Virtual WoW pet sells out [update: the Monk is back!]
by JC Fletcher 
{ Nov 11th 2009 at 12:30PM } 
It's the Make-A-Wish pledge that makes us believe that this is less a nefarious plot to deprive players of their fake pets and more an error in Blizzard's shopping system -- probably triggered as a result of too many people buying the Monk. We fully expect WoW players to be given the opportunity to waste their money on this pet (for a good cause) soon.
Update: The Pandaren Monk is once again available for sale. Blizzard told us that a "minor technical error" caused the Monk to display as out of stock.
[Via WoW.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 11th 2009 12:33PM
I really, REALLY hope it wasn't stopped because they decided they had donated 'too much'...
Brysonial the Bison @ Nov 11th 2009 12:44PM
Wow if they did that just because they didn't want to donate anymore than i'll be really pissed off.
Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 11th 2009 12:46PM
Honestly, I doubt it...but I've seen some screwed up stuff before.
JeezWhiz87 @ Nov 11th 2009 12:46PM
Kotick probably decided that only making $5 per transaction was unacceptable. They'll probably put it back up as a non charity item. Half the proceeds from now on will probably go toward the development of Band Hero 7.
CarpeD1em500 @ Nov 11th 2009 12:59PM
yeah strong logic here...
Lets see, I sell item for 10 dollars, keep 5 dollars and donate 5 dollars...
Wait, I'm tired of donating 5 dollars and don't wanna donate anymore, even if it means I lose 5 dollars in real revenue. Let's just say its sold out.
....sense. your post makes none.
dood @ Nov 11th 2009 7:12PM
They might have put an artificial number as the quantity of the SKU, say 9999 or something, thinking that won't be depleted anytime soon.
Ignatius @ Nov 11th 2009 12:35PM
I'm surprised people don't want the Lil' Kel'Thuzad even more.
Warlock @ Nov 11th 2009 12:42PM
It's because the Panda donates money to charity. People feel less bad about paying for a virtual pet when they are also donating money in the process.
Ignatius @ Nov 11th 2009 12:47PM
Oh, I thought purchases of KT gave to charity too, hmm. Thanks.
Comtar @ Nov 11th 2009 12:57PM
No sir, your Lil KT funds only went to line the pockets of corporate swine.
Congrats.
Ignatius @ Nov 11th 2009 1:00PM
I don't even have a WoW subscription.
Comtar @ Nov 11th 2009 1:43PM
Maybe you don't, but I know a few people in WoW who believe they are both for charity. It's something I've said to other players... suddenly their pet isn't so special anymore.
Ignatius @ Nov 11th 2009 2:56PM
Nonetheless, Kel'Thuzad is pretty badass.
Comtar @ Nov 11th 2009 12:37PM
Boy I sure hope air doesn't sell out....
AsherR [Planeteer | Power of The Hoff] @ Nov 11th 2009 12:47PM
Or sunlight.
LegendaryRedass @ Nov 11th 2009 12:55PM
Or Infinity Ward, oops.
Brysonial the Bison @ Nov 11th 2009 5:16PM
or the big mac!
Tyler @ Nov 11th 2009 12:37PM
its most likely an issue with access keys, its essentially DLC, they just need to generate new ones for the game to accept
Warlock @ Nov 11th 2009 12:37PM
A lot of people are making a really big deal over this. Blizzard probably just ran out of codes. It's "Sold Out" until they can generate some more.
Husher @ Nov 11th 2009 12:40PM
yup
James @ Nov 11th 2009 12:50PM
That seems unlikely for two reasons. First, if they're pre-generating the codes, generating the codes wouldn't take this long. Second, I'd be surprised if the codes weren't generated on the fly.
Warlock @ Nov 11th 2009 12:54PM
I could certainly see them not anticipating demand and thus not generating enough codes. Or if they are generated on the fly, perhaps the software that does that is broken?
In any case, there are plenty of logical reasons why a virtual item could sell out. People are acting like this is some big conspiracy to screw over Make a Wish or something.
Meh @ Nov 11th 2009 12:56PM
James, that was a joke.
...I think.
Eh @ Nov 11th 2009 1:27PM
The most logical reason is that they put a limit on how much they will give to charity. Every single product that gives some of their proceeds to charity puts in limitations in how much they will donate, usually in the form of both a date and monetary amount (which ever is lowest).
Warlock @ Nov 11th 2009 1:43PM
How exactly is the "most logical reason" them screwing over Make a Wish? Why would they set a limit to how much they donate? This is not Blizzard donating - this is their customers' money. They are certainly not hurting for money themselves to the point that losing $5 per transaction is going to bankrupt them...
Seishino @ Nov 11th 2009 3:25PM
Or the purchasing server died under the load, and some programmers somewhere are scrambling to convert it from an Access database.
bobartig @ Nov 11th 2009 12:38PM
Does this pet offer some buff or advantage to the player, or is it purely cosmetic? Is it transferable? Is there any balance issue?
AsherR [Planeteer | Power of The Hoff] @ Nov 11th 2009 12:48PM
Cosmetic.
Danthok @ Nov 11th 2009 12:41PM
Man, Blizzard is turning into the Wal-Mart of video games developers.
WiNG [XBL&Steam: WiNGSPANTT] from lifeinagame.com @ Nov 11th 2009 12:47PM
Say it with me:
Activision
Giroro @ Nov 11th 2009 12:58PM
No, Blizzard was acting like this long before they merged with Activision.
Danthok @ Nov 11th 2009 2:50PM
You're right merging with Activision did have an effect. I
think WoW had more to do with it though, I think they got a big head with the millions of subscribers paying $15 a month.
Now they think they can do anything and not alienate their fans. They might be right too, cause damn their games are awesome.
Cj @ Nov 11th 2009 12:41PM
How to sell out of digital media?
Husher @ Nov 11th 2009 12:52PM
ever pre-ordered a game with some kinds special DLC? they only make so many of the key codes. it's not uncommon for the demand to out number the amount of key codes.
if you didnt know this, now you know all that gamestop DLC crap, first come first serve.
Giroro @ Nov 11th 2009 1:00PM
Key-code cards have to be printed, so can make sense that those can run out. This however is just straight-up DLC, and they can't just "run out" in any traditional sense of the term.
Warlock @ Nov 11th 2009 1:06PM
The keys still have to be generated. They most certainly can run out, printed medium or not.
Husher @ Nov 11th 2009 1:11PM
most pre-order codes are emailed not given at the store.
it happen for the juggernaut, it happens for the PS3 home items, it's happening for the ps3 god of war 3 skin DLC. my friend pre-ordered the god of war game from amazon months ago, but closed it to pre-order from gamestop; because he liked there DLC skin better. However a week later he got a email with his code for the amazon DLC skin.
Ebichu @ Nov 11th 2009 12:42PM
Wait, how many were sold then?
Meh @ Nov 11th 2009 12:56PM
I liked the Pandaren more before he's just sold out.
sohcahtoa @ Nov 11th 2009 3:32PM
Clever clever i see what you did there
Giroro @ Nov 11th 2009 12:57PM
They figure they already sold enough to get the maximum tax break from their MaW donations, so there really wouldn't be any reason to keep selling them.
I donate $10 to MaW out of protest.
Kayne @ Nov 11th 2009 1:01PM
Kayne: "Pandaren i'm really happy for you, and imma let you finish, but Lil' Kel'Thuzad is the greatest WOW paid DLC of all time."
Doctor John Smith @ Nov 11th 2009 3:21PM
If your name is "Kayne," you don't need to type "Kayne:" before you say things.
Also the man's name was "Kanye." Y after the N.
Otis Whitaker @ Nov 11th 2009 1:02PM
Most likely, it was done for nefarious reasons.
But like most things Blizzard does that are bad, they'll spark 1-4 days of controversy, and be entirely forgotten.
Because Blizzard can do whatever in the world they want, even make subpar games, and be praised for it :x
Demo @ Nov 11th 2009 1:02PM
Why do they only donate half of the proceeds? It's a digital item with no manufacturing cost...shouldn't 100% of the proceeds be donated?
Lysunder @ Nov 11th 2009 1:20PM
There is a manufacturing cost. The time it took for the animators and artist to create it and the time it took for QA to test it.
Warlock @ Nov 11th 2009 1:25PM
Don't forget the designers, sound engineers, programmers to add the items into the game, marketing team, web team, legal team most likely (at least with the charity involved), etc. There are a lot of hands in the creation of these things, as simple as they may seem.
Demo @ Nov 11th 2009 1:31PM
While I see what you're saying, Blizzard is a large, profitable company and I'm sure that the people involved could have donated time or Blizzard could have just paid them and taken the probably small hit in order to make 100% of the proceeds go to charity.
ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Nov 11th 2009 1:03PM
Blizzard, this should solve your problem in the future: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_method_pattern
Preston @ Nov 11th 2009 1:38PM
Does anyone really think WoW is anything but a license to print money these days? I mean seriously.