People tend to worry less about cheaper products.
The current model motivates players to sub for a month or two, squeeze as much value as possible out of it, then skip half a year.
As most people - I assume - do have other things as well in life, there are three options:
play a small amount of WoW, 2-10 hours a week
consider WoW a holiday, dedicate some time to it, then stay away
throw life (family, friends, other entertainment) away and just play WoW
Of course the perspective depends on where you live, as just inside the EU there is 1:3 salary ratio. For me, WoW is more expensive as all other subscriptions I have, combined. (Youtube, HBO also have service and production costs.)
With a lesser subscription, you could target the first bullet point above. There is a price point where you can just leave it running. 12 months at 4€ is more than 2 months at 13€. Especially considering that classic folks already paid for the content - either WoW production and operating costs combined are around 1-5% of the revenue or they are mismanaged.
ps.: Discussing pricing on these forums with a subscription requirement is similar to discussing classic pre-2018. Only those who like the current offerings will contribute. Just like it was a firm opinion that nobody wants classic and it will fail (either thinking so or afraid of its success), it is a firm opinion that WoW has a good price, in fact should be more expensive (hoping for more content, or the feeling of being in an exclusive club).
Fair enough. But when it comes to money, even indie companies do their homework.
Im sort of baffled that Blizz does not do market research to get raw data and confirm the assumptions you make.
Im inclined to suspect (given the parent companies AE/Microsoft) that they have indeed made that study. And that study sais that its worth more to keep a subscription model.
It is not 13 euro because of micro Ts. If there was no microtransaction ingame it would be minimum 20€ per month right now.
Basically they increased the price but people still think it is 13 I’m happy with it of course, there are alot of people who buy hideous transmogs and mounts with real money and I still pay 13 per month.
i wish i could be like this, i always thought it was amazing some people can play the same game as their only games for years straight. I can play wow for some months but then i just caught up with the current content and grind some gold. And then i need to switch games otherwise ill get bored.
this is the most profitable way for any mmo, expansion sales, having a mandatory subscription & being able to sell biss gear with cash . people dont cate or riot(yet) because you can also pay your sub with gold which works like compensation of selling gear
If they ever implement a way to buy gear there will be riots.
And the times we got close to something like that they nerfed it. Last time it was in SL with BoE farming. And Blizz was clear to state that their intentions were benign.
Also, they put limitations on crafted gear to prevent situations like that.
Bizz does not need P2W. They just need to increase the subscription price. Or, drop another cosmetic in the shop.
I’m happy with it of course, there are alot of people who buy hideous transmogs and mounts with real money and I still pay 13 per month.