Is it time for Living Worlds to be put in bundles with the expansions?

[hellsqueen.3045]

I have been playing for a while now, just before Heart of Thorns came out is when I started playing and I have been there for every release for the most part since then and own everything now.

However, I feel for all the new players coming in and buying the expansions only to find out there is a lot more they are missing and some of them are huge QOL things for gearing yourself out. It seems crazy to me that we have a bundle of 2 expansions and not for the Living Worlds and maybe those Living Worlds should now be in a bundle with the Expansions to reduce confusion for players. Especially when LWS2 is the only one you can buy as part of the shop as well which seems a bit ridiculous.

If I was buying the expansion bundle today, I feel like I would happily pay more on top of that price to just have everything I am missing up to the next Expansion and then just start including the next Living World Seasons in the price for the larger expansion packs, like Deluxe or larger would have LWS after that expac included. Like the way Borderlands sort of does their additional content drops as a season pass included in the larger purchases of their games that contains all the DLC from the first year. Ours could be that but with Living Worlds for people who miss out.

These are just different ideas I have because players don't even realize as they buy an expansion they don't have everything because LWS is not something they might recognize as extra story content like a label of DLC.

Edited May 4, 2022 by hellsqueen.3045

[Average.7901]

I just bought hot and pof like two weeks ago and I'm pretty sure I got all 4 living world season

[patton the great.7126]

No and here's why. They need to soak people for all the money they can since this game is not a sub based mmo. I'm ok with them soaking the new people for a few extra ruebles

[Vayne.8563]

2 hours ago, Average.7901 said:

I just bought hot and pof like two weeks ago and I'm pretty sure I got all 4 living world season

You didn't.

[hellsqueen.3045]

3 hours ago, patton the great.7126 said:

No and here's why. They need to soak people for all the money they can since this game is not a sub based mmo. I'm ok with them soaking the new people for a few extra ruebles

But why can't they just make a more expensive bundle that includes them so that people realise there is more. New players don't know what a Living World Season is, they don't recognize that as more content that they actually need to pay for. It isn't tagged as a DLC or Expansion like content.

Pay more but have it part of a convenient Bundle.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

6 hours ago, hellsqueen.3045 said:

 

If I was buying the expansion bundle today, I feel like I would happily pay more on top of that price to just have everything I am missing up to the next Expansion and then just start including the next Living World Seasons in the price for the larger expansion packs, like Deluxe or larger would have LWS after that expac included. Like the way Borderlands sort of does their additional content drops as a season pass included in the larger purchases of their games that contains all the DLC from the first year. Ours could be that but with Living Worlds for people who miss out.

These are just different ideas I have because players don't even realize as they buy an expansion they don't have everything because LWS is not something they might recognize as extra story content like a label of DLC.

Why would we want to pay more for expansions that include ensuing Living World Seasons when we get said ensuing Living World Seasons now at no cost.  It doesn't seem like a plan that the current playerbase would appreciate. 

[Tukaram.8256]

I think a very clear description, and various pricing levels, would work well. They could explain like it was downloadable content (it really just unlocks... but you know...). Expansion only, at one price. Expansion with Living World, a little higher. They could make various bundles.  

The marketing just needs to be clear on what you do and do not get. 

[Linken.6345]

7 hours ago, Average.7901 said:

I just bought hot and pof like two weeks ago and I'm pretty sure I got all 4 living world season

Well if you have been playing core account since release and loged in each release of season 2,3,4 and ibs then yes you got it all unlocked.

It just became playble for you now when you upgraded to path of fire.

Edit

Forgot about the return to if you started playing core in april last year you got all of them season 2-ibs unlocked for free during the return to releases.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Linken.6345

[Kystene.3917]

45 minutes ago, Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

Why would we want to pay more for expansions that include ensuing Living World Seasons when we get said ensuing Living World Seasons now at no cost.  It doesn't seem like a plan that the current playerbase would appreciate. 

Because you don't get Living World 2, 3, 4 or 5 free... each episode within each of the the living seasons costs 200 gems

 

EDIT: If you didn't get them when they were available for free that is....

Edited May 5, 2022 by Kystene.3917
add text

[Tukaram.8256]

1 minute ago, Kystene.3917 said:

Because you don't get Living World 2, 3, 4 or 5 free... each episode within each of the the living seasons costs 200 gems

Well... those of us that were playing did get them free.  But then, none of this applies to us since we already have them.  

For new accounts, clear marketing and various bundles would be a good way to do it. 😎

[Kystene.3917]

Just now, Tukaram.8256 said:

Well... those of us that were playing did get them free.  But then, none of this applies to us since we already have them.  

For new accounts, clear marketing and various bundles would be a good way to do it. 😎

I don't have them - that's why I replied.... and why I can quote how much they each cost.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

25 minutes ago, Kystene.3917 said:

Because you don't get Living World 2, 3, 4 or 5 free... each episode within each of the the living seasons costs 200 gems

 

EDIT: If you didn't get them when they were available for free that is....

The OP suggested raising the price of expansions and including Living World Seasons that come after said expansion.  This is what would be counterproductive for players. 

[Friday.7864]

Charging gems for living world is becoming more nonsensical as time goes by.

It's included in the price of the expansions, you do get them for free. 

The problem is they are free ONLY during certain time periods (at launch, during random LW giveaways).

"Sorry, you started playing at the wrong time so you have to pay extra. Myb there will be another episode giveaway in a year or so." - That's all you can tell to a new player and it leaves a sour taste in one's mouth

 

[Kystene.3917]

41 minutes ago, Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

The OP suggested raising the price of expansions and including Living World Seasons that come after said expansion.  This is what would be counterproductive for players. 

I already own HoT and PoF so that doesn't wotk for everyone either.

The Living World seasons are bundled on the Gem Store and are available to purchase or you can purchase each episode seperately via the story panel.

 

EDIT:

I think your'e trying to say that you should be able to buy them for real money - not just gems

Edited May 5, 2022 by Kystene.3917

[Mungrul.9358]

There's a rather distasteful core to the current monetisation of Living World episodes that leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.

In essence, it punishes new players.

You've only just started playing the game and already you're being told that the company doesn't value you as much as existing customers.

 

"Oh, you weren't playing back when XYZ Episode was released because you were too young/you didn't know about the game/you didn't have an internet connection/etc. ?

Well you gotsta pay now, kthxbye."

 

It's kind of the same as ISPs offering better deals to new customers that existing ones can't take advantage of. That's the opposite way round, but it causes exactly the same problem in that it annoys and alienates a significant percentage of the company's customers.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

1 hour ago, Kystene.3917 said:

I already own HoT and PoF so that doesn't wotk for everyone either.

The Living World seasons are bundled on the Gem Store and are available to purchase or you can purchase each episode seperately via the story panel.

 

EDIT:

I think your'e trying to say that you should be able to buy them for real money - not just gems

Not at all, not sure where you got that.  You may need to read the OP, again.

  "start including the next Living World Seasons in the price for the larger expansion packs, like Deluxe or larger would have LWS after that expac included."

[Danikat.8537]

I absolutely agree that they need to make it clearer there is more to buy after you've got all the expansions because I think that's the biggest problem with the current situation: whether they're willing to pay for it or not new players are often not happy that they thought they'd bought everything then found out there's a bunch of extra purchases they didn't know about.

I think they should add a genuine 'complete' collection with the base game, all 3 expansions and all the living world seasons in 1, so if someone wants to buy absolutely everything in one go they have that option. But I also think they should keep the current options for players who want something cheaper or know they only want to buy specific things. (I imagine some people would be unhappy to buy a bundle of expansions + living world then find out they could have got the LW stuff from the gem store using gold.)

[kharmin.7683]

6 hours ago, hellsqueen.3045 said:

But why can't they just make a more expensive bundle that includes them so that people realise there is more. New players don't know what a Living World Season is, they don't recognize that as more content that they actually need to pay for. It isn't tagged as a DLC or Expansion like content.

Pay more but have it part of a convenient Bundle.

There are plenty of threads on this topic already which have discussed this pretty much to death.  Please use the forums search feature to check them out.

[Lottie.5370]

7 hours ago, Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

Why would we want to pay more for expansions that include ensuing Living World Seasons when we get said ensuing Living World Seasons now at no cost.  It doesn't seem like a plan that the current playerbase would appreciate. 

 

I got all the story for free, I still want those that are new to buying the game to be able to get it included in the expansions (or added for a smaller additional cost). No one is suggesting that you can ONLY buy the expansions with the LS story attached.

 

You are not getting the living world seasons now at no cost, you are only getting LS1 if you're online as it re-releases. I doubt the rest will be given out again, since it was already released for free a second time with Return To.

 

I find it really strange that they have never added it as a bundle item to the game, as an optional purchase, or made it clear that it needs to be bought separately.

[Average.7901]

11 hours ago, Vayne.8563 said:

You didn't.

then what am i playing right now? i went to living world season 1 in the quest log and hit begin story. im running around the black citadel. 

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

1 hour ago, Lottie.5370 said:

 

I got all the story for free, I still want those that are new to buying the game to be able to get it included in the expansions (or added for a smaller additional cost). No one is suggesting that you can ONLY buy the expansions with the LS story attached.

 

You are not getting the living world seasons now at no cost, you are only getting LS1 if you're online as it re-releases. I doubt the rest will be given out again, since it was already released for free a second time with Return To.

 

I find it really strange that they have never added it as a bundle item to the game, as an optional purchase, or made it clear that it needs to be bought separately.

False.  Everyone can access Living World Season One now and forever at no cost whatsoever.

Also, there is no qualms with including past Living World Seasons in a bundle.  The issue is including future Living World Seasons in the added cost of an expansion.  I would not want to pay for future Living World Seasons that would have been free. 

Edited May 5, 2022 by Inculpatus cedo.9234

[Cataphract.5841]

If ANet needs the money from living world so bad why would they ever have given it out free at all?

 

This monetization system is wack.

[Farohna.6247]

10 hours ago, Tukaram.8256 said:

Well... those of us that were playing did get them free.  But then, none of this applies to us since we already have them.  

For new accounts, clear marketing and various bundles would be a good way to do it. 😎

Agreed.  I started playing during PoF, so the seasons following were free and paid with gems for prior ones.  Options to buy the expansions or expansions+living world would be nice for newer players.  Bundle them, make it nice and neat.  Not sure what will happen when the cries arise from next time they are free to play from people who bought them other than ehh tough luck, least you didn't have to wait.  Didn't particularly bother me for seasons 2&3, but know it irks some players.  

[Lottie.5370]

2 hours ago, Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

False.  Everyone can access Living World Season One now and forever at no cost whatsoever.

Also, there is no qualms with including past Living World Seasons in a bundle.  The issue is including future Living World Seasons in the added cost of an expansion.  I would not want to pay for future Living World Seasons that would have been free. 

 

Apologies, it seems I misunderstood your point. I also forgot that LS1 would always be free.

 

I do agree that future LS should be free (as it is now), but I feel like once the whole series have been released for free, they should create some sort of bundle to sell it with the game, for those that were not there to unlock it. Or again, just make it clearer that there is additional story that is not unlocked with just the expansion.

[Linken.6345]

1 hour ago, Cataphract.5841 said:

If ANet needs the money from living world so bad why would they ever have given it out free at all?

 

This monetization system is wack.

To keep people loging in during the years maybe see something they want from the gemstore and spend cash on it.