Ahoy, community members, managers, and potential onlooking devs (hopefully).
This has recently become a more serious issue than I've really been bothered to make such an uproar about before, but my hope for the cosmetic situation has started to run dry. This isn't hate against Rare, this isn't a "corporations are evil money-grabbing masterminds" post, it's somewhat of a cry for help from someone with considerable time and dedication to the game, wanting to see the best of the game's future.
This will be a long read, senior school essay long probably, so now's your chance to click (upvote first) away onto something shorter.
This is a message to Rare, about The Pirate Emporium.
To some, you'll instantly know what I'm about to say already, to others I hope this will help you recognize the situation before us.
THIS Twitter post was kinda the thing that made me want to restart efforts to get Rare to stop going in the direction they're going with cosmetics in a game entirely about cosmetics. I will dissect each argument into it's own segment, and be copying a lot of what I said in the comments of that Twitter post.
Issue 1: Emporium content in general
The Pirate Emporium has been getting more consistent and high-quality cosmetics than the actual games' shops for a while now. The in-game shops will see a reskin at best most of the time, and no I won't deny that Rare have and are about to put some more great looking skins into the game soon, but that doesn't completely negate the issue. Sure, the Party Boat and Midnight Blade set are unique and look great, I get that a lot of this is down to opinion, but those came to the game with a massive break of in-game shop content only filled with a drip-fed reskin system of already existing cosmetics, whereas the Pirate Emporium sees BRAND NEW, and TOP TIER cosmetics EVERY. MONTH. It got a bit excessive for a while, and those two sets I mentioned earlier were a breath of fresh air, but it didn't last long.
The Emporium is probably about to tie, if it hasn't already, with the amount of cosmetics in-game to be earned with cosmetics (if you include everything in bundles like multiple costume types, emotes, and equipment, which I do.) It is also fairly expensive for things that literally don't exist.
HOW TO FIX: Make things cheaper overall, consider that these things don't exist IRL in any way, and put some of the effort your designers are putting into regular shop content instead of Emporium Content. Same job, different destination. I understand Rare needs to make money, and it's my problem if I'm poor, I've heard it all before, but the current state of the Emporium makes Rare look greedy. Overall I'm on Rare's side, I want to see them succeed.
Issue 2: Costumes
Costumes are generally just BAD for cosmetics in Sea of Thieves. The game is built around being unique; that's what the entire system of the IPG was, right? But nowadays you can look exactly the same as the next pirate who happened to throw 10 bucks at the emporium because the costume quality was overall better and includes built-in emotes (which FTP costumes don't??? Looking at you Soulflame Costume set). Costumes not only take away from a player's uniqueness, but also can't be deconstructed into separate pieces for better customization, and if you can't deconstruct it, it probably shouldn't be a costume to begin with.
HOW TO FIX: Make costumes customizable by being able to take apart different pieces. Honestly quite simple for that part, sure maybe not on a developer's side, but that's the kind of effort you need to at least try and put into your game to be a successful game company. (P.S, communities like it when the Devs cater to what the community wants or are at least transparent about things, take Deep Rock Galactic for example.)
Issue 3: Emporium content being based on in-game items.
The Soulflame Ship set
The Shrouded Ghost set
The Barrel Bombadier set
I'll give you credit for the Soulflame one Rare, you made most of it free to be earned in game, but did you really need to put the ship set in the Emporium? It's a bit of a slap in the face for anyone with the rest of the set wanting to complete their arsenal.
The Shrouded Ghost set, while not belonging in the Emporium, was at least given a chance to earn half of the set for free in a Shark-themed event.
The Barrel Bombadier faced no such ray of care. Straight to the cash shop for you!
In-game sets being in the Emporium is just messed up, and looks greedy.
HOW TO FIX: For those 3 sets it might be a bit late, sure, people have already bought them so making them free would feel like a scam...
BUT DON'T DO IT AGAIN. (INSIDERS IS THERE FOR A REASON, THEY HAD TO HAVE KNOWN BEFOREHAND RIGHT??)
I'll take this last section to thank anyone who has taken the time to read through this semi-formal plea for Rare to stop and reconsider their direction with the Pirate Emporium. I'm lucky enough to reach a Rare developer, (or even any CM's I know that could possibly forward this to someone with higher control, I'd appreciate it) this is not a rant against you or the company, this is someone dedicated to the game wanting to see further success, and with a community on the edge of outrage, continuing to ask for money is not helping the situation. I understand a lot of this is down to Microsoft, but please, do what you can.
EDIT: I'd like to bring to attention that I also am not to discredit free stuff, Rare puts a lot out for free, but almost too much. I'm trying to get content returned to the normal stores, not more from Twitch Drops or of the likes. Events are fine, the Plunder pass is fine, but the Emporium vs. the regular stores is feeling sided towards the Emporium.
