Sorry, but I didn't keep a complete record. What I do remember is opening three crates. I think first was the wizard hat, second the fox mount and third the fancy dress. There was an Argonian fin thingy somewhere in there. The rest I cashed in. Potions and stones.

To me, this isn't a big deal and I'm not quite sure why some are acting as if the sky is falling. I had some crowns, they offered me a chance to gamble for some items I would have bought either way. Oh, yeah. The battlemage getup was there too. I probably would have bought two of those items. I didn't care about the mount that much right now but you never know. I did watch the video of the guy buying $100 worth. To me, three crates was enough to see if I wanted to keep playing. I might but honestly, I think I rather have the gems and pick what items I want. Though, I did come out ahead considering what I ddi get. It was like a Christmas present from that aunt you never see. Its nice and not crappy. You're just not that likely to wear.

So, just cut out the middle man Zen and sell the gems if that's how you want to bring old items back (which I support). I think making it a gamble just isn't going to go so well as we've seen and heard. But it certainly seems to be selling well as I saw a good many of the apex mounts (which I had no desire for thankfully). I don't know. It seems people are buying. I think there's still a question of will they be happy when they see the cards. You just can't trust a Khajiit to not find some way to get more than give.

I'll maybe buy some crates from the crowns I get from subbing, if there's nothing else to spend it on. But I wouldn't buy crowns for the sole purpose of trying to get anything from the crates.
But those mounts sure do appeal to me. Thankfully, I've learned from past MMOs that I'll be much better off NOT gambling away my hard-earned cash, no matter how cool the mounts look

All-in-all, I can afford to not have the cosmetic items (crates). ZOS won't be getting a penny more than the sub I pay (plus maybe some extra crowns I'll purchase for convenience items).

Valethar wrote: »

Anyone else think that there's a PA system in the ZOS building that plays the sound of shears buzzing and a sheep bleating every time one of those crates is sold? LOL

Lol aye and this...



and

AuldWolf wrote: »

I've openly admitted that I am a whale. Though I believe in a price for a product, I'm not a gambler. I'm an introvert, so I don't have the whole dopamine-fuelled addictions thing going on. Nor does my partner. I can't say I like this because it just feels like it's taking advantage of a brain flaw but... eh, everyone's doing it, sadly.... [and lots of great points followed]

From one introvert to another, great post brother! One of my favorites of all time on these forums.

Yes, I bought one stack of fifteen because I had the crowns from sub.

I got a couple of costumes and that was about it. I sold most of the stuff for gems, but there wasn't really anything else I wanted.

Kind of sad though, I watched a friend buy 60 crates, just to try and get the few things he wanted. He told me he kept getting the same things over and over again, and then would only get a few gems for them. He eventually bought what he wanted, but he never got a single apex mount.

Galwylin wrote: »

To me, this isn't a big deal and I'm not quite sure why some are acting as if the sky is falling....

I understand how some people may not get why some of us are dissatisfied and irritated. Speaking only for myself:

First, aesthetic customization of my avatars is a huge part of the game for me. I make no excuses for this even if it does make me a shallow "Graphics Lady of the Evening" in some eyes. I can't play an ugly MMO or one that does not have good character customization.

So in the past, when I saw something I liked for sale in the Crown Store, I bought it. Now I will see items I like but have no guarantee that I can attain it. That is disheartening.

Secondly, I have had a great respect for ZM and their monetization mechanisms. I very well might have been playing MMORPGs longer than some on this forum have been alive, and I believe I've seen it all. Not that I've always agreed with the pricing of some items in ESO (I think there was a mount for 4K one time? I could be wrong), but Zeni is a business and if that is what they feel an item is worth then I can purchase or pass. But at no time was there any obfuscation.

Crown Crates introduce a business model that is the opposite of what I have come to expect. My young children love "blind bags", and maybe they are now the target demographic rather than me, but I worked too hard all my life to spend my money in dubious ventures. In short, it's anathema to me.

Lastly I view the practice of RNG bags as unethical. Sure, they are entitled to do it. That doesn't make it right. I view it as blatant disrespect to the customer.

Had I known they would introduce blind bags I never would have picked up this game. And now I have spent a considerable sum, only to have the horse switched out from beneath me mid-journey. This is not the horse I invested in.

I hope that this explanation helps.

Edit: On a side note, the last two games I was heavily invested in - The Secret World and SWtOR - also had RNG loot crates. One distinction that I am unsure if anyone has made previously is that unlike those in ESO, the goods obtained could be put on the market for sale. Thus there was an additional way to obtain the desired items in-game. Whether such a practice is good or bad for a game's health is a different discussion. But I know I benefitted from it on both ends, those being sales and purchases.

In ESO all the items are bound so there is only one avenue of collecting them - pay money and hope to get lucky.

I wont be buying any, i have a bad feeling if i start i wont be able to stop. I like my kids having food on the table

Buy Crown Crates = play with your luck = Play in Casino = The ruin

Integral1900 wrote: »

Watch deltia latest video on YouTube, this whole thing is a total ripoff!

No it is random. I opened 30 and got 2 apex, almost all legendary plus 240 gems.

Just like EVERYTHING in the game, it is random.

I am extremely happy with my purchase and am glad it came from crates. Even with the number of people with the astro mounts, I still feel like a special snowflake.

Had they not been in crates it would just be another mount that everyone has, but not now.

And I had never bought a single cosmetic in eso before now.

Keep up the work zos.

alexkdd99 wrote: »

Integral1900 wrote: »

Watch deltia latest video on YouTube, this whole thing is a total ripoff!

No it is random. I opened 30 and got 2 apex, almost all legendary plus 240 gems.

Just like EVERYTHING in the game, it is random.

I am extremely happy with my purchase and am glad it came from crates. Even with the number of people with the astro mounts, I still feel like a special snowflake.

Had they not been in crates it would just be another mount that everyone has, but not now.

And I had never bought a single cosmetic in eso before now.

Keep up the work zos.

Do you feel like a winner ?

Mercutio wrote: »

*a lot of stuff*

I get why they aren't something you want to see but to me, that line was crossed with lion and tiger and bears oh my as mounts. I figured, whatever. As for the money aspect, I just can't think of a business as ethical. Ethical to me is someone that helps someone that has a sick mother so doesn't fire them and perhaps helps them. That's not common business practice. There are people who have ethics but the business is really soulless. That's always been the case. Doesn't mean the people are. But you know, you get a group of people together and they'll do just about anything as a group. Anyways, its just some new gimmick that's going to have its day and become just another crown sink. I personally think this is an effort to empty some of those crown stores people have for perhaps housing or some such. And I fully expect nice furniture for housing when it does happen to be in those crates.

If you want so certain item in the crates, just decide how many crowns you'll put towards that then if you get it, great. If not, pretend you never saw it. There's always going to some new bubble people will want and can't get. Like I was saying in another post, I have the code for that charger horse and costume but can't use it because its console only. There's no use banging my head against a line that exist for whatever purpose. Treat the crates the same. If you want to buy one or two or 45, then do so. But don't do it expecting to get exactly what you want because that might not happen.

In the end, if you don't think you're going to get what you want in them then can't you just stop wanting it? I''m not trying to be an ass but they are just some game item you can buy or not. I just don't see the reason for all the effort when that effort didn't stop them from happening. Personally, I expected a much worse setup than what we got from all the carrying on. Once I saw what items were available, I thought, I like that. Let me try. And I got two of them. The others I may try for next month. But its really no biggy. You can't have a perfect game setting when other people are involved that don't care about that stuff. Honestly, I get more bothered by the dueling. I wish that was somewhere out of the way. Mainly because of the sound of it. If that has to be accepted, I really don't see the problem with crates when those have to be sought out and not constantly in your face.

There are things I would like to have, but I don't want to spend money just to get some trash like collection items I can't ever use.