Diablo III's Expansion May Only Cost $30

[Steven Bogos]

Diablo III's Expansion May Only Cost $30

A Blizzard survey to Diablo III owners asked them to consider a $30 standard edition, and a $50 collector's edition of the Reaper of Souls expansion.

If you're a Diablo III owner, you may see an official survey from Blizzard pop up in your inbox, regarding the upcoming Reaper of Souls expansion pack. Among standard questions regarding what games and systems players have, as well as which features of the expansion are most important to them, Blizzard asked players to "Consider two versions of the expansion: a Standard Edition for $29.99 and a Collector's Edition for $49.99."

It continued that "The Standard Edition includes the Reaper of Souls expansion; the Collector's Edition includes the expansion, exclusive in-game content, and other bonus items." Traditionally, Blizzard expansion packs (such as last year's Heart of the Swarm) retail for $40, so putting Reaper of Souls at a $30 price-point offers a $10 price cut.

The survey asked players to rank which features of Reaper of Souls were most important to them. The list of features includes: raises max character level to 70, loot runs, new Crusader playable class, gear transmogification, new act of content, new paragon levels and point system, Nephalem trials, and new loot system.

"Our goal at Blizzard Entertainment is to make the most epic gaming experiences possible, so we want to get your feedback as a registered user of Diablo III," said Blizzard in the email.

This could be a good thing if you're a glass-half-full kind of guy, but if you're a bit of a pessimist, you may be thinking that Blizzard is charging less because of less content. Charging an extra $20 for a collector's edition seems a bit rich, especially if it's only a handful of in-game content.

Source: Polygon [http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/9/4821594/blizzard-surveys-diablo-3-gamers-on-expansion-pricing-collectors]

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[Bindal]

So, they might decide to offer an expansion pack for the price expansion packs are usually sold at?

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

So, they might decide to offer an expansion pack for the price expansion packs are usually sold at?

You summed up my thoughts rather nicely as well. Are we all that used to being taken for a ride that this is considered some kind of generous move?

 

[nodlimax]

Even 30$ (in EU probably 30?) is quite high if you look at the amount of content you actually get.

- one new class
- one new act
- new professions

That's pretty much it. The other stuff is provided to everybody by patch. So why should I pay 30$ for this?

 

[Steven Bogos]

So, they might decide to offer an expansion pack for the price expansion packs are usually sold at?

Blizzard expansion packs are traditionally sold at the $40 price point, if you'd read the whole article instead of just the title.

 

[thebakedpotato]

An interesting move. Of course, considering and -actually doing- are two very different things.
Blizzard's been hit and miss since Cataclysm... and it looks like they're starting to feel the heat from competitors more and more.

Here's hoping it pushes them to come out with goodies.

 

[LazyAza]

Ooh only 30 would be a nice price. Getting pretty sick of re-running inferno vanilla Diablo over n over already after getting back in to the game recently. So I'm eagerly looking forward to some new tile sets n monsters n loot models.

Wonder how useless my absurd end game gear will be by level 65 or whatever they raise the cap to lol.

 

[BanicRhys]

The relative positivity of this thread so far is unsettling.

Charging an extra $20 for a collector's edition seems a bit rich, especially if it's only a handful of in-game content.

Good thing those "other bonus items" tend to be an art book, behind the scenes Blu-ray, soundtrack and some kind of physical knick knack.

 

[black_knight1337]

Even 30$ (in EU probably 30?) is quite high if you look at the amount of content you actually get.

- one new class
- one new act
- new professions

That's pretty much it. The other stuff is provided to everybody by patch. So why should I pay 30$ for this?

Err no, the only things in the pre expansion patch is 'Loot 2.0' and 'Paragon 2.0'. The expansion is getting an increased level cap, new skills for the existing classes, a new class, a new act, enchanting, transmogrification, loot runs, nephalem trials, devil's hand, bounties, adventure mode, gambling, heaps of new legendaries and clans. And that's just what we know so far. That's definitely good value for money.

OT: Definitely going to be getting this and that price point just makes it that much better.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

So, they might decide to offer an expansion pack for the price expansion packs are usually sold at?

Blizzard expansion packs are traditionally sold at the $40 price point, if you'd read the whole article instead of just the title.

And worth it as far as I'm concerned. Blizzard still seem to be of the mentality that an expansion pack is almost a new game made on the same engine and with some of the same assets as the previous one. Not the bullshit we get these days where an expansion is a couple of multiplayer maps.

I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree there as I think Blizzard is mostly garbage and has been for awhile. They sink their money into shallow and superficial things instead of focusing on actual game design. I wouldn't spend 50 dollars on a new Blizzard game, let alone an expansion pack.

 

[nodlimax]

Even 30$ (in EU probably 30?) is quite high if you look at the amount of content you actually get.

- one new class
- one new act
- new professions

That's pretty much it. The other stuff is provided to everybody by patch. So why should I pay 30$ for this?

Err no, the only things in the pre expansion patch is 'Loot 2.0' and 'Paragon 2.0'. The expansion is getting an increased level cap, new skills for the existing classes, a new class, a new act, enchanting, transmogrification, loot runs, nephalem trials, devil's hand, bounties, adventure mode, gambling, heaps of new legendaries and clans. And that's just what we know so far. That's definitely good value for money.

OT: Definitely going to be getting this and that price point just makes it that much better.

Well, last I heard was that most of the things related to the expansion like the new level cap are supposedly implemented through the big loot 2.0 patch. So yeah, we'll have to wait and see I guess....

 

[Kahani]

Err no, the only things in the pre expansion patch is 'Loot 2.0' and 'Paragon 2.0'. The expansion is getting an increased level cap, new skills for the existing classes, a new class, a new act, enchanting, transmogrification, loot runs, nephalem trials, devil's hand, bounties, adventure mode, gambling, heaps of new legendaries and clans. And that's just what we know so far. That's definitely good value for money.

OT: Definitely going to be getting this and that price point just makes it that much better.

Indeed. It seems to be fairly comparable to LoD for Diablo 2, and I haven't seen many people claim that wasn't worth being a full expansion. Even if you don't like/want all the stuff they're adding, there certainly seems to be enough of it to justify an expansion rather than a free patch.

 

[black_knight1337]

Well, last I heard was that most of the things related to the expansion like the new level cap are supposedly implemented through the big loot 2.0 patch. So yeah, we'll have to wait and see I guess....

Oops, just checked the Blue post on it and Loot Runs and Nephalem trials will be in the patch as well. Although the patch itself hasn't been confirmed. Here's the quote on it

We want to implement a lot of the new systems and features in a pre-expansion patch for free. That should include Paragon 2.0, Loot 2.0, Loot Runs, and Nephalem Trials.

 

[Denamic]

Removal of always online bullshit. I'd rank it somewhere above actually buying it.

 

[krazykidd]

Ooh only 30 would be a nice price. Getting pretty sick of re-running inferno vanilla Diablo over n over already after getting back in to the game recently. So I'm eagerly looking forward to some new tile sets n monsters n loot models.

Wonder how useless my absurd end game gear will be by level 65 or whatever they raise the cap to lol.

Isn't there end game content now? Like uber bosses and such? It's not much , but better than vanilla diablo runs . I think it's called key warden.

 

[black_knight1337]

Removal of always online bullshit. I'd rank it somewhere above actually buying it.

I can guarantee you it won't happen any time soon. If it does end up happening, it would be when Blizz officially drop support for the game so that they don't have to deal with the rampant hacking that it would cause.