The latest addition to World of Warcraft’s Battle.net shop has ruffled quite a few feathers among the player base. Fans are expressing concern over the addition of a new transmog, which many feel sets a troubling precedent for the game’s cosmetic items. This isn’t the first time players have expressed concern about Trading Post cosmetics. Recently, data miners discovered files for three cosmetic items – the Feathered Drape of the Guardian, the Feathered Cowl of the Guardian, and the Standard of the Guardian – inspired by the legendary wizard Medivh. Although these items were not intended to be released yet, an error in the Trading Post caused them to appear briefly in the shop’s inventory before being quickly removed.
Fans are now worried that this recent transmog addition could indicate a shift towards more pay-to-win mechanics and a greater focus on monetization rather than delivering quality content to the player base. The outcry has been loud and clear, and many are calling on Blizzard to take a step back and reconsider the direction they are taking the game.
ICYMI: The Guardian of Tirisfal transmog is available for purchase at the in-game shop! It costs $8 and is available for purchase through May 31st.#Dragonflight#Warcrafthttps://t.co/d4b6vWmfnx pic.twitter.com/4f9rWwDL0D
— Wowhead💙 (@Wowhead) May 5, 2023
Now, players can purchase The Guardian Pack on the Battle.net shop for $8. However, what’s causing the most outrage among fans is the fact that these items are listed as a limited-time offer and will leave the shop on May 31. After that, the pack will be added to the Trading Post “no sooner than three months” later, between September and December. The decision to make these highly sought-after items available for purchase has set a troubling precedent for future Trading Post cosmetics and left many fans feeling disappointed.
The Waveborn Diplomat’s Regalia was also added to the Battle.net store in April but is listed as a Trading Post ensemble in the in-game Collections tab, suggesting that this item, too, may be added to the Trading Post in the future. Furthermore, several older items were previously removed from the cash shop prior to the launch of the Trading Post, and Blizzard has confirmed that these items may potentially reappear in later monthly inventories of this new feature in World of Warcraft.
Incredibly weird that more sets seem to be starting as trading post and then moving to shop items.
I have to assume there’s something in the code that defaults new items/collection sets to the Trading Post now, because surely they know people will see this as scummy? Right? https://t.co/n6wN1t89gF
— Portergauge 🏳️🌈 (@Portergauge) May 4, 2023
The recent move by World of Warcraft to add items to the cash shop with the intention of later releasing them on the Trading Post has left players feeling disappointed and frustrated. Many fans were eagerly anticipating the arrival of these items on the Trading Post, only to discover that they won’t be available for several months. Some have criticized this approach as being overly greedy and fear that it could set a troubling precedent for monetizing the Trading Post. This is especially concerning given that WoW previously promised that the Trading Post would be free from the negative effects of fear of missing out (FOMO) and real-money trading (RMT).
In contrast, some players have acknowledged the transparency shown by World of Warcraft in their plans for the Guardian Pack. They argue that the situation could have been much worse if the item had suddenly appeared on the Trading Post without any prior notice. In this sense, the open communication from WoW is a step in the right direction. Furthermore, players now have the opportunity to influence future marketing practices of Blizzard by choosing to purchase the transmog either with cash or a Trader’s Tender, thereby sending a message to the company regarding their preferences.
