I haven't played in a while, but this new Crown store is confusing. What's going on?

Violynne · January 2017

I recently started playing after about a year's absence. I know there were changes in the game, such as One Tamriel and the upcoming houses, but what's really mind boggling is the new store items.

I saw a Storm Atronoch mount that would really suit my lightning sorc character pretty well, but it says I can't purchase it because I don't have enough of the new currency available. I also see these things called "crates", and well, let's just say I am not happy right now.

I left Destiny because of this idiotic mechanic, and I won't support it by any developer. It's unnecessary, save for one thing: it artificially increases the price of virtual goods by encapsulating it into another "exchange rate".

I don't know why developers think we're idiots, but I am truly insulted by this level of stupidity added to this game. Yes, I haven't played in a year, and yes, I've some catching up to do to learn about the new changes.

BUT I AM NOT AN IDIOT TO SEE WHAT ZOS IS DOING TO ITS PLAYER BASE.

This mechanic is beyond stupid in words I'll save to keep from being banned, but realize I'm truly upset.

The prices of virtual goods is a trade-off to me in which I see "Okay, they want $50 for a mount" but I read it as "Okay, ZoS wants $50 to continue supporting this game."

I'M OKAY WITH THIS.

What I'm not okay with is the insulting depreciation of fans and their money, and I won't stand for this. I simply won't buy anything from the Crown store, regardless of price, until this idiocy is removed.

So, what this means to ZoS is simple: the company will no longer receive my money.

I'm not an impulse buying gamer. I'm an adult, who has finances outside of this game, such as a mortgage, car payment, and having to keep my family fed. I work 10 hours per day, which includes my commute. This leaves little time for me to play on weeknights, but I try.

Now, I feel my money is wasted BECAUSE THE DEVELOPERS DECIDED TO TAKE MY MONEY AND INTRODUCE AN IDIOTIC PAYMENT SYSTEM RATHER THAN SUPPORT THE GAME.

Crates. In Elder Scrolls Online.

I'm getting so damn tired of developers copying mechanics into their games simply because another developer got lucky with their own game.

This IDIOCY needs to stop.

Do something better with our money, ZoS, instead of finding ways to milk more of it.

WhiteCoatSyndrome · January 2017

Welcome to PAWS.

We don't have T-shirts, but we do have a signature line ->

PAWS (Positively Against Wrip-off Stuff) - Say No to Crown Crates!

Catnight · January 2017

I'm not happy either. It came not long ago - right after I brought TESO. Im worried I will have to bury it some day like other MMOs because of this. Im a student and cannot afford overpriced deals as well as monthly payment. (I view gambling as "overpriced as hell") I would not be so sceptic when they would also fix bad bugs but....

altemriel · January 2017

crown crates gamble is ***, true

Remag_Div · January 2017

It's pretty awful.

If you wanted to acquire everything you would have to spend hundreds of dollars which I am sure a ton of crazy people have done already which is saying to ZoS that this is fine and popular and it's only going to get worse.

Jim_Pipp · January 2017

A lot of us feel it crown crates are an offensively cynical marketing strategy.

A lot of people seem to have bought crown crates though, so it is rude to call those player stupid, and ridiculous to say that zos hasn't judged their market well.

I really liked how the OP recognise's that some players want to support this game, but are put off by the obvious exploitation of getting people to gamble for digital products.

NewBlacksmurf · January 2017

Just leave. It's only going to get worse

Not pushing you away but many of us feel as you do and are forced into subscribing to gain QoL updates so you end up with crowns either way

Best idea truly is to leave....uninstall and find something else to do. Truly

JKorr · January 2017

If people want to spend crowns on the crates, and would be happy with any of the apex "atronach" mounts, the clown crates are, for those people, okay. The real issues start when someone wants a "specific" mount; there have been multiple threads breaking down how much cash would be required to get the specific mount. Or to get enough duplicates to "buy" the mount wanted with gems.

Allegedly the clown crates are "Themed". The reason I say "allegedly" is because they have locked items that have nothing to do with "atronach" anything behind the rngesus boxes, like the black mane lion, red pit wolf, the senche leopard and the wolf/leopard cubs. The atronach aura, the atronach juggle-whatever, the atronach mounts do have the "atronach" theme going. A normal lion senche, the clouded leopard senche that was ORIGINALLY sold outright in the crown store, the wolf and leopard cubs all show a very distinct LACK of lightning and floating stones. What are those things doing in the "atronach" themed crates? Or the old costumes like the battlemage stuff, for that matter.

I've subbed since early access. I have the tiger. I have every senche mount they've released in the crown store. I've bought other items from the crown store that I liked and wanted. I do support the game and realize they do need to keep income in-coming. But I'm not going to support the rngesus boxes. If they would keep the "themed" items to the clown crates, I'd hate them less. They would be special items, and the people interested in the "atronach" or "Wild Hunt" or whatever could sacrifice their first-born to rngesus in the hope of getting a specific item if they wanted. The NOT themed items could be in the crown store for people who want to buy a specific item, for a specific price.

Wanderinlost · January 2017

These MMO slot machines are being pushed across many games. It is something nobody gamer ever asked for but we now have to deal with in almost every corner of the MMOsphere. There is a time and place for games of chance like a casino, or a online site which is regulated by laws and are recognized as a addictive and negative pursuit. Legally this is not gambling but it should be as anyone who plays these games attaches value to digital items. The entire mechanism of lockboxes rely on getting people to spend addictively. It is dishonest, unethical and a shameful practice which takes advantage of basic human weakness for a profit. There is not one thing in a lockbox that could not be sold at face value.

This is a problem that goes far beyond ESO, although it is disappointing to see them jumping on the bandwagon. The self serving corporate *** who lead the industry down this path deserves to be shackled and whipped through the streets while being pelted with rotten produce.

TheShadowScout · January 2017

Yeah, they jumped on the online gambling bandwagon with that one. But as long as enough people pay to ride around in their fancy new elf clothes... uhm... I mean, atronarch mount...
...it won't change.

And trust me, enough people will.

And the profits will keep ESO going.

So I for one swallow my annoyance, and carry on questing. Because I can keep up with this so ESO goes on.

Now, if they ever gave out crates as drops, and then sold keys for random chances at decent gear... that would be where I would cancel my subscription. But as long as its just cosmetic... I can live with not having a lughtning horse (well, I have the mind shriven one already, so... though I really want a dark magic themed horse for my sorceror boy! You know, "obsidian steed" like, all purple-black crystalness... oh, well. Someday, maybe.)