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KingsIsle Overcharging it's Players
My main question is why do players have to pay subscriptions or pay crowns to access all areas of Wizard101 when loot packs make the income?
Many free to play MMOs rely on micro transactions such as loot packs and allow their players to access all areas for free. Aeria Games offers loot wheels similar to hoard packs, yet Eden Eternal allow it's player to access all areas for free.
Guild Wars 2 doesn't even rely on loot packs or subscriptions, just one purchase of the game and players get to enjoy the entire game without any extra charge.
The majority of players which are kids actually have to gamble on loot packs to obtain the necessary gear.
Over one year KingsIsle intruduced dozens of Loot Packs, turning Wizard101 into a gambling money making game.
In reality Loot packs are the main income of Wizard101, so why go the extra mile on overcharging players with subscriptions?
Comments
When I started playing this game back in 2009 there were no such things as Hoard packs (loot packs).
Now every player on Wizard101 has to gamble on loot packs and pay subscriptions.
RE: "In reality Loot packs are the main income of Wizard101, so why go the extra mile on overcharging players with subscriptions?"
You have no idea whatsoever that packs are the main income of Wizard101, and stating what is at best a guess as if it were fact is extremely irresponsible. Or do you work in the company's accounting department and you're providing inside information LOL?
It's likely that players who can afford to spend crowns on packs (they aren't 'Loot' packs btw) are subsidizing the very low annual cost of a membership, which I believe is only $60 per year on the (often-offered) sale. Perhaps it didn't occur to you to appreciate that better-off players are helping those with less disposable income in this manner?
You then use the phrase 'go the extra mile' incorrectly; it is used to indicate giving more effort than expected with additional positive result. (The opposite, for example, would be 'adding insult to injury'.)
You then stick the word 'overcharging' into what could otherwise be a fair question as if that mere opinion were objective, widely-held, or obvious, which it isn't. If you can't easily afford $5 a month, it's likely you shouldn't be playing W101 or any other MMPORG.
Your comparisons to the cost of other games are meaningless; as stated by another poster, KI and any other game owner is free to charge whatever they like. If you don't like it, then you're free not to pay it. How much KI makes and how they earn it is none of your business.
The Wiz101 business model allows players to play in several different ways, free, buying areas or subscription, enhanced or not by additional items bought with gold received in-game or purchased crowns. If you thought about it more, you'd appreciate that the current system allows the the greatest number of people to become players, regardless of thier disposable income.
RE: "The majority of players which are kids actually have to gamble on loot packs to obtain the necessary gear."
That sentence is entirely false, as follows:
1 You have no idea if the majority of players are kids; once again you state a guess as fact. KI has released no report of players by age or even by age range.
2 Buying a pack is not gambling in any sense; you are promised seven items and you receive seven items. Whether a particular player desires only one or a few certain items that may be received in a pack is immaterial to the question of whether packs constitute gambling.
3 Dropped and crafted gear is virtually always better than gear from packs (except some wands). Gear from packs is in no way 'necessary' to play the game.
Please learn to use language more carefully; in particular, stop stating opinions or guesses as fact. Doing so is irritating and irresponsible. Reasonable editorializing and other opinion-giving is welcome on a forum, but using unfairly slanted statements is just propaganda, meant to improperly inflame people's feelings.
Well said.
I have found this game to be surprisingly cheap and as such have subbed because my five year old loves it to bits and because, on my low income, I can afford it (it costs more for beer and fags neither of which I indulge in).
At no time have I though that my daughter needs product 'A' or product 'C' to compete. Everything is optional. If you think you are being taken for a ride go play Allods and then come back and comment.
Let me state something, you are wrong, now before you angrily ''X out ,'' listen.
The game packs (game cards) provide a membership for a month or 5000 crowns.
Now before i forget to mention the game cards are $10 US. Now again back to the membership.
To buy a membership from wizard101 is $60.00 (US) or $74.00 (US), $60.00 (US) being on a sale for memberships,
Ok $60.00 (US), assuming you would buy during the sale, and your good for a year. Now where i do understand the over
pricing is the game cards. ok i have to go to Keokuk, IA to get game cards. now i use about four gallons of gas there and back,
it's about $3.19 (US) per gallon that times four is $12.76 (US). so the total is $22.76 (US), lets round that to $23.00 (US)
and it takes 12 of those to equal a twelve month membership so 12 times 23 equals 276, so your total being (for me) is
$276.00 (US). so i agree and disagree with your statement.
Yours Truly,
FactorX
Simple answer: Greed and profit.
Actually the game cards are normally underpriced. After all costs (manufacturing, sales, etc.) KingsIsle will likely get more money by selling you through their own website compared to selling physical game cards.
As has been stated already the Hoard packs are not necessary to play the game. Outside of some of the wands and a few pieces of gear, dropped or crafted gear is far better. Your opinion that packs are the main source of income for KI is silly. For the first few years they didn't exist. How exactly did they manage to struggle through that part of their business' existence without this "main income"?
You sound like someone who bought a dozen packs and didn't get what they wanted.
Yea they are a bit pricey but its somewhat worth it!
Now with all the hoard packs and new bundles coming out, they are sure to make a huge profit by now and with over 30 million players lol. But they can change it if they please but im guessing not since no one is complaining about it lol.
Personally to me i dont have to worry about it i just buy the game cards from local stores, so i dont have to worry.
But maybe if the community complained about it to them just as they did with pvp, they could POSSIBLY change it but i highly doubt it.
Its hard to agree or disagree since this makes very little sense. Compare apples to apples rather than using other methodologies to try and validate your point. If anything, you may have swayed others away from your original point.
I have found that both Kings Isle games, WIzard101, and Pirate101 are one of the best "bangs for the buck" when it comes to paying for online entertainment.
I personally take advantage of their $60/yr subscription, which is available and well advertised on a regular basis. No tricks to finding this "deal".
Most of the time when i read comments such as the OPs i consider them as the players that want it free, because they have no intention of contributing, they just want a free ride, and want the other players to foot the bill for them. Or they are players that took their chances on 100% OPTIONAL horde packs, and did not get what they wanted, or they have decided they "needed" to buy horde packs to be successful in the game (ignorance), and cannot afford them.
Most games i have seen used as examples in a "free" business model are featureless, lackluster, and not worth any drive space on my systems.
I also like the fact that when I "pay" for a service, I have a right to complain about it. Personally I dont think the free rides have this right. If you dont contribute to the game, offer suggestions sure, but check your complaints at the door.