Paid carries(or “Boosting”) is a cancer that is degrading to the very integrity of gaming culture.
There are smaller issues, such as how swiping the credit card is causing players to bypass the natural learning curve. This results in an overall less skilled player base. This carries with it it’s own set of problems in a game that is meant to be played with others.
Video games culture, particularly the MMO genre began as a refuge of fair play, where your actions in the game world combined to represent a reflection of who you are and what you’re capable of as a player. “Boosting” undermines this core value.
Being able to swipe the card and purchase items, rating and achievements that were once earned through a genuine commitment to fair play now entirely skews the “fair play refuge” that once existed.
The advent of the Token was literally the worse thing that ever happened to WoW.
The fact that Blizzard now makes so much money from token sales has obviously allowed the quality of the game to suffer.
Blizzard no longer has to work as hard to develope a game that is so entertaining as to keep players subscribed year round.
WoW has now morphed into a seasonal style game which better accommodates the concept of driving token sales. Because each “season” cleans the slate which prompts “the less committed players” to continue to swipe that card in order to maintain status quo.
*I’m suing the term “less committed” loosely because there are a variety of reasons why people feel the need to pay for Boosts.
Fortunately, it’s still possible to “mostly” ignore this “Boost Culture” and find enjoyment in the game the “old school” way with like-minded players.
However, I think the best solution would be for Blizzard to offer “Token free” servers for players that don’t want to be a part of the toxic culture that Boosting breeds.
To avoid infecting these “pure” servers only new characters would be allowed, no transfers but you can retain your Achievements, mounts and items. This way the economy would be more natural. Somebody transferring their fleet of toons all with gold cap would kinda defeat the purpose.
I’m super tired atm, so I’m sure I’m missing glaring loopholes in the “Pure Server” concept but I would love nothing more than to be away from all the boosting pollution nonsense.
Boosting is bad.