The new Salvage Box is plain predatory (why it's NOT for the typical player)

I'd posted about this coming out before from a leak, albeit I wasn't expecting it to be launched on the international realm so soon - https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2626196

Some people might end up confused from the announcement page for the new Salvage Box, thinking they can finally recycle all their unwanted mtx for a chance at getting something they might like. You can't.

"

Only microtransactions you have more than one of can be Salvaged.

From announcement page - https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2635457

The new box is almost specifically designed for those who've bought way too many mystery boxes already, rather than the general player.

Thankfully I'm not one of those people. I don't even have enough duplicates to pump into it to make purchasing it worth it.

I am kinda sad that you can't just dump any mtxes you don't want (or at least the ones you got from mystery boxes) into it. I do have a fair number of those, which would make purchasing at least 1-2 of these boxes worthwhile, but nope. It just HAS to be duplicates, not merely unwanted mtxes.

I'm afraid this comes across as just predatory on the very people who GGG is already milking the most, which is why it gets a thumbs down from me.

For everyone else, be careful - ONLY buy this box if you're already swimming in duplicate mtxes (that you got from other mystery boxes). It's not designed for anyone else.

Edit:- It seems the negative reaction had an effect. The boxes have been cancelled! It's possible they'll return in future, but likely with changes that hopefully make them far more palatable. And yes, I'm sure some will claim GGG planned all this in order to make the actually intended salvage box more positively received thanks to the whole 'listening to community feedback' thing, but hey as long as we end up with a good deal for handling duplicates (remains to be seen), I'd say we're still benefiting regardless of any PR shenanigans.

I'm actually pissed that this wasn't released at the same time that the mostly shitty Circus box (I do like some of the items in it) was released. I had just upgraded to Vanguard and didn't see any new MTX I wanted so I spent it all on the boxes, like I'm sure a lot of other players did in my situation. GGG anticipated this so people would spend more money on this after already spending money on the Circus boxes. It's disgusting.

Tencent is slowly creeping in and everybody should be worried. The more predatory MTX that creeps in like this, the less people are going to buy it. The less money GGG makes, the less content we get until this game eventually dies. GGG, you have a chance to stop before it gets out of hand. Don't kill your game over fucking microtransactions. Until this shit stops, I'm done giving you money. I've spent several hundred dollars on this game and HAPPILY, because I knew that you guys weren't trying to squeeze every cent out of us and I loved the content you guys were creating. Now, I'm not so sure.

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鬼殺し wrote:

Sorry, Exile009 -- too cynical and negative for you? :P

I saw your reddit-ripped preview of this and remember wishing I were surprised. I'm no Cassandra -- it wasn't exactly hard to see that the Tencent Acquisition would change everything -- but every day I vacillate between 'I told you so' and 'Maybe I'm wrong'. That's not the important part though. The important part is either way, it doesn't matter. Unlike Cassandra and her prophecies, the outcome wouldn't have changed if people believed me (or anyone else reacting badly to the event) or not.

Difference between you and me is that, at least insofar as your posts on here (no comment on whatever secret feedback messages you might send to Chris on speed dial), I'm actually interested in trying to be productive for the sake of the other people who play this game (even this post is meant as a warning). [Removed by Support]

inb4 "Difference between you and me is that I've already blah blah blah". Well actually, that won't come now, since I've already preempted it. May as well preempt my lost opportunity by also adding "told you so" right here. Then I get to even compare myself favorably to a figure of myth!

"productive" looks like it's like opinions everyone has one and everyone has a different meaning for it.

any sort of box is garbage to me, we will agree to disagree.

oh and "it's just cosmetics don't buy" like some people said to others on the microtransaction change music for hideouts.

facts are facts.. your precious kitty cat is growing too lazy and expects treats for little efforts.. and not tiny amount of treats but big amount of treats $$$

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Xystre wrote:

"productive" looks like it's like opinions everyone has one and everyone has a different meaning for it.

Considering the posts in question are almost all information sharing on mechanics and stuff...lol? Yeah, 'opinions'. And if you're also gonna bring up that a lot of them come from Reddit, lol again. If I was trying to claim credit for any of it, do you think I'd be linking the source at the bottom of every one of them? I merely found that a lot of useful stuff gets posted on Reddit (more than on here, which is itself rather telling), and decided to help out those who don't frequent Reddit so the info is known as widely as possible. And as for rewards, lolx3. Don't remember ever asking for anything. In a way, telling off people online with over-inflated egos (like here) is kinda its own reward anyway.

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oh and "it's just cosmetics don't buy" like some people said to others on the microtransaction change music for hideouts.

I said that, and stand by it (yes, even now). It counts as an ethical mtx. It doesn't matter what opinion I or anyone else might have of GGG, or any of their other mtxes (for instance, I've never defended their use of lootboxes) - in making that determination, all that matters is whether the specific mtx in question counts as ethical. And in my book, that one does. For the very reasons I mentioned when I said it - it doesn't have any gameplay impact, and it isn't gambling.

Hey look, the day has come where I decided to not spend any more money on PoE. Interesting.

ALL loot boxes are predatory. This one just openly admits your standard odds of getting something (arguably) worthwhile are absolute shit.

Tencent would never prey on people.

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Yamata_no_Orochi wrote:

ALL loot boxes are predatory. This one just openly admits your standard odds of getting something (arguably) worthwhile are absolute shit.

all advertising is predatory

i'd agree that all loot boxes in the hands of minors are predatory, but these aren't that.

also didn't they just make it so all loot boxes had to reveal their odds? which GGG has always done anyway

What happened to the days when people would simply not buy stuff they aren't interested in? I miss those days.