Discussion: The Winter Event is back with extra fluffy snow!

The Holiday Pack really should have been on sale starting today. It hurts my brain to see you not only not do something so logical as pair them, but to lose out on revenue because while waiting for the Holiday Pack to be released, people can run around the game and earn most of the same stuff for free and then say to themselves, "Meh, I really don't need to buy that Pack." <bangs head on desk>

This isn't going to be the Zombie Survival Kit all over again when you release something season *after* the season is over, is it?

If you're saving it for some other time, please at least announce when it will be available.

I don't know whats crazier.. the fact that the supplier is not doing this, or the fact that the consumers are complaining about it so they can take our money faster.. Logic seems to fail on both accounts for the consumer.

I believe there are two, one for receiving and one for giving the Duplicating Gift.

theres 2 new badges, one for giving a duplicating gift and one for receiving a duplicating gift

Thank you!

And thank YOU!

I just want to point out that the Winter Event page this link takes you to does not appear to have been updated for the 2011 event.

Well, she did say later today.

I know, it's later now. And now. And now.

True. And the time difference between America and the UK doesn't help. I always lose track of what time it is over there.

Anyway, just mentioning it.

TL DR - ...at the end of the day, it's just about having fun and playing together.

The Winter Holiday Pack goes on sale next week.

The schedule for the month of December is:
12/13 - Mini SnowBeast / Rare IOs (Numina's/Eradication/Obliteration) / SSA Ep 4
12/20 - Winter Holiday Pack
12/27 - New Year's Pack

I *intentionally* put the Winter Holiday Pack after the start of the Winter Holiday event because I wanted players to have fun with the Winter Event first.

Players get to play through the content with all of their characters..., and then after getting all their badges on the characters they want, they can then choose to unlock the Winter Holiday Pack items on their remaining characters.

It's not a lost marketing opportunity at all. It's giving new and existing players the Freedom to choose whether to purchase optional items after the event has launched.

If I had front-loaded everything, it may have reduced the number of players looking for a team, and ultimately, we really do want players to play together.

Last year the log-in powers did not award to any character that had received them in a previous year. I was told that if it gets fixed, it would be for a later winter event. I guess this one isn't later enough.

Thanks for the info, GF, and I thought that might be the reason. I agree with the decision, and look forward to buying the packs (assuming I feel the price is reasonable, and based on the mini-snowman pet's price, I'm expecting that it will be).

Thanks for the heads up.

Any chance we'll get a schedule like this in the future? Maybe not announce everything to avoid surprises, but a general idea of what's coming and when would be appreciated.

I can plan point purchases accordingly.

It's been under discussion internally here since we have to release those items onto the Beta server for testing.

I don't want to give an answer right now, but I did want to reassure you that we're talking about it.

Good answer.

Don't even think about it.

Are you saying that because Black Pebble already left the office for the day?

Black Pebble / Marketing gets blamed for everything.

In Black Pebble's defense....:

I (Ghost Falcon), as the Business Manager:

1) proposed and got buy off on all prices in the market prior to Freedom's launch
2) schedule all new items to be released in the Paragon Market.
3) write up 90% of all Paragon Market in-game text,
4) propose and schedule all in-game and in-store weekly sales promotions (even Black Friday),
5) examine all in-game store sales metrics and adjust prices / remove item(s) accordingly.

When Titan Weapons slipped in November, *I* came up with Undead Survival Kit. I knew it was last minute, but I have some items held back in case of emergencies. The Warwolf Whistle was the anchor of the pack, and then I padded it with interesting consumable items (the bat / slugger, temp revolver and inspirations) plus I added the self-revive power.

I also asked that the Halloween Event be extended by a week.

Well..., long story short, the pack was released, exposed some strong feelings about the price of inspirations (which we later tested on Black Friday), and someone didn't approve the Halloween Event extension.

I wanted to post about it, but the flames and pitchforks were already out, and I was cautioned against fanning the fires. Marketing took the blame, and I felt really, really bad for Black Pebble.

Anyway. Valuable lessons were learned. The Undead Survival Kit is off the Market (not that I think anyone noticed.., although the Warwolf Whistle still sells well), and I think we all moved on.