Much Ado About Nothing
I wasn't going to comment on Petgate 2009. It became a tired subject two minutes after it was breaking news, and I had nothing new to add to the discussion. I still don't, really. But I did read two things over the weekend that finally exasperated me enough to respond.
First, Elnia at the Pink Pigtail Inn described his reaction to the opening of the Blizzard Pet Store as "aghast." One of his commenters chimed in, declaring the entire thing "abhorrent." Aghast? Abhorrent? Seriously?
These are very strong words. If you find yourself sincerely "aghast" at anything that happens in a video game, then I humbly suggest canceling your account and investing the $15 a month in a newspaper subscription. There are truly abhorrent things happening in the world. This isn't one of them.
Second, a pair of new recruits got into the most ridiculously asinine spat I have ever seen in Surreality guild chat. One of the recruits was delighted with his new pet (not to mention his fifth name change of the week >.<). The other thought he was an idiot for spending real money on vanity items, and told him so. What started as a relatively minor difference of opinion somehow escalated to name-calling — quickly quashed, of course, but no less annoying for all that it was short-lived.
Personally, I have a very "live and let live" — or, more accurately, a "buy and let buy... or don't!" — attitude towards the entire thing. I collected non-combat pets for a while and have several that I still love (all of them gifts from my fiance at various points in our relationship, come to think of it), but I doubt I'll be purchasing a pint-sized lich or Kung Fu panda from the Blizzard Pet Store anytime soon. Still, I don't see the fact I have the option to do so as the Beginning of the End for the World of Warcraft, nor do I find any of the many arguments I've read against this type of real money transaction particularly compelling.
Here they are, in brief, along with my thoughts. (I'm sure you've seen all of them before; as I said, I have nothing new or insightful to add. I really just wanted to vent.)
It's classist, providing a visual, in-game distinction between the Haves and Haves Nots.
You have a computer, a high-speed Internet connection and $15 of disposal income each month to pay for your WoW subscription. You, my friend, are a Have.
Besides, if Black Dragonflight is any indication, people are far more likely to /point and /laugh at you for owning a Panderan Monk or Lil' KT than they are to /sigh in wistful admiration.
It devalues my pet collecting achievement.
More so than any of the previous Collector's Edition, Blizzcon or Trading Card pets (that you can still buy on ebay for a ridiculous mark-up)? By making non-combat pets available for purchase on the official website, Blizzard has effectively eliminated the after-market and made these two pets, at least, more accessible to a majority of players.
... By the way, if this is your argument, then you better not written have a blogpost recently condemning "hardcore" raiders for attempting to hoard the purple pixels. Just sayin'.
It's a slippery slope that can only lead to game-changing Real Money Transactions (selling gold, epics, heirloom gear, access to premium instance servers, etc.).
The slippery slope is a fallacy. l2logic.
It breaks immersion.
Yeah, it does. I'll give you that.
But you know what? So do Haris Pilton, Harrison Jones, the ninja turtles in Dalaran and the fact that my 16-slot backpack can somehow hold 30 Hillsbrad peasant skulls at the same time. Leah made a fantastic comment over at the Pink Pigtail Inn about the entire World of Warcraft being just a little tongue-in-cheek. If Larísa's site weren't blocked at work, I would quote it here; since it is and I can't, I recommend finding it yourself. It's the only thing related to Elnia's post worth reading.
Blizzard is selling out, man.
Blizzard is in the business of making and selling video games. We call Blizzard a studio, but that's romanticism: at the end of the day, the World of Warcraft is a product. Not art.
Blizzard isn't "selling out." It's selling — period. If this comes as some sort of surprise to you, then you really haven't been paying attention.
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November 9th, 2009 - 11:22
The long and the short of it? If you want to spend 10$ on a pet… then spend it. If you don’t, then don’t.
I guess I missed the blow up…
And then look at the link below my comment…
lordofthefries´s last blog ..Tier 10
November 9th, 2009 - 11:55
Frost…witch…
Not all shaman are female :3
Light´s last blog ..Split Personality
November 9th, 2009 - 12:38
This one isn’t.
November 9th, 2009 - 12:45
This one is!
I think it looks awesome. I’m especially excited about the shoulders — but then, I love no tier set like I love warlock T6.
November 9th, 2009 - 14:06
It’d be pretty awesome to be able to have your shaman in that set…
lordofthefries´s last blog ..Tier 10
November 9th, 2009 - 11:54
I love my little KT. He’s adorable.
On Alleria nobody cares. I bought them the same day they were announced. People saw me standing around in Dalaran with KT out and wanted one too. He’s just that cute. Plus he laughs and shoots stuff. What more could you ask for?
Light´s last blog ..Split Personality
November 9th, 2009 - 12:49
It is cute!
And it he makes you happy, then it was $10 well spent.
Some people just need to stop whining and get some perspective, in my never-humble opinion.
November 9th, 2009 - 12:22
It’s the “shoots stuff” that keeps the Lil’ KT seed alive in my brain.
Forreststump´s last blog ..Resto Druid Haste Calculator v3.3
November 9th, 2009 - 12:48
Okay, so I kind of do want one …
… but Sarielle has a worg pup from my first “date” with Keaton in Blackrock Spire, and Ihlana has the little tree that Keaton gave me for my birthday and Liluye has the Disgusting Oozling that Keaton spent days farming in Felwood …
… so, I really don’t see how I could replace any of them with something from the Blizzard pet store. :S
November 9th, 2009 - 13:11
I’ve also resisted the urge to comment on Petgate, but it rubs me the wrong way when people take “using strong language” in a rant and compare it to, say the holocaust or something.
Elnia isn’t trying to do that. Simply using persuasive writing techniques (like strong words) in a persuasive piece isn’t trying to equate WOW with tsunamis and famines the world over. Would you rather every blogger said “boy, I’m mad about Blizzard’s newest move… it makes me sad. If they would stop, I would be happy…” Using stock words is boring writing, using strong words is good writing. Using Elnia’s use of strong words as a way to devalue his argument is a kind of straw man argument, which is also a logical fallacy.
That said, I HATE criticizing anyone in their blog comments it makes me feel like a complete jerk, and I hope you know you’re a favorite blogger of mine and I almost always agree with you… that’s just a pet peeve and I think kind of a cheap move, and it comes up every time someone is trying to stay out of a hot debate, and I wanted to point it out.
November 9th, 2009 - 13:49
Meanwhile, a pet peeve of mine are people who agree for agreement’s sake (especially on Internet bandwagons) — so just as I stand by my critique of Elnia’s post, I welcome your critique of mine.
I do want to point out that I’m not reacting to Elnia’s argument, but to the words he used to express — and, presumably, elict — an emotional response. Strong words are great, but they have to be used appropriately; otherwise, they can distort or even undermine the argument they were written to support. I don’t feel “aghast” or “abhorrent” were used appropriately in either Elnia’s post or in subsequent comments, and said so. IMO, this is a far cry from fulfilling Godwin’s Law.
November 9th, 2009 - 15:11
Fair enough. I’m not entirely with you, but I can see where you’re coming from a bit more easily, anyway.
And I wasn’t necessarily trying to evoke the immortal Godwin… although it does seem to be sort of related, doesn’t it?
Rhii´s last blog ..Building a Better Guild
November 10th, 2009 - 00:07
I’m afraid I was the commenter who used the word ‘abhorrent’ and, as Rhii mentions, unfortunately I did use it to garner some emotional response other than “Gee that’s awful”. I could have used – ‘irritated’, ‘annoyed’, ‘exasperated’, ’saddened’ etc., but I don’t think they would have been descriptive of my reaction or to the point I was trying to make at the time.
And that was that my comment on Elnia’s blog was not about the microtransaction of pets but the fact that Blizzard is using a charity to halt money-making accusations against them.
Let’s make this clear. You are not giving money to a charity. You are giving money to Blizzard, who are then donating to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The charity themselves are not affiliated in this event, and other than getting cash paid to them by Blizzard are not involved. But this event is only until the end of December. Why stop? This is not a product that has an overhead like shelf space, warehouse storage, administration costs, etc. You pay money, they make a pet out of thin air. I think that would be an amazing gift to charity, endless donations for making nothing.
I, personally, find this sort of charity-selling so that a company can’t be accused of money-making , particularly … well… well, you get the idea.
So, on hindsight, perhaps ‘abhorrent’ was used out of place. I apologise.
November 10th, 2009 - 07:01
As someone who works in a virtual industry, I can assure you that there most definitely are costs associated with developing the pets — and, indeed, anything in the game. Pixels don’t actually come out of thin air.
I’m sure you know that, though, just as I’m sure that Blizzard will make back the investment in relatively short order (if they haven’t already) and anything earned on top of that will be pure profit.
That said, I do understand the point you were attempting to make and apologize for misconstruing it. I still feel that the exaggerated emotional responses over at PPI are out of place though — even a little ridiculous. A for-profit company is selling a product for profit (a product that some customers actually want!) and people are somehow surprised and disappointed? Really? O.o
Elleiras´s last blog ..Much Ado About Nothing
November 9th, 2009 - 13:44
Neither Lil’ KT nor the Pandaran Monk are good enough for me to spend money on.
But the Core Hound Pup was datamined at the same time as those two pets… and THAT one might be enough for me. Because “loot the dog” never gets old.
November 9th, 2009 - 14:16
Hear, hear!
*select whole post*
/agree
November 10th, 2009 - 07:06
I won’t lie, I want me a panda. But in this day and age, despite the money we shell out to Blizzard for two (currently three, we’re RAF’ing again) accounts, or maybe because of it… that extra $10 is just too much. Especially because I have so many (around 80) little pets already, it’s almost impossible to choose one to have out.
I like these ones mostly because they’re interactive. Like Stinker and the rabbits from Easter.. they’re just more fun with that little extra bit of activity.
I agree that it would be a better situation if Blizzard either gave the entire $10 to the charity, or kept the pets for sale forever. But I think they’re also trying to cash in on the whole “get them before they’re gone” mentality too. Things are always more valuable to the consumer when they’re in limited supply. Especially something that’s essentially a novelty to begin with. Just look at the pet section of the AH.
Carrie´s last blog ..Even More Acetone Free!