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Why's the name change token so expensive?
NeKryXe
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I never changed names before, just decided to do it recently. Most my characters have 7 to 8 years, and I decided to change some appearances and names. I got really surprised when I saw that a basic name change of the character (not even the ID) costs 2500 crowns. Obviously I gave up of the idea - It's not even something important, I was just doing it for a refresh - but I got really curious in understanding why it's so extremely expensive. It's even more expensive than changing the appearance. Is there any technical reason or is it just a random price that they decided to throw?
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Necrotech_Master✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭it is free to change your @ handle, but it costs to change a character name
as to the cost, ill just say that basically everything in the crown store is about 2-10x higher cost than they probably should be
all of the consumables are especially expensive for 1 time use per toon itemsplays PC/NA
handle @Necrotech_Master
active player since april 2014
i have my main house (grand topal hideaway) listed in the housing tours, it has multiple target dummies, scribing altar, and grandmaster stations (in progress being filled out), as well as almost every antiquity furnishing on display to preview them
feel free to stop by and use the facilities21 -
Ratzkifal✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Why is an outfit slot 1500 crowns if it's per character? Why is an armory slot 1500 crowns and also per character?
Why do houses that you still need to furnish yourself cost more than the entire game + most recent chapter and collectors edition?
Why does redistributing attribute points and curing vampirism cost (more than) 700 crowns if these services hardly cost any gold in game?
Because someone decided for it to be that way.Edited by Ratzkifal on December 7, 2022 12:01AMThis Bosmer was tortured to death. There is nothing left to be done.30 -
Carcamongus✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭You see, changing names is a bureaucratic process that requires updating the registration archives, which are located on a pocket of Oblivion. The high cost covers the substantial fee charged by the Skaafin in charge of the repository.
I think this is the best explanation you'll get...Imperial DK and Necro tank. PC/NA
"Nothing is so bad that it can't get any worse." (Brazilian saying)21 -
YandereGirlfriend✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Agreed.
It's literally one database command to update this field. Absolute madness that it costs so much. It's the most imbalanced "effort to cost" item that you can buy in the entire game.12 -
NeKryXe✭✭✭✭✭
✭Why is an outfit slot 1500 crowns if it's per character? Why is an armory slot 1500 crowns and also per character?
Why do houses that you still need to furnish yourself cost more than the entire game + most recent chapter and collectors edition?
Why does redistributing attribute points and curing vampirism cost (more than) 700 crowns if these services hardly cost any gold in game?
Because someone decided for it to be that way.
An armory slot is something very, very, very useful. I've been paying it without questioning the price. Even the outfit slot is something nice, because it adds something to your game.
Changing the name adds nothing, changes nothing. Is something that we should even pay in game gold. If doesn't affect anything. Isn't a name that you can add, it is a name you can replace. That's why I find this case specially odd. But, by other hand, it's ok. Because, in fact, I prefer to have a cheaper appearance change. That's way more useful. I was just curious to know if there was some technical reason for that crazy price.2 -
cave_troll✭✭✭Yea everything is extremely expensive in that store. For a game this old it's ridiculous.
Problem is many people including me still buy that and waste their money..
I think if people would stop buying, they would just scrap Eso and only go for that new mmo money trap they are working on. Bet will be the same mess, only with better graphics.7 -
kargen27✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭I would guess they have analyzed all kinds of fun things and came to the conclusion that the price is in the sweet spot for profits. Charge more and people might not purchase while charging less will not motivate enough players to purchase to make up the price difference.
Have some friends report your character name as offensive and maybe ZoS will force you to change the name?and then the parrot said, "must be the water mines green too."7 -
Danikat✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭I think it might be partially to discourage doing it too often. Every multiplayer game I've played which offered character name changes put some kind of restriction on it, either you had to pay or there was a limit on how often you could do it (or both!).
Some games said it was to discourage people from changing their name every time they had a falling out or got a bad reputation with a group, so you couldn't just change your name and no one would realise you're the person they don't want to deal with. I don't think that applies to ESO as much because everyone can see your account name as well as the character name, and changing your name doesn't affect things like the block list so people aren't entirely reliant on recognising names to avoid people they don't want to deal with (or find their friends). But it wouldn't surprise me if ZOS still think it matters.
I agree it's very expensive for what you get though, especially compared to other single-use tokens.PC EU player | She/her/hers | PAWS (Positively Against Wrip-off Stuff) - Say No to Crown Crates!
"Remember in this game we call life that no one said it's fair"4 -
emilyhyoyeon✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭I used to have 3 different class versions of the same OC and I distinguished them by name like (name__titlespecifictothatclass). It was pretty bad when I wasn't satisfied with some of the titles and also when I slightly changed the spelling of her name itself. A couple months ago I finally deleted 2 of them and stuck with the one of the most fitting class.
I probably used about 6 name change tokens on that OC alone. Some were gifted, and I have ESO plus crowns and don't spend money actively on any other hobbies but still, I feel kind of guilty for having shown that I was ok with the pricing.IGN @ emilypumpkin, imperial pumpkin seller
Tullanisse Starborne, altmer battlemage & scholar of the ayleids
High Priest Eraamine as a houseguest please C:2 -
why, why, why. Why people only ask why?!
99% of items in CrownStore are expensive cuz ZoS have the power to make that way. We dont need to ask why, cuz you know why.7 -
Tandor✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭A lot of it comes down to how you get the crowns. If you subscribe then they're included in the standard subscription rate for MMOs so you're not paying extra for them, if you don't subscribe then make sure you only buy them when they're on sale, but expect to have to make some crown purchases because it's the only other way of paying to play the game if you're not subscribing - and it's reasonable to require everyone to pay something if they're playing a game (the age of the game has nothing to do with it). "Free to Play" is a commonly misunderstood term, nothing in life is free. It's a good thing that the crown store only sells cosmetic items and services, not P2W items.Edited by Tandor on December 7, 2022 12:51PM1 -
Sir_Gentleman777✭✭✭Technically there is no cost apart of a few CPU cycles, which are in the 0.0000x Cent range. Everything you find in the crownstore has an arbitrary value, set by ZOS. And that is why it is so expensive. ZOS decided it does cost money, ZOS decided on the amount. It is also questionable why it costs money to get more character slots. One would think the more characters the more potential people will spend on equipping these characters. But that is a moot point to discuss. Why does sparkling water in bottles costs so much more than just drinking tab water? For the price of one bottle premium brand sparkling water you can buy in most countries a thousand litres of pure and clean tab water. And not to mention that certain brands are just bottled tab water anyway.
You could also ask why anything in the game costs extra money. If you want it, buy it, otherwise leave it. If you can't or don't want to afford it, tough luck. I also want a Ferrari and i can't afford it.3 -
Holycannoli✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭It irks me even more that it costs so much to change appearance. In many games it's completely free or costs a nominal amount of in-game gold.5 -
ADarklore✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭I typically buy a race/name change token because it's only 1000 Crowns more versus the cost individually.CP: 2078 ** ESO+ 2025 Content Pass ** ~~ ***** Strictly a solo PvE quester *****
~~Started Playing: May 2015 | Stopped Playing: July 2025~~2 -
captainwolfos✭✭✭✭Because people will still pay it.Enemy of Boob Plates
For the Covenant! For the High King!
Solo Player | PVEer | Not caring about PVP since 1992
Spill some blood for me, dear brother8 -
gariondavey✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭I would guess they have analyzed all kinds of fun things and came to the conclusion that the price is in the sweet spot for profits. Charge more and people might not purchase while charging less will not motivate enough players to purchase to make up the price difference.
Have some friends report your character name as offensive and maybe ZoS will force you to change the name?
2nd paragraph is what I came here to sayPC NA @gariondavey, BG, IC & Cyrodiil Focused Since October 2017 Stamplar (main), Magplar, Magsorc, Stamsorc, StamDK, MagDK, Stamblade, Magblade, Magden, Stamden2 -
Blinx✭✭✭✭✭
✭the least expensive way to do it once as you can't repurchase-under special offers heading-"Any Race, Any Alliance Bundle" for 2k crowns:
this bundle includes:
the ability to create characters of any alliance, regardless of race
an alliance mount, pet, costume, and hat.
Also contains a Race, and Name change token, 3 experience scrolls, and treasure maps
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rexagamemnon✭✭✭✭✭
✭Never understood why the change tokens why they cost as much as they do. The only thing i can guess is ZOS knows the majority of people will pay that much for it so they charge that much. Basic economics plain and simple. The Laffer curve puts illustrates the principle. The laffer curve states, there is a tax rate that is most effective, where the most amount of people will agree to pay the tax, and if you increase the tax rate beyond that optimal rate you will then have more people avoiding the tax through tax code loopholes, fraudulent tax reports, etc.
imo, zos follows this principle, and charges the most money they can get before more people than not refuse to purchase the item because of its cost.4 -
Rasoma✭✭✭Name change and all the other change tokens are essentially "vanity" purchases and that is why they are priced so high. I have no objection with this as it is a service nobody really needs. They may want to change name and/or race but they do not need to.Edited by Rasoma on December 7, 2022 3:38PM@Rasoma - member since January 8th 20141 -
Major_Soulless✭✭✭The fact they charge to change a characters name is bad enough it should be a ESO+ perk at least8
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Kiralyn2000✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭I think it might be partially to discourage doing it too often. Every multiplayer game I've played which offered character name changes put some kind of restriction on it, either you had to pay or there was a limit on how often you could do it (or both!).
Some games said it was to discourage people from changing their name every time they had a falling out or got a bad reputation with a group, so you couldn't just change your name and no one would realise you're the person they don't want to deal with.
Yeah, that was my thought. It's expensive because they don't want you to do it. And certainly not casually.3 -
NeKryXe✭✭✭✭✭
✭I think it might be partially to discourage doing it too often. Every multiplayer game I've played which offered character name changes put some kind of restriction on it, either you had to pay or there was a limit on how often you could do it (or both!).
Some games said it was to discourage people from changing their name every time they had a falling out or got a bad reputation with a group, so you couldn't just change your name and no one would realise you're the person they don't want to deal with. I don't think that applies to ESO as much because everyone can see your account name as well as the character name, and changing your name doesn't affect things like the block list so people aren't entirely reliant on recognising names to avoid people they don't want to deal with (or find their friends). But it wouldn't surprise me if ZOS still think it matters.
I agree it's very expensive for what you get though, especially compared to other single-use tokens.
I agree that we shouldn't be able to change our in game name or ID, and I would understand if that was expensive. But we are talking about character names, not player names. No one knows anyone in the game by the name of their toons.0 -
boi_anachronism_✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭A lot of it comes down to how you get the crowns. If you subscribe then they're included in the standard subscription rate for MMOs so you're not paying extra for them, if you don't subscribe then make sure you only buy them when they're on sale, but expect to have to make some crown purchases because it's the only other way of paying to play the game if you're not subscribing - and it's reasonable to require everyone to pay something if they're playing a game (the age of the game has nothing to do with it). "Free to Play" is a commonly misunderstood term, nothing in life is free. It's a good thing that the crown store only sells cosmetic items and services, not P2W items.
And yet last week someone was arguing that the crown shop should sell mythic items cause they don't want to farm them..1 -
NeKryXe✭✭✭✭✭
✭boi_anachronism_ wrote: »A lot of it comes down to how you get the crowns. If you subscribe then they're included in the standard subscription rate for MMOs so you're not paying extra for them, if you don't subscribe then make sure you only buy them when they're on sale, but expect to have to make some crown purchases because it's the only other way of paying to play the game if you're not subscribing - and it's reasonable to require everyone to pay something if they're playing a game (the age of the game has nothing to do with it). "Free to Play" is a commonly misunderstood term, nothing in life is free. It's a good thing that the crown store only sells cosmetic items and services, not P2W items.
And yet last week someone was arguing that the crown shop should sell mythic items cause they don't want to farm them..
Yeah! That was painful to read!
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Beilin_Balreis_Colcan✭✭✭✭✭
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Ultimately, *we* have the power to make it that way. If not enough people pay a given price, it will tend to go down.why, why, why. Why people only ask why?!
99% of items in CrownStore are expensive cuz ZoS have the power to make that way. We dont need to ask why, cuz you know why.PC(Steam) / EU / play from Melbourne, Australia / avg ping 3900 -
Cryptor✭✭✭Monetization of this game in general is out of hand. We are talking about a game that costs $300 CAD a year just for the subscription and annual expansion and it still has a very extensive cash store which includes really high costs associated with some of the pretty basic services.Casually Xbox Guild: Discord Server - Recruiting Thread - Guild Website - My information: Instagram - Twitch Stream - Youtube Channel - Discord Server - Xbox GT: OGCryptor - Mastodon Profile5
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BretonMage✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭Holycannoli wrote: »It irks me even more that it costs so much to change appearance. In many games it's completely free or costs a nominal amount of in-game gold.
Yes, this. Appearance change tokens are ridiculously expensive. I just assume they are trying to "gently encourage" us to make new characters instead, in order to spend more time in the game levelling them up.1 -
Lykeion✭✭✭✭✭In some user systems, the frequency of user name changes is limited for database maintenance purposes. This is understandable. But apparently ESO does not have this problem: you can change the role name as many times as you want as long as you have enough name changing tokens. So what is the reason for setting the name changing token at such an unacceptable price? Why does a feature that is common in other MMORPGs cost so much in ESO?1 -
NeKryXe✭✭✭✭✭
✭Today Appearance Change Token is on sale for 750 crowns. That would be an acceptable price for the Name Change Token, yet it continues at 2500 crowns. Insane! I never saw it on sale. There must be a technical reason. It's too weird. Well... I guess I'll never change any character name.3
