About Crown Crates - discussions + videos

Elloa

Greetings everyone,


Those that knows me, probably know that I do not like Crown Crates and the principle of gambling for real life money in a video game. An opinion that my boyfriend and video-stream partner @phunkeymonkehb16_ESO shares with me.
However, no matter what our principles stand for, the Wild Hunt serie got the best of us and we had to attempt our luck on those crates. We decided to purchase 15 crates, with the hope of getting an Apex mount, and to add a little fun to it, we decided that mount obtained would then define the race of our future warden.
In addition of getting cool items, it was for us also an experiment to see first hand what Crown Crates really are, and be able to speak from a perspective of experience.

The experience was truly a success! You can see the unboxing video here with the result on our faces


Long story short, Nicky got 2 Apex mount in 15 crates, and I got zero in 40 crates. That's luck! That's RNG. We both explain in this article >> Here << the reasons why we do not like the Crown Crates after have experienced them first hand.

We came up with several ideas that you can see explained in the video above (or the related article)

• Having Crown Crates purchasable with in game gold or token. Players would have more activities to do in game, and that in long term, will encourage players to use their real life money on Zenimax product as the game keep them so busy.
• In addition of having Crown Crates, give the possibility for players to buy the mount they want for a fix amount of crown (could be set very high)

What do you think about the Crown Crates? Are you purchasing them? Do you think an alternative should be found by Zenimax, or that they should be removed completely from the game?

Additional videos about the subject
Wild Hunt Horse preview in action
All Crown Crates items preview

KerinKor

Elloa wrote: »

[*] Having Crown Crates purchasable with in game gold or token. Players would have more activities to do in game, and that in long term, will encourage players to use their real life money on Zenimax product as the game keep them so busy.

Not sure how removing a Store exclusive helps ZOS revenue stream in a B2P game. Also, you're way over-exaggerating the 'play time' element of these things.

This isn't going to happen, I expect Crates are one of ZOS' biggest cash cows in ESO, though if they were purchasable with gold it'd not bother me, I still wouldn't buy them as I detest having to grind for gold for 'necessities' let alone fluff especially in a game without a sensible economy mechanic.

Nicky_W

@KerinKor I don't ever expect them to remove crown crates, as you have stated...they just make too much money for ZOS.

My personal preference would be that they also sell some of the more limited items for a fixed crown price in addition to the RNG system of the crown crates, ultimately giving people the following choices.

1.They gamble on crates.
2.They purchase outright for a fixed amount, the price is irrelevant.
3.They go without.

I'm not exactly sure what you meant by 'play time' element, can you clarify?

Thanks

mb10

LOL at around 1:35 when you said "we didnt want to make the excuse of saying we bought them to have the experience of it and be able to speak about it, we just wanted the wild hunt mount"

that made me laugh because 90% of people who bought crown crates on the forums were slandering them saying theyre not good but then they bought them and said "i only bought them so I can tell everyone what the drop rate is like, but hey look at my storm mount!"

Good video and I liked your honesty it made me laugh

N0TPLAYER2

I love how this all starts as "we're so against crown crates"

Yet then you decide to give in, and when you do you film it for views.

And lol at the "we decided to buy 15 crates" and it sounds like you bought 55 crates and only got two mount. That's $100+ per mount there. Good job!!

The double standards are killing me. Don't preach about "being against them" before showing you guys open 55 boxes. It's just sad.

Sibenice

If you're opening up crown crates just for the apex mounts then yeah, they're a waste of money. But if you're like me, and wanted a large number of the other items in there then overall it's not so bad. I used my saved up sub crowns on 15 boxes then spent to get another 15.

I got-

3 mounts (no apex)
9 pets
Eyelashes
12 costumes
3 tattoos (1 body/2 face)
2 hats
2 hairstyles
1 aura
10 exp scrolls
10 riding lesson speed (Because I was an idiot when I started and put points into stamina)

All together, if I were to buy these direct from the crown store, it would be around 22500 crowns which is about double what I spent. And of the items I got, the only pieces I don't use are the aura, one of the hats and the eyelashes. I use the tattoo set as the main tattoo on one of my characters now, I use the hooded type hat all the time and while I don't RP in the old fashioned way I do change my mount/costume/pet based on weather, biome, time of day, quest I'm doing, how I'm feeling, etc, so I've been using all of them. Some I like better than others but none do I regret having.

Basically the crates are less about the gambling for the big mounts (Because honestly I don't care about them. I got one of the atronach mounts from the last set and almost never use it.) and more about expanding my ability to look the way I want when I want. And that's what makes me happy.

Nicky_W

@N0TPLAYER2 You are of course entitled to your opinion, if anything I think we are pretty open and transparent about our views on crown crates as well as the reason we finally 'gave in'.

Maybe you didn't read the article, or listen to the video in full but initially we did buy 15 creates each.
I won't go over things that were already said in the video, typed in the article, it makes little sense to do so.

As for doing it for views...well of course! It seems pretty silly to have a desire to make youtube and twitch content with no ambition to have it seen don't you think?

Ultimately, I think you have missed the point, but that's ok.

Nicky_W

@Sibenice You are absolutely spot on. It all comes down to what you want from it.
And you raise a good point.
I don't think crown crates are inherently a bad investment...it's just that they CAN be , if one is very unlucky.

I think its fair to say that for the 'majority' of players, the apex mounts are the main draw (hopefully you agree?) and it seems their drop rate is very hit and miss.

Thanks for commenting

Sibenice

phunkeymonkehb16_ESO wrote: »

@Sibenice You are absolutely spot on. It all comes down to what you want from it.
And you raise a good point.
I don't think crown crates are inherently a bad investment...it's just that they CAN be , if one is very unlucky.

I think its fair to say that for the 'majority' of players, the apex mounts are the main draw (hopefully you agree?) and it seems their drop rate is very hit and miss.

Thanks for commenting

Yes, they can be if you're very unlucky and going for a couple specific things because then you're mostly likely to need to use the gems to get what you want. I think going into the crown crates wanting only one or two items is going to leave you disappointed with how much you had to spend pretty consistently (unless you really wanted the Bravil Retriever). Granted, I ended up with about 500 gems and opted to not get an Apex mount. So at least this game does have a system to get you what you want regardless of RNG which a lot of games with gamble boxes do not. I also typically do not buy those gamble boxes ever.

It's hard for me to say majority. It'd be easier to agree with that on the atronach ones but I've seen a lot of people who just straight up don't like the wild hunt mounts. On the other hand the Doomwolf mount, Black Senche mount (and matching pets) Toxin Doctor Outfit, Ancestor Moth Swarm and Statue of Hircine have gotten talked up a lot and are generally well liked.

alexkdd99

N0TPLAYER2 wrote: »

I love how this all starts as "we're so against crown crates"

Yet then you decide to give in, and when you do you film it for views.

And lol at the "we decided to buy 15 crates" and it sounds like you bought 55 crates and only got two mount. That's $100+ per mount there. Good job!!

The double standards are killing me. Don't preach about "being against them" before showing you guys open 55 boxes. It's just sad.

You are forgetting all the other items obtained besides the apex mounts. How come nobody realizes this? You probably get a better deal from the crates considering you get 4 or 5 items per a crate.

Maybe read the whole post and fully watch the video before preaching, it's just sad.

Nicky_W

Sibenice wrote: »

It's hard for me to say majority. It'd be easier to agree with that on the atronach ones but I've seen a lot of people who just straight up don't like the wild hunt mounts. On the other hand the Doomwolf mount, Black Senche mount (and matching pets) Toxin Doctor Outfit, Ancestor Moth Swarm and Statue of Hircine have gotten talked up a lot and are generally well liked.

That's an interesting point too, because Elloa & myself had zero interest in the storm mounts...I guess taste is very subjective

Kendaric

My problems with the crates still stand: You can't choose to turn unwanted collectibles into gems (or even just delete them from your collection) and the amount of non-themed collectibles in the crates.

Therefore I'll continue to ignore the crates (and even delete the one coming with my Morrowind preorder), unless it gets changed.

Osteos

OH I was so rooting for you to get a wild hunt mount! I'm glad you got a few things you liked and hopefully you got enough gems from that dog lol to buy something you like.

I personally like the crates, I find them fun. I have however been lucky in getting what i wanted out of them fairly easily. I wanted the red pit wolf out of the first season and used my sub crowns plus bought a pack. I didn't get the wolf I got an atronach bear but I got enough gems to buy the red pit wolf.

This season I really liked the wild hunt mounts and wanted either the wolf or senche. I bought a 15 pack and got the senche on the 4th to last crate. So overall a positive experience.

Spending money and not getting what you wanted is no fun though so I agree that the crates could use some improvements but just by watching both of your experiences it is hard to say what exactly needs to be changed. His was rich in rewards making the drop rates look great and yours was very poor in comparison.

Quigster

I have seen a couple youtube videos of people buying and opening crown crates. Never saw the appeal myself as I do not like gambling. However, I do not mind that they exist and if others participate, so be it. Just not my cup of tea.

Elloa

There is very good points in this discussions. Thanks to everyone that participated to it!

@Sibenice you are very right to underline the fact that if you do not expect / hope something specific, the Crown Crates are actually a very nice lottery with a lot of cool rewards. I got myself some stuff I wanted ( the auras) and with my "unluck" I ended by being lucky enough to purchase the few items I really hoped for, beside the Wild Horse. Thanks to @phunkeymonkehb16_ESO that had been terribly generous with me.

What I do not like with the system of gambling is the addictive aspect that it can create to persons with less will power, or that have expectations. I find it something too dangerous to play with for real life money.

I think the whole system of those crown crate is very well made, fun and even fair.... as long as there is no real life money implicated. I'd love to see such a system created for Gold, or achievements points, Tokens or whatever... something that would encourage players to play (farm) the game more. Maybe in the line of all others system actually in game such as motifs and housing items: either it cost a very large amount of in game ressources, or less with crowns (and real life money). In that way, players that do not want / can not afford crowns crates could still have a chance to participate, and players that do not want / can not afford a lot of time farming in game, can purchase the crown crate in the crown store like now.

Sheyta

Crown Crates is for the ones who want specific one item only even worse then playing cards at a vegas casino.

... who is even illegal in my country here in europe due to the danger of playing with irl money.

I will never touch Crown Crates

I support eso with subscribtion and thats the end of my support.

I dont support this system and it can harm people lifes as other types of 'gambling with real money' ♤♡◇♧

Violynne

Elloa wrote: »

What do you think about the Crown Crates?

They take up precious space in the Crown Store which would be better served selling things to me directly.

Are you purchasing them?

Do you think an alternative should be found by Zenimax, or that they should be removed completely from the game?

While I may not participate, I don't see this as a problem for those who want to. It's their money, so who am I to take away something they find entertaining?

My only concern is the psychological factor behind such a system. It's been well established systems like this, much like real life lotteries, can affect a percentage of the population where it becomes more than just fun, but a terrifying reality of losing money.

I'd feel much better of ZoS implemented a limit on the number of crates an account can purchase in a month, but seeing how corporations easily throw ethics out the door for a quick dollar seems par for the course today.

I just ask those who participate: do so with responsibility.

rotaugen454

I view the Crown Crates like my trips to Vegas (the annual trip is coming in May). I have a set amount that I will spend/gamble, win or lose. When I'm done, I see if I came out ahead or lost. The amounts are always small enough that it is for entertainment purposes. Won't retire off of winnings or lose the house on losses. With Crown Crates, I at least get something other than "free" drinks while gambling.

nimander99

I bought 1500 crowns worth of crates with my stipend and got two apex mounts lol. Friggin RNG.

Elloa

nimander99 wrote: »

I bought 1500 crowns worth of crates with my stipend and got two apex mounts lol. Friggin RNG.

You see @phunkeymonkehb16_ESO you are not the only one