Hey folks,

 

Later today we are going to be adding the first ever Platinum rarity item to the Cartel Market for direct sale, the Unstable Arbiter’s Lightsaber. The single-handed saber is going to be on sale from today, Tuesday 3/7 through next Tuesday 3/14 at the price of 7,600 Cartel Coins.

 

Before the item is posted we wanted to let you about why we are offering a Platinum item at all and the rationale for its price.

 

Why put up a platinum item for direct sale?

Since the introduction of Cartel Market packs we have had requests to allow more items, especially our rarest items, to be bought directly with Cartel Coins. The desire is to pay for the item and avoid the random nature of Cartel packs. For some time now, we have been direct selling more Cartel pack items and our data shows it’s a popular method of acquiring specific items from the Cartel Market. Yet, we have been cautious of doing this with Platinum items, as these items are intended to be exceptionally rare and we need to ensure we do not cause them to be undervalued, especially for players who got them from packs.

 

Why the price of 7,600 Cartel Coins?

It’s a lot of Cartel Coins, but this sale is directed at those players who have the resources to acquire the item. The price is set higher than current Hypercrates and previous Gold rarity items to help maintain the rarity of the Unstable Saber. We may discover that direct selling Platinum items erodes their value, and that will have an impact on how we handle these sales in the future. Basically, this is a test and we wanted you to be aware of what we are doing and why.

 

The net result for us is we want to see if this is something our players have interest in. While ensuring it doesn’t undermine the value for players who already have one and see how receptive everyone will be to us continuing to rotate other Platinum items into the Cartel Market in the future. More than likely, we would not direct sale Platinum items until they’ve been unavailable from Cartel Packs for a number of months. This will also help maintain their rarity for a fairly long time.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

-eric

 

In before the cries of "FOUL!!!!!!", "PRICE GOUGING!!!!!" or "That is TOO MUCH!!!!".

Hopefully, this doesn't mean that you are moving away from the GTN as the primary method of getting specific Cartel Market items. I do buy a pack or Hypercrate from time to time with Cartel Coins, but I always get my items from the GTN.

If someone doesn't have the 50+ million credits to buy the Unstable Lightsaber from the GTN, he should just buy a few Hypercrates and convert them to credits, that would increase the supply on the GTN and there'd be no need to offer direct-sale items.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Jerba

7600 CC's.....

 

Well....I do want this,

I can't wait to see all of the tears from the GTN and Cartel Market whales who control the market and special snowflakes. I hope to see this be done more often.

Eric,

 

CM Weapons are fantastic... except for the inability to use them at the end game if you utilize legacy gear. Is there any chance that CM weapons can be granted a Legacy tag going forward so that our alts and other mirror classes can share their weapons?

Eric,

 

CM Weapons are fantastic... except for the inability to use them at the end game if you utilize legacy gear. Is there any chance that CM weapons can be granted a Legacy tag going forward so that our alts and other mirror classes can share their weapons?

 

It may cost some credits, which seem to rain from the sky these days, but you can move those mods from the legacy weapon to your weapon of choice.

 

Is that as convenient and cheap as legacy weapons would be? No, but it does keep the CM items consistent.

Hey folks,

 

Later today we are going to be adding the first ever Platinum rarity item to the Cartel Market for direct sale, the Unstable Arbiter’s Lightsaber. The single-handed saber is going to be on sale from today, Tuesday 3/7 through next Tuesday 3/14 at the price of 7,600 Cartel Coins.

 

 

 

Why the price of 7,600 Cartel Coins?

It’s a lot of Cartel Coins, but this sale is directed at those players who have the resources to acquire the item. The price is set higher than current Hypercrates and previous Gold rarity items to help maintain the rarity of the Unstable Saber. We may discover that direct selling Platinum items erodes their value, and that will have an impact on how we handle these sales in the future. Basically, this is a test and we wanted you to be aware of what we are doing and why.

 

The net result for us is we want to see if this is something our players have interest in. While ensuring it doesn’t undermine the value for players who already have one and see how receptive everyone will be to us continuing to rotate other Platinum items into the Cartel Market in the future. More than likely, we would not direct sale Platinum items until they’ve been unavailable from Cartel Packs for a number of months. This will also help maintain their rarity for a fairly long time.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

-eric

 

 

It's a whale sale, directed at players willing to pay $60 of real world money for an ingame item.

Cartel market sales must be having an issue...

The price is very high and that is a good thing as these items are both rare and highly sought after. The high price means that there is another way for people to obtain these items if they wish to pay the money to do so and as it is simply a vanity item that in no way has a negative impact upon the game.

 

As the price is high it also means that there is still a market for the item on the GTN - maybe not at the often insane prices we have seen though

That is suspiciously close to the price of the Amazon 5500cc pack plus 2400cc pack. So basically you're selling a virtual light saber for $60.

 

Q1 targets are the hardest to meet, I wish you luck.

Edited March 8, 2017 by BOTA-X

This sounds like an excellent test. Very interested hear how it goes

That is suspiciously close to the price of the Amazon 5500cc pack plus 2400cc pack. So basically you're selling a virtual light saber for $60.

 

Its 7,600 which I think is nearer to $36 than $60

It's a whale sale, directed at players willing to pay $60 of real world money for an ingame item.

Cartel market sales must be having an issue...

 

Thats the test. What are the whales willing to spend? Given their spending a large amount anyway, why not try to tap that pay stream a bit more with a direct sale. Is it lucrative for bw to do?

 

Who will pay nearly $60 (4 months of sub fees) to own an item?

 

I think it would go better at the hypercrate cost and still be extremely rare but 7600cc is so much it's not even really a good attempt on bws part when it comes to testing.

 

Failed experiment right off the bat.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Quraswren

Want to sell us setbonus gear next?

In before the cries of "FOUL!!!!!!", "PRICE GOUGING!!!!!" or "That is TOO MUCH!!!!".

 

I mean, you can say 'inb4' but that doesn't change the fact that charging approximately 60$ worth in cartel coins for a single cosmetic item is pretty 4head.

 

I appreciate direct buy on some of this stuff but I mean, drop rates are already really gross in this game. I bought two hypercrates via cartel coins once, it took until the last 10 packs to get any golds at all (I ended up getting 4 golds in all, and nothing spectacular at that). And then the stack of like 20 chance cubes netted me no additional golds either. What ever happened to, y'know, giving your players content at a reasonable price? I'd love to spend money on flavorful outfits, cool mounts, stronghold decor, etc...but when I'm being handed duplicate crap over and over again that everyone already has 10 of, and there's nothing you can do to get rid of them, it kind of sucks and kills one's incentive to buy.

 

Plus, it's also really tone deaf to introduce your first platinum direct-buy item at a time when the player base is roaring mad over content that's being forced down their throat (I'm looking at you, Galactic Command). So ye this screams of a heavy-handed money grab.

 

Why would I spend 60$ on a single lightsaber when I could get a triple A game for the same price? Are you suggesting that, somehow, a single -lightsaber-, not even an armor set, but a -lightsaber-, is somehow equivalent in terms of enjoyment to a regular player, as an entire new game? And the worst part?

 

Direct Market Sale: One Unstable Arbiter's Lightsaber!*

 

*Lightsaber crystals are sold separately.

 

It's a whale sale, directed at players willing to pay $60 of real world money for an ingame item.

Cartel market sales must be having an issue...

 

The issue is that CM items are not consistent. We can put CM Clothes into the outfit designer. You cannot do this with weapons.

Edited March 7, 2017 by FtWorthJim

Its 7,600 which I think is nearer to $36 than $60

 

In spring 2013 the 5500 cartel coins I bought my first month playing to go Preferred cost more than a billing cycle for a 3 month recurring sub. Current Amazon prices 5500 and 2400 cards are 39.99 and 19.99 so $60ish is ballpark.

I mean, you can say 'inb4' but that doesn't change the fact that charging approximately 60$ worth in cartel coins for a single cosmetic item is pretty 4head.

 

I appreciate direct buy on some of this stuff but I mean, drop rates are already really gross in this game. I bought two hypercrates via cartel coins once, it took until the last 10 packs to get any golds at all (I ended up getting 4 golds in all, and nothing spectacular at that). And then the stack of like 20 chance cubes netted me no additional golds either. What ever happened to, y'know, giving your players content at a reasonable price? I'd love to spend money on flavorful outfits, cool mounts, stronghold decor, etc...but when I'm being handed duplicate crap over and over again that everyone already has 10 of, and there's nothing you can do to get rid of them, it kind of sucks and kills one's incentive to buy.

 

Plus, it's also really tone deaf to introduce your first platinum direct-buy item at a time when the player base is roaring mad over content that's being forced down their throat (I'm looking at you, Galactic Command). So ye this screams of a heavy-handed money grab.

 

Why would I spend 60$ on a single lightsaber when I could get a triple A game for the same price? Are you suggesting that, somehow, a single -lightsaber-, not even an armor set, but a -lightsaber-, is somehow equivalent in terms of enjoyment to a regular player, as an entire new game? And the worst part?

 

Direct Market Sale: One Unstable Arbiter's Lightsaber!*

 

*Lightsaber crystals are sold separately.

 

 

The only thing I am suggesting is that people have been crying for the platinum lightsabers to be direct sold for months, and BW sells one directly and that will not be enough for the mice.

 

To your other point, it has been pointed out many times that the best use of packs/hypercrates is to sell them unopened on the GTN and then use the credits from those sales to purchase the items you want, rather than try to "hit the jackpot".

The demand determines the price. If you don't like the price, don't buy that item. Thats the same with the prices at the GTN.

Wow, $60 for a few pixels of light? I rather save up a bit more and go to Ultrasaber and build me a new saber.. at least it's physical and something I can hold it.

Amazon prices are grossly inflated compared to the price of buying the cartel coins in the game itself. Edited March 7, 2017 by Belstaff

This really reminds me of EVE Online's infamous monocle:

 

http://www.pcgamer.com/eve-online-now-sells-70-monocles/

 

Ciao, Aronis!

Curious to see how this will play out. (Un)fortunately I already have the single handed Peacekeeper's one, which I actually find a tad better looking than Arbiter's.

 

May be interested in other Platinum direct sale items in the future, though I do feel the price is a bit steep. I'd say the equivalent of 40$ in CC is high enough a price but I suppose the financial department is hurting for a certain quota.

Its 7,600 which I think is nearer to $36 than $60

 

Try not to think too much, knowing is better. The cartel shop has prices on this same website. 5500 CC is 39.99 in dollars, so you'll need to spend another 19.99 to get to a total of 7900 CC. So yeah, if you're not lazy and can do basic math it's definitely closer to 60 bucks.

 

In game there is an option to buy at a slighty bigger discount but you'd have to buy 1400 CC or something like that. So really, it's gonna cost you well over 50 bucks to get this weapon either way.

The issue is that CM items are not consistent. We can put CM Clothes into the outfit designer. You cannot do this with weapons.

 

That is an issue with the outfit designer, NOT the CM items.

 

Would it be nice if BW gave us a "weapon designer"? Yes, but I don't see that happening, unfortunately, since it would likely involve a redesign of the "outfit designer".

 

In the meantime, we can use legacy weapons to move mods back and forth, even move those mods into the preferred weapon for a few extra credits which are easily recovered.

 

With the GC system, it should be very possible to obtain enough mods to be able to move them around so that all characters have an "equal" weapon and can have the desired look without having to move mods all the time. I know that I have done so. All of my characters have "equal" and augmented weapons. Are those weapons BIS 242's? No, but then again, I do not consider anything less than 242 BIS "garbage" like so many do.