Exalted Shoulders gated behind random BLC drop?

Hi there,as a fashion-wars aficionado i find it quite sad that the cool new Exalted shoulder skin is gated behind a random BLC drop AND is account bound. I don't mind spending a couple of gems for a cool skin, but this? Just to get people to buy black lion keys a bunch and not even getting the shoulders? Not very nice in my opinion. Love the skin though. Would be nice having it.

Repeat after me: You are not entitled to cosmetic skins.

They will problably later become part of the statuette vendor like most of the BLC itens...

DOnt worry you wont get the skins even if open black lion chests...4k gems in the toilet

@gateless gate.8406 said:Repeat after me: You are not entitled to cosmetic skins.

Repeat after me: If a person is willing to spend money on something but just doesn't like RNG, they're not entitled because they are still willing to pay for it.

@gateless gate.8406 said:Repeat after me: You are not entitled to cosmetic skins.

Repeat after me: He is entitled to express an opinion on the matter.

There are only two ways that ANet will stop putting desirable items in loot boxes: legislation stops them from doing so; or people stop buying the keys. It seems unlikely at this point that the latter is ever going to happen.

They have definitely decreased the drop rate by a lot for the newer stuff, spent over 5000 gems trying to get the shoulder skin, got 2 super rares (the cheap weapon skins), I am going to stop. maybe they will go to statuette for a reasonable amount (heck anet might increase from the 60 for the rare stuff).....

@IndigoSundown.5419 said:There are only two ways that ANet will stop putting desirable items in loot boxes are: legislation stops them from doing so; or people stop buying the keys. It seems unlikely at this point that the latter is ever going to happen.

Neither will happen as long as ArenaNet is headquartered in the United States, it's already been defined in the Federal Register what gambling is...and by U.S. definition as long as you win something it's not gambling, so the only solution is for people to stop buying keys(and that won't happen, I'd buy some myself, but since I'm working for free at the moment can't do that[damned Government shutdown])

@"IndigoSundown.5419" said:There are only two ways that ANet will stop putting desirable items in loot boxes are: legislation stops them from doing so; or people stop buying the keys. It seems unlikely at this point that the latter is ever going to happen.

Indeed. Especially as we are almost guaranteed to get the obligatory "I bought a 1000 keys and here's my results" thread no doubt soon and thus increasing/validating the sales metrics for keys.

@gateless gate.8406 said:Repeat after me: You are not entitled to cosmetic skins.

Cash shop is a whole different ballgame than something like raids or legendaries.

@Zaklex.6308 said:

@IndigoSundown.5419 said:There are only two ways that ANet will stop putting desirable items in loot boxes are: legislation stops them from doing so; or people stop buying the keys. It seems unlikely at this point that the latter is ever going to happen.

Laws, and the definitions that they contain, are written on paper (or digital media these days), not graven in stone. Both the law and the definitions could be changed. Legislators could redefine gambling to include loot box schemes. They could create laws specific to loot boxes, bypassing the issue of a gambling definition. They could even say that virtual goods are worth nothing, and that thus both desired prize and undesired consolation prize are just so much chaff. Or, they could do nothing.

I certainly don't know what lawmakers will eventually do on this issue. Neither do you.

@IndigoSundown.5419 said:

@Zaklex.6308 said:

@IndigoSundown.5419 said:There are only two ways that ANet will stop putting desirable items in loot boxes are: legislation stops them from doing so; or people stop buying the keys. It seems unlikely at this point that the latter is ever going to happen.

Legislators can do a lot, but in this case it's not a law but a regulation...which can still be changed, but I highly doubt they'll waste their time on it...not with how much money they'd probably end up getting in donations from companies that profit from them. Besides, I think our definition is the correct one, if you are not guaranteed to win something(which is the case with betting, slot machines, poker, horse races., etc., etc.) then you're gambling, but if you're guaranteed to get something, just not the top prize then you're not gambling, just taking a risk...obviously though it's they affect on peoples brains that is the bigger issue, which just goes to show how little will power most individuals have over their own brain.

Gotta exploit them gambling addictions.

Hydra staff was on blc.Exalted gloves were on blc.Svanir gloves were on blc.Dragon longbow was on dlcDesert throne was on blc.How is this any different, this time?

@Voltekka.2375 said:Hydra staff was on blc.Exalted gloves were on blc.Svanir gloves were on blc.Dragon longbow was on dlcDesert throne was on blc.How is this any different, this time?

They keep doing it, and we’ll complain they keep doing it.

-anet makes a nice skin-playerbase wants to buy said skin-anet puts it in a loot-playerbase doesn’t want to roll lootboxes, they just want to pay anet the money and receive the item-anet ignores playerbase and makes more nice skins, and put nice skins into loot boxes-playerbase create another thread on the topic-the perpetual cycle continues

In the end, to me it feels like “anet doesn’t want my money. If anet wanted my money, they would’ve sold it to me.Instead, they put it somewhere no one wants to go.”

@Zaklex.6308 said:

@IndigoSundown.5419 said:

@Zaklex.6308 said:

@IndigoSundown.5419 said:There are only two ways that ANet will stop putting desirable items in loot boxes are: legislation stops them from doing so; or people stop buying the keys. It seems unlikely at this point that the latter is ever going to happen.

Personally, I'm in favor of people exercising self-control, but the first step is recognizing that there's a problem. Critical thinking can also be in short supply. The issue, of course, is that young people can lack both -- and so can adults.

@asterix.9614 said:They have definitely decreased the drop rate by a lot for the newer stuff, spent over 5000 gems trying to get the shoulder skin, got 2 super rares (the cheap weapon skins), I am going to stop. maybe they will go to statuette for a reasonable amount (heck anet might increase from the 60 for the rare stuff).....

Last 4 rounds of chests with new items, I was able to pull the new item with a stack of keys usually about halfway through opening them. Two stacks for this round of items and still nothing. Does seem like the altered the uncommon drop rate.

@Voltekka.2375 said:Hydra staff was on blc.Exalted gloves were on blc.Svanir gloves were on blc.Dragon longbow was on dlcDesert throne was on blc.How is this any different, this time?

All the previous ones sucked too, also u forgot the elemental sword and a couple of gliders.

Hydra staff was on blc.Exalted gloves were on blc.Svanir gloves were on blc.Dragon longbow was on dlcDesert throne was on blc.

Older skins end up in the Black Lion Exclusives Chests and/or become available via BL Statuettes. In the long run, all that's gated is when we can obtain the skins. Of the list above, all but the chair are currently in the BLEC (the version which was made available in August of last year) at a cost of 300-600 gold when it was still dropping. (You get to choose your skin from the BLEC; the item isn't random.)

Personally, I'd prefer that ANet follow a principle that if it's bound, it shouldn't be random; if it's random, it should be tradeable. Unfortunately, they still aren't taking my advice. So in the meantime, I'm content to wait patiently so that I am guaranteed the skin of my choice and I have some influence over the cost.

I must be an extremely lucky person because I got the last 3 BLC exclusives with my "free" Keys from weekly key runs (Desert throne, Gecko, Dragon glider). I don't like the shoulders (my Nightfury is waaay better) so I'll probably save up my Keys for future stuff.

@"Mea.5491" said:I must be an extremely lucky person because I got the last 3 BLC exclusives with my "free" Keys from weekly key runs (Desert throne, Gecko, Dragon glider).Definitely :)

I had a run where I got several skins from key run rewards... but mostly I'm skritt-out-of-luck.

I don't like the shoulders (my Nightfury is waaay better) so I'll probably save up my Keys for future stuff.This is why I'd rather see somewhat lower rates combined with non-bound skins, so people who don't like them can sell to those who do.

Legislators do not care about pixels.

Stop trying to put the government in every single little thing you people have personal issues with.

@Lilyanna.9361 said:Legislators do not care about pixels.

Stop trying to put the government in every single little thing you people have personal issues with.They do not care about pixels but they do care about money that's made with lootboxes especially when it resembles gambling. The EU is already researching this whole business now with all gambling committees together to come with a common approach towards this even though individual countries have already taken action against certain games they looked into. And yes that includes cosmetics.

You can probably thank EA for bringing this nefarious side of the gaming business to light with the big scandal around BF2. But in the end black lion chests are lootboxes. So by the time the legislation comes, GW2 might have to do away with them as well. I think it's a good thing because RNG lootboxes that you can spend real money on are gambling and they're only getting away with it because it's not specifically mentioned in the law. But that's because this is a new variant that the law was unaware of.

As much as I think that ArenaNet have been more reasonable in their approach, these Black Lion Chests are morally broken and it's because companies justify just about anything because it's not expressly or specifically forbidden that people have grown to accept a lot of things that morally are not acceptable. RNG lootboxes are simply gambling and should be forbidden to minors. So they either get rid of them to keep their T rating or make this game for mature audiences.

The only way you can disagree with me is to be just like the companies and justify it because it's not expressly forbidden. Well, cheating on your partner is also not against the law but that doesn't make it ok either.

The government will not take action unless they find out that: there is a moral issue that affects especially minors (which voters might get upset about) or if they are missing out on tax money. I think both might apply here. Companies need to learn to self-regulate but they're too greedy to see it. Frankly it's one of the main blemishes on ArenaNet's business practices. I don't even think that they really thought about it because it's become the norm. But for all their concern about morality and family values, this is one that they are failing hard. They will worry if people use f-bombs but they have no problem offering gambling mechanisms to minors.

Something doesn't add up there. That's my view on it. Agree or disagree as you will.

@Gehenna.3625 said:

@Lilyanna.9361 said:Legislators do not care about pixels.

Stop trying to put the government in every single little thing you people have personal issues with.They do not care about pixels but they do care about money that's made with lootboxes especially when it resembles gambling. The EU is already researching this whole business now with all gambling committees together to come with a common approach towards this even though individual countries have already taken action against certain games they looked into. And yes that includes cosmetics.

Like someone said before.America doesn't care.We don't see it as an issue because at the end of the day it is the individual's choice.

Just seeing people begging for the legislatures to step in tells me the lack of control or discipline. But it doesn't hurt me none. And the little ones I look after don't go on a supposed spending spree like parents and guardians like to default to as an excuse for the government to step in.

This era is government dependent. All of our problems now are being solved because people simply want to yell and yell and yell and yell until everyone else's enjoyment tanks. They want everything to conform to THEIR moral standards. A lot of innocent things have been faded out because of these mindsets. I honestly could care less about BLCs because they simply don't effect me, but people seem to act like these skins are their lifeblood

Maybe I simply don't get these attachments to virtual things.