Blizzard looking to "monetize" Battle.Net

pfft
so how about it imagine? easy minerals?

i really hope they don't charge for it, i'd rather pop ups...

 

I doubt they'll have stuff like that. They seriously can't start charging players for the chance for unique weapons to drop, they've been working hard on the inventory system so that you can hold much more than you did in Diablo2, and lastly, they want players to experiment with all classes.

To elaborate more on each example, they've added more of a unique emphasis on items for Diablo3. At the moment, items are the only way you really have any control over which Stats you want raised, due to Stats being automatically distributed now. Not to mention that they've always wanted Diablo3 to actually feel epic, and they won't be able to do that if they prevent unique items from dropping. About the inventory system, they've said that the problem with Diablo2 was that you didn't have enough space to hold your stuff and the value of items was also based on their size as opposed to just being how good they are. Because your inventory filled up so quickly, especially when Charms were introduced, players had to make constant trips back to town, which is again something they wanted to get rid of for Diablo3. They've said that they don't want leaving town to be a decision you make lightly, that they want you to be able to venture for ages without needing to return, and that they don't want you to be able to just instantly return to the safety of the town, which is why I think they've removed Town Portals but I'm not sure, so all that would be ruined if they made you have to buy a larger inventory. As for having to buy more characters, they want you to be able to experiment, not only with other classes, but with different builds of the same classes as well.

From what I've heard, the microtransactions will be based on Battle.Net features, like forming guilds, etc, and not on features of the games themselves.

Yeah, but as I said, they're coming up with new systems to fix that, so I doubt they'd then make you have to buy it separately. I reckon if they tried that, it they'd make a lot less out of those features than they otherwise would, and they would simply go to waste.

Besides, the members of the Diablo3 Battle.Net forum will literally storm Blizzard headquarters, steal and reprogram Diablo3, produce and sell it themselves without all that crap, then burn Blizzard headquarters to the ground with Jay Wilson still inside and unable to escape before they let that happen. And yes, I do mean literally.

 

I don't know about World Of WarCraft players, but I bought all three StarCraft box arts. Granted, I didn't do that all at once nor on purpose. This was before burners were popular and cheap and I was 8 and I had a habit of messing up my discs so I bought another one about a year after.. The other box art was my brother's

 

WoW has different box arts now?
Warcraft before expansion had one art for every race. (Well, we only got Thrall, but there were 4 in USA )
And I don't mean buying new box because the disc broke, I think there were people buying all 4 on launch

 

I wouldn't mind there being "Core Bnet" which was completely free, then if you wanted this shiney new extra feature, you'd have to drop X dollars to have it. As long as I can go through bnet free, that seems fine.

 

I'd actually prefer it if it meant new content where we wouldn't get it .. like after the expansions. I was practically begging for new content for Diablo 2 around 2003 / 2004 .. Granted.. We got the v1.10 patch, but still. I'd be willing to pay for certain content.

 

I reckon a lot of people would, but even among those people, not to mention the people who wouldn't, I reckon a lot of them would feel it's unfair to restrict certain content to certain users. Unless you're talking about a universal fee, which would anger almost everyone.

I reckon they should keep the microtransactions, provided they end up deciding to implement them, to features that are more.... 'Extracurricular', I guess. Basically, things that don't affect the standard gameplay. All users should be equally as well-off when playing, but then if a group wants to form a clan or something, something which wouldn't really affect gameplay at all but would give the members the benefits of the clan, then they should be able to 'buy' one.

 

I just really hope Battle.net is still free. It would suck because millions of people who played Starcraft on Battle.net have to pay to play the sequel to their original game against other people. The whole point of Starcraft is to play against other people besides finishing the storyline. Also, someone posted a link to some site that said Activision had something to do with the trilogy, I agree in part. Activision has ruined some games before and now this. why are some companies so f*cked up? Also, the trilogy split is a both good and bad idea. Good because there will be more in depth storyline and we won't be left with a cliffhanger. Bad because we have to wait long just to get another part of a game.

 

@ Darktemplar_L. This, which has been posted in another thread, has confirmed that Activision has nothing to do with it, so you can forget that theory.

Also, who's to say there won't be a cliffhanger at the end of each part?

 

If i have to pay periodically to play SC2 online, then honestly I might just buy the 3 games to play the single player games and custom games.

Some people just play online games a few times a month, you know when Im not busy with life, and I don't see myself paying a monthly fee for a game I might only play once or twice a month, or not at all...

 

If there's ANY FUNDING OF BLIZZARD to go on B.Net.

I'm dropping all my Blizzard games and leaving the forums.

Serially.

 

I'm with Willy.

I have an extreme dislike for having to pay for things on the internet. I dont play sc1 for single player and wont buy sc2 for single player, and if I need to pay to do multiplayer, I'm not even going to buy the game.

That's the main reason I bought sc1 in the first place, I can play online with other people for free. The only reason I've never played/ will never play WoW is due to the monthly charge.

I'm a nearly broke college student, so my dislike to dishout any amount of money on the interwebs is understandable.

 

if we have to start paying for bnet, im probably just not gonna buy any game from BLIZZARD, ever again..

 

C'mon guys, be realistic. I can understand not buying StarCraft2 and possibly even Diablo3 if you'd have to pay for multiplayer, but dropping all Blizzard games and never buying any ever again? I'd find that hard to believe. The fact remains that they still make brilliant games, and not all of them do/will need Battle.Net to enjoy.

Also, keep in mind that Blizzard has confirmed that there will be no P2P!

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/blizzcon-2008-rob-pardo-talks-battle-net-monetizing/

I hope that's cleared things up in that regard.

 

seems I didnt read it well enough.

I dont care about name changes or changing servers. As long as I'm allowed to play online without monetary monthly costs, I'm happy.

 

Itza found my source.

In whole, I don't think Blizz is stupid enough to hand milk a cow like a hayseed farmer. Not even a heavy with curds and weigh cow such as StarCraft.

Blizz makes hard sharp paper from WoW subscriptions. Blizz constantly; talks about the "Blizzard name". Their franchise. They would not F themselves in this pivotal moment by overcharging for games or multiplayer services.

(Agaisnt predictions and rumors) They will go the supportive route as they have in the past so they may grow and further solidify their hardcore(cult) status.

 

LOL! Sorry... I just had to quote this here:

 

and there is one who complains about my spamming


if this will help Blizz get more time and money from activision, i am all PRO

 

I posted this DAAAYS ago and you get Thanked and I don't ... what the hell?

 

Guys, relax.

Battle.net will not be a monthly service.

If Blizzard were to ever try that (which they won't) the fansite community would have a royal cow. I might even walk away. So don't think that would happen.

I also wouldn't expect to be nickeled and dimed for things like name changes. It will just be a box price and that's it. So be thankful that there ARE three boxes because it means extended support for Battle.net for the foreseeable future.