Companions up for purchase, really?

I_killed_Vivec

Erickson9610 wrote: »

I'll reiterate what I've said earlier. 2024's Companions were pushed to Q4 due to special circumstances. Namely, Scribing for ESO's 10th year anniversary. 2025 is likely to not have as big of a Chapter feature, due to being the 11th year anniversary, so 2025's Companions are likely going to be included in next year's Chapter, as it has been the standard up to this point.

We should just wait for the 2025 Roadmap to see which quarter the Companions are placed in. If it's not Q2, then it's reasonable to assume this is the standard going forward.

The problem with this is that it is clear West Weald should have been the second part of Necrom - it is definitely substandard for a "chapter" release.

So they already a) skimped on 2023 by "bug fixing" instead of giving us the second part of the story line, and b) skimped on 2024 by giving us a bit part DLC as a "chapter".

And they also skimped on 2024 companions.

"Special circumstances" to justify the introduction of scribing is doing a whole lot of lifting, particularly when Necrom could introduce a new class and two companions.

It is unavoidable the the tenth anniversary chapter was NOT a big deal: West Weald < Necrom; scribing = new class; but no new companions?

I get it that ZoS want to cash in on the game and milk it for all it is worth, but couldn't they at least have gained some love by going over the top with the 10th celebrations, and postponed the cuts to 2025.

If 2025 chapter is even less than 2024 then I won't be buying it until I can get it for a couple of bent bottle tops (probably a couple of weeks after launch when ZoS find they can't sell it).

Elsonso

I_killed_Vivec wrote: »

It is unavoidable the the tenth anniversary chapter was NOT a big deal: West Weald < Necrom; scribing = new class; but no new companions?

I get it that ZoS want to cash in on the game and milk it for all it is worth, but couldn't they at least have gained some love by going over the top with the 10th celebrations, and postponed the cuts to 2025.

If 2025 chapter is even less than 2024 then I won't be buying it until I can get it for a couple of bent bottle tops (probably a couple of weeks after launch when ZoS find they can't sell it).

For the 10th Anniversary, ZOS decided to rest on their laurels. The way I see it is that they took the Chapter and doled it out over several months. If this is the best they could do for 2024, there isn't much point getting excited about 2025. In January, it is probably best to check the teeth on that horse before buying into what Marketing is selling.

JemadarofCaerSalis

Syldras wrote: »

Elsonso wrote: »

Early indications, even here in the forum, is that people will purchase, outright or via ESO Plus, one or both of these. Maybe not a majority, but that is probably true for a lot of things in the Crown Store.

I expect that from now on that all new companions will be ESO Plus or Crown purchases, and when they are not, they will be gifts from ZOS. I think that it is very possible that Necrom was the last of the Chapter-included companions.

I have the same suspicion, although I feel that the poll result is a skewed one. Voting "I will use them (or one of them)" doesn't neccessarily mean that people would absolutely be willing to pay money for a companion. It'd be interesting to see how many of that percentage only grab the companions because it's free for them, because they have ESO+ at the moment anyway. Many people will grab every freebie available to them, whether they even intend to use it later or not.

I am someone who has an active ESO+ account and will only get them because they are free with ESO+ If they weren't, I likely wouldn't get them. (haven't even gotten any of the assistants yet, hoping they might go on sale at some point)

Erickson9610

I'd still buy both Companions if they weren't free with ESO+. I usually save up a bunch of Crowns (since I don't spend them all right away when renewing ESO+) and Companions are something I absolutely want to have.

I doubt Companions will come fully leveled and at max positive rapport just because they're paid content. I didn't get the Scrying and Excavation skill lines at max level when I bought the Greymoor Chapter, nor did I get every Script and Grimoire when I bought the Gold Road Chapter. Those Companion achievements likely still have to be earned.

WitchyKiki

Part of having companions is also enjoying their stories/quests. So I wouldn't like to have them fully unlocked, that defeats the purpose for me.

heaven13

I occasionally have companions out while I quest or something, just because they are there. I certainly wouldn't pay separately for them because they don't offer enough for me; compared to true RPG companions, they are pretty shallow and lackluster, in terms of combat they're fairly useless. Their stories aren't bad and their boons aren't horrible but I'd be fine without both. So yeah, definitely not worth a separate purchase to me.

I honestly don't care about them either way and am not surprised to see them come to the crown store. But the implementation and overall direction/lack of quality and quantity, as @I_killed_Vivec pointed out, is the continued trend that started years ago and just pushes further and further into what they can get players to accept begrudgingly.

tindomiel4

Syldras wrote: »

Elsonso wrote: »

I expect that they will also keep in mind that this is added to the value of ESO Plus. When people comment that ESO Plus has lost value over time due to fewer DLC being released, companions will be held up as an example where ESO Plus value has been added. It is true that two companions are not equal to even a single dungeon or zone DLC, but I am not sure that will matter. If ESO Plus numbers remain the same, or even increase, these companions will be an example of how ZOS accomplished that.

I can see that happening. The problem I see is that there will probably always be people who have ESO+, just for the double inventory and crafting bag alone. Mine is running out soon and I'm seriously reconsidering whether I should renew or not anymore - the reduction of content this year annoys me so much... but many people just love the convenience when it comes to inventory space. So the number of ESO+ people will probably not drop significantly soon, no matter what happens.

Following up on this. After their announcement of the companions being monetized, I decided to let my Plus lapse, and it's going fine so far. I don't believe these companions add anything to the ESO Plus value, given that you don't need to keep Plus permanently to have them. I've had it with the pay-the-same-for-less trend they have going, especially coupled with what seems like decreasing attention to lore*. Like many others have said, ZOS seems to respond to nothing but money, so I'm going that route.

* (It may seem silly to use lore as a measurement, but I think it speaks to how much care they're giving (or not) the game. When we have a full year celebrating the anniversary, but all but one of the holiday collectibles appear to be celebrating the main bad guy? When the only motif that drops at Gold Road launch is Shardborn but it comes from Legion daily boxes, then the West Weald Legion motif comes later and drops from Mirrormore? When they take a landlocked zone bordering Valenwood and Hammerfell yet somehow cram in fauna from Vvardenfell and some islands located over water that's half a continent away? It may be lightweight compared to under-the-hood concerns, but I think it's indicative of the same lack of attention that seems to plague development as a whole.)

I am also wondering how many people will do the math and start to decide if US$200 (Plus and chapter) a year is worth what we're getting. I really feel that camoflaging the butter-scraped-over-too-much-bread approach with shiny collectibles will only go so far.

(I do wonder how they measure Plus. If someone signs on for one month then stops, do they consider that a success?)

Elsonso

tindomiel4 wrote: »

Following up on this. After their announcement of the companions being monetized, I decided to let my Plus lapse, and it's going fine so far. I don't believe these companions add anything to the ESO Plus value, given that you don't need to keep Plus permanently to have them. I've had it with the pay-the-same-for-less trend they have going, especially coupled with what seems like decreasing attention to lore*. Like many others have said, ZOS seems to respond to nothing but money, so I'm going that route.

I have been following the "pay less for less" policy for a while now because I just can't see paying them the same amount for less. They have announced added ESO Plus benefits recently, but reviewing this, I am not that interested in what they have added, so all I see is less content for the same price.

Even the West Weald promotion that they are planning to run shortly has no final reward that is worth buying Gold Road at a 50% discount. (an alpaca covered in feathers?)

Syldras

Elsonso wrote: »

(an alpaca covered in feathers?)

Ah, yes. I also made that guess when I recently debated with a friend over what in Vehk's name that thing is. Of course, another creature never seen anywhere in lore before.

wolfie1.0.

AScarlato wrote: »

WitchyKiki wrote: »

AScarlato wrote: »

WitchyKiki wrote: »

Anifaas wrote: »

It feels like bait and switch. If ZOS had intended to sell the companions this time around they had a responsibility to communicate such BEFORE selling Gold Road. Instead they let people assume "companions are coming later in Q4" meant that the usual inclusion of 2 companions was simply delayed. Which is very reasonable.

This feels fundamentally deceptive even though the hair-splitters assure us otherwise.

Yep, I already toss ZOS $$$ a year, in more than just my sub. I buy from the crown store quite a lot, but being forced to now get CONTENT previously in other chapters/dlcs out of the crown store is just too much.

We are giving feedback, which seems to be a majority. I have high hopes they will listen.

I'm giving my feedback by only buying chapters for rock bottom prices. I happened to cancel my pre-Order of Gold Road as I my backlog for gaming is large, but now I just feel I lucked into eventually paying the proper amount for it when it's down to $10.

I always pre-order, and have purchased the chapter again for a friend as well. So I toss more than my share. If less people pre-order or wait for sales, the new content will continue to feel lackluster and empty... just like Goldroad feels now.

It's not my job as a customer to overpay only to be offered less. It's the business' job to create an offering that is worth paying for.

I was already skeptical last year when they reduced content and this year looked even more anemic than last year.

Just keep in mind that while what you say is true, that in doing so you have to be prepared to lose the game forever.

Syldras

wolfie1.0. wrote: »

Just keep in mind that while what you say is true, that in doing so you have to be prepared to lose the game forever.

If people unsubbing after one bad release or decision would lead to a big company such as ZOS ending a project altogether, I wouldn't be sure whether it wasn't already dead and just kept running to get a little more profits until it's completely over.

BetweenMidgets

Elsonso wrote: »

I have been following the "pay less for less" policy for a while now because I just can't see paying them the same amount for less. They have announced added ESO Plus benefits recently, but reviewing this, I am not that interested in what they have added, so all I see is less content for the same price.

Even the West Weald promotion that they are planning to run shortly has no final reward that is worth buying Gold Road at a 50% discount. (an alpaca covered in feathers?)

In previous years, we got something people were excited for, and this year, the 10th anniversary year, we get that abomination of a mount? I legitimately laughed. I'm not sure how people get so out of touch.

Elsonso

wolfie1.0. wrote: »

AScarlato wrote: »

WitchyKiki wrote: »

AScarlato wrote: »

WitchyKiki wrote: »

Anifaas wrote: »

It feels like bait and switch. If ZOS had intended to sell the companions this time around they had a responsibility to communicate such BEFORE selling Gold Road. Instead they let people assume "companions are coming later in Q4" meant that the usual inclusion of 2 companions was simply delayed. Which is very reasonable.

This feels fundamentally deceptive even though the hair-splitters assure us otherwise.

Yep, I already toss ZOS $$$ a year, in more than just my sub. I buy from the crown store quite a lot, but being forced to now get CONTENT previously in other chapters/dlcs out of the crown store is just too much.

We are giving feedback, which seems to be a majority. I have high hopes they will listen.

I'm giving my feedback by only buying chapters for rock bottom prices. I happened to cancel my pre-Order of Gold Road as I my backlog for gaming is large, but now I just feel I lucked into eventually paying the proper amount for it when it's down to $10.

I always pre-order, and have purchased the chapter again for a friend as well. So I toss more than my share. If less people pre-order or wait for sales, the new content will continue to feel lackluster and empty... just like Goldroad feels now.

It's not my job as a customer to overpay only to be offered less. It's the business' job to create an offering that is worth paying for.

I was already skeptical last year when they reduced content and this year looked even more anemic than last year.

Just keep in mind that while what you say is true, that in doing so you have to be prepared to lose the game forever.

Live service games fail all the time. They stay running by providing value to their customers that meets or exceeds expectations. If they don't, they deserve to fail. Players should not prop up games that are failing. They should move on to other games

That said, I do not believe ESO is failing. It is not, however, a game that currently meets or exceeds my expectations to the point where I am comfortable spending a lot of money.

jaws343

manukartofanu wrote: »

I don't know about others, but when I made the pre-order, I was confident that companions would be included in that price. Especially since we were promised companions. And now it turns out that they will release companions, but they aren't part of the main game, and I will have to pay for them separately. Great. Definitely no more pre-orders for me, I’ll only buy during sales in September. After this, you can never be sure what exactly you're paying for in a pre-order and what they'll decide to cut out as a separate feature to sell to us again.

How could you be confident on that when the actual global reveal for the chapter back in January had zero mention of companions?

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-gb/news/post/65363

The video reveal of the chapter and 2024 releases literally told us companions would come in update 44. This was the day that pre-orders for the chapter were made available. So, all of the information was available to discern that companions had nothing to do with the chapter.

LaintalAy

BetweenMidgets wrote: »

In previous years, we got something people were excited for, and this year, the 10th anniversary year, we get that abomination of a mount? I legitimately laughed. I'm not sure how people get so out of touch.

Yeah, if they aren't 'out of touch', then the real strategy here is pretty obscure.

Does the new monstrosity have a lazy name like 'Goat-Bird' or some other lore-neutral name?
I don't see many players out riding the free fire-breathing camel...if free mounts are some sort of barometer.

manukartofanu

jaws343 wrote: »

manukartofanu wrote: »

I don't know about others, but when I made the pre-order, I was confident that companions would be included in that price. Especially since we were promised companions. And now it turns out that they will release companions, but they aren't part of the main game, and I will have to pay for them separately. Great. Definitely no more pre-orders for me, I’ll only buy during sales in September. After this, you can never be sure what exactly you're paying for in a pre-order and what they'll decide to cut out as a separate feature to sell to us again.

How could you be confident on that when the actual global reveal for the chapter back in January had zero mention of companions?

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-gb/news/post/65363

The video reveal of the chapter and 2024 releases literally told us companions would come in update 44. This was the day that pre-orders for the chapter were made available. So, all of the information was available to discern that companions had nothing to do with the chapter.

Feel free to read the explanations I wrote later.

jaws343

manukartofanu wrote: »

jaws343 wrote: »

manukartofanu wrote: »

I don't know about others, but when I made the pre-order, I was confident that companions would be included in that price. Especially since we were promised companions. And now it turns out that they will release companions, but they aren't part of the main game, and I will have to pay for them separately. Great. Definitely no more pre-orders for me, I’ll only buy during sales in September. After this, you can never be sure what exactly you're paying for in a pre-order and what they'll decide to cut out as a separate feature to sell to us again.

How could you be confident on that when the actual global reveal for the chapter back in January had zero mention of companions?

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-gb/news/post/65363

The video reveal of the chapter and 2024 releases literally told us companions would come in update 44. This was the day that pre-orders for the chapter were made available. So, all of the information was available to discern that companions had nothing to do with the chapter.

Feel free to read the explanations I wrote later.

You mean where you tried to claim the "and more" could have meant companions. But the literal live stream they did to announce the chapter said that companions wouldn't come out until Q4 as part of that update, not the chapter.

So, again, it was very clear, on day 1 of the announcement, that the chapter would not have companions. All the relevant information was available for pre-order.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDZvHNg85Mc

At 39:26: "And finally, Update 44 will close out the year by introducing new in-game companions"


"

dcam86b14_ESO

ZOS is a business and alot of player forget that.

Syldras

LaintalAy wrote: »

Does the new monstrosity have a lazy name like 'Goat-Bird' or some other lore-neutral name?

It's a "Brekka". Funny thing, I think I have already read that word or name once, but I can't remember what it was (in the real world).

manukartofanu

@jaws343 Feel free to read further; all explanations on this topic have already been written.

colossalvoids

wolfie1.0. wrote: »

AScarlato wrote: »

WitchyKiki wrote: »

AScarlato wrote: »

WitchyKiki wrote: »

Anifaas wrote: »

It feels like bait and switch. If ZOS had intended to sell the companions this time around they had a responsibility to communicate such BEFORE selling Gold Road. Instead they let people assume "companions are coming later in Q4" meant that the usual inclusion of 2 companions was simply delayed. Which is very reasonable.

This feels fundamentally deceptive even though the hair-splitters assure us otherwise.

Yep, I already toss ZOS $$$ a year, in more than just my sub. I buy from the crown store quite a lot, but being forced to now get CONTENT previously in other chapters/dlcs out of the crown store is just too much.

We are giving feedback, which seems to be a majority. I have high hopes they will listen.

I'm giving my feedback by only buying chapters for rock bottom prices. I happened to cancel my pre-Order of Gold Road as I my backlog for gaming is large, but now I just feel I lucked into eventually paying the proper amount for it when it's down to $10.

I always pre-order, and have purchased the chapter again for a friend as well. So I toss more than my share. If less people pre-order or wait for sales, the new content will continue to feel lackluster and empty... just like Goldroad feels now.

It's not my job as a customer to overpay only to be offered less. It's the business' job to create an offering that is worth paying for.

I was already skeptical last year when they reduced content and this year looked even more anemic than last year.

Just keep in mind that while what you say is true, that in doing so you have to be prepared to lose the game forever.

Some things better be put to rest earlier than later when the damage to IP is too severe due to stagnation.

ChicoRob

[snip] Chapters are the DLC's they are talking about obviously.

[edited for baiting]

JemadarofCaerSalis

Syldras wrote: »

LaintalAy wrote: »

Does the new monstrosity have a lazy name like 'Goat-Bird' or some other lore-neutral name?

It's a "Brekka". Funny thing, I think I have already read that word or name once, but I can't remember what it was (in the real world).

Just looked it up, and it means a slope or hillside, apparently from Old Norse.

It is also something in a fandom I haven't heard of, a village in Norway, a clothing brand?, a medical device brand?

Syldras

JemadarofCaerSalis wrote: »

Syldras wrote: »

LaintalAy wrote: »

Does the new monstrosity have a lazy name like 'Goat-Bird' or some other lore-neutral name?

It's a "Brekka". Funny thing, I think I have already read that word or name once, but I can't remember what it was (in the real world).

Just looked it up, and it means a slope or hillside, apparently from Old Norse.

Thanks, this might indeed be where I came across it.