No free crates for ESO+ members during the next trial period

Ragged_Claw

It's a bit kind of giving with one hand and taking with the other I feel. We get a small amount of crowns added (still not enough to buy most stuff in the CS without saving, and you can't save because 'limited time!') a free statue (OK it's free, no complaint), but for the most part these 'new benefits' are simply to drive us to the CS - buy before everyone else? Who cares? Discounts? Well, again, nice but I'm about half-past-done with the CS anyway and discounted or not it's still money in their pockets, (i.e. not free). I do appreciate them trying to add value to our subs, but the removal of the free crown crates goes against that imo.

TLDR: Well I'd quite like some free crates if it's not too much trouble, thanks. No biggy though.

Elsonso

weedgenius wrote: »

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/55165

Just a heads up in case you were expecting them.

Drats. It is getting harder and harder to collect 300 free unopened Crown Crates before the end of the year!

ImmortalCX

I bought Morrowind but just a month later, they included it in the base game.

Are they stealing from me?

Entitlement math is very tricky.

Jakx

I love this new.. we'll give you new ESO+ benefits! So those new benefits are a discount on crown items that you still have to pay for. Compared to the free crates we used to get during free trial periods.. this is a net loss. ZOS set a standard and now they're using some sleight of hand.

Unless they put those sweet new crown items to a discount of 150 crowns (the new added per month crowns) then so much for those "consistent rewards." Otherwise 6 crates versus a statue? Ill take the crates.

Complaints aren't about not getting free stuff. Its about the fact that before your eyes you're continually getting less and last I checked the game seems to have the same amount of issues so Im not sure where that money is being invested. It's pretty bad form too to have a free week of ESO+ given out with no benefits to those who paid for the four weeks. They set the precedent on the crates before. Statue doesn't count because you can get it for a month not just during that week.

weedgenius

lordrichter wrote: »

weedgenius wrote: »

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/55165

Just a heads up in case you were expecting them.

Drats. It is getting harder and harder to collect 300 free unopened Crown Crates before the end of the year!

I thought of you when I posted this!!! I couldn't remember who is was but I thought "This is a blow to that person collecting all the unopened crates!"

ookami007

Hey... It's just ZoS's way of sticking up their finger to us ESO plus members and telling us that we're #1!

MasterSpatula

I really, really thought giving ESO+ members free crates during the ESO+ trial periods was both a clever way to show appreciation to those already subbing AND a great way to still ire over the very existence of Crown Crates by making them available in more ways. I thought this was one of the smarter things ZOS had done in a long time for making the customer feel respected and valued rather than feel like a cow to be drained of every drop of milk.

Making customers feel respected and valued. Making Crates less odious. Of course it couldn't last.

Kanar

Danikat wrote: »

Kanar wrote: »

There's a lot of zos white knights in here. A couple points:
1. Some have mentioned items/services going on sale after you buy. I would point out that you're a fool if you DON'T go back to the store and get the sale price. Or, price match through credit card. With services like cable, all you have to do is call them and you can get the new customer price. I mean, really, "a fool and his money are soon parted."
2. If you go into a restaurant and buy a burger, pay $4, and then after you the cashier gives free burgers to everyone then you will be mad too. Just because you don't see the ESO+ scenario the same, does not mean it isn't.
3. Zos can just add 1 week to all our subs to make up for the free week.

If you'd tried 1. in any shop I've ever worked in you'd be told "I'm very sorry you missed this promotion, better luck next time maybe". And you could shout and stamp and demand to speak to the manager all you like (and trust me people do) or threaten to report us to Trading Standards or your MP or your mum or whatever other authority figure you imagine might be able to change it and even if you actually did nothing at all would happen. You didn't qualify for the promotion, end of discussion.

As for 2. if you've ever eaten in a restaurant and didn't assume at least 1 table was using a voucher or some other offer to get a discount on the exact same meal you're getting then you're deluding yourself.

3. They can, but they won't.

1. You're wrong because the customer can just return the item and buy it again under sale price. Nobody said anything about "shouting and stamping". Have you never heard of credit card price protection? Many have it and they will do exactly what we are talking about. I mean really, if you don't know that this happens then you are pretty clueless about the current state of retail.

2. Again you are creating a target to defeat with your argument, but that target is not what I said. I said all customers after you get a free burger, nothing about vouchers or coupons.

I have a feeling you only know how to lobby for yourself through aforementioned "shouting and stamping" but there are certainly better ways to do it, that produce results.

Kanar

@Danikat
In fact just to show one way to get some of our ESO+ value back I went ahead and cancelled my subscription. I have 9 days left

Danikat

Kanar wrote: »

Danikat wrote: »

Kanar wrote: »

There's a lot of zos white knights in here. A couple points:
1. Some have mentioned items/services going on sale after you buy. I would point out that you're a fool if you DON'T go back to the store and get the sale price. Or, price match through credit card. With services like cable, all you have to do is call them and you can get the new customer price. I mean, really, "a fool and his money are soon parted."
2. If you go into a restaurant and buy a burger, pay $4, and then after you the cashier gives free burgers to everyone then you will be mad too. Just because you don't see the ESO+ scenario the same, does not mean it isn't.
3. Zos can just add 1 week to all our subs to make up for the free week.

If you'd tried 1. in any shop I've ever worked in you'd be told "I'm very sorry you missed this promotion, better luck next time maybe". And you could shout and stamp and demand to speak to the manager all you like (and trust me people do) or threaten to report us to Trading Standards or your MP or your mum or whatever other authority figure you imagine might be able to change it and even if you actually did nothing at all would happen. You didn't qualify for the promotion, end of discussion.

As for 2. if you've ever eaten in a restaurant and didn't assume at least 1 table was using a voucher or some other offer to get a discount on the exact same meal you're getting then you're deluding yourself.

3. They can, but they won't.

1. You're wrong because the customer can just return the item and buy it again under sale price. Nobody said anything about "shouting and stamping". Have you never heard of credit card price protection? Many have it and they will do exactly what we are talking about. I mean really, if you don't know that this happens then you are pretty clueless about the current state of retail.

2. Again you are creating a target to defeat with your argument, but that target is not what I said. I said all customers after you get a free burger, nothing about vouchers or coupons.

I have a feeling you only know how to lobby for yourself through aforementioned "shouting and stamping" but there are certainly better ways to do it, that produce results.

I didn't say anyone in this topic was shouting and stamping, just that customers at real life stores do exactly that when demanding an offer they are not entitled to.

You're right that they could return it and buy it again but very few people actually do in my experience. Maybe because I mainly worked in places that sold software so that had to be returned unopened in it's original packaging, so you'd have to keep it unused for the duration of the return period just in case a sale came long.

Since credit card price protection is handled by the credit card company and not the store I never dealt with that. But as far as I'm aware it's only available on large transactions (over £100 if I remember correctly), so also wouldn't be applicable to the majority of stuff I sold or to ESO+ purchases.

On point 2 I was giving an example of a situation where other customers will get the same product for free that you just paid for, through an offer you're not entitled to. It's the restaurant equivalent of what ZOS are offering here (especially since those vouchers are often marketing gimmicks to attract new customers), and IMO a more realistic example than a restaurant simply deciding to hand everyone except you free food.

As to your final point if you know of a way to "lobby for yourself" that will produce results you're certainly entitled to try it, but short of cancelling your sub and starting it again after the free trial I highly doubt you'll have any success getting them to make an exception for you. You'd have more luck getting blood from a stone as the saying goes.

BenevolentBowd

As an ESO+ subscriber, the occasional free crown crate is the only initiative that made me more tolerant of crown crates to the game since they were introduced.

Many people despise the fact that certain items can not be bought but can only obtain them in crown crates. Personally, I find it offensive they downgrade your rewards when you get a duplicate. The gem rewards on duplicate can't get you an equivalent reward from the store.

Anyways, I put my free crates to good use. The free crown crates have been a good learning tool for my kids. I save them for my kids to open. It's really entertaining to hear the lessons learned from loot boxes when my little 5 year old says "OMG Dad, more junk..." over and over.

Jayne_Doe

Tandor wrote: »

xan4silkb14_ESO wrote: »

I believe the main purpose of this Free ESO+ time is so they can have an event centered around DLC content and allow everyone to participate. I don't need free crates to "make up" for the time I could have had my ESO+ sub without paying for it. I already elected to pay for ESO+ because of the benefits it offers, not for possible bonuses(free crates) at some later date.

I agree.

I imagine that all they want to do is allow those who don't have access to CWC to participate in the event, and I can also imagine the uproar if they hadn't done so. They already have in place a system that can be switched on to give access to CWC as part of an overall free trial, and may not have thought it worthwhile developing and testing a separate system that would just give access to CWC alone.

Agreed on the timing of the free ESO+ trial, though I hope that the DLC will still be on sale at the usual discount other DLCs have been on their anniversary date, as I planned to buy it on PC (my non-ESO+ account).

I don't need free crates. We got used to them, and they were a nice bonus (as I mentioned in a previous post, I ended up with some great crate items I never otherwise would have had - combined with all the other free crates we've gotten). But, I don't see any reason for ZOS to compensate us since non-ESO+ players won't be getting 1650 crowns for free, or access to the free item or exclusive discounts.

sage2000 wrote: »

No, ZOS is not obligated to give us the free crates we have become accustomed to.

That said, as a paying customer I can speak to what appeals to me and what doesn't (note that I'm not debating the merits of the existing Plus benefits. I sub because I like them. enough said on that).

So far I'm finding the new ESO plus benefits to be lackluster. The ability to buy something before the unwashed masses can? I couldn't care less. The Molag Bal statuette? Junk that I won't even bother claiming. The increased crown stipend? Fine but honestly minuscule. On the other hand, the free crates I actually looked forward to.

I'll still be subbing because the existing ESO Plus benefits have not changed, but the new stuff is pretty "meh" to me. OTOH, I don't really feel like value has been added to my sub for the most part. I'm not mad, I'm just not excited by any of this.

P.S. for those who will come in and give me the numbers to "prove" how much better the new plus is, please note that I am talking about a perception of value. I'm evaluating this as a consumer, not an accountant.

I'm with you on the new benefits. They are all centered on the Crown Store, so basically just fluff. Now, I like fluff, and the free exclusive items we'll be getting will be great - sort of in the vein of the old loyalty rewards. Hopefully, those items won't be timed exclusives, like the exclusive offers are. Now, we'll see what the discount is on those timed exclusives, but the opportunity to buy items before everyone else isn't that great, unless the discount is. Then, there are the exclusive sales. The first one? 30% off on gambling. Yeah...

While these are great additions, they don't replace the one story DLC that we don't get until it's a year old. And this year, the other story DLC will be free for everyone.

That said, I still think ESO+ has great benefits - mainly the crafting bag. If that ever were removed, I'd have to re-evaluate how I want to continue to support the game.

sage2000

BenevolentBowd wrote: »

As an ESO+ subscriber, the occasional free crown crate is the only initiative that made me more tolerant of crown crates to the game since they were introduced.

This, exactly.

Tandor

lordrichter wrote: »

weedgenius wrote: »

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/55165

Just a heads up in case you were expecting them.

Drats. It is getting harder and harder to collect 300 free unopened Crown Crates before the end of the year!

If it's going to be a New Year's resolution to open them all on 1st January then I think it should be streamed live...

f047ys3v3n

So I paid for 1/4th month for nothing, boo.

Bouldercleave

sage2000 wrote: »

BenevolentBowd wrote: »

As an ESO+ subscriber, the occasional free crown crate is the only initiative that made me more tolerant of crown crates to the game since they were introduced.

This, exactly.

So they were completely intolerable - - - - - until you got some for free, then it was ok? That is why this world is so *** up.

Elsonso

.

Tandor wrote: »

lordrichter wrote: »

weedgenius wrote: »

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/55165

Just a heads up in case you were expecting them.

Drats. It is getting harder and harder to collect 300 free unopened Crown Crates before the end of the year!

If it's going to be a New Year's resolution to open them all on 1st January then I think it should be streamed live...

Heh.

I would not do that to my poor Crown Crates. I am a shelter for wayward Crown Crates. People are ignorant of the pain and suffering that they go through as they are opened, a task which inevitably kills them!! I rescue them from an untimely death, feed them and make them feel welcome in my account.

Dojohoda

Aw, I like the free crates.

idk

Kiralyn2000 wrote: »

As mentioned above, ESO Plus Free Trial members will not benefit from the above rewards and bonuses.

I'm guessing that's the reason for the no crates - all those "new ESO+ features" (crown store discounts & exclusives/etc) are only for actual ESO+ subbers. So that's your "but I'm already subbed!" bonus.

Pretty much this.

We probably received the free crates as an enticement to buy some crates. With the free crates being available in the daily log in rewards plus the added ESO+ benefits it seems the crates are covered.

It also benefits all of us that Zos does the short term trial of ESO+. Being they have done it a few times it would seem to be successful in enticing more to subscribe which is what benefits all of us.

Fischblut

...It's very sad to hear
This month's showcase was boring for me; this month's rewards for logins are boring (except for Murkmire for free) with just 2 crates. At least I was very excited when some days ago there was a Twitter post which implied we're going to have one of our favorite free subscription events this month. One can never have enough of gems, and maybe even some nice collectibles in them

Free crates for subscribers during ESO+ event is actually major thing that made me buy subscription few times during such promotions... It started with the very first promotion, for Dwarven crate season. I was not subscribed at that moment and never intended to buy any crates, so I thought "why should I miss those? I can sub for a month, get crowns for something useful, some time to stuff my craft bag and few crown crates without need to buy them... Seems nice!"

Nowadays with all nerfs and the game becoming much less fun, I was expecting at least some free crates at the start of each new season + few more free crates each season during free ESO+ event. Now they are trying to replace it with 150 more crowns each month (wow, we can buy just few tiny furnishings for such price ); for 6 month, we can only buy 2 crates for 900 extra crowns (+ some tiny furnishing ). Free statue of Molag Bal (a tiny copy of what we can get in game...) as first free exclusive item for subscribers? It's a fail, I personally won't claim it And it's at the same time when we all were naturally expecting free crates with a guaranteed some gems (so we can buy what we want) and few guaranteed collectibles and maybe even pet/mount/costume? And unless spider mount is at least 75% off for subscribers, it's a fail replacement too. I think the mount won't cost less than 4000 crowns for everyone later. As latest "new" mount we got very simple sabre cat with just white mask marking for 3000 crowns... I remember simple Chroma spider for 4500? Imagine the price of fancy spider
Wow, but we get 12 month subscription plan, with 1800 extra crowns!.. for which we couldn't even buy any new mount - unless it's basic horse for 900 crowns, or one of those more exotic mounts like bear for 1800 crowns While with free crates promotions every season, we could get so many cosmetics during the year - or at least gems to buy some fancy item(s) we want.

What would make up for missing crates for me?

1) we as subscribers can get some of previously released limited time offers for free. For example, that Treethane Ceremonial dress - what if it returned for subscribers for free, even if for 2 days? Or Dark Shaman costume return for similar short period? Or Brassy Assassin personality? Or simply have a 2 days each month when every subscriber will be able to claim 1 of older limited time offers for free.

2) actual crowns increase. At the very least from 1500 to 2000 monthly. 1500 to 3000 would be great! Remember, if person buys 6 month subscription, for his 18000 crowns he would only be able to buy one fancy house and some mount/costume. Or one less fancy house and two mounts/costumes? Not too much cosmetics.

3) regular useful discounts for subscribers, for example 50% off character slots and service tokens etc.
I bought 4 race change tokens just because they were at 50% discount - I was only thinking about them and would never buy even one at full price. I also don't need more characters now, but with 50% off, I would buy all my 4 missing slots.

But 15 Hollowjack crates for 30% off? Make it at least 90% off (500 crowns for 15 crates), and I would even use some of my own crowns for such a deal

BuddyAces

Am I the only one who just doesn't care?

Bouldercleave

BuddyAces wrote: »

Am I the only one who just doesn't care?

Nope - there are LOTS of us.

weedgenius

Bouldercleave wrote: »

BuddyAces wrote: »

Am I the only one who just doesn't care?

Nope - there are LOTS of us.

Dozens!

DanteYoda

I am not surprised, i think they want us to cancel.

Itacira

You still care enough to comment here about how much you don't care. Interesting.

DaGhostDS

Could you stop reducing the value of ESO+?

You post something about "increasing the value" by adding new rewards and discount to ESO+ but suddenly you just drop half of it by just replacing a reward system that was already in place for over a year and you replaced this month daily reward with something we, ESO+ players already have, so it's kinda bs.

I guess that's what you wanted :

warabi

Jakx wrote: »

I love this new.. we'll give you new ESO+ benefits! So those new benefits are a discount on crown items that you still have to pay for. Compared to the free crates we used to get during free trial periods.. this is a net loss. ZOS set a standard and now they're using some sleight of hand.

Unless they put those sweet new crown items to a discount of 150 crowns (the new added per month crowns) then so much for those "consistent rewards." Otherwise 6 crates versus a statue? Ill take the crates.

Complaints aren't about not getting free stuff. Its about the fact that before your eyes you're continually getting less and last I checked the game seems to have the same amount of issues so Im not sure where that money is being invested. It's pretty bad form too to have a free week of ESO+ given out with no benefits to those who paid for the four weeks. They set the precedent on the crates before. Statue doesn't count because you can get it for a month not just during that week.

Well said and I believe you are hitting the nail right on the head. People like to throw around the word entitled when others dare to question these dubious decisons ZoS makes, but I think they fail to realize the point you're making in your post. When MMO devs introduce standards into their game and then decide to take it back of course people are going to be annoyed. Especially when they try to frame it as a reward.

starkerealm

weedgenius wrote: »

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. Our goal is to provide our ESO Plus members with valuable benefits and exclusive offers on a more consistent cadence every month, instead of a few bonus rewards every once in a while.

In addition to the original ESO Plus membership benefits such as full DLC access and the Craft Bag, on November 13 we will launch additional monthly improvements to our ESO Plus membership. These new benefits - available only to paid ESO Plus members - include exclusive Crown Store items and deals, free in-game collectibles, and an increase to the monthly Crown stipend. If you haven't yet, you can learn more about them here.

Thanks for the reply, Jess! I'm personally bummed about saying "goodbye" to the ESO+ free trial crates as for many of us that was frankly the only way to collect gems or try our luck. Seeing all the crates on my account and opening them was fun but not something that I would spend money on, hence why I thought it was a great subscriber perk! But I don't doubt that there will be some cool things in the crown store down the road and I'm looking forward to checking those out.

Honestly including a gem stipend in with ESO+ wouldn't be the worst idea. It would give players who don't play the crates a way to access some of the low tier crate rewards if they want them.

Alternately, if you want gems, buy your subscription through a streamer's "fuel bar," (the store interface below their stream), this will give them a small cut, but it will also give you an Ouroboros Crate along with your ESO+ sub. That will, in turn, give you some gems. It's trivial, but still, every little bit, right?

Sylvermynx

Tandor wrote: »

Orchidae wrote: »

In this case, it's not free stuff. This is a week of subscription that we have already paid for, and when it is given to everyone else for free (and we are still charged for it), it basically equates to stealing from us. The previous rewards issued were basically compensation for services that we had already purchased.

Good luck with that argument. Report back on how you got on when you've pursued it with your energy company, broadband company, and insurance companies etc, all of whom offer special rates to new customers including free trials while still insisting that you continue to pay the full rate.

This. We've had DirecTV since 1994. We get no specials - and sure we could go with dish and then move back. But I'm SO not into messing around like that. We like DirecTV, we are actually their first customer in this area, and we do get some perks - like the last three times our receiver died, they sent us new ones free, FEDEx overnight. We also have a "first of the line" phone number (as I do also with wildblue, having been with them 13 years now - also the first subscriber in this area).

Yes. We pay more than new subscribers do. But I'm SO not into moving around just to get the best price. Great service beats cheap every time in my book. We can afford it, so *shrug*.

Khaleesi8688

The extra dollar or so worth of crowns is insignificant, the free statue thing is worthless to anyone who isn't into housing and even some who are, and the other benefits they are adding require us to spend more money. Doesn't exactly make me feel like a valued customer if useful freebies they had us come to expect during an event is replaced with nonsense and more things i can buy. This alone isnt enough to make me cancel my sub but the more that is taken away (salty mag sorc here) and the more I feel like I am being corralled to the crown store, the less fun this game becomes. It's like a snowball effect of negativity.