Blizzard Apologizes for Mei's Lackluster Winter Wonderland Skin

[SirSullymore]

How is the skin free? You either buy or grind loot boxes, I wouldn't call that free. Very right about the community though. The community is getting very similar to MOBAs in a bad way.

I guess technically you're correct in that it isn't straight up given to you with no obligations, but when most people say free they are using in in a monetary sense, and yes, you can obtain the all the Christmas skins without paying a red cent.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Wow, the backlash against her skin was that bad? Usually developers save apologizing for when they make a reference to Arrow to the Knee.

This is Kaplan, he apologized because one guy didn't think it was appropriate for Tracer to have an ass. And fixed it!



Maybe I should apologize for continuing to milk that old nontroversy. But it was all so hilarious.

Honestly. This article pretty much highlights everything I dislike about Blizzard games and their community. And before someone gets their panties in a bunch, I'm not saying this about everyone, but so many Blizzard fans seem so whiny. I think I have a particular (and probably unhealthy) distaste for the Overwatch community though. All this obsession over skins and cosmetics and waifus in a simple shooter designed for the lowest common denominator. And then Blizzard caves to the mob every time so as not to disturb their safe space and no one goes crying into their anime body pillows.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Why should they have to apologize for their free content not quite being as interesting as people wanted? It was free after all. Of course it isn't too surprising based on my experiences with players on OW, they are the most easily set off people on the planet. Then again, I guess that goes for a lot of team games based on what I have heard from MOBAs.

"Free" content. If you don't buy it, it requires a significant time investment, and as a very wise goblin once said, "Time is money, friend!"

I mean, that skin costs 3000 coins? It's a glorified recolor with new textures on her Ice Block. Compare to Lone Wolf/Okami Hanzo, who has a unique model, voice lines, AND a redesigned ultimate, for only 1000 coins.

I can understand why people are upset, although I'm not confident that this warranted a response. I mean, we get radio silence from Blizzard during the Summer Games event, and this is what they choose to respond to? That sets a terrible precedent.

Honestly. This article pretty much highlights everything I dislike about Blizzard games and their community. And before someone gets their panties in a bunch, I'm not saying this about everyone, but so many Blizzard fans seem so whiny. I think I have a particular (and probably unhealthy) distaste for the Overwatch community though. All this obsession over skins and cosmetics and waifus in a simple shooter designed for the lowest common denominator. And then Blizzard caves to the mob every time so as not to disturb their safe space and no one goes crying into their anime body pillows.

It's not just Blizzard, though. Riot and League of Legends does it too.

I remember the fuss people kicked up over the Steel Legion Lux skin. People didn't like it and were afraid that she wouldn't get a decent skin for a while. Riot responded, and less than a year later, we got Star Guardian Lux, the anime weaboo magical girl skin that the loud minority wanted.

Another fuss was kicked up, and less than a year later, an Ultimate skin: Elementalist Lux.

People will ***** and moan about cosmetics no matter the game. I know, because I've done it over multiple games, and just because they're "free" doesn't mean that I can't critique the quality or the business model.

 

[Victim of Progress]

I wish they'd make a Mei legendary that shows her in a Chinese dress. Now that would be the bomb, but unfortunately it would mess with hitboxes and whatnot

 

[RaikuFA]

Eh, gave up on this game awhile back. Decided to pop it back in. That free box gave me a snowflake icon only.

 

[Hawk eye1466]

Personally I thought Zarya's christmas skin was the worst of them all. It just looks like they threw some really pale camo on her legs then painted the rest white

 

[Nurb]

People keep saying "It's only free skins, it's no big deal", but these things are what Blizzard is using to sell lootboxes.

They are the primary items intended to extend the life of the game and continue to make money. If customers aren't happy with the product, they aren't going to spend the cash to try and get it, and the business is acknowledging it.

Blizzard isn't a start up dev team. With the money they make they shouldn't have trouble having a team focusing on assets. Some of this stuff seems like they're trying to see how much they can get away with and still have people pay them.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I really didn't think it was all that bad. The Snowman effect is great. It'd be nice if the rest wasn't a recolour, but considering what some of the other legendaries are (fucking goth Zarya), this probably lands in the middle of the pack for me.

As others have said, they did really raise the bar for the Halloween skins though, so maybe that's where some of this is coming from.

 

[LostCrusader]

How is the skin free? You either buy or grind loot boxes, I wouldn't call that free. Very right about the community though. The community is getting very similar to MOBAs in a bad way.

I guess technically you're correct in that it isn't straight up given to you with no obligations, but when most people say free they are using in in a monetary sense, and yes, you can obtain the all the Christmas skins without paying a red cent.

When it comes to free through grinding, I go with time = money.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

Maybe the fact that it's also double the price of a regular legendary skin in order to encourage you to spend stupid amounts of money on boxes is part of the problem too. Seriously, fuck this business model.

 

[SirSullymore]

When it comes to free through grinding, I go with time = money.

IDK, I don't really consider it grinding when it comes down to just playing the game regularly. I've played the game the way I normally do since the update and I got 4 out of the 5 legendary skins . Yeah, I got lucky, but I don't think they are sooooo hard to get that you're forced to buy loot boxes unless you're insanely desperate to get all 5.

Maybe the fact that it's also double the price of a regular legendary skin in order to encourage you to spend stupid amounts of money on boxes is part of the problem too. Seriously, fuck this business model.

It's a tough line to walk, because people like me want the event skins to be rare. It cheapens a legendary skin if you see that everybody else has it imo. I think the way they are doing events now is better then the summer event, but I guess it still rubs some people the wrong way. So what solution would work? Make it that you can earn the event skins by meeting certain challenges in-game?

 

[Naqel]

Increasing your prices outright is not a positive thing.

But that's not what happened.
RIOT introduced a new tier of quality for skins and there's a clear distinction for what goes where(https://support.riotgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/201752874-Guide-to-Skin-Price-Tiers).

 

[Gutsripper]

How is the skin free? You either buy or grind loot boxes, I wouldn't call that free. Very right about the community though. The community is getting very similar to MOBAs in a bad way.

I guess technically you're correct in that it isn't straight up given to you with no obligations, but when most people say free they are using in in a monetary sense, and yes, you can obtain the all the Christmas skins without paying a red cent.

When it comes to free through grinding, I go with time = money.

My thoughts exactly... I don't mind grinding but I want to get something out of it that has equal value to the time spent earning it.
In my mind the worst content they have in the loot boxes are the bloody players icons, is there anybody who is genuinely excited about seeing those come up when they've opened a loot box?