[COMMUNITY POLL] What should Zenimax's policy towards "Any race, any alliance bundle" be?

BelmontDrakul

This poll has been opened to discover general opinion about this thread.
After "One Tamriel" update, factionalism in the game lost its value except; Imperial City and Cyrodiil areas. Nowadays, everybody can join every faction's guild. Every faction member travel and discover other factions' regions and even experience their questlines. For this reason, policy about "Any Race, Any Alliance Bundle" should change immediately. I have couple of different ideas.

LadyLavina

Should've never been a limitation in the first place to me. Not going to be salty and demand a refund or anything if it's ever made free, it's been 10 years, but I wouldn't say no to a small credit lol

Taril

Honestly? Just let people queue for a particular faction when they sign up to Cyro/IC. With bonuses for picking an underpopulated faction.

Not only would this improve overall representation in these places more than Any Race Any Faction (Which incentivises stacking into the most popular faction), but would also greatly improve people's ability to grab Skyshards/Lorebooks in Cyro.

Any Race Any Faction can then just be about minor changes in where certain quests take you and where your character's Harborage is located (And what symbol is next to your character name/on your character sheet) where it can be in the store for those who wish to purchase it.

Sarannah

Should be free, as it is a payrestriction players will run into when first playing ESO. Making the game seem p2w, which it completely isn't. It just looks bad, so should be removed.

Also, any race/any alliance no longer makes sense since OneTamriel. It made sense when one faction was all we could play.

PS: I do not care about PvP and how this affects PvP.

colossalvoids

It should be a base game feature, can't see it any other way.

Hapexamendios

I got it when I first started and don't really care at this point.

Niliu

[snip] No leave it as it is option. [snip]

I paid for the Imperial Edition pre-order of the original release of this game, which included the any race option. You do not get my perk for free because you feel like it. If you would like to personally compensate all the players who paid for it, THEN do get it free, ZOS might be into that, but you'll owe a lot.

[edited for baiting]

Niliu

Sarannah wrote: »

Should be free, as it is a payrestriction players will run into when first playing ESO. Making the game seem p2w, which it completely isn't. It just looks bad, so should be removed.

Also, any race/any alliance no longer makes sense since OneTamriel. It made sense when one faction was all we could play.

PS: I do not care about PvP and how this affects PvP.

"Pay restriction" oh please. Like saying Horde and Alliance is too restrictive.

Sarannah

As someone who also bought the Imperial deluxe pre-order edition when the game released(still have my molag bal statue), I think about the game before myself. Having new players getting shoved "You can't make this race because you have to pay first!" in the face upon starting to play, is a bad look for the game. This makes the game seem pay-to-win, which it completely isn't.

Besides that, that bundle doesn't make sense anymore since OneTamriel and is now so old that it should be free for everyone.

Not having any race/any alliance be free just looks bad to the outside world and new players who are interested in ESO.

ghastley

Not using it is free right now.

fizzylu

Niliu wrote: »

"Pay restriction" oh please. Like saying Horde and Alliance is too restrictive.

Funny that you mention that since more and more WoW players desire for the factions to be dissolved. Just because something was made a certain way years ago doesn't mean it's good for it to stay that way.

Sarannah wrote: »

Not having any race/any alliance be free just looks bad to the outside world and new players who are interested in ESO.

I also pre-ordered the Imperial deluxe edition. I then also bought the game again a second time some years later, purchased the Imperial race upgrade, and Any Race Any Alliance. I'm still okay with and actually think it would be for the best for it to be made free or just incorporated into the game. It made sense to charge for it back in the day, but I know for a fact that it just discourages and is an early turn-off when it comes to the game for new players now.

Elsonso

At this point, it should just be rolled into the base game. No other changes.

spartaxoxo

I have it and got it a long time ago. I don't think a purchase I made 9 years ago (or whatever it was when it happened I don't even remember anymore) needs to stay the same price. It would be better for the overall health of the game if it were to be made base game imo.

Danikat

It should never have been a restriction in the first place, and if they're going to make it free I don't see any reason to complicate it, just make it part of the base game for everyone instead of adding in steps for the player to unlock it.

BTW it was included with all pre-order copies, even if you just got the cheapest version you could find, so no one paid extra for it. Yes the Imperial Edition came with a bunch of extras, but Any Race, Any Alliance was not one of them.

Niliu

Sarannah wrote: »

As someone who also bought the Imperial deluxe pre-order edition when the game released(still have my molag bal statue), I think about the game before myself. Having new players getting shoved "You can't make this race because you have to pay first!" in the face upon starting to play, is a bad look for the game. This makes the game seem pay-to-win, which it completely isn't.

Besides that, that bundle doesn't make sense anymore since OneTamriel and is now so old that it should be free for everyone.

Not having any race/any alliance be free just looks bad to the outside world and new players who are interested in ESO.

That's not what pay to win means. Pay to win requires there to be an advantage.

vuwuv

Niliu wrote: »

[snip] No leave it as it is option. [snip]

I paid for the Imperial Edition pre-order of the original release of this game, which included the any race option. You do not get my perk for free because you feel like it. If you would like to personally compensate all the players who paid for it, THEN do get it free, ZOS might be into that, but you'll owe a lot.

Hehe, I've bought Thurvokun arms pack not so long ago and I don't think I'm buying more crowns in the foreseeable future after ZOS decided to make it free.

But I'll vote to make 'Any race, any alliance' free although I've paid for it like you. Cause the game is in such a poor state that it's hard to make it worse.

[edited to remove quote]

ComboBreaker88

Triple the price. You had 10 years to buy it and failed to do so.

StihlReign

Taril wrote: »

Honestly? Just let people queue for a particular faction when they sign up to Cyro/IC. With bonuses for picking an underpopulated faction.

nooo...Absolutely not. This should never be implemented. The penalty for switching factions should be less reward, and ramp into full pay after 2 campaigns. This is a War game, soldiers and mercenaries should be different. Faction loyalty should be rewarded. If there's an underpopulated Faction - That is ZOS' fault. 23M players and you can't fill Cyro 24/7? THIS IS NOT A PLAYER problem - the marketing dept. is failing us all.

Devs should change the Shield identifier to gray until you do 2 camps on the new side...

ESO PvP already feels washed out and disconnected from any real purpose or drive, but this is... the best they can do. Maybe there's a gaming writer's strike...

Cooperharley

Here's the thing - a lot of things SHOULD be free in this game. But zenimax is more in the business of charging for everything rather than more player agency.

Thought you should just get the companions with the purchase of gold road like every other year? Wrong.

Thought we should have a barbershop in game to change appearance like virtually all other MMOs? Wrong, you need to purchase an appearance change token or directly purchase hairstyles and other body alterations.

Thought we should have tangible rewards? Nah, why do that when we can just buy them in the store?

The issue with this game at its core will be monetization. Notice how fast issues with the crown store get fixed rather than balance changes or QOL additions relative to other big name MMOs.

Taril

StihlReign wrote: »

nooo...Absolutely not. This should never be implemented.

Found the person who only wants to play the stacked faction that constantly takes the entire zone because no-one is playing other factions to resist them.

StihlReign wrote: »

The penalty for switching factions should be less reward

The penalty for switching factions is that you're going to have to play against more populated factions. Which puts you at a massive disadvantage.

StihlReign wrote: »

Faction loyalty should be rewarded

And it is. You get bonuses for holding more stuff. Which further incentivises stacking into the same faction so you can all just take everything and get massive bonus AP for doing so.

StihlReign wrote: »

If there's an underpopulated Faction - That is ZOS' fault. 23M players and you can't fill Cyro 24/7? THIS IS NOT A PLAYER problem - the marketing dept. is failing us all.

It's a player problem if they all CHOSE to pick the highly populated faction that gives them easy AP because they just farm the map.

StihlReign wrote: »

ESO PvP already feels washed out and disconnected from any real purpose or drive, but this is... the best they can do.

Almost like having unbalanced factions robs the game of any sort of "War" and contension over places...

Destai

It should be a part of the base game, IMO

bbrown0770

No leave it as it is option,Unless everybody that paid for it it compensated.

AzuraFan

Put it into the endeavor shop. A fair solution to me. Not free (because many paid for it), but you can earn it in-game. Put it at the 3600 endeavor tier. It doesn't take long to earn that amount. Many players will already have it.

TaSheen

I've paid for it 8 times (4 on PC NA, 4 on PC EU). I still think it should be base game/free. And I'm not worried about how much I spent - or a refund.

freespirit

I actually purchased it for a secondary account very recently, I'm fine with it staying as it is.

Although as my goto race is Breton and my goto Alliance is Daggerfall Covenent it only even registers with me when I'm making an alt of a race that connot be DC......this occasion it was wanting a DC Altmer? 🙂

Fischblut

Leave it as it is, please, thank you Or send back the cost in crowns to everyone who paid for it in the past, if it's suddenly going to be free

Hehe, I've bought Thurvokun arms pack not so long ago and I don't think I'm buying more crowns in the foreseeable future after ZOS decided to make it free.

I'm sorry to hear that At least they could design a new monster weapons pack and gift it to all players for anniversary; then they could put it for sale later as all other monster packs rotate.

Seeing how many previously purchased items are being given away for free nowadays, also impacts my decisions to buy things now. Even Mummy costume which is free if you get Owl pet by doing in-game stuff, used to be sold for crowns in the past... Thanks for the costume, but sorry for all people who already paid for it

Also, I've paid in the past for half of items which were given away throughout this anniversary year, so half of gift table was empty and bitter for me And other half was nice and free for me indeed, but someone else paid for them in the past as well (such as Iron Orc welva)... I think there might even be people who already bought all items/DLCs which were given away this year - imagine how they felt.

I'm ok with unique rewards which are given away for free to everyone first, and released for purchase later. But not vice versa.

spartaxoxo

I don't think it's reasonable to expect things to remain the same price forever. Nor do I think we need to keep mistakes just because they have always been there before.

The thing they should do is what's best for the health of the game rather than being scared to give away items that cost money 10 years ago. I'd be okay for a refund of recent purchases though.

Guizan

My only gripe is that new players are Pidgeon holed into a specific faction because
they created a main character belonging to a race bound to that alliance. As for me I
have it on all my 4 accounts, my first account from the pre-order of the Imperial Edition
that also gave me the Imperial race.

Grega

I mean you keep making different posts about this. And each and everyone you attempt to make it like it should be assumed everyone is just suppose to flat out agree with you (like you have no option to disagree in your poll).

This is a low hanging fruit. I fairly inexpensive thing to complain about. In 10 years that the game has been out, surely ONCE only you could have skipped a small lunch or a large bag of chips, and put that money towards the bundle and be done with it?

BelmontDrakul

Grega wrote: »

I mean you keep making different posts about this. And each and everyone you attempt to make it like it should be assumed everyone is just suppose to flat out agree with you (like you have no option to disagree in your poll).

This is a low hanging fruit. I fairly inexpensive thing to complain about. In 10 years that the game has been out, surely ONCE only you could have skipped a small lunch or a large bag of chips, and put that money towards the bundle and be done with it?

You are right but; the thing is I really forgot to add that option. I contacted moderators to change "Other" option as "Other / Leave as it is". Sorry for misunderstanding.

AzuraFan

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I don't think it's reasonable to expect things to remain the same price forever. Nor do I think we need to keep mistakes just because they have always been there before.

The thing they should do is what's best for the health of the game rather than being scared to give away items that cost money 10 years ago. I'd be okay for a refund of recent purchases though.

When they gave away the thieves guild DLC, Wrothgar DLC, and something else I'd bought, I was okay with it. But at some point, people have to pay for things. As for it being 10 years old, it isn't 10 years old for someone who shelled out crowns for it last week.

ZOS can't give away everything just because some people don't want to pay. I'd love to have one of the large manor houses in the base game that cost 13000 crowns or 1,300,000 gold (I'm a poor player). After all, they've been there forever, so hey, can you make them free?? Just kidding.

As for the health of the game, people might be hesitant to spend crowns if something they just paid for (remember the guy who bought the bundle last week?) is then given away to everyone.

Having said all that, I voted that I'd be fine putting it into the endeavor store so people can earn it in-game. I'm not okay with ZOS giving everything away because it's old and some people don't want to open their wallets to buy the stuff they want.