Zarhym Says No Refunds for Mount Changes
Posted by pixiestixy on Friday, June 12, 2009 - 34 Comments Tags: 3:2, Mount, Patch, Zarhym, complaints, controversy, cost, forums, give me my money back, gold, gold refunds, new content, patch 3.2, price adjustment, qq, refund
I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but it looks like one of the greatest points of contention regarding the recently announced mount changes for 3.2 will continue to upset players of WoW. In comments both on my post here at Project Lore and on the official WoW forums, posters have begrudged the major price dips for mounts because they had to pay so much more when they bought their mounts. Some have gone so far as to suggest (or demand, in some cases) that Blizzard refund their in-game gold.
Not surprisingly, blue poster Zarhym has responded to these requests in a couple of different places in the forums. After the complaints started rolling in Wednesday, he said:
Later on, in an individual thread asking for refunds, he expanded on that point:
Now this doesn't seem like a hugely unexpected revelation. As he said, I can't think of any other time that Blizzard has made any overarching gold refunds for in-game price adjustments. I'm also not sure that anything has ever decreased in price across-the-board this drastically before, but I can't say for sure.
But still, this has been a major point that has players up in arms, and it probably will continue to be controversial. I predict that all the hoopla will die down once patch 3.2 comes out (whenever that is - it may still be awhile), and people start getting cheap-ass mounts for their level 20 alts. Plus, all those other changes that also are planned for 3.2! Personally, I can't wait.
One thing I'm still undecided on - what's the verdict for all of you who are on the verge of buying your mount? Do you wait for the patch, however long that may be? Or do you shovel out the cash so you can get the benefit of faster travel now? And if you do, will you QQ about it?
Not surprisingly, blue poster Zarhym has responded to these requests in a couple of different places in the forums. After the complaints started rolling in Wednesday, he said:
"We have no plans of offering in-game gold refunds on item costs to compensate for this content change, as has always been our policy."
Later on, in an individual thread asking for refunds, he expanded on that point:
"It's truly a great thing that online gaming has expanded to the point where a game can grow and evolve over time with new content. As a gaming company, we can look back with hind sight and make changes to update older content within the context of everything that has come since.
Several times over this has led to price adjustments in a number of areas, and we do not reimburse items or money due to changes in content. There are simply too many variables and too many changes each content patch to attempt to compensate anyone who's been negatively affected by a change."
Now this doesn't seem like a hugely unexpected revelation. As he said, I can't think of any other time that Blizzard has made any overarching gold refunds for in-game price adjustments. I'm also not sure that anything has ever decreased in price across-the-board this drastically before, but I can't say for sure.
But still, this has been a major point that has players up in arms, and it probably will continue to be controversial. I predict that all the hoopla will die down once patch 3.2 comes out (whenever that is - it may still be awhile), and people start getting cheap-ass mounts for their level 20 alts. Plus, all those other changes that also are planned for 3.2! Personally, I can't wait.
One thing I'm still undecided on - what's the verdict for all of you who are on the verge of buying your mount? Do you wait for the patch, however long that may be? Or do you shovel out the cash so you can get the benefit of faster travel now? And if you do, will you QQ about it?
Reader Comments (34)
I have 2 alts at 65, and I han'd bothered to by the epic ground yet, so this will work nice. I'll be able to get there ground and there first flying cheeper
Questiong to people? not that flying is 150% and epic flying is 280%, are you still going to rush for epic. I wan't going to really with alts anyways, but with the normal being faster I'm really not going to bother now. 5k gold for only 130% speed for alts isn't worth
I also have a few other alts that I have buy thigs for, I have a mage at 12 and a druid at 40. I got lucky on my druid, when he hit 30 the normal mount droped for 40 down to his lvl. Kinda made the travel form usless though, and its so much fun
Hi i just got this iphone and i see youre lowering it in price in like 2 weeks can i have a refund?
Att: yes you can
Yeah thats how cust serv works, sometimes you have to make the customer happy, and really does it cost blizzard anything?
While it is true that some businesses will give you a retroactive refund on an item that goes on sale that you bought at full retail price, it is usually within a two week time frame, not months or years later,and that is only at their discretion, not on your demand.
Gathering enough gold for different elements of the Game, like your Mount, your Professions,your Class Spells etc. by selling things on the AH, or farming mobs that drop cash, or selling stuff to vendors is all part of the Game.
It is a part of every kind of RPG out there. If say Final Fantasy put out a game with armor and stuff costing large amounts, then a year down the road re-released the game and there were reductions in the prices of everything are you going to demand a refund from them?
Just because WOW is more interactive does not mean it is any different.
I think the people QQ'ing the most instead of just accepting it as a part of the game are the ones who bought their gold from those "Farmers" instead of earning it themselves.
@cocopuff
Seriously, I have to stop reading these blog's because your posts make me so angry ! All that crap and not one period ? Add in all of your spelling errors and SOMEHOW YOU STILL SPELLED DOUCHE CORRECTLY ?? I don't understand you but please stop posting on every single blog especially because you are one of the "First" posters.
/submit
/throw monitor out window
I agree with bamii, cocopuff your english makes you sound like you are missing a chromosome or two and really just enrages me, and apparently other readers too.
Yes, companies do give refunds, but not on items bought even 2 months earlier. But what i am mostly amazed about is that ppl want a refund on gold they never even touched. We are talking about IMAGINERY gold. It took me 3 weeks to get enough gold for epic flight n swift flight form, but I do realise it wasnt REAL gold. What would u do if you get 5K gold refunded? Buy that rediculously expensive travellers mammoth? And complain it couldve been cheaper if only you had spent a week longer to get the extra rep?
if you buy something then you agreed in paying the money that it costs to buy it so why do you then QQ about it?
life isnt fair!
GET IT BABY
now go get your momma and get to bed!
lol lots of QQ going on about it personal i dont mind it...heck gives me areason to farm heroic shatterd halls on my 80 * only has base flying* i might not even buy epic flying since base flying is going up to 150...i cant count the number of times i've lost out on a titanium vein because of someone on a bronze drake desideing he's faster so might as well take it while im killing a mob * alliance not horde..they just try to gank me lol!.
@ ven lol *wtb edit button as well lol* and asking for a refund on gold?..im a casual player i dont play alot but i can make over 1kg in a little over a few hours with my dailys i do all 25 in a day hand them in at 2:30 wait 30 mins and do them again 13g per daily plus all the green's and greys that are worth 1g each or more * fishing daily gives grey's worth 25g-35g some times..asking for a refund on gold..would you ask for a refund in a game of monopoly if you luxry taxx went down?. IT'S a game deal with it