Clearly, there have been some sweeping new changes in Wiz101's approach to marketing Shop purchases. There has not been a SuperCrowns sale in months, the old reliable promotions calendar has not been adhered to in months, and there are more "offerings" but fewer "deals." To go from almost a decade of reliable promotions to very few is dramatic, and I for one would love someone from KI to address it in order to set expectations. Short of that, we are forced to speculate.
On that note, here are some of my theories:
Super Crown Sales are Dead We've missed 3 normally-scheduled Super Crown Sales at this point. Too many long-time wiz have done the smart thing: Wait for Super Crowns, buy in bulk, then wait for half-price packs and get what you need. For me, it's been the only way to justify the fairly outrageous cost of packs (this method dropped pack costs to 166C!). But KI likely sees this as eating into their margins, so they are creating some uncertainty in order to make wizards "buy now!" The goal seems to be to offer so many new things all the time, that you really cannot wait for crown sales. My guess is SC sales are either over completely, or will only happen a rare 1-2 times a year.
Half-Price Packs Has Been Replaced with 3X Drop Rate Sales I loved the half-price pack sales, but if you do the math, 3X drop rates is even better. In theory, you are improving your drop chances by 3X, which would be better than the 2X drop rates half-price packs offer. In the last sale, I just picked up 2 jade robes, a myth ghulture and flowering dryad spell for under 15K crowns. Nice! The downside? If you want a pack for a pet it offers, and the 3X drop rate only applies to spells and mounts, you're up a creek. Your pet drop rate actually suffers thanks to the increased spells and mounts you will be pulling in each pack. Plus, KI did not put any new packs into this offering, so this is not really the great magical solve that KI or we might want it to be. KI, if you are moving this way, remember everyone buys packs for different reasons.
KI is Offering "Must Have" Items in Packs With no In-Game Alternatives OK, a sore spot for me. As an 11-year veteran who started on a life wiz, I am beyond not happy about this new development. The long-awaited Ratatoskr 4-pip AOE spell came out several months ago and still has no in-game option. When game-changing spells have come out before (think Pigsie, Deer Knight), they debuted in packs, but soon followed with farmable or craftable alternatives. None have come out for the 3 Grizzleheim pack spells. Granted, some wands and some gear pieces have always been "pack-only," but this feels pretty crass, especially for spells that are so important to actual game play. Hoping KI brings these spells to loremaster or the craft table ASAP, and that they shorten this waiting period in future. Spent 30K on packs for the life spell and hit my limit.
Farming Drop Rates Plummet OK, so I literally farmed Brainworm, Elemental Grove and Secret Tunnel for months to get +18 crit jewels. I also farmed Fangles and Secret Tunnel to get +6 outgoing jewels for my life wiz. NOT ONE. We are talking THOUSANDS of runs. There is bad luck, and then there is just a large middle finger to players that says, "Buy the pack you cheapskate, Tommy don't play here no more." I had no problem farming these same jewels less than a year ago.
In close, I am totally down with KI making decorative or cosmetic exclusive offerings in packs. But the increase in game-changing offerings in pack-only is a bit of an affront to the character of this game. Pack purchasing every day feels closer and closer to actual gambling and KI is better than that. Engagement is the goal, so continue to encourage players to become members and then reward those members. I want to earn special items, but I don't want to compete with others who just throw money at the game till they get what they want. Find that balance.
Well I was thinking about making a similar post earlier today. I would add a few other things to this list if I honestly thought it would help anything. But there is a reason I shut down one of my 2 accounts, and not too sure how long I will go on with my main account. I hope KI will finally come to theirsenses and actually listen to long time players. I have always supported Wizards101 team, and the changes have been positive ones for the most part over the years. I keep scratching my head and asking myself what in the world is going on here
So they implement changes that no one ever wanted or asked for..... while ignoring the vast majority of the things we do actually want to see changes made to. Or new things added. We are rarely given explanation as to why popular things wanting to be added cannot be added.
So basically we feel hurt and ignored. Where is the Winter Update BTW? - maybe that will be at least one thing that can be answered.
Well, I do think they have finally (after 10 years) started to listen to players. I think spellements is testament to that. But nonsense Valentine's Day packs and 50% off only three ancient, forgotten bundles? Come on guys. Not gonna get my crowns that way.
Friendship pack? Leaping Leprechaun? Ancient Koi Bundle? Skyvern Spellement pack where you are not even guaranteed a spellement drop? I'm really disappointed in the direction that KI marketing has taken. Value is plummeting and frivolity reigns. The number of promotions in the rotator has tripled, but they're all either uncreative or rehashes of older releases. Apart from the triple drop rate offer for a few packs and the mild crown discount about 6 weeks ago, there are no real "sales" to be found.
If they are at all interested in myself and others buying all the newest packs and other crown sale items they like to put into these bundles..........Then......It certainly would be worth their while to go back to at least Monthly Crown Sales. Until then...all these new things will go by the wayside for me. And it really does not bother me. Already shut down my other accounts besides my main one, due to this issue. Sooner or later if they don't get real with all this, I will drift away all together. I would surely hate to see this happen. I have already have friends quitting and drifting away . It is an enjoyable game, but cannot continue to condone these newer policies they have seem to have implemented in the last year. Once in a Blue Moon Crown Sales is not getting it KI. So I do agree with you on all accounts and seemingly all is falling on deaf ears. Really Really Sad.
Keep in mind one thing, Kingsisle is a business first period
If you want to spend your money on packs why would KI change the drop rate of items your farming, they just sit back wait till your tired of farming then you go buy it, right?
They have done this with a lot of things in this game. so you spend more money, Jewel blossoms come to mind .
Their trying to put their kids through college too/
Yes, they are a business that has been doing things in pretty much the exact same way for over ten years. When you suddenly change your business and pricing model, it makes sense to let your loyal constituents know what's up. Personally, I have not bought and will not buy crowns until they are discounted more than a measly 25%. When they ARE discounted more than that, I will buy the max amount.
Several games out there exist that post their drop rates. KI should do this as well. When I drop 60K on the same pack—150 packs and well over a thousand opportunities to receive a spell—I assume that volume will produce a spell. According to the Wiki there are about a hundred items available in the pack. In theory, I should have been able to get about 10 spells. Clearly, the spells are weighted differently than the other trash in this pack (and this pack has LOTS of useless, unimaginatively recycled trash). Were it just me, I might attribute it to mere bad luck. But just about everyone I have spoken with has either not gotten the spell or had to spend an ungodly amount to acquire it.
What has happened since late fall of last year, is that KI has decreased players' drop chances while simultaneously decreasing their ability to buy more packs. It has become crassly a PAY TO PLAY game. The grizzle pack spells under the old KI model would have migrated to loremaster months ago. But KI has offered no alternatives to achieving these spells. Imagine a storm or fire having to pay for temp or meteor? This is the trashiest sort of gambling. A curious practice for a game that prides itself on being so friendly to kids. Post your drop rates KI so that we can determine if your trash-laden packs are truly worth it.
Clearly, there have been some sweeping new changes in Wiz101's approach to marketing Shop purchases. There has not been a SuperCrowns sale in months, the old reliable promotions calendar has not been adhered to in months, and there are more "offerings" but fewer "deals." To go from almost a decade of reliable promotions to very few is dramatic, and I for one would love someone from KI to address it in order to set expectations. Short of that, we are forced to speculate.
On that note, here are some of my theories:
Super Crown Sales are Dead We've missed 3 normally-scheduled Super Crown Sales at this point. Too many long-time wiz have done the smart thing: Wait for Super Crowns, buy in bulk, then wait for half-price packs and get what you need. For me, it's been the only way to justify the fairly outrageous cost of packs (this method dropped pack costs to 166C!). But KI likely sees this as eating into their margins, so they are creating some uncertainty in order to make wizards "buy now!" The goal seems to be to offer so many new things all the time, that you really cannot wait for crown sales. My guess is SC sales are either over completely, or will only happen a rare 1-2 times a year.
Half-Price Packs Has Been Replaced with 3X Drop Rate Sales I loved the half-price pack sales, but if you do the math, 3X drop rates is even better. In theory, you are improving your drop chances by 3X, which would be better than the 2X drop rates half-price packs offer. In the last sale, I just picked up 2 jade robes, a myth ghulture and flowering dryad spell for under 15K crowns. Nice! The downside? If you want a pack for a pet it offers, and the 3X drop rate only applies to spells and mounts, you're up a creek. Your pet drop rate actually suffers thanks to the increased spells and mounts you will be pulling in each pack. Plus, KI did not put any new packs into this offering, so this is not really the great magical solve that KI or we might want it to be. KI, if you are moving this way, remember everyone buys packs for different reasons.
KI is Offering "Must Have" Items in Packs With no In-Game Alternatives OK, a sore spot for me. As an 11-year veteran who started on a life wiz, I am beyond not happy about this new development. The long-awaited Ratatoskr 4-pip AOE spell came out several months ago and still has no in-game option. When game-changing spells have come out before (think Pigsie, Deer Knight), they debuted in packs, but soon followed with farmable or craftable alternatives. None have come out for the 3 Grizzleheim pack spells. Granted, some wands and some gear pieces have always been "pack-only," but this feels pretty crass, especially for spells that are so important to actual game play. Hoping KI brings these spells to loremaster or the craft table ASAP, and that they shorten this waiting period in future. Spent 30K on packs for the life spell and hit my limit.
Farming Drop Rates Plummet OK, so I literally farmed Brainworm, Elemental Grove and Secret Tunnel for months to get +18 crit jewels. I also farmed Fangles and Secret Tunnel to get +6 outgoing jewels for my life wiz. NOT ONE. We are talking THOUSANDS of runs. There is bad luck, and then there is just a large middle finger to players that says, "Buy the pack you cheapskate, Tommy don't play here no more." I had no problem farming these same jewels less than a year ago.
In close, I am totally down with KI making decorative or cosmetic exclusive offerings in packs. But the increase in game-changing offerings in pack-only is a bit of an affront to the character of this game. Pack purchasing every day feels closer and closer to actual gambling and KI is better than that. Engagement is the goal, so continue to encourage players to become members and then reward those members. I want to earn special items, but I don't want to compete with others who just throw money at the game till they get what they want. Find that balance.
Long live the spiral.
Im disappointed about it. It is hard for me to buy crowns nowdays, because people like me- who live outside of the US have to pay more money to buy their stuff. For example, because I am from Israel I have to pay X3 of the money to buy something. The super crowns sale was a type of an escaptment from the problem because then at the time I could buy 120,000 crowns with 60$ that were enough for a YEAR, and I have been doing it since I started playing. Now I don't feel comfortable buying crowns at all, and I feel robbed.
I hope they will change their mind. And also, I hope they will stop ignoring questions about the issue and give an explanation to why they stopped the crowns sale.
