ESO reveals that cosmetic item "gambling boxes" are coming soon.

Iselin · August 2016

Over at Gamescon Matt Firor announced that starting as soon as next month, RNG boxes (a.k.a. gambling boxes) will be available in the Crown Store (cash shop.) The boxes will have a chance to give you a mount and other items. Some of the mounts (which are all just cosmetic skins, BTW... all of them have capabilities in accordance with the player's riding skills and are no different than any other except for looks, sounds and some GFX) will be those that were previously available for a limited time and some will only be available this way.

This seems innocuous enough being as it is only cosmetic items but it has nevertheless caused some heated debate over at the ESO forums, on reddit and elsewhere. Some people are against these on general principle while some don't see a problem and others worry that this will lead to less fluffy items making their way into those boxes down the line. What do you think?

This is a fan's video of the reveal:

Warlyx · August 2016

Swtor all over again.... $ and RNG dont mix well

Octagon7711 · August 2016

Why am I not surprised by this?

kitarad · August 2016

Just like SWTOR it's for cosmetics items only. It seems to have worked very well for SWTOR. The game is doing very well from those Superdata accounts.

PsYcHoGBR · August 2016

Just as ESO was starting to look good they go and do this !!1! Gambling should never be encouraged in any way or form.

Vorthanion · August 2016

Many gamers lack self control and these companies are doing all they can to cash in on it. I refuse to play any game that implements gambling for real money. Cash shops are bad enough, cash shops based on a roulette wheel are disgusting.

Soon, like it has happened in many games before it, all of the "attractive" items will be cash shop only and regular game assets will suddenly become ugly as sin.

Phry · August 2016

And so it begins O.o

kitarad · August 2016

Where is the trashy Asian game comment ...... oh yeah nvm

Albatroes · August 2016

they all always start out "innocent"

Iselin · August 2016

PsYcHoGBR said:

Just as ESO was starting to look good they go and do this !!1! Gambling should never be encouraged in any way or form.

I tend to agree. IDK maybe I'm just old and have old-fashioned ideas about this sort of thing.

I mean... I KNOW that not everyone who gambles has gambling addiction issues but gambling is regulated in most places and available only to adults for good reason: kids are not exactly famous for showing restraint when they really, really want something.

It's also something that I , rightly or wrongly, associate with the bottom of the barrel amoral game publishers who don't really care how they get their money as long as they get it.

Sovrath · August 2016

Thanks for posting that.

kitarad · August 2016

This industry is not a charity. People however want free games . They expect to play a full game with no cost except their electricity and the internet.

Companies need to make money and if gamers are not going to support the games they play you will eventually see these types of slippery slope stuff in every game.

Albatroes · August 2016

kitarad said:

This industry is not a charity. People however want free games . They expect to play a full game with no cost except their electricity and the internet.

Companies need to make money and if gamers are not going to support the games they play you will eventually see these types of slippery slope stuff in every game.

I can see that from f2p, but not even b2p man. They have dlc every quarter, yet they NEED more money right?

Marelius · August 2016

Unless they change how they are developing this game it isn't going to last much longer. I won't give them another penny unless they start caring about the players and fix all the major problems.

Sovrath · August 2016

kitarad said:

This industry is not a charity. People however want free games . They expect to play a full game with no cost except their electricity and the internet.

Companies need to make money and if gamers are not going to support the games they play you will eventually see these types of slippery slope stuff in every game.

I agree.

I bet the alternative would be "higher amount sub" in order to make their money but many players wouldn't do that (some would, like me) therefore they rely upon the money "trickling" in, in a variety of ways.

Iselin · August 2016

Sovrath said:

kitarad said:

This industry is not a charity. People however want free games . They expect to play a full game with no cost except their electricity and the internet.

Companies need to make money and if gamers are not going to support the games they play you will eventually see these types of slippery slope stuff in every game.

I agree.

I bet the alternative would be "higher amount sub" in order to make their money but many players wouldn't do that (some would, like me) therefore they rely upon the money "trickling" in, in a variety of ways.

Thing is that Zenimax is a private company that doesn't report publicly so all we can really do is speculate about how much money is coming in. And then there is the old "profitable" vs. "more profitable" and "even more profitable" thing and we have no clue other than wild uneducated guesses about where they are in that continuum.

The megaserver also doesn't help us guess since it only takes a few players per zone to make it seem busy.

So are they doing this because they need to do it or just because they want even more profits?

Sovrath · August 2016

Iselin said:

Sovrath said:

kitarad said:

This industry is not a charity. People however want free games . They expect to play a full game with no cost except their electricity and the internet.

Companies need to make money and if gamers are not going to support the games they play you will eventually see these types of slippery slope stuff in every game.

I agree.

I bet the alternative would be "higher amount sub" in order to make their money but many players wouldn't do that (some would, like me) therefore they rely upon the money "trickling" in, in a variety of ways.

Thing is that Zenimax is a private company that doesn't report publicly so all we can really do is speculate about how much money is coming in. And then there is the old "profitable" vs. "more profitable" and "even more profitable" thing and we have no clue other than wild uneducated guesses about where they are in that continuum.

The megaserver also doesn't help us guess since it only takes a few players per zone to make it seem busy.

So are they doing this because they need to do it or just because they want even more profits?

Aren't they a private company with investors? And as an investor don't you want more profit from your investments?

That's who they are making money for.

Gdemami · August 2016

Always amazing to watch people rage against things they have no intention to buy or in any way participate in...

Jimmy562 · August 2016

As seen with SWTOR, it's only a matter of time before anything remotely cool is located within a Crown Crate. I'm betting unique motifs will be added into these at some point. It's the lowest of lows in my opinion.

I saw warning signs when a mount was more expensive than a content DLC.

Kyleran · August 2016

Get used to it.

Maximizing revenue and profits is the goal of every business, and MMOS are most definitely a business first and foremost.

Take a hard look at how BDO is doing it, expect many if not all games to employ several (not necessarily all) of the monetization strategies that title does.

Iselin · August 2016

Sovrath said:

Iselin said:

Sovrath said:

kitarad said:

This industry is not a charity. People however want free games . They expect to play a full game with no cost except their electricity and the internet.

Companies need to make money and if gamers are not going to support the games they play you will eventually see these types of slippery slope stuff in every game.

I agree.

I bet the alternative would be "higher amount sub" in order to make their money but many players wouldn't do that (some would, like me) therefore they rely upon the money "trickling" in, in a variety of ways.

Thing is that Zenimax is a private company that doesn't report publicly so all we can really do is speculate about how much money is coming in. And then there is the old "profitable" vs. "more profitable" and "even more profitable" thing and we have no clue other than wild uneducated guesses about where they are in that continuum.

The megaserver also doesn't help us guess since it only takes a few players per zone to make it seem busy.

So are they doing this because they need to do it or just because they want even more profits?

Aren't they a private company with investors? And as an investor don't you want more profit from your investments?

That's who they are making money for.

Well unlike some other people (including some of my friends and neighbors lol) I think there should be upper limits to that "greed is good" kind of thinking. Responsibility to investors has become a tired old excuse that people buy into way too easily to justify all kinds of amoral behavior.

I for one would be a bit more understanding and forgiving about a company doing something they'd rather not do if it's a matter of keeping their heads above water vs. just an exercise in maximizing returns.

azurrei · August 2016

MisterZebub said:

Gdemami said:

Always amazing to watch people rage against things they have no intention to buy or in any way participate in...

And its also just as amazing to watch people discount features out of hand that will have negative impact on other parts of the game that those people do enjoy and support.

yep...those cosmetics in the boxes would have been buyable outright or even in the game...now, have fun gambling for them

kitarad · August 2016

Gambling is immoral? Really is that a religious aspect ?

When I was little in 60's there used to be a small grocery store that had papers hidden (stapled on) with a number and I paid like 5 cents to play and I might get a nice doll. No one ever said it was immoral.

Gambling is fun until like everything else you take it too far. Every Chinese New Year when I go to the houses of my Chinese friends we would play Mahjong for real money. It was fun and it helped me get closer to the older Chinese relatives of my friend. In fact her grandmother was the one who taught me to play Mahjong. In case you're wondering how the gambling comes in, there is a betting aspect to Mahjong.

I really do not see anything inherently wrong about gambling only if you keep playing and lose everything. Like everything else in life use your head, discretion and moderation.

As for the DLC may be the amount they are selling on the DLC is not enough profits. Why should a company make the amount of money you think is proper? Subscription fees have not gone up since the early 2000 if I am not mistaken. I think it is possible $15 is no longer even enough for a sub any longer.

SaunZ · August 2016

Shouldn't we just trust Zenimax? I mean they are professionals and do this for a living so they must know best. Besides, Zenimax has proven trustworthy in every thing else they have done.

Sz

Gdemami · August 2016

MisterZebub said:
And its also just as amazing to watch people discount features out of hand that will have negative impact on other parts of the game that those people do enjoy and support.

Yup, because only you know what is the best for the game and all the players.

And people think I am the arrogant one lol

Nilden · August 2016

Oh boy more cash shop cancer.

Pay to look cool. Instead of playing the game to get cool rewards, just buy RNG lockboxes. Yeah up yours.

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ESO reveals that cosmetic item "gambling boxes" are coming soon.

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ESO reveals that cosmetic item "gambling boxes" are coming soon.

Comments

"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV