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[Draugoth]

Where Winds Meet has plenty of in-game items you can buy through its gacha system. You can pull outfits, weapon skins, consumables, and different mounts to get around the massive map faster. The priciest mount right now is the Mirage Boat, which needs 170 Diagrams to unlock. Someone already owns it, and players are trying to figure out exactly how much it cost, with estimates ranging anywhere from $40K to $70K.

The Mirage Boat in Where Winds Meet isn't just a regular cosmetic, though it leans heavily that way. It does have a practical use for traveling over water and giving farming quests, so it's not totally pointless, but it's really more of a prestige item: it adds 10,000 Elegance to your stats and lets you invite friends to cruise along its set routes in style. Someone on Reddit even shared that they got to ride it, and judging by the picture, they had an absolutely fabulous time.

Article:

Someone owns a boat that costs up to 70K dollars in Where Winds Meet, a free-to-play game that only launched a week ago

Source: https://www.gamepressure.com/newsroom/someone-spent-up-to-70k-dollars-on-a-boat-in-free-to-play-where-w/za89de

 

[Kuranghi]

Could just be marketing to make people spend money, ie they gave it to the person for free to create fomo. Thats the whole way these games generate money isn't it? Fomo of the cosmetics and "prestige" they bring?

 

[Kacho]

Thank you for informing me. I am now more likely to play this China game and spend money on cosmetics.

 

[touchfuzzy]

Same as every time I hear a commercial for like a $15,000 diamond ring or whatever. Bored rich people who don't know what to do with all their money. Probably in China.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Could just be marketing to make people spend money, ie they gave it to the person for free to create fomo. Thats the whole way these games generate money isn't it? Fomo of the cosmetics and "prestige" they bring?

 

[Dorfdad]

100% it's a dev account or friend of dev who was given it to generate fomo. I tried to play it but it felt janky and disconnected maybe it was just me but not my game

 

[HRK69]

100% it's a dev account or friend of dev who was given it to generate fomo

Source?

 

[Deerock71]

 

[ReBurn]

yolo

 

[MiguelItUp]

100% it's a dev account or friend of dev who was given it to generate fomo. I tried to play it but it felt janky and disconnected maybe it was just me but not my game

I mean, that would be smart. But the sad part is that whales do exist, and they're willing to drop absurd amounts of money on something they find entertaining.

Yeah, I'm glad people are enjoying it, but looking at it, it doesn't look much different than other games out there that are just like it. Other than this one leaning into the whole Crouching Tiger-like aesthetic and vibe. But I don't think that's enough for me to give another grindy F2P title a shot. Just not my game either.

 

[Nankatsu]

40K - 70K?

Probably Asmongold.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Still probably the best f2p game I've ever played.

 

[Dorfdad]

I mean, that would be smart. But the sad part is that whales do exist, and they're willing to drop absurd amounts of money on something they find entertaining.

Yeah, I'm glad people are enjoying it, but looking at it, it doesn't look much different than other games out there that are just like it. Other than this one leaning into the whole Crouching Tiger-like aesthetic and vibe. But I don't think that's enough for me to give another grindy F2P title a shot. Just not my game either.

I just wish we could redefine the free to play genre as it's free to download and play you can buy up to the cost of the game at retail land once you do everything is unlocked. The micro transactions end up costing 5x to play

 

[Woggleman]

I need to learn how to make this stuff and sell it because clearly people will throw money at it.

 

[Danjin44]

I don't care how rich you who in the fuck spends that money on in-game item?

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

What's the problem? These people subsidize the game for everyone else.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Star Citizen players getting bored of waiting

 

[reinking]

Not my money so I have no problem with it but when I see items priced that high it makes me less likely to play the game.

 

[Dacvak]

Someone once offered me $15k for a TF2 item I have. I think it's only one of two or three in the world.

I wanted to take it, but I thought Valve might ban my Steam account. Still, I should have done it.

 

[kpopSuperstar]

How is it even legal to price stupid shit like this for these sums?

 

[kevboard]

if I made a free 2 play game, I would also absolutely add insane cosmetics like that, because there will be some saudi prince out there that will buy it.

it's the equivalent of a diamond ring. functionally useless, and the price is completely manufactured... but people buy that shit.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

I just wish we could redefine the free to play genre as it's free to download and play you can buy up to the cost of the game at retail land once you do everything is unlocked. The micro transactions end up costing 5x to play

The budget of this game can't be recouped with any other monetization model. That's why you don't see games at retail price with this scope. This is bigger than any Assassins Creed. Only CD Projekt or Rockstar would be able to make it profitable.

This is even more notorious in the case of F2P anime games when you compare them to the traditional JRPGs, there is a generational gap between the two. The genre just doesn't sell enough to be on the technical level of WuWa, Genshin or Arknights.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Where Whales Meet. Asmondgold spent $500 to get the gay looking horse mount.

 

[Durin]

Another game where the whales subsidize everyone else's experience.

 

[willothedog]

Where Whales Meet. Asmondgold spent $500 to get the gay looking horse mount.

is it not tax-deductible as part of his job?
did his investment get more viewers/donations/ad revenue etc because of this investment of purchasing a gay horse?

 

[Paasei]

Never even heard of this game.

 

[Last Hearth]

Doesn't seem like that big a deal. Go search for the price of a Hermes handbag, and then tell me which is more absurd.

 

[balls of snow]

Doesn't seem like that big a deal. Go search for the price of a Hermes handbag, and then tell me which is more absurd.

The digital boat will always win the stupid award. The handbag has a high resell value.

 

[Tobimacoss]

Now that looks like a boat worth $500 million. Beautiful design.

 

[Branded]

Still probably the best f2p game I've ever played.

Better than Warframe?

 

[Felessan]

Yeah, I'm glad people are enjoying it, but looking at it, it doesn't look much different than other games out there that are just like it. Other than this one leaning into the whole Crouching Tiger-like aesthetic and vibe.

It's a wuxia game and there are very few of them that are localized in the west

I just wish we could redefine the free to play genre as it's free to download and play you can buy up to the cost of the game at retail land once you do everything is unlocked. The micro transactions end up costing 5x to play

This was tried and didn't get traction
Two numbers making it hard to succeed - 50% drop game in the first half and 60-80% play f2p games completely free.
Essentially in b2p games early droppers subsidize later half of content and in f2p whale subsidize the rest
In pay for content you play it will be very expensive as you pay for yourself fully and it will deter players.

I don't care how rich you who in the fuck spends that money on in-game item?

Those who have them

 

[digimaster7]

I have to say fuck these people who bought it in the first place. Hope they increased the price to 100k soon because this is what these people deserved

 

[drotahorror]

I bought a few of them and now I have a fleet. Neat.

 

[taizuke]

I guess marketing is like using pencils, cause it's certainly drawing attention.

 

[Braag]

Have you seen what people pay to buy some of those Star Citizen ships?
There are people out there with more money than sense.

 

[Fbh]

Star citizen devs should sue for copyright infringement

 

[Saber]

People on internet, specially on phones, have weak will and no morals, so they spent shit without even noticing.

 

[Felessan]

People on internet, specially on phones, have weak will and no morals, so they spent shit without even noticing.

Heavy spenders prefer PC/Consoles though

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

In the end who cares what others buy?

 

[RickMasters]

Have you seen what people pay to buy some of those Star Citizen ships?
There are people out there with more money than sense.

And dont forget EVE online players. they spend 1000s on ships and sometimes they get blown up. I dont think they respawn either......

 

[Lorianus]

I dont understand people calling this sad or something like that, whales like the one in the op are the reason i can play this game without spending 1 euro while playing it for years to come for free.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

I dont understand people calling this sad or something like that, whales like the one in the op are the reason i can play this game without spending 1 euro while playing it for years to come for free.

I don't think people understand how important whales are especially in F2P games.

I have been playing the F2P game World of Tanks off and on for 15 years now and without a doubt have spent more money on that F2P game than I have any purchased game

No doubt I am considered a whale in that game

 

[Davevil]

 

[CuteFaceJay]

This has to be a joke right? when buying my house a fucking wire transfer on down payment took days to process.

You telling me they got 40K items in their CS and the transaction just went through like the guy was buying groceries ?

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

This has to be a joke right? when buying my house a fucking wire transfer on down payment took days to process.

You telling me they got 40K items in their CS and the transaction just went through like the guy was buying groceries ?

I am not trying to send like a dick here but wealthy people have no problem buying anything with massive amounts of money with zero delay

And if someone did actually spend that amount of money in a game they are ultra wealthy and the credit cards people use literally have no limits and no questions asked because its an ultra rare club to be asked to be in

And yes those type of credit cards require an invite

 

[CuteFaceJay]

I am not trying to send like a dick here but wealthy people have no problem buying anything with massive amounts of money with zero delay

And if someone did actually spend that amount of money in a game they are ultra wealthy and the credit cards people use literally have no limits and no questions asked because its an ultra rare club to be asked to be in

And yes those type of credit cards require an invite

Ah on credit, nuf said.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Ah on credit, nuf said.

Don't look at it as on credit, CCs are used to insulate from your actual money coupled with many high end CCs require you to spend a lot of money yearly to keep them

 

[LectureMaster]

Thank you for informing me. I am now more likely to play this China game and spend money on cosmetics.

Haha, this is one of the more legit China Wuxia games, lol. Your boy lecture can vouch.

Might not be your thing but not a cheap cash grab.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Better than Warframe?

I never gave warframe much of a shot. But probably around the same as warframes first year.

 

[j0hnnix]