Right. So I get what you’re saying about engagement and transparency. The thing is, once you have engagement and transparency you’ve kind of got to give the customers what they ask for, or else lose that segment of the customer base. People won’t take being cheerfully ignored forever.
Every now and then I bring up the TT wargame company Games Workshop (Warhammer) on this forum, since I’ve played their games since I was a kid and there are lots of parallels. They started out in the 80s and 90s very open, transparent and close to the community. To a large degree the devs were a part of the community. At some point around the millenium, they closed off and became dictatorial - keeping what they were working on secret, jealously guarding IP (which put them at odds with lots of older players who were used to being “allowed” to create their own visions of the IP using bits from anywhere). Raising prices to a point that seemed exploitative. There was a lot of tension and hostility toward the company among existing and new adult players, a lot of negativity. I used to write a blog back then, so I was pretty deep in the community dialogue and it was almost like people loved the IP but hated the company with equal passion.
Then around 2010 and onward they suddenly became transparent again. But in a modern way. Constant dev blogs, teasers, community engagement like what Funcom does. Merch. The prices are still horrible but the community is much more positive. It feels like they listen - not like in the 90s when the devs and the players were all one culture, they’re way too big for that, but like they try to figure out what people will like and give it to them, without making the customers feel exploited. They’re also doing great financially.
The problem as I see it with FC is they’re not good at the “not making customers feel exploited” bit. They’re transparent and responsive when it comes to bugs and giving new content, much moreso than they were a couple of years ago. I’m happy in that regard. But there’s a feeling that they’ll make what they want to make and charge what they want to charge, no matter what we want. The prices are quite shocking, and the sudden revoking of the right to share assets with anyone feels like when Games Workshop suddenly told me I couldn’t play in their stores because the heads on my models were from a different company. And you know what, I never went back.
Sorry this is long and I don’t know exactly where I’m going with it. Maybe just to say that clearly GW doesn’t care that much that me and a bunch of olds are playing in their garages for free with old models instead of coming into stores and spending money. Otherwise they’d allow third party models again. They know what we want. But that world is gone. Neither of us will compromise.
Funcom is the same. I feel like customer engagement won’t budge them on this monetization thing. Hell, it didn’t change their minds when the survey they sent out asking us if we would accept this came back resoundingly negative. They just ignored us and did it anyway. Their style is dictatorial about the major things, while fixing bugs and saying “look, we do listen to you.”
That’s why I uninstalled the game the other day. Right after I couldn’t loot a cat from a ruined base. I don’t know when or if I’ll play again. Probably won’t be round here much as much. I’ll just leave it at this, for what it’s worth:
Hi Funcom, I do not support the fluctuating and manipulative pricing in the bazaar, and I especially do not support the locking of content limiting my creativity and immersion. I’ve been playing this game since launch, but I’ve just uninstalled it with no intention of playing again any time soon.
Agree on all said by CodeMage above
Until they fix the broke stuff, nay a penny will they ever see from us again.
Great article CM
I haven’t bought anything from Funcom since they changed to this model.
only thing that is worth it is just the battlepass , since they allowed us to keep rebuying it after each battle pass… thus far i only paid for the first battlepass. the 2nd one was free for me since i kept the coin from the first , since i wanted to believe in their word about being able to purchase the next battle pass with the previous model … And you know what they held on their standard , though that was it , never a cent more since its dumb to be paying for so much for so little 
but at least at the end of battle pass 3 , i will get my money worth since 10 dollar for three battle passes in a row… as long as your head strong only getting the battlepass , its the only thing that worth.
Well @CodeMage, I guess it is my turn to put my two-cents worth in here, but make it insightful, analytical reply this time around.
For any who did not know, the Stormglass Building Set came back onto the Black Lotus Bazaar (BLB). And true to my word, as pledged, I purchased it.
And I commend Funcom for the reasonable and measured pricing on this pack. The set is good value for money: 19 pieces/items for $15 (AUD). Or put another way, $0.78 per item. And I commend Funcom on the prices of this pack and the Sandstone Building Superset, which I also purchased.
Unfortunately, looking at the other items on BLB over recent weeks, I see that there has yet to be any further adjustments. The same items with the same ‘specials’ which are are simply not reasonable value for money. So let us take a look at some of the other sets on the BLB recently and draw comparisson to the 2 aforementioned sets.
- Headhunter Set: 1,995cc equates to $24.83 (5 items valued at $4.96 each)
- Bone Conjurer Set: 1,701cc equates to $21.17 (5 items valued at $4.23 each)
- Aquilonian Bathouse Set: 1,855cc equates to $23.09 (7* items valued at $3.29 each)
- Flamboyant Feasts Set: 1,794cc equates to $22.33 (couldn’t recall no. of items)
*(Item images and mathematical calculations may be provided upon request)
Based on the math, these items range from $0.78 through to a hefty $4.96 each. And that is just the sets. Moreover, if we examine some of the pricier standalone items such as the Arcane Brazier, they are,closer to $8.00 each! So then I would beg the question of why such a large disparity in prices. A single items costs 0.78c in one breath then some $4.96 to even $8.00 in the next. Look I know that the old DLC model was not sustainable, but surely there has to be some level of happy medium. And I am sorry to say that for me, the later items are not even in the same galaxy of value. There are a great many things on the BLB which I find appealling, and my finger has been hovering over the proverbial ‘Buy’ button for. But at the current prices, I just cannot justify the purchase in my own mind. For example, I am interested in the bone conjurer set (effigy talisman & mace especially), the headhunter set (gibbett & head trophy especially), the exquisite feasts set, the aquilonian bathouse set, the outdoor garden set & hedges set (all additional greenery), the hyrkanian trophy, and the alchemical starter set. Now that is no few items, which hypothetically speaking, I would be happy to buy…if they would just dial down the prices a little. And consequentially, this feeds into another point myself and other members have raised previously. If they did happen to salsh their prices, sure they would not make as much per item/pack. However, I firmly believe that they would sell a LOT more items/packs than they currently do.
Our producer Rod Harper stated in the Producer’s Letter that they were not satisfied with the current pricing and feedback.
So there are two points I would make in relation to this. The first, I would beg the question: what is the next move from here? Will we actually see any discernible changes or not? And if so, will they be seen in Chapter 3 of the Age of Sorcery, not until the next Age is upon us or when?
The second is this. And I say this as a staunch friend and admirer of this company, whose game I have enjoyed thoroughly and defended countless times in the years I have been active here on the forum. I beckon you all, please, please be very mindful which companies you draw pricing information and inspiration from. And I would say that certain companies such as EA, Warner Brothers, Blizzard, Bethesda and others like them may not form the best basis for price comparisons. I would also add, just look at the backlash and notoriety that some of the aforementioned companies have within the industry. Now compare them to others such as CD Project Red and Capcom. I know who I would rather look to.
From what I remember Bazaar pricing adjustment and regional pricing will be a part of the Chapter 3 update so the only thing we can do for now is to wait and then compare “before” and “after” prices.
I shall Solome. But if memory serves me correctly, didn’t they say the changes would be relative to Steam, and thus, would consoles actually receive any of this benefit…? Checking, not claiming.
I don’t own any console to test it but from what I know they run their own stores with their own set of rules and subscription models.
So maybe region pricing will affect only PC users or maybe not.
The “least expensive” route is preferable. “Cheap” comes with a motive if not greater ignorance.
Several other members of this forum recommend you to further discussion or penalize another upon a holler. Should I point to the forum or to subject you further in the thread? You don’t want it delisted, so we know the answer.
You see, we are getting to FUD on this. Maybe keenness on how it is not FOMO is ideal.
No need to argue that, especially if Funcom offers real stock on crom coins. Splitting up the DLCs into independent buys seems to rock. I like to peruse the vast 3D object archives on popular sites that offer parts for sell. I guess import is possible if Funcom gets to put its magic in the 3D objects.
It’s a license that could be backed by stock. We’ve battled those details in Second Life when strict copyrights on personal image came into play. It can be gamer-fied.
I don’t follow after “…” as if there is something missing. I’ll just move on to the next headline.
“hacks”
It’s about time and investment. Software programmers are trained to think of unlimited resources before implementation. When applied, those details matter. Along the same lines, I see another clan that does nice alpha things on an official pvp server. Leveling is a throttle for players to watch as they rez. You see, … uh… maybe I’m gearing them up. If there was something more consistent, I would let you know here.
And, those that don’t pay but spend their entire day playing, day after day? They paid with time. Their time.
It’s a serious repo problem or something like that. It is obvious that some features creep in because of merging to trunk left some other already merged content out… or in. It makes some features into bugs and bugs into features. You can get the devkit and… do something.
That’s why I suggested to blog it where you can be compensated.
People are being teased about UE5, and Funcom is only putting out consistency. People don’t want the consistency here when it feels like competition for the latest and greatest.
Without digressing, it’s about fun. I’ve seen many players online that seem to never touch the forums here. That is a statement, too. i don’t have “percentage” “facts” to go off in that tangent.
Like no passive voice in any essay (wot) left on the forum? I’m not arguing age.
That’s quite taxing. It sounds like a new department for Funcom. Expenses versus monetization.
You demonstrated that well.
I disagree.
Without pointing fingers, I see devs taking a quite active role in the forums. Some look anonymous and others are obvious. i get the gist of your assumptions.
Please, you have no need to express decadence to make a point. That would make you infamous.