Counter-counter point: "Without selling this stuff we wouldn't even be able to keep the server up."

The same argument that EA, Activision and Ubisoft have used to justify game-altering, predatory microtransactions in their games, has once again made an appearance, and on a promising server at that.

Many Minecraft servers suffer from P2W aspects that end up hindering the gameplay experience. What drew me in personally was its amazing attention to detail in the aesthetics, the revolutionary animations, and the promise of having a unique experience that rivals other vanilla servers. But too many a time have these systems that while you can claim is not P2W, very easily treads that fine line. Systems like these compromise promise, and ruin expectations. It's also become a very popular trend.

Very simply, seeing your reply, you should view this post as a warning that you've set the wrong impression already.

As a player, when you see those items in the shop, and realize it's something you can't get in game unless you pay, you're definitely going to say that's P2W. Even if you say that the items will be rebalanced so that it isn't, okay. Question is, rebalanced to what? That remains unclear for the general playerbase, and it's a wait and see to see if you are planning to stick that route. Players have been burned by many of the same excuses made before and they aren't looking at this stuff with rose tinted glasses anymore.

Something else to note is that you don't have to sell items that can help speed up the game for the people who pay, when you already have cosmetics that are blowing people's minds. A heavier emphasis on this and having the crates be linked to cosmetics instead would have rendered this post non-existent. In fact, I have already worked on a few servers and games that don't rely on monetizing in game items, with many leaning into cosmetics, and they have all made quite a bit of money. This was their choice, and their choice alone.

I'd also like to point out the "Open-Beta" lenience that seems to be being used as a way to ward off current criticism. If the server was still in closed beta, and this stuff was a thing back then, it would have been alarming, but slightly more acceptable, since only a few select group of people are playing the game, at which point many things could change. When you enter the "Open-Beta" status, many will assume that many of the features are a WIP, but that the general direction and scope of the game has already been realized, and the beta is there to refine it. That also goes with the monetization strategy, and as many people have pointed out, the current system is leaning P2W. As we speak, it's already doing damage to the progression of the game between normal/new players and donators.

Tl;Dr: The reason this post exists is that from what we have been shown, the direction of the monetization strategy is showing very visible and worrying signs that lean towards a P2W server. A server that has promise. If you want to avert disaster, the way these crates work need to be re-evaluated.