I could’ve sworn they had a cure to cancer ages ago. They either found it or dont want to find it to bring in more money by having patients constantly go for treatment. I dont trust it.
I really do think games companies need to look at what benefits Artificial Scarcity actually grants them and why they still consider it a viable sales practice. We know why it exists to some extent in the service industry with items you could continue if you wanted. You play off a consumer’s idea that they are getting a good deal on a limited item. There is also the nostalgia aspect where you get to retry something you had in the past and haven’t had for a long time. Get your McRib before it is gone, etc. A lot of this works BECAUSE it is an item that reoccurs though and a business will only stop those product promotions completely if they think the income won’t be worth the promo materials and product costs next year.
Gaming is the only industry I can think of where they take artificial scarcity to an extreme. Do they think that something never being available again will spike sales further than something that MIGHT occur again in some distant future date? Because there isn’t a lot of research backing that theory and most of the times a games company will do this, they don’t specify either way if something is reoccurring in following years or if the sale’s end will be the final moment of availability. These things work off customer assumptions during the actual sales period. The companies will simply say that an item is available form dates X to Y. We just don’t have reason to assume that the more extreme form of scarcity does more for sales compared to annual sales.
Combine that with the lost sales to new customers through following years, and there just isn’t a reason to force scarcity so heavily.
No reason beyond encouraging the idea that something is nice or special because others aren’t allowed to have it. It is that mentality some of us didn’t grow out of when another child wanted to play with our toys on the playground. Regardless of what you feel about that mentality though and if you think you are special by what you have that others aren’t allowed, it doesn’t really make sense for Blizzard to placate that mentality from a business perspective, not economically or for the moods of their customers. Reoccurring items are a simple way to give players something to be excited about annually and that is why so many companies don’t operate in the “one sale and then it is gone forever” mentality. That and… when you stop selling an item you put developer time and energy into, you have ended the future value that invested work can grant. From a business perspective, it is leaving money on the table.
I know this doesn’t necessarily apply if ALL proceeds go to charity (I’m assuming they do because I don’t know). I just wanted to post a rant against artificial scarcity in general because I find it an idiotic practice.
From the Charity angle…
Wouldn’t that mean it SHOULD come back? For charity? It isn’t like Breast Cancer Research is a thing no longer in need of funding and charity. By that rational, availability should happen annually. At the very least.
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I know a guy on Battle. net who is dying of cancer. He has a family. He is frightened.
I’ve known good people fall to cancer; both of my grandfathers died of it, I never knew them as a result.
Cancer can be destroyed with something like radiation and then come back like 5 times. You might be alive and not even look human. It is simply a horrible way to die. Or live.
When they sold the Pink Mercy skin, I bought one for myself and three more for friends. That sort of charity I have no problems giving to.
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The only way that they could bring it back imo would be another charity. But question is if they wona do it anymore.
I know you shouldnt always believe everythinf on the internet, but according to recent site of this year about the cure, they say they’ll have it within a year if that makes your friend feel positive a bit?
It said in the fine print on the Blizzcon site that it was going to be available in “2019” (at some point) it was always going to be re released, the bonus for buying the ticket is having it before everyone else for a little while.
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I just wish my friend who’s a Mercy main told me she couldn’t get it, cuz I would have 100% bought it for her. I never buy in game goods with real cash UNLESS it’s a charity thing, even if it were a hero I hate playing like Rein or McCree I’d buy it, or at least buy it for someone else.
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I was really hoping they’d do another charity event this year. I mean I know the year isn’t over yet but it doesn’t really look like we’ll probably be getting one which kinda sucks.
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Unpopular opinion: we need more that kind of skins. The Ponk Mercy and the Noire Widowmaker skins and maybe a few of the special OWL skins are the only skins that feel like they are worth anything.
I like the idea for another charity skin but not again the mercy skin. In the moment all cosmetics are useless with the exception on a few sprays… and who uses sprays anyways…
I also bought the pink skin in the first place because I liked it enough. 10 bucks is a lot but because it was got charity I just said fine and got it.
In the end: exclusive skins should not come back.
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I got the skin because of the special sfx and the pink wings during ult (and modified pink highlight intros!) , that and it was just a nice charity to donate to.
But I agree, we need more charity events, and I doubt they’ll do multiple skins for an event or bring them back, they didn’t bring back Pacific and Atlantic Tracer/Genji this year so what’s exclusive is probably staying exclusive.
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Doubt it.
If they did do another Charity skin it would more than likely be for another hero.
There is a small small small minuscule chance that if they did do another breast cancer awareness charity they could bring back Pink Mercy, however that’s not likely since the incentive to donate to those who usually don’t no longer have a want. (Sad but true)
I would for one love to see more charity skins, just because it DOES just people who don’t usually donate an incentive too.
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I don’t know anyone that has stated this… and if they have then shame on them. The money really was for a donation to a cause.
I bought the skin instantly. I never regretted it, and I wouldn’t be upset if they made it available again for others who want it. It’d be nice if they redid the event again and allowed people to donate for this year.
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If they aren’t going to make a new skin for another charity event, they should redo the Pink Mercy charity event. It would be very disappointing if they did nothing this year.
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Yeah, more charity skins for worthy causes. I would totally get behind that.
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Do you enjoy misrepresenting people?
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I don’t weep over the fact that I don’t have the Widowmaker Noir skin, but I sure am glad I struck when the iron was hot and nabbed my Pink Mercy skin. Even though I never use it.
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Don’t bother, Sine will just ask you explain yourself, and then when you do [with the near 2 decade old policy that has had almost no exceptions in that time frame] he will bring console or industry wide [usually limited time] exclusivity into the conversation as if that negates your point that Blizzard has had the same policy for 20 years. And then call you a child, or imply that you are an idiot and that “he expected better” and “wouldn’t make that mistake again.”
It’s a massive waste of effort.
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Own up to what you say. Or don’t say it.
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They’ve never been good at that. Good luck, he might listen this time.
As if any of your impressions of my character mean anything.
Thanks for continuing to troll and harass me despite me asking you not to, truly you are in the right.