Blizzard VP Says No Micro-Transactions for World of Warcraft

Blizzard VP Says No Micro-Transactions for World of Warcraft
Andy Chalk posted on 22 Feb 2008 1:05 am
blizzard, gdc, level playing field, micro-transactions, mmog, rob pardo, world of warcraft
Blizzard's Rob Pardo has criticized micro-transactions in MMOGs, saying the increasingly prevalent payment system is unfair to gamers in subscription-based games like World of Warcraft.

Pardo, the senior vice-president of game design at Blizzard, made the comments during the Q&A session following his GDC address entitled "Blizzard's Approach to Multiplayer Game Design." According to a WoW Insider transcript, Pardo was asked if Blizzard had considered implementing micro-transactions in World of Warcraft. "We chose to go with the subscription-based model instead of that approach," he replied. "We've taken the approach that we want players to feel like it's a level playing field once they're in WoW."

"Outside resources don't play into it - no gold buying, etc. We take a hard line stance against it," he continued. "What you get out of micro-transactions is kind of the same thing and I think our player base would feel betrayed by it. I think that's something else you have to decide on up-front instead of implementing it later."

When it was suggested micro-transactions might make it easier for casual gamers to maintain pace with more serious players, Pardo said, "They aren't going to be the ones spending the money."
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/81640-Blizzard-VP-Says-No-Micro-Transactions-for-World-of-Warcraft