressive competition against Warhammer.

But selling them now for real cash on top of it, only shows how young and clueless the majority of its player base is. Many people bought these mounts thinking it is "ok" or "normal", because they do not know better.

Is it good business? It is debatable, some will say it is good business to know how to squeeze pennies off of one's customers, appealing to their "vanity", yet some can argue that this is unethical business practice when you can manipulate the consumption habits of your customers.

As far as I am concerned, the decision was easy enough to make and not "consume" such an item. I do see it as RMT as well as some others here, and I do not approve. Fortunately a mount in WoW, albeit it may have a function of transportation is largely another cosmetic item, and these "Etherial" new mounts are equally viewed as vanity items by many too.

On the other hand, If blizzard brings this to the next step, they will lose me as a customer.

 

[Lord Lucifer]

I really didnt like how the mounts looked and dont really think were worth the $25.00 doubt i will get one

 

[mjayg]

Agreed. $25 is crazy!

Of course, considering how well it is selling, I guess Blizzard is crazy like a fox!

 

[Bud_Weiser]

As long as they don't sell gear I am okie with it. I believe in the "everyone has a fair chance at getting gear" theory but if they make you pay for gear then I may have to find another game to play.