ARX store inflation
- Thread starter Fnord Velkor
- Start date
Lots of issues with buying arxes at the moment apparently…
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threa...-issue-buying-arx-from-frontier-store.624990/
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/anyone-having-problems-buying-arx.625126/
Not good timing really, all things considered.
Guess I was lucky then, mine showed up immediately.
Yeah, that's where I'm seeing issues too. I would actually support them getting more revenue out of the game if that were to be visible and clear that it was being put into the game. I've been away just about a year. Came back to putz about and see what's new. That answer is 'not much'. Old bugs still there. Same missions. Same everything. I guess I'll see what shakes out in the new PP.
Truly though. If it got more than the minimum effort I'd be a lot more willing to pony up for more yearly cosmetics or even a access cost. That would require some trust though and I think FDev have blown that pretty badly over the last few years. Right now it feels a lot like we're being soaked to pay off the debt of other mistakes.
I think I saw something suggesting it was browser related.
In my opinion many folks (myself included) took the adjustment announcement to mean at worst big ticket items might get rounded up and cheaper items rounded down, while taking into account the popularity of certain purchases, which would result in a net price increase while still keeping things in the same general pricing range. Some things suddenly increasing by 275% in a 10 year old game is beyond bonkers. Still struggling to fathom why this company would crap on their playerbase so hard like this. Frontier needs to make money and we want to support them but devaluing ARX so much is just pointlessly dunking on players. It's worth noting that not all games with cash shops allow players to earn their premium currency in game, and adding to the grind to acquire enough of them to buy anything certainly incentivizes the player to pay more money. A better approach to accomplish the same thing without upsetting people as much would have been to tweak the weekly ARX cap or formula for earning. There's just better ways of going about monetization than this. There's over 20 years of data concerning the relationships between devs and players and business models that work and fail. It's like Frontier found some bullet point list on what not to do with your online games thinking it was titled what you should do with your online games. I can see them now, puzzled as to why they can never seem to do anything right without also doing something wrong. Must be rough.
As many folks have pointed out, they could have raised the base price of ARX packages without shooting themselves in the foot. They could offer a premium $5-10 monthly service that doubles storage and/or increases resource gain, or perhaps increases your weekly earned ARX cap, and many people would actually celebrate shouting, "take my money!". They could employ a minimum of effort and release new cosmetics more often. They could sell server wide communication items. They could sell billboards at stations to squadrons. They could sell freaking planets or moons. They could literally sell bugfixes in a CG style and there'd probably be less outrage. (if enough folks buy this bugfix package we'll actually prioritize fixing the bug!) They could sell pre-built ships that don't suck while still not being overpowered. They could have done so many things to increase their cashflow without inducing so much public backlash and potentially end up not accomplishing the desired effect. Instead they take an approach that results in many players that want to support the game feeling trolled. Obviously this can come across as an attempt to milk a dying cow, but it doesn't change the fact it could have been done more effectively. For both them and their players, regardless of how long they're planning to support the game.
What's a real kicker imo is that despite the outcry we still haven't heard anything from them, even though they had to have anticipated this community response? Even content creators have said when they ask about the ARX inflation fdev apparently replied with, "no comment". Truly bizarre business practices at Frontier.
edit - I realize it hasn't technically even been a whole week and tomorrow is the day the Python MK II drops so it might be fair to assume they could address this in any announcement they may have for the ship access.
As many folks have pointed out, they could have raised the base price of ARX packages without shooting themselves in the foot. They could offer a premium $5-10 monthly service that doubles storage and/or increases resource gain, or perhaps increases your weekly earned ARX cap, and many people would actually celebrate shouting, "take my money!". They could employ a minimum of effort and release new cosmetics more often. They could sell server wide communication items. They could sell billboards at stations to squadrons. They could sell freaking planets or moons. They could literally sell bugfixes in a CG style and there'd probably be less outrage. (if enough folks buy this bugfix package we'll actually prioritize fixing the bug!) They could sell pre-built ships that don't suck while still not being overpowered. They could have done so many things to increase their cashflow without inducing so much public backlash and potentially end up not accomplishing the desired effect. Instead they take an approach that results in many players that want to support the game feeling trolled. Obviously this can come across as an attempt to milk a dying cow, but it doesn't change the fact it could have been done more effectively. For both them and their players, regardless of how long they're planning to support the game.
What's a real kicker imo is that despite the outcry we still haven't heard anything from them, even though they had to have anticipated this community response? Even content creators have said when they ask about the ARX inflation fdev apparently replied with, "no comment". Truly bizarre business practices at Frontier.
edit - I realize it hasn't technically even been a whole week and tomorrow is the day the Python MK II drops so it might be fair to assume they could address this in any announcement they may have for the ship access.
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I mentioned earlier that I think they used the Python 2 content creator "look at this" blitz as a smokescreen to divert attention from the disgusting gouging and product culling in the ARX store - and it worked, only one "content creator" channel posted a video about it as far as I can see. (Partner types afraid to rock the boat and lose their access? )
EDIT - I see @Obsidian Ant has pushed out a video about this ARX pricing increase a couple of hours ago.
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Still doesn't make sense since they did the Arx "adjustment" on legacy console as well, And we have gotten squat !Tempted to say something about 'tinfoil'...
...but omg - you might be right!
They just simply do not care and have no respect for their players. Simple as that. They never have and they never will.
I really, really, really don't want to believe that but it sure does feel like that right now. The way they have interacted with the community this year feels like the way Ramsay Bolton "interacted" with Theon Greyjoy after the sacking of Winterfell.
Not until after the store maintenance is complete.
There's nothing to say that would sway anyone and the people who would sympathize with the players have no say in this.
I don't think the outcry is that big to be honest, mostly it's just deflating/diverting the hype the Python Mk2 could've had pre-launch otherwise and replacing it with general disinterest once the new reality sets in.
Once this is over I'm not interested in discussing prebuilt ship builds or overpowered P2W features - I'd rather talk about cool space stuff, but that's not what's hip anymore now.
I agree, they could at least be honest and transparent though. Plus players do have a say so to speak, though only in how they choose to do business with Frontier going forward.
You're right, the outcry is there but it isn't that big. It's surprising to me how many people are fine with getting the short end of the stick and are quick to defend fdev when so many other ways of generating revenue could be pursued without making anyone feel like crap because they were saving up for something, or for not spending all of the ARX they just bought.
Same. This is a buncha booty that could have been handled much better and been more healthy for the game overall without such drama. That said, even with pricing being so ghastly and the changes to the store, there's a lot to potentially look forward to with Powerplay 2.0 and the unannounced new feature.
I can understand, on paper, why FDev have increased the price of Arx but speaking from a consumer perspective, there are now so many companies like Amazon, Netflix, a multitude of domestic bills, and subscription-based services, that when taken together all add up. Indeed, all these entities are competing for me to part with my hard earned money and spare cash... With the current cost of living crisis digging ever deeper into ones pocket, for some a tipping point has been reached... For me, the luxury of spending real money in exchange for what now amounts to receiving only half the number of Arx is a purchase that is now the lowest on my list... It's a tough world in business for sure, and I totally feel for FDev, but it seems like businesses everywhere are becomming collectively too greedy... In a competitive world of business, in which consumers are becomming progressively strapped for cash, prices need to come down and value needs to go up.
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"We understand that no one likes a price rise and we’ve done our best to keep prices down. We’re giving you a heads-up now so that you have plenty of time to take advantage of current prices."
It's hard to fathom why Frontier didn't take the above approach to announcing a price increase. Games Workshop are notorious for high prices, but at least they gave their community a fair heads-up.
It's hard to fathom why Frontier didn't take the above approach to announcing a price increase. Games Workshop are notorious for high prices, but at least they gave their community a fair heads-up.
GW gave the community a heads-up for a 3% - 5% (!) price increase.
Let that sink in.
If I understand correctly, there was even scope for some positive spin - emphasising that there have been no price rises for 5 years, so reluctantly given recent high inflation etc. etc.
Another benefit to being transparent and giving specific warning like this is it triggers a larger influx of transactions before those changes go live in June.
It's almost as if capitalism's relentless pursuit of infinite growth is inherently doomed to failure Internationale plays faintly in background