Forum post of the day: Retroactive recruitment
by Amanda Dean 
Aug 8th 2008 at 2:57AM
Blizzard does not particualry appreciate petitions on the official forums. This does not stop players from starting them. Lyccan of Ner'zhul started a petition in the Suggestion forum to make the Recruit-a-Friend benefits retroactive. At this time Blizzard has announce no current plans to give these rewards to folks who have brought players into the game in the past.
Most of us are pretty open about our love or World of Warcraft, and many of us have invited our friends and family to join us in WoW. In the past, the joy of sharing the game and a potential game-time buddy was enough to bring our friends into the game.
The rules have changed. Now that new recruits are rewarded with a fancy new mount and some snazzy bonus experience, many who have brought friends into the game want those rewards as well. Calliope of Ysera echoed the sentiments of many with, "I think this reward system should go for all players who recruited in the past as well. This is like a slap in the face to those who already brought Blizz customers."
Blizzard doesn't see a need to make these rewards retroactive. This is a move to entice new players. Theoretically it will also keep existing players happy if they manage to recruit new players into the game. There is very little point in being bitter, many things have changed in WoW, like decreases in mount prices, that the developers have not seen fit to make retroactive.
Is WoW's popularity waning enough to warrant Blizzard turning it into a gamer's pyramid scheme? I have a friend who's been itching to give WoW a try, with the new incentives, I may just buy him a copy.
Filed under: Fan stuff, Blizzard, Forums, Forum Post of the Day
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
mike Aug 8th 2008 3:23AM
The thing that bugs me about the recruit a friend is that you can't give the zhevra mount to the person you recruit. This doesn't make a lot of sense to me - my friend who I've been trying to get into WoW said he'd definitely play if he got to ride a Zebra. But since the mount has to go to the recruitER, no dice. :\
Ronix Aug 8th 2008 3:34AM
I can understand why they'd not want retroactive recruitment - it could dilute the purpose of the promotion.
But, to deny the benefits to people whose invited friends are still on the 10 day trial or the 1st game month? Sheesh! If anything, it would make sure that these players not only join, but STAY and continue to give them 15 USD a month.
I think if people haven't paid the 2 months yet required for, say, the mount bonus, that they should at the very least give the mount if these accounts do pay. Missing out on incentives to these specific new recruits/recruiters is just limiting the number of players they could retain.
Aracross Aug 8th 2008 6:10AM
You know, some incentives should be the game, and all that. Is not like they're elitist who will only join a new game if they get a Zebra when they hit 60.
tanek Aug 8th 2008 3:35AM
While there are quite a few people who say they won't be happy unless Blizzard gives the mount to everyone who has *ever* recruited a friend, many more are looking for a moderate policy that will make anyone who recently recruited a friend not think, "man, if I'd only have waited a couple of weeks/days/hours."
I think a 10 day (the length of a trial) retroactive period would be reasonab;e if it is possible.
And, mount issues aside, I don't see this new recruitment policy as a pyramid scheme to get in new players so much as it is another recognition that it is a long way to the top and will soon be getting longer with Wrath's cap moving to 80.
They have already increased the leveling speed from 20 to 60, but the climb, while it can be lots of fun (I enjoy questing and instances, even if they are low level), is still daunting to those just joining the game and have friends who have been playing a while. The summoning and triple xp parts of the offer are there to lessen the impact.
Will the next expansion bring us to 90? The way things are going, it looks like it will. At that point, I'm not sure if even this will be enough and WoW may have to go in a new direction to remain enticing to a new recruit. But that is a ways off just yet. :)
Larry-Steve Aug 8th 2008 3:37AM
Lol, I'm beside myself with how many people are making second accounts JUST for the mount.
The increased levelling speed for you and friend is insane though. It totally trivializes that necessary evil (for some): grinding.
Have they said exactly how it will work? We know that you can summon people you've gotten to play to you and that when grouped you gain more exp, but is that for ALL of your friend's characters or just the first?
You could easily get 2 people to do this with fresh accounts and just blast out 2/3 70's a piece to await WotLK.
tanek Aug 8th 2008 3:47AM
As far as I can see, it would be for any character on your friend's account partied with any character on your account (as long as the mobs and quests are not grey to either character). It only lasts for 90 days and only up to level 60, though.
Larry-Steve Aug 8th 2008 5:37AM
Ah, new details. Thanks.
Would be interesting to gauntlet those 90 days to see how many 60's one could get...
ThorinII Aug 8th 2008 8:53AM
If you did create a new acct to get the mount, in the end you would only have paid $15 for it. Once the 2nd account pays for 2 months, your acct is credited for 30 days of play. Therefore you get half of the 2nd accts payment back.
However, this doesn't appear to be a swift mount, so it would only be for show and it's likely there will be a lot of them. Kind of pointless IMO.
Eh? Aug 18th 2008 7:10AM
ThorinII
You are talking about the "Swift Zhevra Mount" that you get as the reward for the 2 month payment right?
http://www.wowwiki.com/Swift_Zhevra
Siara Aug 8th 2008 3:49AM
Now lets just hope they make recruit a friend, available to everyone.. It really sucks to be one of those that cant recruit a friend because you live in a certain country.
Vepa Aug 8th 2008 4:06AM
Good thing I made a pally first. I'll use him to power level all of my other characters on a different account. Mwhahaha.
theremover Aug 8th 2008 6:52PM
I recruited someone a few weeks ago and was supremely frustrated when I learned of this.
Matazuma Aug 8th 2008 4:13AM
Promotions are promotions.
Stick whit it blizzard do not bend down stay firm!!!
Hudders Aug 8th 2008 4:13AM
I can see a lot of people quitting WoW, just to be reinvited again.
And then some people who quit, intending to be reinvited but then just think: "nah".
Alex Aug 8th 2008 4:22AM
Only gripe i have is that my friend signed up 2 weeks before this and the benefits last 90 days.
Retroactive the last 90 days. >=O
Ben Harris Aug 8th 2008 4:59AM
Did they actually come out and say the mount won't be applied retroactively? I've read a mountain of forum posts and haven't seen a word yet.
tanek Aug 8th 2008 5:36AM
Yes. GMs have said that it is not being applied retroactively and they have directed players who would like to see that policy change to the Suggestions Forum.
Farfromout Aug 8th 2008 4:28AM
Me and a friend have rerolled using this.
Let me tell you: Its awesome.
The levelling speed is fantastical.
We got to level 10 in about an hour. You level every 3 quests, or so, and its great.
Both of you have to get experience from mobs in order for the triple to work, ergo no boosting.
But its easy enough anyway. WE have just got to the frst 'Inn' as Blood Elfs, and We are both level 10, where mobs are about 5. Quests will be easy, gear will be replaced very often..
Thank god for rich mains!
James Jung Aug 8th 2008 4:41AM
I can imagine myself creating another account just for the mount :)
Dhardt Aug 8th 2008 5:05AM
Even if blizz wanted to do it retroactive how can they prove who got who in the game the way this is working is they have to join with the information in the email you send from the blizz site.