This is real simple today. Make today a day YOU donate to a worthy cause, and let Activision / Blizzard NOT get your $25.00 buckos.
All I ask is that if you feel the urge to take $25 bucks of your hard earned money and throw it away on a "Virtual" pet in World of Warcraft that is owned by another company that you will have zero claim to, but the company who DOES own it will allow you to ride on it, as long as you continue to pay them another $15 bucks a month of course...
Please instead, click on one of these links, and take that 25 bucks and put it to greater use.
American Cancer Society
Aids Healthcare Foundation
Muscular Dystrophy
Children International
Ford Foundation
Or any other foundation or cause that you feel deserves it.
The total charge for this horse being offered by Blizzard costs maybe a weeks worth of wages of one to two developers. The overall costs to Activision/Blizzard after it is launched...minimal. Yet, the amount of money being charged is over $10 more than a monthly fee to the game. The money they earn on this could feed one nation for a YEAR. And, as I have stated, ownership of that product is ZERO. You must pay to continue to own the product. If you stop paying, you have lost that $25 until you pay another $15 again to regain ownership.
Lets put our money to a better use shall we?
Thank you
11 comments:
*Applauds*
This is only the beginning.
By buying something like that gamers set a bad precedent and make sure that a lot of things will have to be paid extra in future. And that in a subscription game is the icing on the brown cake.
Could you not make the same argument towards MMOs in general - especially those that follow the subscription model instead of having user fees (i.e. f2p) Blizzard's subscription cost is well above cost and they rake in huge profits.
Hell - couldn't you extend this to any frivolous purchases that we, as consumers in first world nations, make? How is a virtual horse so different than some plastic models or a new pair of shoes or anything else?
If the first world stopped spending on frivolous things and instead funneled money to charities then human misery could be reduced worldwide. Not saying we SHOULD do that (in fact I'd argue that we shouldn't!) - but I am trying to make the point that your argument is inconsistent and very flawed.
@Andrew
I disagree...there is Frivolous, and then there is GREED.
I bought a new pair of shoes, even though I have a pair...crazy eh? But, then do I have to continue to pay Nike every month to wear those shoes?
And lets say my old pair wears out...I have that new pair to wear now, thus it became a necessity.
Models like you mention, yes, a frivolous purchase...but again, a "hobby" just like an MMO. The difference is I paid for it and OWN it. The model company cannot take it away from me like Blizzard can take away your horse.
The huge difference is not in OUR Frivolity, but in Blizzards greed (most likely Activision).
The game still costs $15 bucks a month, thus you pay to continue riding that horse, even though you already paid to own it.
That to me is the difference between frivolous and greedy.
Great Post. I applaud you sir!
I already have a charity of choice that I donate to on a regular basis, but this is a great cause.
As much as I loathe the idea of a company charging $25 for essentially a bunch of pixels on a computer screen, I sort of have to agree with @Andrew. Yes, it's capitalist greed and it sucks, but I've said it once and I'll say it again...it's not a crime for a private company to want to make money.
Online games are unique in that you can't really compare them to a shoe purchase. I would say, it's more like a phone plan. You pay a monthly fee to use their service, you may buy other services from the company like voice mail or ringtones and such. If I think about it that way, I can start to see where he's going.
This is the free market at work here. Blizzard saw a chance to make money and took it. Their products are high enough in demand that thousands of people will pay. I assure you though, millions more are level-headed like you and me and won't. Blizz can take what they've learned here about the market and do whatever they want...it's their prerogative. I'm a little scared, but it's still nothing compared to having to deal with companies in a country where free trade and an open market does not exist. I should know, I have lived in several.
Well said!!!
Great article and wonderful support for your point. I'm with you.
Here here, apparantly the mount cost Blizzard $500k to make/implement, I guess thats how much one or two guys on the team are paid for part time work on a new mount skin. :S
Good points. Where is the line draw between this and an item mall? We already pay the subscription. As a gift or some sort of special thank you, but this is where it starts. Next thing you know BoA gear will be purchasable from WoW's website. I don't like where this might lead.
You should check out what goes into setting up a 'foundation'. Much of that money that you donate goes into 'maintaining' those foundations.
And speaking of buying stuff that that you don't own...
Buy a model or a pair of shoes and you get to look at it until your yourself throw it away...
How about renting an apartment.
Going out to eat.
Going to see a movie.
What exactly do you get to keep out of those? And in the case of the appartment...well its yours UNTIL you stop paying your fee.
If you take a look Blizzard (activision...whatever) also donates some of that money. Why don't they donate all of it you say? Again I redirect you to look at how much of your charity donation actually goes to help. At least they are doing something. You want greed...look at the 'ailing' oil industry. Take a look at Walmart. They are actually used as an example in Business ethics...a bad example.
I can think of worse things to do with 25.00 including buying ANY form of tobacco product...if anyone has ever purchased one of those I highly suggest not supporting this post because by buying a tobacco product you have supported greed in its purest sense. (and also mass murder but thats just my humble opinion)
And if you really want to help you should get out there a do it yourself. "Non-profit" is generally just a good way for rich people to avoid paying taxes.
@autumnraven
Thanks for your comment. The worst part is? I work for a non-profit, so I know the GOOD that comes from "foundations"
Using movies or restaurants as arguments would work if for example I paid for that movie...then I had to continue to pay every 10 minutes to watch it, or order my meal, then pay a fee to take each bite, and finally pay for the bill.
As to Blizzard/Activision giving to charity, last year...it has been noted elsewhere already...they donated 0.0001% of 2009 profits...so yes, keep up the good work guys.
Finally, on the "Smoking" notation (or lets use alcohol also)...these are ADDICTIONS, thus being truly difficult to get away from.
But, people have said WoW is an addiction also...and if anyone spends $25 for that pony, then they deserve the moniker of "user".
Post a Comment