Unstable Arbiter’s Lightsaber for Direct Sale

[TUXs]

True. That maybe part of the expense. In the past you brought expansions at a set cost. Now all expansions you get for 1 months sub. As I was subbing anyway? It's is very cheap IMO. Guess BW has to offset that cost some how. So this item is expense. Overall though I much prefer BW to make there money selling cosmetic gear that you don't actually need to play the game as a direct sale. Then go back to selling expansions or put the monthly sub up. In an earlier post I said I don't mind this item being sold or object to its cost. You do have a point though TUX compared to the old cost of expansions this is indeed a high price to pay for a single item, that as said you don't need. So it is something players will need to think about before buying. Still BW said it was to test the market and if it does not sell the platinum items in the future will be lower.

 

I don't really get the anger going on posts in this thread. Just don't buy it if you don't think its worth it. This last part is not directed at you TUX.

Don't get me wrong...I have no issue with them selling it direct for an exorbitant price. I want Bioware to make money off this game and I want SWTOR to be as profitable as it can be. I was just putting it in perspective for all the people who are always like "I'd pay for <Ops/WZ's/GSF/Housing, etc>"...at $60 for a single virtual item that's already in-game, I think Bioware is more than aware that people will pay extra for the things they want/like

[midianlord]

I haven't seen so many crybabies since casuals took over the game after 3.0. All these crybaby 4.0 /5.0 scrubs/guilds who couldn't clear NiM and HM content in 3.0 and pre-3.0 when they were relevant during gear tier and level. Get gooder.

 

1/10.

 

Next!

[TUXs]

Might have gotten my money with the Vented saber, Not that one...

Next month

[Andryah]

Well said.

There are some people that seem to think that they can write enough crap to cover up they don't know what they are talking about. Everyone knows about free market economics, they are not the next Keynes or Smith cause they make some vague comments about pricing. Its a digital item that was used as the lure for the cartel pack, its now being rehashed as a direct purchase for more than the game cost. Which is the issue, the development team seem more interest in milking their players at every step; Rather than deal with the issues that have caused subscribers to leave on mass, or deal with almost all servers light all the time they look to sell a single saber for 60 bucks.

 

The problem isn't with the item or the price. Its that they are more interested in the cartel market and ripping off morons (who are probably stealing the money from their parents) than they are of offering a compelling enjoyable experience. Hell they don't even acknowledge that the story focus for the last two years was basically a one size fits all, plot holed mess that at best was keeping up with the Valkorians with the player sidelined to the role of idioitic bruiser who gets betrayed by 90% of the people they meet.

 

LOL.. I found this to be quite ironic within this post of yours. pot meet kettle.

 

So of course you completely ignore the fact that one of the running themes in the forum for multiple years is players asking/demanding that some of the really desirable items from Cartel Packs be offered via direct sale.

 

The pricing of the item is certainly open to discussion/debate, but the fact that they offer a higher desired item to players via direct sell requires that you deliberately ignore the fact that players have in fact been asking the studio to do exactly what they are doing here.

 

Now..as to pricing.. actually .. like it or not.. given the fair market prices on the GTNs for this item, and given the current normal exchange rates in the player economy in terms of CCs -> Credits, they actually appear to have done their research and dialed in the pricing to be roughly the GTN fair market prices set by players in credits... converted to a CC price. I believe this was done so as to not undercut players selling the item for credits in game, which frankly is a good move by the studio.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Andryah

[Talon_strikes]

Virtual items hold literally zero actual value beyond stroking the "See shiny! Want shiny!" centres of the lizard-brain, and retain none beyond meeting this need in that moment.

 

Why does nobody understand why letting oneself be fleeced out of real money for nothing more than that this is a problem?

 

Why does nobody understand why letting an entire industry grow up around same is a problem?

 

Especially in an industry where success once depended on actual merit, as demonstrated by an actual quality product, that you actually got to keep once you'd paid for it?

 

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller...? Bueller....?

It's mind-boggling to see how the industry has changed for the worse, and quite quickly. I remember when I started gaming heavily pre-early-2010s and around that time is when more and more games started hopping on the F2P and cash shop bandwagon.

 

Heck, you could say a catalyst for this whole mess would be DLC content that's still prevalent today. But even DLC content used to mean something. I remember when games launched at least near-completion and each individual DLC pack was the fries, or the drink, or the dessert. Now it seems like the F2P model sells each individual topping while the base game is merely the buns. You want sides? Better pony up the cash.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Talon_strikes

[Baldarhion]

Eric, after this "experimental thing", do you know if the devs will work on the game ?

[Zasszz]

LOL.. I found this to be quite ironic within this post of yours. pot meet kettle.

 

So of course you completely ignore the fact that one of the running themes in the forum for multiple years is players asking/demanding that some of the really desirable items from Cartel Packs be offered via direct sale.

 

The pricing of the item is certainly open to discussion/debate, but the fact that they offer a higher desired item to players via direct sell requires that you deliberately ignore the fact that players have in fact been asking the studio to do exactly what they are doing here.

 

Now..as to pricing.. actually .. like it or not.. given the fair market prices on the GTNs for this item, and given the current normal exchange rates in the player economy in terms of CCs -> Credits, they actually appear to have done their research and dialed in the pricing to be roughly the GTN fair market prices set by players in credits... converted to a CC price. I believe this was done so as to not undercut players selling the item for credits in game, which frankly is a good move by the studio.

Actually we have had many items on direct sale that were previously only available from packs. The difference with the arbiter lightsaber is that its a platinum item. No other reason is there to justify this insane pricetag. They didnt care about other items and their market value but this item is different? Hypocrites much?

[DarthDymond]

Eric, after this "experimental thing", do you know if the devs will work on the game ?

You mean like putting out a new type of group content like they did with the ten Uprisings they released across 5.0 and 5.1? Or putting out new story chapters like the 25 they released over the course of a year? Or putting out a new Daily Area, like they're doing next month? Or putting out a new Operation like the one they're starting to roll out next month? That sort of work on the game?

[TUXs]

You mean like putting out a new type of group content like they did with the ten Uprisings they released across 5.0 and 5.1? Or putting out new story chapters like the 25 they released over the course of a year? Or putting out a new Daily Area, like they're doing next month? Or putting out a new Operation like the one they're starting to roll out next month? That sort of work on the game?

An Ops boss every 2-months is hardly anything to be proud of. The new daily area may be interesting, and if they release a new one with every Ops boss, I'll be thrilled...but the time wasted on the horrible KOTFE/ET story has not paid off...nor the time wasted on Uprisings.

[Andryah]

Actually we have had many items on direct sale that were previously only available from packs. The difference with the arbiter lightsaber is that its a platinum item. No other reason is there to justify this insane pricetag. They didnt care about other items and their market value but this item is different? Hypocrites much?

 

Not true.

 

If you look at direct sales from the CM over time for items previously exclusive to packs ... they very much track fair market prices in game on a CC-to-Credits exchange rate basis. It is clear from this that they want to offer players demanding direct CM purchase options while at the same time not under-cutting, or promoting inflation, of in game fair market trade prices between players.

 

They do screw up a lot of things with this game in my view... but their price points on direct sell super rare items from packs IS NOT one them... at least not so far.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Andryah

[Moranine]

You mean like putting out a new type of group content like they did with the ten Uprisings they released across 5.0 and 5.1? Or putting out new story chapters like the 25 they released over the course of a year? Or putting out a new Daily Area, like they're doing next month? Or putting out a new Operation like the one they're starting to roll out next month? That sort of work on the game?

 

Isn't it funny how people claim there is no new content and then the minute they release new content they rush through it and then go back to complaining that there is nothing new?

 

There's a reason I jump around games. It's so I'm not burned out. I still haven't finished all the stories for the classes and I started this game when it first came out.

 

But on topic. If BW wanted to sell this for $60 and people will buy it for $60 dollars its of no importance to me. I don't care. It's for visual eye candy and that's all that matters. I mean, I've come from a game where if you wanted end game gear you had to pay upwards of $1,000+ from the in game shop to have it. That or grind for a year or two only to see the game has brought out something new. Thankfully this game isn't P2W cash shop.

[AscendingSky]

If people say it's their own choice to buy items like this and others should not complain or voice out their opinions about the ridicules high price for an vanity item that has no game value rather then showing off that you have the money to throw it away like it's toilet-paper , then where will this end? Why not agree that from now on the monthly fee will be 10$ more?

 

It's a free choice indeed to buy it or not, but their offering us to buy a f*cking animation/vanity item for the price of a full game! It's paying for skin to just stand out in the game, nothing more! How the bloody hell could people endorse this kind of crap or even try and justify it? I don't complain about the fact they buy or sell items, hell I buy it too, if the price ain't an insult and slap in my face.

 

I have no problem to pay for value, if you give players the value for what they are paying then I'm the last person to make a complaint. But the issue I have with this, is that Bioware/EA are trying to cash grab some vanity item because they noticed it's popular amongst the players, without even trying to make an effort to give more value for the asking price. What because it's star wars you think it's okay to offer such crap to us?

 

If your one of those players that think it's fine they offer this, or fine that someone would buy this crap then there is no point in trying to explain to you dimwits why this is just wrong from Bioware. It's shows little respect to the average player and the game in general as they use it to get a quick money grabbing run.

 

This practice is hurting gaming in general and yes we know EA is one of the dweeps behind those practices to see their players/costumers as nothing more then ******* they could ask money for utter crap items without any value. What's stopping them to pull the plug out of the game next month/year? What good would you have with this overpriced lightsaber item then?

 

It's getting out of control, if they see players are willing to pay for such items they will not stop with this lightsaber and perhaps going to increase everything else too. If you want to offer player something for such a price at least try and back it up with actual value.

 

As I said before, if you don't like it, don't buy it. If people vote with their wallets and don't buy the ugly thing for that high of a price, they'll have incentive to lower said price. I am totally in agreement with you that the price is too high, and I'm hoping EAWare sees low numbers of sales and ends up discounting it as a result. But it's still a voluntary purchase and not required for anyone to buy, so I'm not going to get into a froth about it.

 

People have been begging for highly desired items to be put up for direct purchase on the CM for literal years now, and of course EAWare are going to try to see how much money they can get out of their customers for it, this is literally pure profit for them. Again, yes, I agree the price for this is too high, and I think it would be a good idea to lower it if only to try to deal with the ludicrous price inflation that exists on this and other platinum items (on my server at least). But I don't consider it an insult or a 'slap in the face' that they are offering it, even though I agree I feel they are being outright greedy here... because again, it's an optional purchase and I don't need to buy it.

 

Also, comparing selling cosmetic items to increasing the monthly subscription fee is very much comparing apples and oranges. People have to pay the subscription fee if they want full access to all the game's features. If they wanted to jack up the subscription price a bunch after producing so little new content for so long, then absolutely, I'd loudly and enthusiastically protest that. However, we don't have to buy a stupid knockoff version of Kylo Ren's lightsaber for $60 bucks to get full access to the game. If people want to spend that much money on a bunch of pixels with no real value, let them.

Edited March 8, 2017 by AscendingSky

[Ratajack]

As I said before, if you don't like it, don't buy it. If people vote with their wallets and don't buy the ugly thing for that high of a price, they'll have incentive to lower said price. I am totally in agreement with you that the price is too high, and I'm hoping EAWare sees low numbers of sales and ends up discounting it as a result. But it's still a voluntary purchase and not required for anyone to buy, so I'm not going to get into a froth about it.

 

People have been begging for highly desired items to be put up for direct purchase on the CM for literal years now, and of course EAWare are going to try to see how much money they can get out of their customers for it, this is literally pure profit for them. Again, yes, I agree the price for this is too high, and I think it would be a good idea to lower it if only to try to deal with the ludicrous price inflation that exists on this and other platinum items (on my server at least). But I don't consider an insult or a 'slap in the face' that they are offering it, even though I agree I feel they are being outright greedy here... because again, it's an optional purchase and I don't need to buy it.

 

Also, comparing selling cosmetic items to increasing the monthly subscription fee is very much comparing apples and oranges. People have to pay the subscription fee if they want full access to all the game's features. They don't have to buy a stupid knockoff version of Kylo Ren's lightsaber for $60 bucks to get full access to the game.

 

If this experiment does not work, I would not expect to see lower prices in the future. i would expect that BW will simply not offer any platinum items for direct sale in the future.

 

To lower the price could "devalue" the items, something that BW seems to have been very careful not to do, up to this point.

[AscendingSky]

Well said.

 

There are some people that seem to think that they can write enough crap to cover up they don't know what they are talking about. Everyone knows about free market economics, they are not the next Keynes or Smith cause they make some vague comments about pricing. Its a digital item that was used as the lure for the cartel pack, its now being rehashed as a direct purchase for more than the game cost. Which is the issue, the development team seem more interest in milking their players at every step; Rather than deal with the issues that have caused subscribers to leave on mass, or deal with almost all servers light all the time they look to sell a single saber for 60 bucks.

 

The problem isn't with the item or the price. Its that they are more interested in the cartel market and ripping off morons (who are probably stealing the money from their parents) than they are of offering a compelling enjoyable experience. Hell they don't even acknowledge that the story focus for the last two years was basically a one size fits all, plot holed mess that at best was keeping up with the Valkorians with the player sidelined to the role of idioitic bruiser who gets betrayed by 90% of the people they meet.

 

I definitely agree that it's bad that EAWare focuses more on the cash shop than on the actual game. Absolutely. I wish that weren't the case.

 

That said, I do want to encourage them to offer more cartel pack items for direct purchase on the CM--for reasonable prices. I hate the gamble packs and how their drop rates on items players actually want (and how many items you get in each pack period) have shrunk substantially over time. I'd be much more likely to directly purchase items I want rather than spend money with no guarantee of getting something I am actually interested in.

 

I agree the $60 for that silly saber is too much, and that we should vote with our wallets to get through to EAWare that they've overreached here. I mean, losing sub revenue seemed to be the only thing they paid attention to when the negative backlash to GC started rolling in, it was the only thing that made them commit to producing actual worthwhile replayable content to this game.

 

However, EAWare is obviously considering the backlash from the whales here who like to flip items for huge credit amounts. They don't want to lose that revenue stream, so they don't want to piss them off by cutting into their virtual profits. So I see why they priced the item so high, even if I think it's silly and not at all worth the money personally.

Edited March 8, 2017 by AscendingSky

[Edyn]

Personally, I think if BW put out more comprehensive content that was released on a regular basis... comprehensive as in the original content: OPS, not Star Fortresses, Flashpoints, not Uprisings, explorable planets, not Chapters, Companion interactions/stories, not Alliance Alerts, etc... I wouldn't even blink at this direct purchase. I blink now because I think I'm at a point where BW appears to now be catering only to the lowest common denominator which keeps getting lower as MMO's get more and more popular. >.< This is why we get $60 direct vanity purchases and not $60 full expansions. BW is simply maximizing their revenue for minimal effort because we, the players, enable them.

 

*rocks in her rocking chair on her front the porch mumbling something about the good old days*

[cjewison]

Still waiting for the direct sale of the sensuous dress armor set!

 

I have no problem with direct sale items. In fact I embrace this!

[AscendingSky]

I haven't seen so many crybabies since casuals took over the game after 3.0. All these crybaby 4.0 /5.0 scrubs/guilds who couldn't clear NiM and HM content in 3.0 and pre-3.0 when they were relevant during gear tier and level. Get gooder.

 

Did you post in the wrong thread or are you just making a very poor attempt at trolling?

[IanArgent]

Teh next time I see someone say something to the effect of "why is BW wasting effort on cosmetic items when they could use it for $MY_FAVORITE_CONTENT$, I swear I'm going ot deliver a gross of copies of The Mythical Man Month, by orbital bombardment on their heads!

 

To a pretty close approximation Cartel Market items are basically busywork for the art department; and putting this on the Cartel Market wasn't even that.

[masterceil]

To a pretty close approximation Cartel Market items are basically busywork for the art department; and putting this on the Cartel Market wasn't even that.

 

This. Putting an existing item up for direct sale is so trivial, I wouldn't consider it a waste of the dev team's time. To be honest, I doubt any of them even had a thought about this, let alone had to implement it. Hell, Eric coulda been the one to edit the CM to include the saber

[Mavric]

I would love to buy this saber and other items like it. However, paying $60 worth of Cartel Coins for a single item is just bat **** crazy. Plus you would have to unlock in collections for even more coins. No matter how much I want this saber I will not pay $60 for a single item.

[-BlackDragon-]

lol of course the only platinum item i have ever got out of a pack goes on the CM. Looks like I will have to wait for a while till the price goes back up on the GTN again to sell it.

 

But there is hope that people will realize how stupid it is to buy a single saber for that much, gonna cross my fingers

Edited March 8, 2017 by -BlackDragon-

[Applejacxs]

Am I the only one here surprised they have not done this sooner with very popular items?

[aerockyul]

lol of course the only platinum item i have ever got out of a pack goes on the CM. Looks like I will have to wait for a while till the price goes back up on the GTN again to sell it.

 

But there is hope that people will realize how stupid it is to buy a single saber for that much, gonna cross my fingers

 

Wants to wait to charge people exorbitant amount of credits on GTN

 

Hopes people will realize how stupid it is to buy something for an exorbitant amount, meaning you would never be able to sell it for an exorbitant amount, as you said you want to do in the previous statement.

 

Did you mean to say you hope people will REMAIN stupid enough to buy your item at an exorbitant amount?

[Lium]

I would love to buy this saber and other items like it. However, paying $60 worth of Cartel Coins for a single item is just bat **** crazy. Plus you would have to unlock in collections for even more coins. No matter how much I want this saber I will not pay $60 for a single item.

 

This is exactly where I come down on the argument. At first I was like, cool! I fully support direct sale items on the CM, especially considering how over-inflated prices on the GTN are.

 

But only BioWare would put a single cosmetic item on sale for the price of an entire game. It's anvil-on-the-head-dropping stupid.

[LG_XxLegacyxX]

No in game item, unless a complete DLC expansion, should ever cross a $10-$15 threshold. In my opinion this is appalling. Yes, I could buy an entire new AAA title (like Andromeda for example), or tons of games through a steam sale.

 

I understand the rarity factor of the item, but that doesn't justify pricing it so high. 7600 Cartel Coins which roughly equates to about $55, for a Lightsaber, is ludicrous. Bundle it with a few other mythic rare items, or drop the price significantly!

 

The in game currency system is fictitious, and should never reflect real currency. It should always be adjusting. Hell, if I could buy the lightsaber for $10, I would, and so would a lot of people probably. It's easier than farming credits. That said, If I did farm the credits, at least the lightsaber would drop in price to maybe 10 million, instead of the whopping 55-60 million credit average.

 

At the end of the day, the game is meant to be enjoyed, and the better it is to access highly sought after content for people, the more people will enjoy the game. Make it easily available for people! F**K what the rarity is. Make the game last. Keep the player-base here. Do so by making the game fun, and not a cash hog, or credit farming grind. That will kill this game.

Edited March 8, 2017 by LG_XxLegacyxX