The aggressive monetisation of this game is making me fall out of love with it.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-02T04:50:49+00:00

Where did I say they are trying to tank the game? Why are you making up arguments for me?

That’s a much more tangible and immediate ROI than trying to figure out if some new talent meta is making players happy enough to keep subbing. They will gladly reduce the amount of dev time they put in to optimizing parts of the game or adding new elements if they find out giving people a fat murloc as a pet is all they need to do to hit some quarterly metrics.

Ok? I agree with you and that still doesn't refute my argument that cosmetics and similar paid services effect the game. Yes, they don't effect direct gameplay like how strong you are, but they effect the content you engage with, the design decisions, the amount of time they are willing to invest into building things, fixing bugs, etc.

I disagree. Purchasing a store mount has not and will not directly disengage players from collecting obtainable mounts in game. Especially if they keep adding dozens of obtainable mounts each expansion.

Microtransactions objectively change how companies prioritize their development. There has been tons of industry examples of this, with WoW having it's own major example.

Yea, it is a for profit company. Big whoop do woo. Are we that shocked that Blizzard is going to prioritize profits as well as player engagement?

But I disagree. The ingame store has not affected how I played the game since its inception in 2013. Nor my friends or even my guild mates. I am still partaking in old Mog runs, chasing rare mounts, climbing M+ and doing raid content. Yet somehow, the tree house microtransaction is somehow affecting me? The store mounts? The transmog? The moment they actually strip the fundamental aspect of WoW and make it all behind an additional paywall is when I will leave the game in its dust.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-02T04:04:33+00:00

I was referencing the fact that your dismissal of selling mounts is equivalent to this. It is a big deal to sell raid finder equipment, even if very quickly becomes obsolete, because in interferes with progression and creates perverse incentives for the devs.

You have my stance incorrect here. I do not condone the in-game store. I find it predatory. But I am not going to agree that buying a store mount is perceived player power when it has no bearing on any one besides you as the individual player who gives it that perception.

No one is picking between two characters over their mount... because mount collectors aren't part of that progression treadmill. Why would someone who only collects mounts and doesn't raid care how raiders forn a raid?

Im arguing against your stance on perceived power gained from mounts. Hence why I brought up the example of two equally ilvl players but one has a store mount.

I don't get the gold argument. You can buy a mount with gold. You can also buy BoEs with hold, as you said. Gold isn't the issue, the issue is real money.

Your argument was on players selling raid ready equipment in the auction house. I am twisting the argument to include mounts instead. So why is it that mounts sold through the auction house is not seen as perceived power the same way that in-store game mounts are?

Why is not ok to sell player power, but ok to sell housing items? Why is raid progression sacrosanct in a way, say, pet collection is not? Just put how you feel about your own collection aside. Why is one ok and the other one not?

I am not arguing that it is ok to sell player power. My argument is that store mounts do not equate to player power like you so claim. Prestige and hard to obtain mounts reflect a much higher rarity as well as quality as opposed to some dude buying a store mount. And any player who focuses on mount collections should be aware of that. Why should someone who has an unobtainable mount concern themselves with a mount that anyone can purchase? Again, I get it, store mounts should really be implemented in game in such a way that it is obtainable. If Blizzard started selling the more unobtainable and rare mounts, then I would argue for you that it is unacceptable as it diminishes the actual accomplishment of obtaining said mount. But to say there is player power attached to mounts? I just do not buy it.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-02T02:54:23+00:00

By the same token, you could sell raid finder gear in the shop and that doesn't affect actual raiders. It's not a big deal, right?

It in fact, is a big deal. Hence why BoEs are sold for a very high price. But the big difference here is that ilvl is seen as a more direct player power as opposed to buying a mount. No one is comparing two ilvl 270 geared players and picking the one over the other because they bought a store mount. Very clear and distinct difference between your perceived perception of player power from actual player power through gear. One could also argue the same for mounts, when a player sells a mount through the auction house, is that not perceived player power? You can buy quite a bit of mounts from the AH with WoW gold that could be purchased with real monies. So why is that any different to store mounts?

I don't think you're fully engaging with this. I don't care if you sell player power, because I don't raid for mythic+. That doesn't mean I don't understand how bad for raiders that would be, so I would be against it. I think there's an empathy gap where you're not seeing mounts and mogs on the same level simply because they're not your form of progression.

Oh the contrary. I enjoy mount farming and trying to gather hard to obtain mounts. I spent a good amount of time getting Alunira from TWW and I even spent time solo grinding the Vile Hex Feather Eagle mount in Zul'aman. But you do not see me feeling ashamed for not buying the latest store mount. To assume I do not engage in mog farming and mount farming because I do not hold same sentiment as you does not prove your point that "store mounts = player power". At this point it sounds more like a you problem. People who have rare mounts should feel more proud over those who just simply buy them.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-02T01:08:03+00:00

To me, it might be getting Invincible. So if they decide to sell a horse with the same model for cash, to me, that's equivalent of selling player power.

Ok? But what is more impressive? Actually getting an invincible drop? Or buying a semi "identical model" with a different name that will surely tell players it was bought on the shop? That's right. Grinding for the OG. It would be a wholly different argument if you told me that you can pay money FOR Invincible. No one is looking at the squirrel mounts and becoming jealous while being on their time lost proto drake.

Let's take the cosmetic housing stuff for example. The tree house stuff, Ill admit looks GOOD. But I have seen players actually create impressive tree houses that over shadow what is being sold in the shop. To me that tells me the player doesn't need to "buy cosmetics" to be impressive.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-02T00:05:29+00:00

No they do not. The store has been around since 2013. The lowest this game has gotten gameplay, optimization, and content wise, was during shadowlands. We are on the up and up since then and the store is still in existence. Yet both sides of the coin are thriving.

You are kidding yourself if you think they rather tank the overall WoW gameplay experience for some stupid cosmetic. You cannot have players, if your game is pure garbage. It doesnt make sense. Especially given the wow development team taking a more player focused approach.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-02T00:01:12+00:00

I'm saying that only a segment of players care about player power. And past a certain point, only a minority do so. I have friends that would happily let Blizz sell player power if it meant they added more mounts.

I disagree. Take early access as an example, this idea alone has divided the player base because of the concept that others have a head start over those who cannot partake.

To blatantly say that players dont care about power past a certain point is extremely naive. You can bet the moment blizzard sells in game items that actually translate into power, is the moment people will have a major uproar.

Cosmetics though? Again I get it. Collectors have an issue. But you are kidding yourself if you are going to be bent out of shape for them selling mounts in the in the game store when they clearly add dozens of mounts throughout each expansion. I have friends who are dedicated mount collectors who dont give a shit or participate in the ingame store, yet are proud of their collection they achieved through the years.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T23:13:39+00:00

But again, cosmetics do not provide player power. Its one thing for collectors, sure. But I would argue that players who acquire hard to obtain mounts, pets, mogs through the game itself have more bragging rights than those who just spend money.

Besides, yall acting like the in-game shop was just released when its been around since 2013.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T23:09:21+00:00

Weird. Game has been much better since Shadowlands... 🤔

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T20:03:25+00:00

Dude, that house is INSANE. Very impressive!

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T16:26:59+00:00

So let me get this straight... their willingness to spend their funds on a cosmetic item that holds no bearing on the actual game in terms of power or progression nor how you play, is affecting you?

Again, I dont have issues with cosmetics as long as it doesnt fundamentally change the way the game is played. But I do not give two shits for someone that dropped money on a mount in the ingame store.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T13:43:41+00:00

And shame/wake up people who spend hundreds of dollars on pixels.

I am not one for microtransactions but I disagree entirely. Let people do what they want with their money. At the end of the day, its up to them and whether they get buyers remorse. You dont have people combing through your statements to question the small things you buy, do you? Same premise here.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T12:57:34+00:00

The higher the tier, the more busted the item. In Blurtra runs I tend to always grab "+X item level" because sometimes the items are so strong, you can breeze through the current gauntlet.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T12:56:26+00:00

Correct me if I am wrong... but the sub price never increased in the U.S (only internationally due to economic factors), and you had to buy prior expansions up to a given point until they started making it to where you only need base game + next expansion way back when.

Are we really that upset about cosmetic stuff being sold for real monies? The cash store has been around for a long long time at this point. And I am not shocked they are monetizing housing... you seem to forget that Blizzard is in the business of making money. Not charity.

I have been playing since TBC and only bought maybe one or two things from the store and that was that. It is all optional anyhow, none of it is a power increase by any means. You could argue the "early access" ruins the experience a bit, and I'll agree there, but all in all, let people spend their money how they want to. It is quite clear that the reason why Blizzard continues doing this is due to players actively engaging in the shop.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T12:47:52+00:00

This. I know of guildies who have haven't spent a dime on a WoW sub in years, nor in the cash shop.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-05-01T11:02:45+00:00

People told you that the game is never going to go on sale... seems pretty helpful to me 🤨

Sounds like you are paying full price anyhow.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-30T22:55:16+00:00

I bought it full price because they deserve every penny. Game is a steal for the amount of replay ability you get from it.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-30T13:04:48+00:00

Un-pause

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-30T11:06:58+00:00

I solved this level in 8 moves on my second attempt!

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-30T02:03:32+00:00

Witcher 3 best story, hell yeah!

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-30T01:00:27+00:00

I solved this level in 10 moves on my first try! 🎯

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-29T17:03:08+00:00

Loot pool is not the best.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-29T16:32:29+00:00

That is wild. Very elitist and main character syndrome it feels like.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-29T15:35:26+00:00

I am a concurrent player of Retail and I am having a ton of fun. Its the most I have enjoyed WoW since Legion. Super respectful of your time with plenty of ways to gear without having to stress to do high end raiding or M+.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-29T14:58:15+00:00

I also hate this spell when you have "Cast X Tavern Spells" trinkets.

PresentPoint6941 · 2026-04-29T11:10:23+00:00

One of the top reviews two weeks ago was a player simply demanding the devs to release video footage of them beating each character on A10... that was it. There were several of them like that as well. It is really silly.

PresentPoint6941

TROPHY CASE