Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Expansion box prices in p2p
jusomdude
Member RarePosts: 2,706
Are they justified? Seems like they should be included with sub fees. It's kinda not worth it to pay for only a few small patches over an expansions lifetime.
I don't mind that much paying sub fees but a lot of the time it feels I'm not really getting my money's worth.
Say an expac comes out every two years, during that time 4 major patches are released... I'm pretty much paying $360 dollars for a miniscule amount of content.
Comments
There is another very similar thread going right now...
Anyway, a lot of what you are paying for with your sub is just keeping the server running. Sure some games like EVE can include expansions in their sub price but that's never been normal.
Publishers can charge what they want. If you don't want to pay it don't. They are not obligated to give you expansions for free if you pay a sub. A lot of people obviously don't mind paying extra for the odd expansion. I just wish games came out with more expansions. I would happily pay for them (if the game is good)
Things change, games used to charge by the hour way back before there were subs.
Now sub games are not as common. Even though some folks end up paying more than sub prices for those "FTP" games.
Just what you are used to. I like subs that include everything. Buy the box, then play for a month or 2 then leave and come back 6 months later and just pay a month or 2 subs.
I've read something before that shows about $1 of every sub fee actually goes to running servers.
And it's not really supply and demand. supply and demand would suggest there's a limited supply thereby raising the price. There's no limited supply of software.
I think what you meant is that new expansions are highly desired, so they'll pay more for them even if the price a little high.
You'll get no argument from me OP
The only reason someone like Blizzard will charge for an expansion is because they can and people pay. To add insult to injury the price has even gone up to $50 for a P2P expansion.
Oh I almost forgot.... you get a free $60 level boost so the price of the expansion is actually -$10 "Long Live Blizzard!" (sarcasm)
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
It's very much like others have said in that it's supply and demand, and the creators are able to charge what they want. Though there is a morality towards it that people oft forget, in addition to personal preference to see if you believe it is worth it.
I'm traditionally a frequent purchaser of Blizzard related products, though that's because I enjoy their games immensely. Lately I'm somewhat disgusted with their tactics; when they bought themselves out I thought it would mean they could be themselves 100% without any investors or parent companies telling them what to do. It has resulted in them charging more for things than they usually do, implementing cash shops into a P2P game, pricing an automatic process (level 90 boosts) for the price of a new AAA console game, and increasing the price of their latest expansion up to a new PC game. Not only that, but they skimped on content for the new PvP season by reusing old models and forcing PvPers to grind all over again in the same patch (I.E. double dipping) if they want to stay competitive (522 -> 550 Ilvls).
They're starting to be kind've a douchebag game developer / publisher in my eyes. They still do good work, but I'm becoming less inclined to buy their stuff because of the brand name simply because of personal morals. The last games I'm likely to purchase from them in a long while will likely be Reaper of Souls, as I believe they did a good job with a lot of the changes in live, as well as the new expansion. Started a new monk and absolutely enjoyed it.
We'll have to see when it comes to WoD (really want race specific buildings for bases, especially if I'm paying an extra $10... or at least the ability to use the other faction's buildings, as Forsaken and Blood Elves have more in common with those (considering their past and kinships, respectively) than they do with bones, mud, wood and spikes that the orcish buildings have. The last Starcraft Expansion will likely be a purchase as well, simply because I invested time in the other two and enjoyed their single player campaign. Also Warcraft IV if it ever releases.
So, reading the above paragraph... it truly is supply and demand and game franchises. I'm pretty much just as guilty as anyone else in instantly buying them now. Though with regards to any new franchises, I'm pretty much boycotting unless they're free to initially try out or have a demo of some sorts. Blizzard's name is tarnished for me, even if the names of certain franchises are not.
I also think that Blizzard is becoming a sub par developer, I've played pretty much every Blizzard game and liked 'em, but they seem to be getting a little too greedy.
I really don't like how they gate people every week on conquest points for players trying to get new gear, so you'll have to stay subbed longer if you want a full set.
I'm thinking a good approach would be to only sub for new content patches or expansions for a month or two then unsub to feel like I'm actually getting my money's worth.
Your post is very informative and interesting. But the thing we have to bring to mind when were talking about these digital goods is that there is no supply and demand. There is only demand, the supply is unlimited and in astral form.
Can you even buy a hard copy these days?
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
the price of an "Expansion" is justified IF and only IF it "Expands" the game (new landmass / map / continents, dungeons, raids, races, classes, levels, quests, and other features).
If all they do is add a few new quests, some bug fixes, some items and maybe one dungeon then no it doesnt justify any price IMO. Thats just a small patch that needs to be free. A paid expansion (specially when priced between $30-$60)) needs to have several of the features i mentioned above all at once.
You should have made a poll...you would see the truth.
For me, they are deserved as they have been here from the start....like it or not. If it is a truly warranted expansion that offers much of the like that EQ and WoW did. New races, whole new areas, stuff like this.
"This may hurt a little, but it's something you'll get used to. Relax....."
Well from my understanding, the sub fee is supposed to fuel the ongoing development of the MMO. The paltry few updates between expansions to me, don't seem like they are worth the hundreds of dollars that are paid during the coarse of an expansion.
They could easily include all expansion content while still making hefty profits without expac box prices.
Do you feel the content in an expansion like Mists of Pandaria was worth 400 dollars?(Two years sub + box price)
$400 over 2 years is around 400 / 720 = $1.5 per day.
If you are an active WoW player, that's not a lot of money for entertainment.
Gdemami -
Informing people about your thoughts and impressions is not a review, it's a blog.
Blizzard has 4.700 employees
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard_Entertainment
I bet the bulk of Blizzard profits goes to paying their employee salaries.
why blizzard hasn't raised the sub fees is just beyond me
Why should they? They have been doing expansions forever....even since UO. There aren't done very often and include (usually) a lot of content. Why are we trying to get a better product, then acting like it should be included in a sub? Doen't make sense for a business to do so.
Also...Mists wouldn't have gotten a dime from me...friggin pandas.
But your numbers are so flawed it amazes me. Where do you get $400? You sub to the whole game...not for the expansion. The box price not withstanding...cause I wouldn't pay it for that tired, worn out, stale MMO. My hate for WoW is just mine though
:P
"This may hurt a little, but it's something you'll get used to. Relax....."
Ummm, 15x24 is 360 + 40 for box. 400... I don't think just because previous developers have done it doesn't really make it so everyone should just keep doing it.
Anyways, compare MoP to something like Skyrim which has much more unique content. Skyrim has the much better value. Sure you could repeat MoP content over and over, but if you were just to do it once like you'd maybe do in Skyrim you wouldn't get as many hours of entertainment from MoP.
Previous game content is pretty much irrelevant in a new expansion, it doesn't get worked on, it's not new, it's just there to maybe run your alts through.
Then don't pay.
It is a free world. Devs can charge whatever they want to.
Personally i do not pay sub fees to games ... but hey .... if a devs want to charge box price + sub fee .. it is their right. Just don't expect me to play.
The MoP expansion cost me $10. If I want access to the servers, it costs me $15 a month.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
The answer to your question OP is simple. It's warranted if it's worth it to you. You seem like the price bothers you. Don't buy it. All this sounds like is you don't want to pay which of course is entirely your right, but it's really not right calling companies that charge for a service greedy just because you don't like the price. I played WoW until I was tired of the game and wasn't getting what I felt was my moneys worth any more, I didn't have any ill will though or feel they were greedy when I left, it was just time. Good luck finding a game with a cost you are comfortable with.
4700 at an average yearly salary of $50,000 (being very generous) = 20 million per month in payroll
try again
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Why do people keeping understanding that? It is so wrong.
Do you think you are paying for a game or paying for a service. If you answer incorrecly, you might be confused about the sub fees.
As to what they do with the money, that is their business NOT YOURS.
Perhaps you should just admit you are being cheap. If you look at other entertainment options, gaming is dirt cheap. It is something children with an allowance should be able to afford much less an adult. If you look at adult entertainment expenses it is a lot higher. How much does it cost for a round of golf? Concert tickets? Take the wife and the kids to lunch and the movies?
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"