CK3 - Changes to Flavor Pack Pricing

[Ottis]

Ok, I guess I will just wait for another Humble Bundle in the future... so see you until then Paradox.

 

[Redglyph]

Greetings Rulers!

As of September 13, we will be altering the prices of our Flavor Packs (Northern Lords and Fate of Iberia) to reflect the overall value of this kind of content moving forward. This means that the current price point of these two products will increase from 6.99 USD to 12.99 USD. This of course, is changed equivalent to the regional pricing of your area and may vary. This change will also be reflected in future Flavor Packs whose cost will be more in line with this price point.

The price change will not affect the price of the Base Game, Royal Court, or the Royal Edition—those prices will remain unaffected. If you are already a holder of the Royal Edition or Expansion Pack 1, you are all set and nothing will change for you and your versions of the game.

The price of Northern Lords and Fate of Iberia will not increase until September 13, so we recommend getting your copies at the original price point of 6.99 USD before the change occurs.

Will that be used to finally take non-qwerty keyboards into account or to answer to the bug reports? Or shall we keep crossing fingers in both cases?

PS: and yes, if I don't have the CK3 badge, it's because I got a refund until I can actually use the game.

 

[SeraphAscending]

My criticism is valid, yours is not
Being rude is also useful criticism at showing just how annoyed you've made customers they say that

Flatout wrong. Being rude is not criticism in itself. Especially not useful criticism. It's a communication of emotion rather than rationale. That can be what's desired, but i don't think it helps anyone here. You can bring across a rationale by being rude, sure. But you can also do that without.

The main problem is that you're screaming at the wrong people.
You're just making life shitty for the community ambassadors and the devs that participate in this forum, who are not to blame for this decision.
The higher-ups that make decisions like this will only get a summary of what people said at best anyway. Whether you scream at the poor messenger or not. It's not their fault.

Voicing serious discontent can be done without insulting people that are not the source of your discontent.
I do. I find this decision highly questionable and do think that the community deserves a justification for this. If we don't get one, we should constantly bring it up, because they are doing their community a serious disservice. We should very clearly make them feel that this decision is not being accepted as is. But we can do that without screaming at the messenger.

 

[FleetingRain]

Lmao.

 

[Inquerion]

Best idea is just to wait a few years until CK3 is finished and enjoy CK2 with all DLCs and good mods in the meantime. There are plenty of good mods available.

I'm sorry Paradox, but your current content is overpriced.

 

[Inquerion]

I'm thinking, to make the subscription model they're planning on rolling out actually look like a good deal by comparison?

Which btw, Paradox executives (if you do check forums), If new content becomes subscription only, I'm just going to go play games that I actually own instead.

Problem is that you don't own them (well maybe except old EU1/EU2 CD/DVD editions etc), you own licence to use them. And that license can be removed once Steam/other digital shop closes one day.

I agree that subscription only model for PDX games will be bad and I will not support it.

 

[Knotz]

Hey Paradox, I can guarantee you at least one (1) sale for a $13 flavor pack... but it has to be a witch flavor pack.

Please consider this carefully as, going by the tone of this thread, one (1) full priced sale is a highly competitive offer.

 

[Tschobo]

Me two days ago: I really would like to see an update, any update, about CK3.
Monkey Paw: Curls a finger

Well. I am a tad angry. And it is not even about the price increase per se (well a bit about that too) but about the communication of it. A short note, no explanation about why the decisions were made, nothing in that regard.

Espescially as the issues for the price increase were completely obvious when we look at the differences of content between Northern Lords and Fate of Iberia, the addition of Courts and Artifacts, and the inflation rate.

You could have made a decent mid-sized text about that where you explained:

• That you underestimated the work that was necessary to add courts and artifacts and as you want to keep adding new courts, artifacts and other, additional mechanics in Flavor Packs in the future, you need more ressources for it.
• That we can already see more additions in Fate of Iberia compared to Northern Lords (Struggle Mechanic, even more events, 2 Clothing styles compared to one, specific artifacts etc). 13 Bucks for Fate of Iberia could be somehow defendable, but Northern Lords is just extrermly overpriced with it and I would never advise anybody to buy it for that Price or a Price above 7 Bucks/Euros.
• And that Inflation has done the rest for such a steep increase.

Yes, People would have been angry. There would have been an uproar, but some would have understood your choice, even if it was a steep price increase (I still have mixed feelings about it). But it wouldn't be around this level of discontent.

So I plead to you, Paradox, fix the communication around CK3. It is currently subpar and issues like that could be handled better than right now.

 

[Spartanlemur]

There is this movie Dave where the protagonist at some point wants to cut the american budget by a large amount of dollars.
In there is this somewhat exact dialogue:

Dave: We are spending $47m on an ad campaign to boost consumer confidence in the american auto industry?
Minister: It is designed to bolster the individual confidence in a previous domestic automotive purchase.
Dave: So, we are spending $47m so that somebody can feel better about a car that they already bought?

As an analogy Paradox is boosting our confidence in possible future car purchases (DLC) by increasing the price tag for upcoming new models and retroactively for older outdated models. In the case of something you have in your hand that makes sense because of increased prices in production, but in the case of 1s and 0s as digital value not really and sounds more like a rip-off. Unless they bolster the value of old models by putting in leather seats or a golden stick shift in the future (i. e. doubling the amount of content).

In general I find the DLC and price policy reasonable, because Paradox cannot force me to buy the (full) game or a DLC. I have the option to open my wallet or have it stay closed. Eventually I buy the stuff I want anyway, but than rather on sale. But that is still my option. And compared to a bad movie night a DLC is rather cheap.

My heart goes out to the poor lads in CM who have to weather the storm of toxicity and DebbieElla who has also to read the muck some emit, instead of the suits that made that decision especially on the silly retroactive part.

You know it’s possible to oppose decisions made by your own company (especially when it’s a public company oriented solely at making profit and using you as a tool to achieve this). I’m sure there are people within Paradox who fully agree with many of us here who think that it has lost its way.

 

[grommile]

I'm not upset by this decision.

"Nonphysical luxury good I've already paid for and received, and will not need to repurchase, has had its list price increased" is not an event worth me being upset about.

I wouldn't even be all that upset about "nonphysical luxury good I wasn't planning to buy anyway has had its list price increased".

With that said, I think the decision has terrible optics which should have been entirely predictable.

Those terrible optics are, of course, made worse by the decision to have the forum post announcing the decision be made by someone who does not appear to have been involved in making the decision.

 

[johnty5]

I'm not upset by this decision.

"Nonphysical luxury good I've already paid for and received, and will not need to repurchase, has had its list price increased" is not an event worth me being upset about.

I wouldn't even be all that upset about "nonphysical luxury good I wasn't planning to buy anyway has had its list price increased".

With that said, I think the decision has terrible optics which should have been entirely predictable.

Those terrible optics are, of course, made worse by the decision to have the forum post announcing the decision be made by someone who does not appear to have been involved in making the decision.

This is exactly my view. I'm not really upset about the price rise, since I've already bought them.

But, at the same time, it seems - at best - just a really weird move on Paradox's part and - at worst - just a really bad look given the background feelings amongst fans about the pace and quality of post-launch development.

I'm on the more "optimistic about the future of CK3" end of the CK community and this kind repeated weirdness (out-of-the blue price rise announcements, long periods of radio silence about development, DLC announced days before release etc.) undermines the arguments of those of us who remain pretty happy with the game and optimistic about the future.

 

[SeraphAscending]

This is exactly my view. I'm not really upset about the price rise, since I've already bought them.

The price increase is not what i am upset about.
The way it has been communicated is incredibly awful, though. A mere notification of a major change of pricing policy for past and future content with no indication of any justification is just plain rude and unprofessional.

In my work life i deal with shortages and massive price increases since the pandemic. I can see why the price changes are happening and i don't fault the suppliers.
With this however, i can not see a reason for the price change and that is a major problem. If a product doubles in prices, i would like to know why. Otherwise i will assume corporate greed and that is not something i can support. This is why i am asking for a statement.

 

[ACardAttack]

I’d be fine with a subscription model of 5 bucks a month IF Paradox would regularly provide us content! Unfortunately it appears the team currently struggles to pump out even basic bug fix patches let alone new content.

Yep

So many good DLCS in the first two years of CK2's life, only one (at best) in CK3's first two years. I havent touched CK3 since 2020 but have come back to CK2 a couple times

 

[Breebelbox]

There is obviously no justification to double the price of already produced and released dlc. The only reason behind it is corporate greed which will lead to to the downfall of most businesses. Seems like the first signs of a blizzardification. Apparently this is the cycle of good companies going to the stock market and becoming governed by accountants and share holders until there is no value left. I guess the only hope for good games will lie with indie Devs who don't make the same mistake out of greed.

 

[Inquerion]

There is obviously no justification to double the price of already produced and released dlc. The only reason behind it is corporate greed which will lead to to the downfall of most businesses. Seems like the first signs of a blizzardification. Apparently this is the cycle of good companies going to the stock market and becoming governed by accountants and share holders until there is no value left. I guess the only hope for good games will lie with indie Devs who don't make the same mistake out of greed.

These signs were visible years ago. Even recently, with Leviathan DLC for EU4 or attempted pricing increase in 2017. Sadly people forget. Cycle continues.

 

[johnty5]

The price increase is not what i am upset about.
The way it has been communicated is incredibly awful, though. A mere notification of a major change of pricing policy for past and future content with no indication of any justification is just plain rude and unprofessional.

In my work life i deal with shortages and massive price increases since the pandemic. I can see why the price changes are happening and i don't fault the suppliers.
With this however, i can not see a reason for the price change and that is a major problem. If a product doubles in prices, i would like to know why. Otherwise i will assume corporate greed and that is not something i can support. This is why i am asking for a statement.

Sure. To be absolutely clear, I'm certainly not telling anyone else that that they shouldn't be upset - whether about the price rise or the way it was announced.

I'm just saying I'm personally not upset about the price rise as it doesn't affect me - and I'm not upset about the way it was announced for the same reason.

I just find it really really weird - and it's the pattern of weirdness that worries me the most.

 

[cristofolmc]

Good thing i bought it at the original price.

I wouldve never and never will pay 12 for a flavor pack.

Im sorry about inflation but passing on the price like these to consumers is not on. And with things hard as they are already you must be out of your mind if you thing the same amount of people is going to keep buying them at that price.

And you dont even compensate for.those Who are gonna have to pay double going forward.

 

[BrokenSky]

The price of Northern Lords and Fate of Iberia will not increase until September 13, so we recommend getting your copies at the original price point of 6.99 USD before the change occurs.

I appreciate being given the heads up in advance.

Regardless of anything else, thanks for doing that.

 

[Cymsdale]

I appreciate being given the heads up in advance.

Regardless of anything else, thanks for doing that.

I think there are European Timey-Wimey Consumer Law reasons they had to.

 

[TrueLobster]

Personally I’m not too worried about the price chance for new content because if paradox keeps up their current pace for releases we can expect a new dlc probably at the endpart of next year.