CCP defends NeX prices
I wrote a blog post yesterday about microtransactions in games and used Eve Online's recent debates as an example. Later on, I have noticed the developer's blog post at Eve Online's official website. CCP Zulu's post is an unusual comparison of real life clothing prices with the ones in game.
Let's take a look at this bit from CCP Zulu's post
Pricing structure
People have been shocked by the price range in the NeX store, but you should remember that we are talking about clothes. Look at the clothes you are currently wearing in real life. Do you have any specific brands? Did you choose it because it was better quality than a no-name brand? Assume for a short while that you are wearing a pair of $1,000 jeans from some exclusive Japanese boutique shop. Why would you want to wear a pair of $1,000 jeans when you can get perfectly similar jeans for under $50? What do other people think about you when they see you wearing them? For some you will look like the sad culmination of vainness while others will admire you and think you are the coolest thing since sliced bread. Whichever it is, it is clear that by wearing clothes you are expressing yourself and that the price is one of the many dimensions that clothes possess to do that in addition to style and fit. You don't need to buy expensive clothes. In fact you don't need to buy any clothes. Whatever you choose to do reflects what you are and what you want others to think you are.
We will gradually introduce items at other price points, definitely lower and probably higher than what‘s in the store today. We hope you enjoy them and are as passionate about them as you are of the current items that are for sale.
People shocked by the price range in Nex Store?
Seriously, I find this hard to believe Eve Online developers expected a different response from the community. Perhaps, they expected people to celebrate the shocking prices of clothes.
Comparing in-game goods to RL expensive clothes is admirable. I am not sure gamers are ready for such comparisons tho. It was not a long time ago when gamers did not want to play subscription based games. Talking about designer clothes prices and comparing them to virtual goods is audacious.
At least we can look forward to seeing the new items to be introduced with relatively lower prices (he also says there will be more expensive items too.)
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