Buy Petz or DYE

Well – Blizzard has a Real Money Transaction (RMT) Pet Store.  So we all know where we’re getting our Pandaren Monks now.  Personally, I think this is harmless, though to hear some forum goers and WoW.com responders you’d think Blizzard had sent thugs to their homes who are going to force them to buy these pets.

Worse – there are an unrealistic and ridiculous group that are even bashing Blizzards choice to send 50% of the purchase price of a Pandaren Monk (through December 31st)  to the Make a Wish Foundation.  Some seem to think 50% isn’t enough – others think that the December 31st caveat is misleading and evil.

People – there are 11 million odd players of this game.  If only 4-5% of them shell out $10 for a silly non-combat pet – do you have any idea how much money is headed to that charity?  It’s hefty and it can only help.  Now reality says that actual buy in may be smaller – but we’re still talking about a phenomenal donation.

There’s another piece to this as well.  That money Blizzard is making – it goes to keep the infrastructure up – the utility bills paid – and real life people paid – people who have families and bills and mortgages and WoW subscriptions.

It’s not like Blizzard just piles all this cash up and swims in it or something.

…

Okay – maybe they do – but that’s beyond the point 😉  The *point* in my mind is that Blizzard is a business – not a charity – and they have a great game that a lot of us really enjoy.  I personally don’t feel like I’m being taken advantage of.  The amount of money I’ve spent on WoW and my subscription is constantly paid back in terms of the fun I have – the people I meet – and the rather frequent moments of wonder that I still experience in game.

So $10 for a mini-version of Kel’Thuzad?  I can take that or leave it.  No one’s forcing me to buy these things – no one is going to close my account and ban my access for not jumping on the RMT wagon.  So what’s the harm?