{"id":60354,"date":"2018-05-23T14:48:47","date_gmt":"2018-05-23T19:48:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=60354"},"modified":"2018-05-23T14:50:46","modified_gmt":"2018-05-23T19:50:46","slug":"digital-dabblings-25-the-dreaded-paywall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2018\/05\/23\/digital-dabblings-25-the-dreaded-paywall\/","title":{"rendered":"DIGITAL DABBLINGS #25 \u2013 The Dreaded Paywall"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-3790841577\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><div>\n<div id=\"m_7666716513776088370yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1515654530380_12538\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">I think by now most people understand the concept of a paywall in mobile apps. \u00a0Basically it\u2019s the point where in a game you can\u2019t really get much farther without paying something to the developers to buy a power-up or level-up that will get you past a certain point in the game. \u00a0In gaming there\u2019s also the concept of \u201cpay-to-win\u201d, which is definitely a factor in the Topps WWE Slam Digital Trading Card App as well.<\/p>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-60357 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"283\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-2.png 666w, https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-2-212x300.png 212w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><em>Seth Rollins latest signature card &#8211; &#8220;Road to Wrestlemania&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"m_7666716513776088370yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1515654530380_12538\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div>\n<div>For the first year or so in the app (the app began mid-July 2016) the paywall really wasn\u2019t quite that bad. \u00a0There were some packs that could only be purchased with a same day coin purchase, but the barrier to entry there was only a 99 cent price point for a small coin package. \u00a0Many players, including myself, would stock up on coins via Tapjoy offers and Video watches. In fact, during the first year of the app there were weekends where you could earn limited edition Lime Green or Bronze cards for competing in Tapjoy contests (the top 10 coin earners would get a 10cc card, the 200 players who did the most offers would get a 200cc card, and everyone who did one offer would get a third unlimited cc card).<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Every once in a while during the pre-diamond era Topps would throw out a special card with either a large CC bundle or a \u201ccoin subscription\u201d which would double your daily coins for a week. \u00a0These were typically base set variations in Purple or other colors.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Outside of these areas, most of the in-game cards were available for all free-to-play players. \u00a0With the advent of diamonds midway through 2017, Topps slowly but surely started to release content that was only available in packs that could be purchased with Diamonds, and thus the true paywall was born.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-60356 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-1.png 940w, https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-1-300x217.png 300w, https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-1-768x556.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><em>Johnny Wrestling Relic, also from the &#8220;Road to Wrestlemania&#8221; Set<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>Initially, and now most often, a diamond pack will provide the only access to the highest tier (or lowest limited edition) of an insert variant. \u00a0Meaning that the coin packs will have the lowest tier and perhaps the middle tier of an insert set, while the diamond pack will offer all of the variants of the set and in fact will guarantee a copy of the lowest tier.<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Pay-per-view sets were the most affected by Diamonds. \u00a0Previously the high end PPV content would be available only in very high priced coin packs that were only available if you purchased coins that day. \u00a0For example, the Survivor Series 2016 Signatures and lowest CC base variants were in a pack that cost 750,000 coins and you had to purchase coins that day to get access. \u00a0OR the highest end content would be in special cash only bundles alongside coins.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Now PPV sets usually come in three or four pack varieties. \u00a0For coin-only packs you have access to only the lowest two tiers of base cards, and perhaps if the set has a third component you might be able to pull one of those (by third component I mean a posters, or legends set, not the sigs). \u00a0The highest tier content, which is now limited to 500cc, and the signature content will only be found in diamond packs, typically costing 100 diamonds for a chance at a sig, and 3000 diamonds for a guaranteed low tier sig and chances at higher tier sigs. \u00a0The 500cc high tier base set will usually sell out in minutes, which then pulls the diamond packs for a few hours while players have to sit and wait and try to trade for content that should theoretically still be in packs. When the packs return the sold out content will not generate a discount, the packs will still cost the same, just your guaranteed base cards or signatures won\u2019t be in them. \u00a0Add in a super-low cc base variant and additional signature variants for the \u201cbig four\u201d and you\u2019ll see that Topps is making a ton of money off of these paywall only items.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It would be inevitable that sooner or later Topps would release standard insert sets that were only available in diamond packs and in fact they\u2019ve been doing more and more of this type of release. \u00a0While these cards definitely are more rare in game and will command much more on the secondary market, it\u2019s difficult to discern what their long-term investment potential really is, because of the low CC numbers and limited purchases.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3872974926\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Topps will even paywall only certain cards within an insert set, such as in the case of the Rob Schamberger Illustrated releases. \u00a0In those sets about half of any given release is only available in coin packs, while the rest are in diamond packs. You do need all of the cards still to obtain the award, so while there are thousands of the non-paywall cards, there are less than 200 of any given paywall card, including the award. \u00a0The super-popular paywall cards are still running $5-10 apiece, with awards fetching as much as $20 (though more often they\u2019re closer to $10).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Most recently Topps has decided to go back to the paying cash for a specific insert set paradigm with \u201cVECTOR\u201d. \u00a0For $10 you get that week\u2019s card and 1000 diamonds. This really seems like a slap in the face to paying players because Topps is basically forcing those who want to collect that set to spend cash on each and every card. \u00a0Of course the overall award for completing Vector is an Alexa Bliss. It\u2019s a 9 card set broken up in 3 waves of 3 cards apiece with an award after each wave and the aforementioned Alexa overall award. The first wave award is Kofi Kingston, the second is Dusty Rhodes.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Setting aside the cost of the cards, the first three performers chosen for the set were incredibly lackluster, starting with Chris Jericho (who let\u2019s remember doesn\u2019t even have a current contract with WWE), moving to Zack Ryder (who hadn\u2019t appeared on live TV since Wrestlemania) and finishing with Dean Ambrose, who\u2019s currently injured. \u00a0While yes I bought the Jericho to keep up with my performer collection, I won\u2019t be buying any further, unless again I need them for my P.C. Wave 2 started with Naomi and Natalya.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">A further critique on these cards is that the design is very bland, the poses are reused, and the actual execution of said bland design is lackluster to say the least. \u00a0These are selling in the low 200\u2019s right now, with Jericho at 271 cc which is the highest. Secondary market wise, only the Jericho has any verifiable sales\/trades currently going for about $7.50 in cash or trade.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-60358 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-3.png 667w, https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-3-212x300.png 212w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><em>&#8220;Vector Chris Jericho &#8211; &#8216;for spending $10 on this card you just made the list!'&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>This brings up another facet of the paywall debate, the secondary market availability and value. \u00a0Given that most paywall cards end up being sold in much less quantity than coin-pack cards (virtually every one of them ends up under 500cc) and the proclivity for those who purchase paywall cards not to purchase extras for trading, the availability of paywall cards for sale or trade is significantly less than non-paywall cards. \u00a0When they are available at all the prices tend to be much much higher than your non-paywall cards, even for cards with similar CC.<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">When you\u2019re looking at cards available in coin-packs a general pattern tends to emerge. \u00a0The lowest tier, highest CC cards end up selling for $1-2. The next tier up general go for $2-4 and the highest tier, lowest CC cards usually go for $4+, given the usual caveats (i.e. women sell better than men, active performers sell better than legends). \u00a0Paywall cards usually start at $5 and can go up from there. Bundle cards at the $100 price point tend to sell for between $25 and $50 on the secondary market. Key performers from popular sets end up closer to $10 than $5 (we\u2019re talking Finn, Alexa, Sasha, Becky, AJ, Seth).<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Further still exacerbating the problem is that Topps keeps raising the prices on the most popular sets. \u00a0The most recent iteration of Personified saw both pack prices increasing and the odds decreasing, creating a lose-lose situation for fans of those sets. \u00a0Personified has a hard CC limit of 750 for each card and packs are available until they sell out. As of this writing Topps has released 5 of the latest wave of personified, and only ONE has actually sold out so far. \u00a0Fans just aren\u2019t buying these packs anymore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-60359 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-5.png 675w, https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-5-213x300.png 213w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><em>&#8220;Personified AJ Styles, his second Personified card this year.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3562295387\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><span class=\"aBn\" tabindex=\"0\" data-term=\"goog_937537018\"><span class=\"aQJ\">Sunday<\/span><\/span> Showcase used to be a quality insert set during the first year of the app, every card released sold out within the first day of release. \u00a0Now packs are sitting there unopened and cards aren\u2019t selling out, for weeks at a time.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-60360 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"287\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-4.png 656w, https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/graphic-4-209x300.png 209w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><em>&#8220;<span class=\"aBn\" tabindex=\"0\" data-term=\"goog_937537019\"><span class=\"aQJ\">Sunday<\/span><\/span> Showcase Roman Reigns. The gimmick here is that it moves, unlike Roman&#8217;s popularity with fans.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The player base is eroding there\u2019s no doubt about that. \u00a0By my estimation there are currently just about 15,000 daily users of the app, and that\u2019s down about 1,000 users in just under a month (see my last column on how I calculate number of users). \u00a0The hemorrhaging is going to continue if Topps keeps following the same patterns they\u2019ve followed on their other popular apps. The Star Wars app is so full of premium sets it\u2019s difficult to find anything at all that\u2019s available to free players. \u00a0The sports apps don\u2019t appear to be as affected, there\u2019s still plenty of non-premium content, but even there, the best stuff is still behind the dreaded paywall.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Each collector has to choose what feels comfortable when it comes to how much money they\u2019re willing to put into these apps. \u00a0The micro-pay paradigm in apps proves that to be successful all an app really needs is to have a few hundred paying players (and a couple of whales). \u00a0Clearly Topps is successful with WWE Slam given that much of the premium content sells out at astonishing speed, especially the larger PPV and \u201cbox\u201d sets. \u00a0Fatigue will set in though, with the app entering its third full year of existence in July, many players are asking themselves why they\u2019re still involved. Especially when it\u2019s clearer and clearer that Topps doesn\u2019t care about FTPers and is only interested in placating the paying players.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Don\u2019t forget you can find me in game at GRENDELSEN, and I\u2019m always happy to trade or answer any questions you might have.\u00a0 Leave questions or concerns here and I\u2019ll see you next time.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<div id=\"m_7653336482324468032m_-5838044787577144430yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1503197183433_8404\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div id=\"m_7485006918182513210yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1505788699990_5066\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<div id=\"m_840703259626027792yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508199456840_5158\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div id=\"m_4710290450738061770yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1513037197127_4998\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div id=\"m_2136778502949941925yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514945897609_4586\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>My Collecting Blog \u2013\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/budgetscd.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/budgetscd.blogspot.com\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1503367275849000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE4sa6AJcNl2_fcQxwy6FlIjbpXmw\">The Budget Collector<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"m_7653336482324468032m_-5838044787577144430yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1503197183433_7901\" class=\"m_7653336482324468032m_-5838044787577144430signature\">\n<div id=\"m_7653336482324468032m_-5838044787577144430yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1503197183433_7932\">The Daily WiLL \u2013\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/willaday.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/willaday.blogspot.com\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1503367275849000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEU7gP3-e7Ie2-ybA5B8vXvTVbJ_Q\">http:\/\/willaday.blogspot.com\/<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK\u2019S ARTICLE:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2018\/04\/22\/digital-dabblings-24-top-selling-cards\/\">DIGITAL DABBLINGS #24 \u2013 Top Selling Cards<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-1791873286\"><div id=\"pwtor-4003094070\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>I think by now most people understand the concept of a paywall in mobile apps. \u00a0Basically it\u2019s the point where in a game you can\u2019t really get much farther without paying something to the developers <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2018\/05\/23\/digital-dabblings-25-the-dreaded-paywall\/\" title=\"DIGITAL DABBLINGS #25 \u2013 The Dreaded Paywall\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":60355,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,4667,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-digital-dabblings","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/DigitalDabblingsPhenomenal.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60354"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60354\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60364,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60354\/revisions\/60364"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}