Cash Shop Discussion

[ShiroOu]

I have seen some people worried with the announcement of ToS as a F2P game so I would like to discuss some of the most common concerns when it comes to free to play MMOs monetization.

1. Pay To Win: This isn't anything new for developers or publishers, they know that cash shops that "sell power" have a high rejection among gamers. Non-paying customers will see the game as unfair, and the paying ones will eventually give up due to harassment suffered from the community for having a "pay2win" character, or for supporting an unfair system.
This is most likely to not happen, IMC staff seems to have more than enough background on the MMO business to avoid this kind of mistake.

2. Gacha systems (random payout): This, for me, is the number 1 issue when it comes to games monetization nowadays. Gacha systems are the main source of income in most games tha rely on cosmetic items as their form of monetization. The problem here is that gambling needs to bring frustration for most of the customers so a few can receive their rewards, and it usually takes a LOT of investment to that (i.e. Elsword: some people spend over 300 USD to drop all pieces of an IB set). Also gambling, in any form, is prohibited by law in some countries.
I really hope IMC don't take this way, but the system is indeed very profitable for the companies, and extremely frustrating for their customers, although the items sold aren't essential for a complete game experience.

3. Convenience shop: This is the less intrusive and for many players, the ideal way to monetize a game. The idea is to pay for small conveniences such as inventory space, character slots, free traveling, some free potions here and there and even exp/gold/commerce buffs. The problem with this system is when developers start to add paywals to their games as a way to force the players to pay to have a complete game experience, instead of make the game more appealing with the conveniences added. Instead of a better way to play, it becomes the only way to play.
This is a dangerous system when not made right, you need to know wich features your community judge as the most essential ones and keep them free of charge, at least to some extension. Instead of force the players to give you money, make they want to.

4. Costume cash shop: If you are not CCP I can't see how you can screw up with this. Just keep some cool costumes at affordable prices and people will buy them. Not sure how much profitable this kind of system is, but I don't think any player has a problem with it. So yeah, go on, do it IMC -_-


If you can think of any other issue that a MMO cash shop can bring please share with us.

Now what you guys are expecting from the ToS cash shop? Or just tell us how it looks like in your most perfect dreams

[fairyhell]

Well from my point of view,
In App Purchase (aka Cash Shop) is the only way Publisher can get their money back. If they can't do that, the game will be closed for sure, since they can't afford maintaining the server.
Be working in a game company, so I sympathize this issue.

But as a gamer, what I hate most is the a cash shop that stop player from progressing. You have this, did this, and if you want to progress, you have to pay. I will quit that game right away.

One other thing I don't like, is the Gambling Gacha, I prefer the Progression Gacha. You basically still gambling, but you get some kind of points each time. Save it up enough to get the item in the table right away.

For Cosmetic Cash Shop, it's underestimated. Some people willing to pay a lot for the item they like, just to look unique or #Fabulous. But if I for myself, see a costume I like with a ridiculous price. I'd be like "meh, i rather buy a real one than this, it's virtual after all"

[Schepter]

Regardless we're going to have some sort of cash shop. I just hope its cosmetics like clothing and what not. Ragnarok Online 2 had an interesting VIP membership that wasn't too overpowering. See here https://support.warpportal.com/KB/a582/ragnarok-online-2-vip-status.aspx

[holmwood]

I'm very much a fan of the cosmetics/convenience cash shop.

Gacha is a way of milking a small amount of existing playerbase. I would think this would be the inevitable direction if not enough players are paying for the direct purchase convenience items and costumes. On this note, I think the reason why games like LOL are able to abstain from Gacha is simply because they have a large amount of players to begin with, and revenue is not adversely affected if they didn't resort to Gacha. Players will still hoarde costumes through those promotional schemes that make [] costume available at [] time for a limited time.


Now the question is, should cash shop items be tradeable? I noticed that more and more games are allowing cash shop items to be traded. I was wondering if anyone with more forward knowledge would be able to explain the pros and cons of tradeable cash shop items.

[sumjs_5624]

(01-03-2015, 04:17 PM)ShiroOu Wrote: Now what you guys are expecting from the ToS cash shop? Or just tell us how it looks like in your most perfect dreams  

• All players have direct/indirect access to cash items.
• Cash items are not the source of permanent items that have considerable impact in the game. (Irrelevant rant: While writing this point, a thought popped in my head. What if equipments (EQ) are not permanent in the game, a game mechanic that determines the EQ will ultimately lost one day. Make the game more skill-dependent rather than gear-dependent. A condition that perhaps allows common EQ stays relevant into 'end game')
  

Perhaps I'll play this game in the same manner as Pay to Play game. Set a monthly spending limit in the game to support the game dev/publisher. (Limit will be raised if dev/publisher shows they care for the players and game, not just our pocket) 

[mocsscno]

I think the only problem would be the gacha assuming that there are no game breaking items in the cash shop. Gacha is like a scam in disguise, had to learn the lesson the hard way.

(01-04-2015, 12:15 AM)sumjs_5624 Wrote:

• All players have direct/indirect access to cash items.
• Cash items are not the source of permanent items that have considerable impact in the game. (Irrelevant rant: While writing this point, a thought popped in my head. What if equipments (EQ) are not permanent in the game, a game mechanic that determines the EQ will ultimately lost one day. Make the game more skill-dependent rather than gear-dependent. A condition that perhaps allows common EQ stays relevant into 'end game')
  

Perhaps I'll play this game in the same manner as Pay to Play game. Set a monthly spending limit in the game to support the game dev/publisher. (Limit will be raised if dev/publisher shows they care for the players and game, not just our pocket) 

I also wouldn't mind spending for a game where the developers and the publishers are taking good care of the game and their players.

[ShiroOu]

(01-03-2015, 08:18 PM)holmwood Wrote: Now the question is, should cash shop items be tradeable? I noticed that more and more games are allowing cash shop items to be traded. I was wondering if anyone with more forward knowledge would be able to explain the pros and cons of tradeable cash shop items.

The problem with tradable cash shop items is how you control their impact on game economy.

First of all you need to control how much coin one item will generate during its life time. Systems like seals and trading fees are required so a item would never generate too much gold.
After that you need to tune your money sink mechanics in a way that it prevents paying customers from inflating the economy but without disturbing the game experience of your non-paying customers (i.e. Death fees based on your total gold, repair fees based on item quality, etc.). You also need to control the paying customers income by putting limitations on the cash shop or the market.
Also you need to make sure that your market is still affordable for your non-paying customers. Selling cash shop items should just be a form of skip some grinding, and not allow you to afford things that otherwise you would never be able to.

But when done right tradable cash items are a great way to boost developers income and the system has a good reception among paying customers and non-paying customers.

[Oriceles]

The 4th one is what MOBA's usually do and I think they get enough money from that.

[ecaflip]

I'm perfectly fine with a cash shop selling boosters and other convenience items, heck I'm fine them selling premium subscriptions as long as it doesn't screw the f2p players in the ass. Successful f2p games, unfortunately, have some form of power exchange in the cash shop. The trick is, because of how in tuned MMO consumers are, is to mask your power exchange as 'progression' or 'unlocks' or as MOBAs do 'insert IGC cost/ lower RL money cost'. Sure, they're giving the paying player an actual advantage, but they're giving the player power to skip content or grind with real money. Even though it's not concrete advantage, it's potential advantage and unsuspecting whales will chomp down on that like to tomorrow. You gotta be crafty when making a cash shop to dodge around p2w accusations. It especially works in your favor when you convince the sheep playing your game to parrot what you say about your cash shop not being pay2win.

[Phantasystar]

Just give me the RO1 type cash shop and I will be able to keep playing. If it's a p2w type cash shop then I won't even bother playing what could have been a great game. TERA Online also has a decent setup.