You’re right that extreme examples are not that relevant. However if we make excuses and justify these gradual but constant extensions of the limits, then we will inevitably arrive at that same extreme point that now seems so far fetched.
Originally it was just cosmetics only and for small prices. That’s fine, it helps out with the game. Then prices increased significantly. Then it was not just cosmetics but ships as well. That’s ok though because it’s just for a limited time, only about 3 months. Then the next one was closer to 4 months. We’ll see how long the third ship takes but suggestions now are than it may take even longer than the second one.
Now if we start to justify that it would be okay to introduce large ships, more powerful than any current large ships, and make them Arx only for 6 months to a year that would move the limits yet again. Sure it’s not the extreme of gambling and loot boxes so that’s ok right?
Once that becomes normal after a while, why not start pushing the limits even more, a bit a time so that it can become normalized?
Extreme examples are important, at least - as an example of how not to do. Frontier could go for any extreme long time ago, they didn't, for whatever reason. In the past, they had tried DLCs, Season passes, some cosmetics - nothing really worked for them. Now it looks like they're experimenting with a different approach - Monetization for an easier start, Cosmetics and Early Access for things. Any business has to change with the times, adapting it to specifics of that individual business. To me, it looks like going back to DLCs is not an option anymore, as current experiments look good and successful, plus a much safer for them, as they can produce content incrementally without big/long investments upfront, get returns faster and promote the game to get new players/sales.
It's very easy to look at it only from a point of view of bad and predatory monetization strategies other companies use, completely ignoring the fact - that there was an option to do them (for example, sell ships like that other game), yet for whatever reason the choice was made for a different approach (Early Access for a comparatively reasonable price), much more ethical, imo. Same with other things on the store.
In any case - a meaningful metric for how far it could go - are how much income it generates and how ethical Frontier decides to be about it - both are completely out of our control as players/customers, unless "Vote with your wallet" after the fact. If anyone wants for the monetization strategy to change - don't participate, if many would do that - changes would happen, although what changes they would be is impossible for us to predict, only guess - could be more predatory, could be something different, could be a shutdown.
With how prices for games and DLCs are going up right now all across the industry (because of many other factors, not just greed) and all the development/investments that go into creating new thing - if the choice is to have a DLC level content in batches sold by Early Access, or wait a long time to get it for the full price - I like the first one better. The point is - current strategy was proven successful by the previous year, and it is very flexible to what and how it can be applied, while at the same time - it is very far away from really bad and predatory practices, and with how it is right now - it looks like it specifically made not to go for the worst.
New content costs money to develop. If a player wants it now - buy it. If for whatever reason that is not an option - wait until it's available for free, as it will because it is an official strategy. Since it's for free for something that is not free to develop - wait for as long as needed. For any other company that does Live Service the same thing would look like - buy EA for a higher price or wait and then buy it for a lower price.
Yes, that is the new normalcy, and it could change again and again in the future with however the industry would change. Many changes are not good for us as consumers, but the extent of them is important - as I'm glad that Frontier doesn't give in to temptation to go for a much easier and predatory practices. If they are to continue like that - time will tell, but right now - I don't know any comparable live-service game with a better (from a consumer pov) monetization strategy.
