So Bioware is not backing down from the "Grab Bags"

Agreed.

There will be a certain novelty time gamers will buy the bags when this launches but it will eventually trickle down to a minimum.

I can even see Subscription players wasting a few coins since they get 500 for free a month but if the items in the bags were sold individually but for say double the cost of the bag, BW would stand to make more money on individual sales than on bags alone.

Happy customers buy more. Let those players consistently get burned on the packs and watch the purchase of them drop off.

Let the same gamers buy what they want at even double the cost and you will see more consistent sales as long as there are interesting things in the shop.

I think there are more gamers that would gladly pay more for the one item (or multiple items) that they want and would be happy with, then the random grab bag that more then likely just takes there money and gives them crap over and over again.

you don't have to because you get 500 cartel points a month. So you don't have to spend a dime.

Also as others pointed out after 5 days they can be sold/traded so again you reallly don't need to spend a single dime on them.

Like in the casino's?

The obvious startegy here is putting new unique stuff in those bags every month so people keep buying bags. Plus they throw in something valuable once in a while so players feel it was worth it and I guarantee you they will keep selling.

You should read some articles on how f2p games keep people buying stuff, especially those Korean grind MMO's got that down nicely. Its based on research on monkeys if I recall correctly...

As much as I HATE this type of in-game reward, Tomb-Stone is right. With the game being F2P, expect many cool items to show up in these bags. That's just how this sorta thing works...and a large reason why so many of us are/were upset to hear that it would be going F2P.

I think it's cute that you think you have rights over virtual items in a virtual land but because you play a subscription. Are you entitled to everything inside a magazine you subscribe to also?

And to people who think this is an illegal form of gambling is just laughable at best. If that's the case then Lego should be in trouble for selling Lego figures in unmarked bags. But they are not, why, cause buying into a grab bag for a random chance at something is hardly a form of illegal gambling.

This isn't a casino. You can't get real money back out of it. (in most cases anyway) Thats what makes casinos work. While gamers will see things as having an apparent worth. It will never have the same hold as a real casino.

Oh I'm sure of there strategy in trying to get repeat buyers. I just think subscribers who are already paying $15 a month should have an option to buy items outright without the randomness. They can even charge twice as much at 720 coins and gamers will buy them up in droves cause we like to customize.

And more people will buy a double cost item if it's something that they really want then paying half for a very small chance at the item they want.

I concur.

They are 'optional' (fluff, cosmetic, fun and so forth). Besides they can be traded after x amount of time when the item becomes unbound. The price will be high, no doubt, but you do not have to pay real currency for a 'gamble' to get the 'cool' item you want.

I don't like gamble bags, boxes, whatever and won't be using them. Plenty of players like them though and they're a proven revenue source for games. As long as it's shiny swag and not game-breaking gear I'm fine with them here.

More revenue means a better chance that stuff that does matter to me will be funded. And if I'm the only toon in a WZ that has a plain old saber while everyone else is waving around rainbows that's cool, variety is the friggin' spice of life.

TL;DR? Gamble bags may be cheesy but are good for the game's sustainability.

What's wrong with "grab bags"? They seem fine to me. Don't like em? Don't purchase them!