A World of Warcraft mount is available for $90 or £60.
A World of Warcraft mount is available for $90 or £60.
Blizzard introduced a new mount during their 20th anniversary promotion called the "Gilded Brontosaurus." It costs $90 and provides access to exclusive areas like the Auction House and Mailbox, as long as you can mount it. This move follows a previous mount from three expansions that was similar but required a much larger gold investment. Since the earlier expansion ended, players can no longer purchase this mount. Many fans have felt left out when they see others using it, leading Blizzard to capitalize on FOMO by charging $90. The item will be available only for a limited time, prompting discussion about whether it’s ethical or just a business strategy. As someone who plays World of Warcraft, I’m tempted but feel guilty about wanting it. I think it would be better if the game wasn’t subscription-based. Overall, players seem to see it as a smart decision despite the ethical concerns. What do you think?
It would help to remove the time restriction and revisit the original version to understand it better. The focus should be on whether it meets your needs, either in terms of features or otherwise. If you use it frequently, it adds value. While I’m not a fan of WoW, similar discussions about shop items have been made in FFXIV, though they rarely introduced limited-time perks. There’s a paid upgrade to a companion app that boosts mount storage, which seems like a useful extra. I got puzzled when I saw a streamer open hers and realized my own isn’t as extensive. That feels more like an optional service you can pay for whenever you need it. People will always argue about existing costs, but sometimes more payments are necessary for certain items.
I once believed game developers were self-serving. Then I matured. Now I’m convinced PT Barnam was 150% accurate. If you anticipate people will pay for something, you’re either crazy or you shouldn’t offer it.
I began my journey with Vanilla and now own 246 mounts, a testament to years of dedication. Curious about a particular mount, I dug into its details and realized spending $90 was a waste after investing so much. It would be great to add more to my collection, but for that price Blizzard would better keep it hidden from Azeroth. Take care and good luck, Alliance! Pharttmaster Suramar
Yep, there's a conversation to be had about children and loot boxes in gaming, perhaps. But outside of certain specific examples like that, if we're just talking about adults and this (very non essential) gaming hobby, I don't think the word 'ethics' is even relevant generally. I hear something like this and I simply scoff, think something along the lines of "that's pretty stupid", and then never think about it again. If someone wants to buy it though, so be it. Same goes for the MKBHD kerfuffle. Couldn't believe the energy put towards that by the mobs. Regarding microtransactions, I'm a 99% solo/coop gamer though, so I suppose it tries to infect my life less than other gamers. But I've certainly put my time into Fortnite and Warzone once upon a time, and really had no issues ignoring it all. Either the game is fun, or it's not.
Yeah, I am pretty sure my buddy and his wife will buy them. They ALWAYS buy the upgraded games, for the 3 day head start or ingame cape or horse or whatever. They have every limited edition WoW PHYSICAL box as well, except 1. At like $200 a pop I think it is? Insane. Then again, I just spent $300 on groceries at Costco this week. Who's the dumbass now?!?!
I've been enjoying this game from the beginning, and I can grasp the idea of purchasing a few mounts at discounts. Yet buying low-quality items is a different story—especially this one. Many players seem to favor flashy editions that barely work these days, and most cosmetics look pretty bad, except maybe some mounts. The early advantage is just a joke. Don't waste money on all this junk. It's better than spending it on the game itself, expansions, and subscriptions. I say this after seeing everyone in the game act the same way—it's really frustrating.