Has Arenanet changed their business model?

Seeing as the thread about Merc heros was closed due to alot of rehashing of arguments, i decided to find the original statement from Arenanet about their business model and how it has changed.

Due to the discussion that was had several people reported that there has been no change in the way GW has done business, this is plainly untrue.

Is it acceptable that we now have to pay for these updates even though they were supposed to be free?

http://www.guildwars.com/products/gu...es/default.php

This is not just about Merc's, it's about the whole shebang. Since release they have added an awful lot of content features that were paid for. It was just during the discussion about Merc's that we came to the realisation that the business model had changed and from this, it is quite alot and started a long time ago. Yes, to jump in here, content is anything added to the game be it Merc's, Xunlai Storage Panes, or Costumes. The response that oh there are no more campaigns is valid in a way yes, but to me the next campaign is GW2 as far as i'm concerned(but thats opinion). Is all the content we have had to pay for acceptable after going back and looking at this statement?

No it isn't. We've never had to pay for additional content between campaigns (which mercenary heroes are most definitely not). Remember that Anet is a business and they need to make money; merc heroes is just a way to do that.

All payable content is purely cosmetic, it would be stupid of them not to have any additional ways to earn revenue (like stadiums not selling T-shirts), and there is no payable content between campaigns because, well, there are no more campaigns left to release for GW1.

People have to stop trying to evilize every company out there.... It's getting stupid now.

They are not releasing any more campaigns for GW, so technically we are not "in between campaigns" anymore so they can charge for any content they add from EOTN on :P

Bonus Mission Packs.
But otherwise, no.

War in Kryta was free.
Hearts of the North was free.
Winds of Change will almost certainly be free.
Embark Beach was free.
7-heros was free.

Just because they've added Mercenary Heroes for a fee (which is rather on par with extra Character Slots and Storage Panes), I can hardly see how it could qualify as them having changed their business model in any significant way.

I'm definitely not a fan of microtransactions, because it's a slippery slope, but so far Anet has kept in-line with their statement.

As long as the micros are purely cosmetic, with no content nor in-game advantages bestowed, I grudgingly accept them. Their pricing on some of the microtransactions have been outrageous however.

edit: I'll add this: yes, their business model has changed, and we all know it has. Originally it was a new GW1 campaign every 6 months, and they didn't get very far with that. I'm purely speculating when guessing they may want to get back to that model with GW2, but now they have this big lull period between GW1 and GW2, and they've had to change the business model to allow for microtransactions to help keep things going. In an ideal scenario, they'll return to their original business model, with a new GW2 campaign every 6 months, with a truly minimal amount of microtransactions if any at all.

Look at the wording of the quotation.
Mercenaries show no violation of that wording. Campaigns are not being released anymore, so Mercenaries cannot count as content released between campaigns.
Only content that was is BMP if I can recall that came out right before EoTN didn't it?

I don't actually care, but I like how people change what "additional content" means so that it doesn't include certain things. Face changing is additional content. Name changing is additional content. Mercenary Heroes are additional content. Bonus Mission packs are additional content. Yes Arena net has charged for additional content. So yes, the business model has changed. The only question is how much of an impact it really has on you.

Has their business model changed in a way that people can reasonably disagree with? Personally I think not, it is kind of stupid to think that they can keep the game going with new content without anything being put back in. Although I do not think Mercenary heroes are worth as much as they charge. But I would still rather have this than forced subscription fees, because I know I would not be playing this game in the state that it is in for a fee per month.

Even that doesn't violate the wording because EOTN is an expansion to any and all of the other games, but not a standalone campaign.


The fact remains that nothing in the ingame store is required to finish any of the games, nor does it provide any significant benefit in that goal. Frankly, if anyone needs 7 heroes, let alone MH to /roll the campaigns in NM, then they should just kill themselves now for being so pathetic.

I haven't had to pay to access any areas in game that can actually provide an advantage, only to play some historical stories to flesh out the backstory a bit, none of which affected my playing of any or all of the campaign storylines at all. You can get weapons for heroes from flipping crafters, you don't need BMP for that.

People should save the butthurt for when they put exclusive armor skins or weapons in the store that can't be obtained by any other means.... despite the fact that that would only be cosmetic anyway....

In other words, what I'm trying to say in my awkward way is.... get the lube because it's going to get worse.

Hmmm, they've been pretty good about providing free access and content between campaigns. Now that no more campaigns are being made Anet has come up with ways for people with spare cash to pay for everyone to continue to enjoy fee content updates and server access. When someone buys some costume or merc pack people that spend nothing are benefiting from other peoples money because that money fuels the live team and free content.

Anet could have charged for wik, but gave it free, very nice for everyone to enjoy even though no campaigns are coming. After Guild Wars 2 is released Guild Wars 1 may have trouble selling microtransactions and perhaps all new content will cost and it will leech of guildwars 2 revenue until its eventually closed.

yes they could have, but then they would have contradicted their retail philosophy Saint Scarlet quoted, and would have shown themselves to be hypocrites and disloyal to their base

I agree with that totally, the complainers need a reality check. I say that as someone who has bought all the costumes, but probably won't be buying the MH. Why? Because the tiny benefit of MH doesn't appeal to me, I'd rather have another costume and pay for something that I actually like wearing on my character.

Apart from that "between campaigns" bit, which, given that NF was the last campaign, means all bets are off and they can do anything they please without being hypocrites or disloyal. But don't let something as insignificant as the facts slow you down.

Eh. Odds are we won't ever see new armor sets (though I wouldn't mind if there were all-class armor sets in the in-game store that would then appear, at appropriate Armor levels, at each crafter) - they went the costume route instead (since it's easier because they don't have to bother with the extra work needed to properly model armor for each profession).

As for the link to the GW product description, it's almost 6 years old and predates pretty much everything, including the in-game store. Obviously it no longer applies and hadn't applied for at least 5 years. And, frankly, you'll be hard pressed to find documents so old in most other online companies that still apply.

Since the introduction of costumes, they accepted the fact that they need to earn money after all.

I know, amazing for a company that hasn't released a game in what, 3 and a half years? How very dare they.....

You do know what "streaming updates" are, right? They're more commonly referred to as patches. Things like Nick, festivals, special events and the like can also be considered "streaming updates" as they are provided automatically via the weekly updates along with bug fixes and the like. None of these cost money.

The remainder of the quote, "nor for additional content that we will provide between the campaigns of Guild Wars."

Campaigns:
Prophecies was released 4/28/2005
Factions was released 4/28/2006
Nightfall was released 10/27/2006

Those are the only campaigns. EotN is an expansion... it is not a campaign. It was released on 8/31/2007

The BMP was originally offered free as a special thank you to those who had spent $29 between July 5th, 2007 and October 31st, 2007. It was later added to the in-game store on January 28th, 2008 so as to allow those who did not qualify during the promotional period (or were not playing) to obtain that expansion.

The only item I can find added to the in-game store besides campaigns and expansions prior to Nightfall's release (the last campaign) was the option to purchase additional character slots.

In other words - they did exactly what they said they were going to do. There was no new content charged for between campaigns.

I'm really glad you tracked this down and posted it... it's exactly what I was looking for in the other thread... an opportunity to peruse the exact text representing ANet's business model with regards to microtransactions. They were quite specific in their wording... and there really is no mistaking the difference between campaigns and expansions, or what qualifies as streaming updates.

This is semantics i know...

EoTN is an expansion yes(i consider it to be the same as a campaign just without the new professions) so surely it is content that we had to pay for that isn't a campaign. The planned 4th campaign got thrown away when they realised the balance issues they had with the previous 2 campaigns got out of control and all the extra work needed was not feasible. So they made EoTN and said at the time what they planned to do is make GW2, because everything in the industry had moved on to such a level that it would be better to make the next instalment of GW. My personal opinion is that GW2 is the next campaign even though it is not directly related to the original(but thats just my opinion).

I just want peoples views on this, i do not want it to turn into a trollfest or people getting into aggressive arguments. The facts are all there and everyone knows the dates at which items were released for the store, it's now just down to the personal opinion of each person to say whether Anet have held to the spirit of this or not.

As far as the quoted statement in the OP goes, EotN counts as a campaign. What they mean is that they'll charge for big/new/proper releases, but building on current content (WiK) will not be charged. The difference between 'campaign' and 'expansion' is just that the expansion isn't stand alone. It's got it's own unique story, it's got it's own characters, etc; there isn't a big distinction between the two.

You can still buy all 3 games and EoTN and play them free, with no constraints.

The games are as completable without additional purchases as the day they were released..and have been greatly enhanced.. at no additional cost.

They still provide free content. WiK, Hearts of the North, the upcoming WOC, additions like Nicholas.. the last update to Pre.. 7 heroes, Festival items, etc.

Menagerie, Z Quests.. all free content.

It is petty beyond belief, to me, that people look at convenience or cosmetic items offered for sale and ignore the things added to this game at no cost. I find the sheer ingratitude hard to comprehend. You all were given everything promised with the purchase of the games.. and more.. and still find the gall to accuse the company of deceitful conduct and greed.

I feel that ANET has more than lived up to its original promise. I find it amazing that they maintain and provide update and content of the level they do with no subscription fees and no revenue stream save game purchases and voluntary purchases of optional, unnecessary addons.

Excuse me for this blast, but I have been appalled by the vitriol leveled at ANET recently.. and I am venting, not at any individuals, but at an attitude of entitlement.

With all due respect, Saint Scarlet, and I do mean that sincerely since my feeling is you've conducted yourself well through these discussions...

it really is not a matter of semantics. That's kind of like asserting that the green grass is actually purple and when someone disagrees, you replying that it's just a matter of semantics.

In the gaming industry, a campaign represents the stand-alone content for which no other content is required in order for it to function. An expansion is content which is added on to existing content - the original game... the campaign. This isn't something that's really subject TO debate. They have distinct and established meanings all their own.

People ARE going to respond when you tell them that the green grass is purple, especially in a discussion like this. The rest of the discussion stems from your assertion that the green grass is purple... it's not. It never was, and it's never going to be. Prophecies, Factions and Nightfall are campaigns - they can be played completely without any additional content required. EotN and the BMP (and actually, even WiK, WoC, Hearts) are expansions... they require one of the core campaigns in order to access and utilize them.

They do not stand on their own, so they are not campaigns.

Please don't get me wrong, i love GW, and yes they have released a ton of playable content free(as they said they would). I just feel they have strayed a bit from their original path.
@ Lasai - I agree that people do tend to forget what comes free and focuses on what we have paid for, but it's because people have to earn money to pay for things that they feel it's a burden. Even Anet staffers have to earn money and i'm sure they begrudge having to pay for certain things.
@ TheGizzy - Sry i meant that my post is a matter of semantics, which is why i did the .......

I don't begrudge a purchase voluntarily made, when that purchase gives me exactly what I paid for. Nobody forces me to do that. Nor do I expect that purchase to include items sold separately from my original purchase, no matter how desirable.

In my case I got exactly what was offered with the game and expansion purchases. In fact.. I got more, as the game has been enhanced far above my original purchase at no cost. Any addons have been exactly what I paid for. I begrudge nothing because I was forced to purchase nothing. Everything has been a voluntary expenditure of my entertainment dollars.

Does that mean I was always happy with a purchase.. no. I hate the BMP pack, and it sits undone.. I loath not playing my char, I hate worms, Thackary and Pokemon/Polymock for the same reason. Still.. it was exactly what I paid for, and not doing the BMP hasn't affected my game in the least bit.

We don't have to pay for updates.

Although, I consider all the stuff in the store that we can pay for 'content'. They never said they're release free content (Although, they have anyways).

Business is business, though.

Working with your definition of content as anything added to the game...

Pay-for content:
- extra storage panes
- extra character slots
- makeovers
- name changes
- costumes
- Mercenary Heroes

Now to put that in the context of other non-campaign content added to the game...

Free content:
- Skill and monster balance updates
- Balthazar Faction and the ability to use it for unlocking
- Observer Mode
- Sorrow's Furnace
- Tomb of Primeaval Kings as a PvE area
- every holiday event
- the ability to Reconnect
- Titles (they may have corresponded in time with Factions, but didn't require its purchase)
- Scrimmage matches
- Revised Dye system and user interface
- Xunlai Tournament House
- Passage scrolls to elite areas
- Hard Mode
- Enhanced rewards and quests in elite areas (chests, Dhuum, etc)
- Revised Favor of the Gods system
- Concise skill descriptions
- Automated Tournaments, Tournament Reward Points, etc
- Weekend events, Nicholas the Traveler, Zaishen Quests, etc
- Codex Arena
- War In Kryta
- Hearts of the North
- Embark Beach
- 7 heroes
- probably some other things I missed...

So looking at all the pay-for content compared with all the other freely added content... Considering all the pay-for content is extremely optional and in some cases entirely cosmetic... And considering how much of the free content considerably enhanced the game experience for many or all players... Even if you want to argue that anything pay-for violates the exact wording of that particular spot... Personally, I'm fine with it overall.

In hindsight I wonder if one could read that original statement about not paying for additional content as them saying that they would add some new free content between campaigns but not as saying all new content that they would ever add would necessarily be free. (And that's without even getting into the idea that the definition of "content" used in the statement might be somewhat different than "absolutely anything added to the game".)

"Content" is adventures/quests/missions/dialogue/etc. Basically, new things to do. That's what "content designers" populate the world with. So yes, BMP would violate what they said. Costumes, character slots, mercs, storage, fire imps, bonus items are not content. Nor would a hypothetical new profession, new skills, or +50 vs everything sword, it has nothing to do with advantageous or not, and basically nothing to do with your character options.

Except it didn't, because the BMP did not come out between campaigns. Eye of the North is not a campaign, and no opinion saying "but I think" changes facts on that.

"You do not have to pay...for additional content that we will provide between the campaigns of Guild Wars. "

Seriously, reading comprehension really isn't that difficult, people...

I personally categorize content as anything that goes into the games that has nothing to do with mechanics. to me there are 2 sorts of content, playable and upgrade. Skills are not content they are mechanics. Just my opinion.
Words can have slightly different meanings and definitions depending on who is reading them (a major source of misunderstandings is that they have a different viewpoint than others when certain words/terms are used).

@ sirblack - When you view it as a list like that it does show that for free we have received probably treble, that which has been in the shop. Value for money is down to ones personal opinion on the matter. And yes i've had value for money over the years, i'm just concerned about the increase in buyable to free ratio(not to mention the increase in cost of said content).

@ Verene - I was asking for your viewpoint, not for you to have a go at people for the way they interpret words/terms/statements

In my opinion, no they have not changed their business model.

my Bonus Mission Pack was free. I would rather it remained exclusive and not sold to the rest of the world, but what can I do about it.

Sorry but I must disagree with you. The bonus mission pact gave money and weaponary to people which otherwise were not obtainable. Secondly in the the Zaishen Mengarie e.g. animals can be bought by real $$$, which again brings un- cosmetic and un-balance to the game. There are many minute examples you just have to follow the green bricks road.

This thread feels familiar.

A'Net do a superb job and have only recently added a few in-game wares to generate some revenue.

They need some cash to keep up what's coming up. Think about it!
GW:B content & GW2, you want that for nothing? Keep dreaming!

Don't bash it!

I love how people only appreciate the small amount that others choose (or choose not) to buy and totally disresepect the 95% that they get for free. Really guys and gals - perspective is a grand thing - how bout some people like the thread starter go out and get some? How about just sitting down and looking at what you got out of the game and for once looking at your glass as mostly full rather that only looking to see what the other guy has in his glass.

No offence, but how do you expect them to fund all this free content? Rainbows and pixie dust?

When a game is knocking on 6 years old, it's not going to sell enough copies to fund the game to the same level that it once was. I actually applaud ANet for keeping the in game store reasonable in terms of items and cost. I WILL say that the MHs are a bit too pricey for my tastes, but they are not something that I, or anyone else, NEEDS. They are OPTIONAL. As said before in the threads that got locked (and I suspect this one will also get locked before long), there are MUCH worse game publishers out there in terms of money-hunger who provide MUCH worse services. If ANet put items in the cash shop that gave a severe advantage to other players (like a 10x exp scroll that lasted a week) or affected my personal gameplay, then yes, I'd be up in arms. Currently there are no items that do that and they have acknowledged themselves that they do not want to be like that. The moment they DO become like that, then I shall be no longer giving them my money or time.

In terms of their original business model, I'd say they've stuck by that pretty damn well and good job on doing so to them. The game still has no monthly subscription, no cash items that you end up feeling obligated to buy so you can finish the game or achieve certain titles, and still provides regular free content and services. The balance between purchaseable and free content seems perfectly fine to me at the moment. When it doesn't, I will change my opinion. I honestly don't see it getting to that state as ANet are not Nexon, Blizzard, EA, Zynga or part of Viacom. They're relying on the playerbase of GW to give GW2 a good start. Of course they're not going to piss us off too badly. The true test of their original business model will be when GW2 launches and what changes (if any) there will be then.

I think we can't say anything about the business model of GW2, if that's the problem. Fact is that Anet isn't making any profit atm, it's fully understandable as they are working on a new game, but still we have great live team and we get new free content. Guild Wars is dying game in terms of sales. Server mainentance costs have to be paid and I think it isn't Anet that is the "greed and evil" with RMT DLC, but NCsoft. As GW2 comes out it will sell huge amounts all around the world and as technology goes on, server mainentance costs for MMORPG are smaller than in example when WoW came out. Mercenary heroes, character slots, storage tabs, costumes etc. etc. aren't making profit, that small income is just needed for mainentance. GW2 will make profit on it's own. It isn't slippery slope. It as solid ground until proven otherwise.

For me, I focus more on the "have to pay" part of the quote.

So far, you've only had to buy "the games" (Proph, Factions, NF, EotN, BMP (sort of)) and everything else in the online store doesn't give anyone a real advantage over anyone else, and so wasn't required to feel like you were on the same playing field as everyone else. (Someone pointed out the skill packs to me in the last thread, but that's a pretty temporary benefit and not much different from someone buying the game in 2005 vs. someone buying it today.)

Mercenary Heroes is the closest I've seen Anet get to putting in something that gives a real in game benefit, but I haven't really heard too much about them being different from the 7 hero update yet. (I know others have said that regardless of how good the builds may be, MH gives more build options, but that's just another way to enjoy the game, it doesn't necessarily make you able to play the main play experience faster than anyone else, so it's still a cosmetic benefit.)

I'm hoping they go on sale soon. I'd like to give them a try.

To my mind none of us have to pay a penny to gain in game advantage, nor is there any bar to entry for any player who chooses not to make a purchase (BMP aside).
I've bought several items over the years, but when I weight it up against how much enjoyment (and frustration) I've had over the years, I'm very happy to say that I don't begrudge a single penny that I have paid.

Compare this to other FtP games out there and you'll realise that GW is a paradise.

Some years ago we had a thread here about how all games had micro transactions.
The ops argument was that wow was subscription based at so much per month and gw was also subscription based with prophesies being the first payment factions the second etc.

That op was wrong and I think you are too.

If you are barred from an area or unable to play a particular character class unless you purchase an update then yes that is a change in their business practice, we do not have that.


The current "enhancements" available in the online store in no way prevent you from completing or enjoying the game as it was advertised when you purchased it.
Nor does it prevent you enjoying or completing the game as it is now.
They are not essential to the game and so are not "must have" add ons that you "have to pay for"

All these enhancements are either cosmetic or add a little variety to the game variety that players have been asking for.

Yes with the merc add on a solo player can custom design a party that cannot be done without that add on.
Players are welcome to pair up with a friend and so exactly the same better in fact because all the heroes can be flagged and the party can split up which can be important in some missions.

The BMP was initially a reward for spending over $30 in the shop in July 2007.

It was only made available to purchase in January 2008.... probably because of all the QQing in places like this from the very same individuals who are now QQing and complaining they had to buy it and accusing Anet of betraying them, while at the same time missing the point that not a single one of the items for sale has ever made a significant difference to any of the campaigns, which is essentially what Anet stated in their original philosophy.

A philosphy which Anet could shit on and set on fire and still not betray because it was very specific about applying between campaigns....and there are no more campaigns.