why are name changes so expensive?

MagicalLija · October 2018

I created a jokey character, but now I've completely finished them and i thought i wouldn't. I wanted to change his name but realised the how pricey the name change tokens are.

SydneyGrey · October 2018

For no reason at all.

Snipress · October 2018

Everything in this game is pricey...lol.

Myyth · October 2018

I would only ever spend the amount they charge if I had a character with all crafting motifs/traits and fully trained mount. Then I could see paying for a name change. Otherwise for a secondary alt character, 2500 crowns, or about 30$ for a 3000 crown package, since of course you cant buy 2500 crowns, is way over priced. It costs more to change your character name than an entire DLC.

I had a level 47 character that I decided I din't like the name. I just deleted and recreated the character instead of paying $30.
They hand out XP scrolls like candy, there are double xp events, like one coming soon, plus it is so fast to level that it didn't take long to level the character again.

They should lower the cost to $10 and then I would actually use the service.

johnbonne · October 2018

While I'm sure PR has an explanation such as "it's to discourage players from abusing others, so they can be caught more easily" (which would hardly work in a game where account name shows prominently) or "it's to control the Crown economy" (which ZOS are in complete control of), my answer would just be "because it is". I don't agree with the pricing, I think some of it is downright appalling and discourages purchases for completely the wrong reasons, but I'm not going to say it's greed or "companies exist to make money" like you've probably heard before. I have enough respect for this conversation to say that you don't get to be a successful publisher by thinking people will give you cash because you as an entity exist to make money.

Perhaps I've gotten too deep into this discussion, so I'll just say that it probably costs that much because ZOS can afford it to. When there's such a great demand to change names, and the steep price visibly impacts their bottom line then they might change it.

On the plus side this might be a character you'll remember more fondly because of their limitation to change name. That (I'm assuming) you've had a good time with them in spite of their ridiculous beginnings and even more ridiculous name. Make it a point of pride, and save yourself a few bob. ^^

rexagamemnon · October 2018

I have a Character named Valeria, my first child was born October 5, 2018 and we named her Valeria.... at this point idk what the price is in this case, I'm changing my character's name.

SydneyGrey · October 2018

They kill their own sales by making it that expensive, though. I would have bought name change tokens many time over over the past couple of years, but they're so expensive that it makes me not buy any at all. They refuse to even put them on sale, so I guess I won't be changing any names.
I've bought appearance change tokens, though, many times, because they're cheaper.

weedgenius · October 2018

Myyth wrote: »

I would only ever spend the amount they charge if I had a character with all crafting motifs/traits and fully trained mount. Then I could see paying for a name change. Otherwise for a secondary alt character, 2500 crowns, or about 30$ for a 3000 crown package, since of course you cant buy 2500 crowns, is way over priced. It costs more to change your character name than an entire DLC.

Wait, a name change costs 2,500 crowns? That's actually insane.

My guess would be that it's so expensive because they're taking advantage of the situation in which someone would buy this. If you're considering buying a name change instead of just making a new toon, it's because you've invested a lot of time, etc. in the toon and don't want to abandon it. So they're counting on you not being willing to do the alternative to a name change and therefore you're stuck shelling out whatever they want you to pay.

Merlin13KAGL · October 2018

Because they can.

They know if you've invested that much time into a character, whether originally intended or not, they've basically got you cornered.

You either live with the existing name, or you shell out the cash. They know most people will eventually break down and do so, as opposed to recreating all the experience and time involved.

TL;DR; It's a BS cash grab for what amounts to an automated single database entry, and it won't be changing anytime soon.

Acrolas · October 2018

The original post was the answer to its own question.

But now you can fork over a half million gold (give or take) and let somebody else purchase the token for you. Which exists as its own opportunity cost. Is the name change worth more than what else that gold could purchase?

Probably not.

JJBoomer · October 2018

the reason the change tokens are so expensive is because they are banking on the players that REALLY care about their characters, and the ones who are way too invested in this game, and the ones who have indecisiveness.

Thats why, and those are the players they ensnare with these prices. "If you really want it, you'll pay whatever it costs, right?"

MerlinPendragon · October 2018

The name change tokens are priced sufficiently. I don't believe this is an item that ZOS is trying to sell in massive quanities. If you want to avoid this potential cost, you should be more serious with name selection at creation.

Jayne_Doe · October 2018

It's overpriced for me. I had a couple characters that I wanted to tweak their name a bit - a spelling error on one where I forgot the "x" at the end of Devereaux, for example. One, I wanted to change because I realized that her name sounded more Altmer than Bosmer.

But, at 2500 crowns - no way. They are stuck with their names. I came up with a story for the one with the more Altmer-sounding name to account for it. And the other, well, just like how I feel about their appearance - I accept the flaws as that's just who they are.

I suspect, though, that the real reason is that ZOS want to make the bundle at 3500 crowns look more attractive. Race change is 3000 crowns, but they can charge you 3500 crowns to add in a name change. If you're changing the race of your character, you're more than likely going to want to change their name, too, right? That 3500 crown bundle sure looks like a great deal when the name change token is 2500 crowns.

Appearance tokens are cheap, since a lot of folks might only want to tweak some things and not really do much. If they want to change gender, though, which you can do with an appearance change token, they're likely to want to change the name, too, so ZOS can charge those players 3500 crowns, as well (1,000 appearance token + 2500 name change token). So, it makes more sense to buy the bundle at 3500 crowns which lets you change name and appearance at the same time - you can just leave the race the same.

SSlarg · October 2018

Nerf name change, price OP

craftycarper73 · October 2018

Because there are sheople who pay it, thats the simple answer.

Sievertsv · October 2018

for 1000 crowns or less i would get it

SSlarg · October 2018

Sievertsv wrote: »

for 1000 crowns or less i would get it

Agreed.

Perwulf · October 2018

I have alts at low-mid levels but I trained their mounting skills every day and I just deleted two of them because i didn't like both their name and appearance, they both have 60 speed & 25 stamina. I'd rather be slow than pay for that crap. My main toon is the only exception.

Merlin13KAGL · October 2018

MerlinPendragon wrote: »

The name change tokens are priced sufficiently. I don't believe this is an item that ZOS is trying to sell in massive quanities. If you want to avoid this potential cost, you should be more serious with name selection at creation.

Lucky for you there were no typos on your Birth Certificate, eh?

"Sorry, you should have been more serious with name selection at your child's birth."

Davor · October 2018

AndrejLeo wrote: »

I created a jokey character, but now I've completely finished them and i thought i wouldn't. I wanted to change his name but realised the how pricey the name change tokens are.

Well put it this way. When you say completely finished, does that mean all horse skills, and research? Ok, now delete this character and start over. Maybe the $25 or what ever it costs doesn't seem so much then. That is what 1, 2 or 3 hours of work? So the time spent on your completely finished character doesn't seem to cost so much then considering the time you spent on it.

I am not saying you are wrong, I think it's pretty dang expensive as well, but if looking at it another way, it seems like a bargain.