Asian regions will get the in-game store first
When Blizzard said it was exploring potentially adding microtransactions to World of Warcraft in “certain regions,” speculation quickly pointed to that being code for “Asia.” Good job, everyone who suggested that! After admitting that “we’re still pretty early in the exploration process,” the company has given more context for the in-game store.
“We think everyone would appreciate the convenience of being able to make such purchases without having to leave the game, and ultimately that’s our long-term goal for the system, though there’s quite a bit of work involved in retrofitting those existing items into the new system,” wrote a Blizzard community manager.
“First, we’ll be testing the in-game store with some new kinds of items we’re looking into introducing (in Asian regions, at the outset) based on player feedback: specifically, an experience buff to assist with the leveling process, as well as an alternate way to acquire Lesser Charms of Good Fortune. We’ve had a lot of requests from players in different regions for convenience-oriented items such as these, and as with other new ideas we’ve introduced as WoW has evolved — including Pet Store pets, mounts, and more — your feedback plays a hugely important part in determining what we add to the game.”
Experience? Doesn’t bother me. Those Lesser Charms of Good Fortune, however, could be an issue for some players who fear the in-game store will lead to an eventual pay-to-win scenario. “Ultimately it’s still too early in the process to make any final determinations about our plans,” Blizzard continued, “but in the meantime, we hope you’ll check out the in-game store once it’s implemented on the PTR and let us know what you think.”