Breakfast Topic: Presenting the ever-accessible auction house!
by Kelly Aarons 
Feb 5th 2010 at 8:00AM
So a few days ago, word was released that Blizzard is working on a new feature for the ever-changing armory...they're going to add auction house access without being in-game!
Now, I don't know about you, but I find that all kinds of awesome. I love playing the auction house (it's oddly satisfying...don't ask), and have many times in the past simply logged on to check my auctions to see how they were doing. Personally, I find this to be an amazingly convenient ability for the armory. Unfortunately, the dreaded 'p-word' has reared its ugly head:
Premium.
Most of us know that 'premium features' will usually equal 'if you want it, let's see some green.' I have to say that I wasn't super impressed with the idea of paying for yet another feature, but in today's world of micro-transactions and the like, would you pay extra money for that kind of convenience? Take the iPhone app, for example. Say the 'freemium' version is, well, free, and the premium armory--complete with auction house tracking--is...an extra five dollars. As far as micro-transactions go, that's not too shabby. Honestly? I'd pay it.
So what do you guys think? Are you excited about the auction house tracking in the WoW Armory? Do you think it's the worst idea ever? If you like it, would you pay for it? Yes/no/banana?
Discuss!
Now, I don't know about you, but I find that all kinds of awesome. I love playing the auction house (it's oddly satisfying...don't ask), and have many times in the past simply logged on to check my auctions to see how they were doing. Personally, I find this to be an amazingly convenient ability for the armory. Unfortunately, the dreaded 'p-word' has reared its ugly head:
Premium.
Most of us know that 'premium features' will usually equal 'if you want it, let's see some green.' I have to say that I wasn't super impressed with the idea of paying for yet another feature, but in today's world of micro-transactions and the like, would you pay extra money for that kind of convenience? Take the iPhone app, for example. Say the 'freemium' version is, well, free, and the premium armory--complete with auction house tracking--is...an extra five dollars. As far as micro-transactions go, that's not too shabby. Honestly? I'd pay it.
So what do you guys think? Are you excited about the auction house tracking in the WoW Armory? Do you think it's the worst idea ever? If you like it, would you pay for it? Yes/no/banana?
Discuss!
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Necroso Feb 5th 2010 8:04AM
banana.
Banic Rhys Feb 5th 2010 8:40AM
Oh HUR HUR HUR...
If it's free, I'll probably use it, if it costs money then !@#$ Blizzard.
krizzlybear Feb 5th 2010 8:54AM
I'd even pay 2 bananas. 3 might be pushing it.
Jason Feb 5th 2010 9:50AM
I believe you are grossly mistaken, Banic. I know several million people who are happy to shell out $15 a month to Blizzard.
Cris Feb 5th 2010 9:55AM
My colleagues thought I was insane when I started to spasmodically tremble trying to keep back my laughs xD
You should have advised the NSFW content man =)
Bryan Dare Feb 5th 2010 12:13PM
Terra cotta pie!!
MightyBurebista Feb 5th 2010 3:31PM
Gentlemen, gentlemen...
Bananaphone.
That should cover it.
omedon666 Feb 5th 2010 8:05AM
Hehe, it will save me the flurry of texts to my guildies:
"It's down to HOW much?! Buybuybuy! I'll pay you back when I get off work!!"
Falgorn Feb 5th 2010 8:54AM
You know... my biggest problem paying for this is that it *could* be free. The more of these micro transactions that people sign up for, the more investors are going to push for the broadening of this service to the point where each new patch brings a new "only $5 extra can get you an extra 2% crit rating".
Maybe it wont go that far, but we endorse the addition of costs to features by agreeing to pay them in the first place. This is an external app and perhaps there are going to be interface costs, but I still worry that Blizzard might use this as a template for future cost based additions.
I think games should be subscription based or micro transaction based. I think an mixture of the two is putting too much pressure on a game which already has a massive player base (many of whom would feel obliged to pay if doing so kept them competitive). And don't forget - the Auction house is a big part of why some people who love trading play, and this app *will* be essential for them to stay competitive.
/2 cents
snowleopard233 Feb 5th 2010 9:37AM
Why’d this guy get downvoted? I found the image of a wall street filled with bank alts yelling into cell phones then desperately raising their hands hilarious.
Psiwave Feb 5th 2010 10:17AM
How will this app become 'required'
I'm not an auction house junkie, but I do use it to sell metals and what have you which need me to be online to mine anyway so this app isn't for me.
I really can't see how it'll make a difference to the game or economies to any real extent. You can already log on at any time to run your auctions through the wow client. With this addmittedly more people will be able to pop on at work and play but you are kidding yourself if you think that the crazy 'big players' on the auction house don't already have 18+hour a day access. Either working from home with wow minimised, or doing nothing else at all.
Res Feb 5th 2010 10:28AM
I think micro transactions make a HUGE leap when they go beyond minor conveniences or vanity items to things like 2% crit. If Blizz ever started that kind of stuff, they'd lose a lot of credibility with the gaming community in general. I really don't they'd ever let you increase stats or abilities by anything other than actually playing the game.
I don't mind a pet for $10 or access to the AH outside of the game for whatever. As a company it's their job to make as much money as possible, and part of that is keeping themselves popular as a company.. adding buyable (useful) items or stats would throw their reputation out the window along with many players who couldn't afford to remain competitive.
Bronwyn Feb 5th 2010 11:37AM
@Falgorn-
I don't buy that kind of slippery slope mentality when it comes to Blizzard, at least not until their gaming philosophy changes drastically. In other words, as long as they are still concerned with game balance, they're not going to make things that directly influence your effectiveness as a player something you have to pay for.
Honestly, I think in this case we just have to have faith that they won't ruin the game for the sake of microtransactions. Because, honestly, can you imagine the backlash? There was a small backlash about the purchaseable mini-pets, but the kind of thing you're suggesting is pretty much across-the-board not cool (aside from people who buy characters and the like, probably). I can't imagine that Blizzard would make more back on the microtransactions than they would lose for the people who would ragequit over that.
omedon666 Feb 5th 2010 11:45AM
@Bronwyn
Your "faith" comment could actually solve a LOT of WoW-bitching, and I wish more people would remember "faith" when their class gets NERF'ed, when content changes developmental direction, or when "new rules" (X-Server NBG...) come into play.
People, trust Blizz, or don't, and vote with your time/money, spending accordingly. :)
...and always have fun!
Crowqueen Feb 5th 2010 12:27PM
Faith is a relatively outmoded concept these days, sadly.
Falgorn Feb 5th 2010 12:31PM
@Bronwyn
I agree with you, and I do have faith in Blizzard - (Activision perhaps not so much) but I agree that my 'slippery slope' theory was excessive (though sufficient to illustrate the point).
What I do fear however is that as iphones / ipads and similar mobile technology becomes more powerful and prolific (and I'm not talking about the distant future here), associated charges will be archaic and stifling (not dissimilar to when the Internet first became an every day consumer good).
It's already very expensive in Ireland to go online from mobile platforms, and if you are paying on top of this for access to various services you will wind up with a hefty bill, and the fact that this app is directly pointed at mobile technology sets a worry trend for all the world to observe and potentially copy.
The other thing is that other similar apps (say - access to mini games that affect your character, or even eventually a mobile wow) will look at how this plays out and charge depending on how willing people seem to pay (or perhaps not at all if they appear unwilling!)
Anyway - sorry for the paranoia, shouldn't be reading 1984 so often.
... bloody good read though!
Ellie Feb 6th 2010 4:41AM
Well, I do trust Blizzard and I do have fun when playing, but I won't be happy if Blizzard starts charging RL money for stuff that will give players an edge in the game.
Selling a few pets is ok. Selling fancy clothes or a hat with a stuffed vulture would also be ok. Selling +2% crit, armour or weapons would definitely not be ok.
Selling out-of-game access to auction house? I lean towards the opinion that that would not be ok. Players with 24/7 access to auction house would be able to earn more gold playing AH than the rest of us and that would give them an in-game edge.
Swifteye Feb 5th 2010 8:05AM
I wouldn't pay for it. If I have time to be screwing around with my auctions, I have time to actually log into WoW... of course I don't have the kind of job that grants me net access from work (unlike some people who may be able to get to the Armory but just not install WoW itself on their work computers), so I'm only doing WoW stuff from home on my off hours.
Don't want to come across as cheap, though; I *have* paid for a faction change, and I would pay for a non-combat pet if they came out with one I actually liked. This particular service just doesn't interest me enough to open up my wallet.
That having been said, I LOVE all the other recent changes they've made to the Armory, I'm very happy they're free, and I've been spending a LOT more time on the Armory than I used to!
Expo Feb 5th 2010 10:35AM
I agree.
For me, WoW time is free time. I don't want/need to be plugged into a WoW I.V. drip every waking moment. In a way I'm glad it might a "premium" based service, as it would provide, for me, a disincentive to use it; $15 a month is my limit.
Besides, I'm not THAT hard up for gold to the point where I need to "day-trade".
loop_not_defined Feb 5th 2010 11:38AM
I'm glad they're not spending my $15/month to add functionality I could never use, even if I wanted to.