Pets behind a paywall...

  • GrilledCheese10
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    Now, I fully support this game and Rare. I think the emporium is a great idea to keep this game alive. But to lock every single pet behind the wall is a bit absurd

    I'm not really willing to dump $6 on a virtual pet that generally isn't necessary. Yes, some should be to incentivize people to buy the cool pets, but we can't even get a single, bland pet for gold?

    I dunno, probably an unpopular opinion but I'd really like to be able to earn a pet as well as buy them. Meh, it's not a huge deal, just a gripe I have. Other than that, this updates been okay. Nothing really special. Looking forward to the future!

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  • Sweltering Nick
    Castaway

    @grilledcheese10

    I'm not really willing to dump $6 on a virtual pet that generally isn't necessary.

    Then don't... look for the rarely spawning skeletons and kill them, they reward ancient coins, eventually, it may take some time, but eventually you can buy a pet, without ever needing to spend extra irl money on it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVoO8U4E06I&t=182s

    Watch from 3:01

    Basically, you CAN earn pirate emporium items, if you play the game long enough.

    Nobody ever does their research before complaining, it's so frustrating...

  • GrilledCheese10
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    Yes, I totally forgot! I know they're very rare but I dunno how much money they drop. Sadly, I can't imagine Rare being too generous with that. Im not going to hope it drops more than 50 or else I'll just be disappointed

  • AndyXXPanda1290
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    @grilledcheese10 they should make it so people could gift pets. I will gladly gift some body a 6 dollar pet if it makes them enjoy the game more. A lot of posts on here complain about not having a pet even though it doesn’t have to be bought. Good luck on finding the gold skellys. Hopefully they payout. I would be satisfied with 100

  • GrilledCheese10
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    @andyxxpanda1290 said in Pets behind a paywall...:

    @grilledcheese10 they should make it so people could gift pets.

    I recall them saying they were going to work on implementing a gifting system. I think it would get some crazy revenue!

  • CallMeBackdrafT
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    @grilledcheese10 it was known since before release of the game (18 months ago) that pets would be Microtransaction only. They added the ancient skellys to have another way of getting coin but i dont see them dropping more then 7~15 coins, because the video said “a handfull of coin”

  • GrilledCheese10
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    @callmebackdraft
    I was hoping they'd turn a leaf and make it possible to earn one or two pets through actually gameplay, leaving the rest to be paid for. Ah well, corporate greed infects every business

  • Slave2theSAvE
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    Another way of looking at it

    Do you like the game and want to support it through a small one off donation of $6?

    Donate and you will receive one pet of your choice to enjoy, thank you for your donation to help further support the people who develop this game

  • CallMeBackdrafT
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    @grilledcheese10 this is the way they can keep giving monthly free updates to everyone by having cashflow trough other means.

    I would say thats the opposite of corporate greed but ok

  • GrilledCheese10
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    @callmebackdraft
    $40 for a ship Livery that is bland as can be is definitely a big greedy. Been playing this game since the alpha and have been apart of every event. To see monetization be handle poorly is just sad. Pets and emotes I think we're done fairly okay. But the sheer audacity they had to charge money for the banjo set is just disgusting.

  • CallMeBackdrafT
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    @grilledcheese10 still not audacity that they put the Banjo set behind payment, the ship cosmetics they are going to put in there are from orevious rare games, so have nothing to do with SoT lore.

    Yes the price is VERY steep i am with you on that but still its completely optional and my guess is , is that when not alot (or no people) buy the ship skins for the current prices they will be price adjusted downards, i voted with my money like that, purchased a pet, ourchased the emote pack have 2500 coin remaining to see what else i wanna buy, currently the ship set is not one of them

  • GrilledCheese10
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    @callmebackdraft
    I'm all for the mtx. Keep this game rolling. But I want it done right. I want this game to do well. They kinda did it right. Pets are cool, I guess. Emotes and alright. But if I'm giving them money, I want something substantial in return. Not a livery. I'm assuming as this store continues, they'll find what's a good price for everything they sell! I have such mixed feelings about this. I love it and hate it all at once. I guess the scales will tip with time

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    Agreed, but what do you expect today? Everything is a cash grab.

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @sweltering-nick NoBoDy DoEs ReSeArCh BefoRe CoMpLaInInG. His point was they were hyping the update as if thy were adding new features that would be readily accessible for people that have already put the time in and got excited and maybe even stockpiled some gold to get slapped with a micro transaction.

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @slave2thesave Another way of looking at it, Microsoft owns rare, we have already bought the game so to play the game at all you’re already paying the owner a monthly subscription so why pay them for individual features?

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @callmebackdraft No way at all does that describe the opposite of corporate greed, RARE IS OWNED BY MICROSOFT AKA THE PEOPLE YOU PAY TO USE THE ONLINE SERVICE NECESSARY FOR SEA OF THIEVES

  • CallMeBackdrafT
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    @fasteddie-iii i pay mocrosoft litteraly nothing to play on their online services (its called pc) when i play on my xbox i pay them yes but not on pc...

    Also whilst yes, they are owned by microsoft they still need thweir own cashflow to do anything, its how bussinesses work.

    RARE sees nothing from the money xbox players pay for XBL gold, and the money they need for them to keep paying the developers, designers etc for the monthly updates has to come from somewhere, this is the way they do it.

    Yes the ship livery has a very steep price but thats my only point of friction with the emporium, and i vote by simply not purchasing that.

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @callmebackdraft SoT is one of the biggest sellers for the game pass, they throw it all over the Xbox home page, it’s the reason me and several people I know got the game pass so why would Microsoft use them to sell one of their products that they allegedly aren’t involved in if they are not also pumping funds into the game at least to the point to do basic “monthly” updates. It’s cute that you think you’re a business man but that’s not how buying a company works, you don’t buy a company and say “ok keep doing what you were doing” without supporting them and ensuring that they can produce a product, especially as one of the most successful businesses in the world.

  • CallMeBackdrafT
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    @fasteddie-iii of course they get investments (which have to have a return) and yes they might get a percentage of gamepass money but thats only from users still using gamepass AND playing SoT with it.

    So not everyone playing pays for:

    1. Gamepass
    2. Xbox Live Gold

    And not everyone paying for the above plays SoT

    And for everyone that plays SoT with gamepass RARE only gets a percentage, meaning they get a percentage of a percentage which diminishes their income.

    To have a healthy bussiness you have to have a predictable source of income and microtransactions is the way to do that in this day and age.

    Also realise with the percentages being a thing you have to realise that only after 12+ months will rare have received the same from a gamepass player as someone who has purchased it directly...

    There is alot more of those nuances in bussiness

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @callmebackdraft About 70% of SoT players are console so they do pay for live along with buying the game with the rest of the 30% of PC players. If you think that Rare is struggling to make ends meet you are a part of the population that Microsoft and Sony love. If no one bought anything with the release of the update they would just shrug their shoulders and either take the loss or lower the price until they made money. By no means was adding micro transaction necessary.

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @callmebackdraft You’re describing an instance in which Microsoft is not supporting their own product, rare does not pay Microsoft for their support, Microsoft makes a percentage of profits and that’s it, rare does not have to pay their owner for support they pay them dividends, aka a percentage of profit AFTER employees have been paid, so if SoT doesn’t make extra money on the transactions then their pay stays the same boohoo

  • CallMeBackdrafT
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    @fasteddie-iii 70% of players that pay for XBox Live gold of which rare receives absolutely nothing, i have a feeling you dont understand how the funds of XBL gold is used.

    1. Profit for microsoft
    2. Maintaining and adding XBL servers
    3. Paying XBL support team
    4. Subsidizing Xbox console development
    5. Creating an investment pool with which they can invest in their subsidiary studios, and investments always need a return of investment

    In no way is XBL any direct payment for Rare, in no way is Gamepass a predictable form of income.

    Microtransactions where known to come sonce before the game released, they have always been open with that information, all purchases are optional and none give you an edge in the game, so you are in no way entitled to the content they want to sell in this way.

    They could either do this or ask money for every significant content update they add to the game which would be a required purchase.

    Edit: with your next comment, thats not what im describing:

    GamePass is not from rare its from MS, while yes they own rare that entitles rare to nothing they earn with it, you pay $10 dollars per month for GP, lets say you play 16 hours a day and play only sot, that would still only constitute for 66% of the gamepass time you payed for, lets say that full 66% will go to rare fully, they then have received $6.66 dollars from you playing.

    Rare has to pay:
    -Microsoft azure team for use of their servers

    • Developers/designers etc working on all kinds of different things
    • Rent for their offices
    • Electric, gas and other bills for amenities
    • Marketing teams
    • support teams
    • a whole lot of other hidden costs

    That they are owned by microsoft diminishes nothing of that, im also not stating that they are struggling to make ends meet however.

    1 of 3 things could happen:

    • Optional microtransactions that fund future development
    • Actual DLC packs that cost money
    • drop support after x amount of time and work on Sea of Thieves 2
  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @callmebackdraft Whatever, keep blowing them and supporting buying games multiple times. I was simply supporting someone else’s complaint and providing an explanation as to why it was valid. By no means am I entitled to their new content but new content for something I’ve already paid for is debatable. If it is not necessary to maintain a reasonable pace to keep updating the game then it is by all definitions of the word greedy

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @callmebackdraft And i would still support a DLC pack opposed to an in game currency that is useless anywhere else. A 5.99 DLC pack is 5.99 plus tax but a 499 BS currency that I can only buy extra of as a trap to get you to get more is unethical in comparison

  • Sweltering Nick
    Castaway

    @grilledcheese10 said in Pets behind a paywall...:

    @callmebackdraft
    $40 for a ship Livery that is bland as can be is definitely a big greedy. Been playing this game since the alpha and have been apart of every event. To see monetization be handle poorly is just sad. Pets and emotes I think we're done fairly okay. But the sheer audacity they had to charge money for the banjo set is just disgusting.

    It's bland, in your opinion... But plenty others don't find it bland, they find it rather epic and amazing... beauty is in the eye of the beholder, mate.

    If you don't like it, there's no problem in you not buying it... So don't...

    But i'm guessing the reason you are complaining that it's too expensive, is because you actually DO want it, but you don't want to pay 40 whatevers for it... me personally, i had a few coins left after i bought emotes, and pet, so i bought the collector's edition golden figurehead... Just as proof that i was there when micro transactions were first released. :P

    I'm personally not a fan of banjo kazooie, because, i didn't have the pleasure of owning that game as a kid, neither did i know any friends who owned it, so i've never played it. I was a Super Mario 64 kid, myself.

    I actually became a fan of Rare via Conker's Bad Fur Day. xD

    But the sheer audacity they had to charge money for the banjo set is just disgusting.

    Wow, getting controversial there, man... You do realize these micro transactions are literally a "pay what you feel the game is worth" system, right? if you don't think it's worth it, then don't buy it... It's very simple.

  • Sweltering Nick
    Castaway

    @fasteddie-iii said in Pets behind a paywall...:

    @sweltering-nick NoBoDy DoEs ReSeArCh BefoRe CoMpLaInInG. His point was they were hyping the update as if thy were adding new features that would be readily accessible for people that have already put the time in and got excited and maybe even stockpiled some gold to get slapped with a micro transaction.

    No, that was not his point, and even if it was... No, Rare did not do that. ._.

    I know this, because... I do my research, so my expectations are suitably synced with reality. :P

  • AndyXXPanda1290
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    @fasteddie-iii I much rather have a micro transaction that is not necessary and get free content than have to pay for dlc that could have been free content. Think of the micro transactions as a tip jar. Tip them for all the enjoyment they gave you. And with that tip you get a freebie. If you think of it that way it sounds better. You don’t have to get any of these cosmetics. They are optional for people who want them. Every time the game gets updates and they do new events I want you to thank any of your friends that “tipped them” for a pet.

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @sweltering-nick What research? How was what I said wrong at all? Did they or did they not hype the pet update? (Yes) Did they announce prior to the update that they would almost exclusively be available via micro transactions? No they did not so please all knowing SoT expert tell me the secret knowledge that rare has bestowed upon you

  • FastEddie III
    Castaway

    @andyxxpanda1290 I understand a sales pitch I just don’t buy them. You can look at it that way but that’s not how I see it or how Rare sees it

  • Chronodusk
    Commander
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    @grilledcheese10 said in Pets behind a paywall...:

    @callmebackdraft
    $40 for a ship Livery that is bland as can be is definitely a big greedy. Been playing this game since the alpha and have been apart of every event. To see monetization be handle poorly is just sad. Pets and emotes I think we're done fairly okay. But the sheer audacity they had to charge money for the banjo set is just disgusting.

    If it's so bland then don't buy it?

    In my opinion, it's a very vibrant and striking ship set. I quite enjoy it for the money I spent on it.

  • CallMeBackdrafT
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    @fasteddie-iii said in Pets behind a paywall...:

    @sweltering-nick Did they or did they not hype the pet update?

    Yes

    Did they announce prior to the update that they would almost exclusively be available via micro transactions?

    Yes they did, in fact not only that they also said it would be EXCLUSIVELY be via microtransactions.

    Pets where originally planned to be launched about 3 months after release as their way of adding microtransactions to the game, they held off that update at that point, together with the promised Captaincy update because of the initial backlash about missing content.

    Aka they waited 15 more months then initially detailed with their premium store

  • princes lettuce
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    I agree. I feel like special animals, colours and clothes can cost money but it would be a lot more inclusive if everyone got a free pet. Like, a bland grey uncustomisable rat or something. I almost feel bad showing my fashionable blue parrot off to pet-less players.

  • Little Squash
    Commander
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    @princes-lettuce said in Pets behind a paywall...:

    I agree. I feel like special animals, colours and clothes can cost money but it would be a lot more inclusive if everyone got a free pet. Like, a bland grey uncustomisable rat or something. I almost feel bad showing my fashionable blue parrot off to pet-less players.

    It's almost like you are acting as free advertising for Rare.

  • Zormis
    Marauder
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    @grilledcheese10 $6 is dirt cheap for a pet compared to other games I played, heck it's less than what I usually tip when I go out to eat with the wife. I don't mind paying 6 of extra content they didn't have to develop. You know things don't get created without cost.

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