The “Refer a Friend” system in WoW returns, but it is already receiving harsh criticism. Players feel betrayed and cheated by Blizzard.
Just yesterday, we reported that World of Warcraft has revamped its “Refer a Friend” system and equipped it with new rewards. For example, there is a stylish transmog set, several mounts, and even a unique backpack on the character’s back. However, you have to refer several players or keep one player for a particularly long time. There is a flood of fan criticism in the comments, with multiple issues regarding the new system.
The timing is extremely unfortunate: One of the biggest criticisms is that the “Refer a Friend” system returns just after the largest wave of new players has likely already arrived. After all, with the launch of WoW Classic, numerous players have returned as subscribers to play Classic. Many of these players have only returned because friends and acquaintances made them aware of it. The fact that these players cannot be retroactively referred is perceived as a farce by many fans. They accuse Blizzard of cold calculation, claiming that the new system arrived only after the launch of Classic.
150€ for a backpack: Especially the backpack is a thorn in the side of many players. The community has been demanding for years that there be other back items besides capes. Backpacks in particular have been requested. The fact that you can only obtain this style item by getting other players to spend almost 150€ (which equals 11 months of World of Warcraft subscription) is seen critically by many.
Rewards that archaeology should have received: Fans of the secondary profession archaeology are particularly “fed up”. From their perspective, the profession has been completely neglected for several expansions and offers hardly any interesting rewards. The fact that you can now receive a researcher set with a backpack that looks wonderfully like an archaeologist is viewed as an outrage. That would have been the perfect reward for their neglected secondary profession.
Isn’t that swell?! from r/wow
Blizzard wants more spending from players: The last major criticism is that Activision Blizzard just wants to “squeeze more money out of individual users.” Many friends can no longer be referred as they have already returned with the chaotic Classic launch. Some players with deep pockets may feel tempted to simply pay for a second WoW account and refer themselves to access the rewards. By this reasoning, the new rewards are simply a new offer in the in-game shop with an extremely high price tag.
However, in all this negativity, one should not forget that the rewards are indeed interesting and good for players who can still refer one or two friends. A large part of the player base will not receive these rewards through the conventional method.
What do you think of the new “Refer a Friend” system? Is it a cool addition? Or is the timing and the nature of the rewards completely inappropriate?
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