This is an e-mail I just sent to ZOS this morning but I was asked to post it on the forum. Well, here I am.

I am going to begin this e-mail by saying that I’m a huge Bethesda and ZOS fan. I was disappointed with the state of the game (ESO) when it was released and I shifted my focus (and money) to other MMOs. I have recently returned to ESO and I’m loving the experience, mostly.

I have 2 copies of ESO (Collector’s Edition) for the PC and one Collector’s Edition for the XBOX. I constantly buy crowns and I am still an ESO Plus subscriber (I just cancelled it but it’s valid until mid-2017 because I paid for the 6-month plan). I also have preordered the Morrowind expansion, which is one of the reasons I’m writing you this e-mail. I usually don’t waste my time providing feedback to companies because they tend to do what is needed to keep their business afloat and I can understand and respect that. However, I believe I am writing this e-mail as way to beg you to reconsider how you’re managing your Crown Store, because you’re driving loyal clients (not customers) like me away.

I no longer consider playing games from companies like Trion or NCSoft (save GW2, which is managed and maintained by Arena Soft) and I avoid buying games from companies like EA or Activision (even though I still buy and support Blizzard games) as much as I can. And it’s all because of the same reason. I play games as a hobby, I play them to relax and try to forget my mundane and challenging day-to-day problems. Playing a game that makes me feel I’m getting ripped off and that has items I know I’ll never be able to have (because they hide behind a very expensive pay wall) is a huge turn off. I anxiously hope, week after week, you’ll release an awesome item in your crown store that I’ll be able to buy it without having the feeling I’m getting cheated.

I’m OK (but very displeased) when you choose to charge 120 dollars for a House, because I can get that same house by playing the game. No, you will never see the color of my money for that house, but at least I know it’s attainable. Charging 4000 crowns for a Reindeer mount is not OK; 5000 for a motif is not OK, and the “Clown” Crates is way beyond just not OK. I would pay 120 dollars (Which is VERY expensive) for a bundle with a several houses (already furnished of course), but not for one. My reasoning is, Morrowind has got to be way more complex to develop than 40 houses and the mechanics behind them. You’d get money from someone like me weekly if you charged reasonable prices and I would still pay for my ESO Plus membership on top of that. I understand that maintaining a triple A MMO is no easy or cheap task and I try to give you as much support as I can afford. I’m telling you right now, you’re losing money from clients like me. Hell, you’re losing good clients because of it altogether (and they’re most likely just up and leaving without letting you know).

I try MMO after MMO and even though I have played some incredibly fun ones, I eventually leave them because of the same reason. I recently uninstalled Black Desert Online and they’ll never get a penny from me again. I don’t care what they offer from now on, it’s over. In the end, I find myself returning to Guild Wars 2, despite the fact that it no longer feels as fun (to me) as ESO does. I still buy items from their store weekly, for 4 straight years now.

I’ll give you an example of a similar (rip-off greedy) practice from Guild Wars 2 to ESO’s Crown Crates. The Black Lion Chests. It’s RNG crap that is not worth the price they charge and I have bought it 3 times since I started playing the game, and just because the keys to open these chests were on sale. I have regretted buying it every single time (Just like I greatly regretted buying your Crown Crates). However, GW2 does one thing very right. Every item made available in GW2, either by drops, questing in game, or from their store is attainable, one way or another. Either because their prices are much more affordable than ESO’s or because players can sell these rare items in-game, even the ones players get from these (stupid) RNG chests. They’re expensive as hell and some of these items took me 2 years’ worth of gold savings to get them, but I was still able to get them. And I’m not even considering the fact that GW2 lets me buy Gems (Crowns) with in-game currency (gold). Having that said, I don't want you to remove the Crown Crates, make money with them. Just make it a fair experience for your player base. If I'm going to dish out almost 40 dollars for 15 crates, I should have the guarantee I'm going to end up with at least 400 gems, to at least get one item I really want. Also, I should be able to choose which items I want to keep and which I want to exchange for gems. I would most likely buy several crates if this was the deal. If I get multiple items worth 400 gems, great. You've made one customer extremely happy. What's the problem with that? It's a win-win for both you and your customer. You make money, I get to keep the vanity items I want.

Why am I going to be playing a game where I keep seeing items I want and I know I’ll never be able to have? Again, I’m fine knowing I may never get one item because of its rarity, but everyone should have the opportunity to get it (without having to pay an arm and a leg for it). You must be cashing in big time feeding off people that have a lot of money (and/or little regards to it) or have a gambling disorder. I don’t know if you read your forums and your Facebook page, there are more than a handful of people that feel like I do. I’m afraid other lines of business will realize how dumb consumers are (myself included, considering I also bought these Crown Crates once) and adopt the same practices as yours. “Wait a second, these people pay 60 bucks for a full game, then they are willing to pay 120 bucks for a House in it?! Hell, I’m going to sell a package of Oreos without filling for 2 dollars and charge 4 dollars for the filling for just one cookie (unfurnished, ESO pun intended for those that get it), separately.”

I hope you take the time to read this and you don’t take it as whining because it’s not. It’s a feedback. I don’t know if all your clients feel the same way, but I believe that when I “whine”, I’m basically saying I want to play your game, I want to support you, but I also want to feel like what I’m getting every time I buy an item in your store it’s actually worth my hard-earned money. AND, that no matter how, I should have the opportunity to attain any item you add to the game. This is me begging you to make me change my mind and renew my ESO Plus account. I’m begging you not to make me cancel my Morrowind preorder. I’m begging to make me feel good about supporting you and playing your game. Don’t drive me away. Most customers leave without giving you feedbacks like this (This is the first time I’m taking the time to do it, considering all MMOs I have quit for the similar reasons). Please, don’t take it for granted.

Thanks.