Hello, Splinterlands Friends and Family! 👋🔥

For this week's Social Media Challenge, I've decided to share my thoughts on what the Conclave Arcana Packs should be priced at in the store.

Conclave Arcana is the next Splinterlands expansion, scheduled for release in April/May this year. This means that in just a few months, Chaos Legion will be out of Modern, and Conclave Arcana will become the newest set around. 🔥

There's been a lot of controversy about how much these packs should cost. I’m here to share my opinion and spark a discussion on finding a price point that works best for our community. 💬

🌟 Introduction

A few months ago, the Splinterlands Team passed this SPS Governance Proposal - Hire Splinterlands to Develop the Next Major Card Set - Conclave Arcana. Among other things, they set the price of Conclave Arcana packs at 4000 dec (or credits) per pack with no discounts of any kind. 💰

It's important to note that they also proposed the release of other types of packs, such as Legendary Packs, Alchemist Packs, and Starter Packs. For our discussion, these new packs aren’t the focus since the price of all packs should be proportional to the base 4000 dec pack. ⚖️

Moreover, we can delve into this discussion because an SPS vote on this matter would be binding on the Splinterlands Team, as the DAO commissioned the expansion. This time, we can have a direct impact on what's happening in Splinterlands. 🔥

To keep things clear, I’m dividing this post into two parts:

1. Review of Arguments: A look at the pros and cons from both sides.
2. My Opinion: My reasoning and final proposition.

To simplify things further, here’s my final proposition upfront:

Conclave Arcana Packs should be valued at 3000 dec or 3$ each. 💡

Now, let's dive into the discussion and explore why I reached this conclusion.

First, let's dive into the arguments for and against this change so we can truly understand what this discussion is about. I’ve filtered the most important points from both sides, as I believe each has very strong arguments. I gathered these insights from Hive blogs, Discord, YouTube, and various other platforms where this is being discussed. 🔍

Some people have already written excellent posts on this subject:

• @olaf.gui: Regarding Conclave Arcana pack prices.
• @psilence: $2 Conclave Arcana Packs? Let's Do It!
• @fatjimmy: Response to "The Case for Conclave Arcana pack prices at 4,000 DEC"
• @jedielf: The Case for Conclave Arcana pack prices at 4,000 DEC

The price we set for single packs is of great importance since whatever price we decide on will likely be set in stone and not changed in the future. Moreover, the pack price and the amount of cards in it dictates the overall cost of the entire set. The set already has a predetermined (though unknown) number of cards, which we expect to be similar to the Rebellion set. This means that the pack price directly influences how much it costs to participate in Splinterlands at any level. 💰

Next, I'll enumerate the arguments for and against this change in order of importance. This is, of course, my personal opinion on the matter and you're welcome to have a different one.

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Arguments for More Expensive Packs (4000 DEC)

1. Maintaining Card Value

• Argument:
  Lowering the pack price directly impacts the value of every other card—especially Modern cards. If packs become cheaper, Rebellion (Reb) cards could lose value as more cards flood the ecosystem. This is critical for the long-term success of the game, as maintaining the value of players' assets is essential. A change in pack pricing can set a dangerous precedent, undermining the trust players have in the company and ecosystem.
  Example: With the CL expansion, packs were initially sold at 3330 DEC but later dropped to under 1000 DEC. Although this boosted sales, it drastically reduced confidence because players' assets lost value. 😟
  Some argue that while you can increase the value of packs in Splinterlands, once you do, you can never lower it. This makes it vital to get the pricing right from the start. 💡

• Counter Arguments:

  • The potential decrease in value for older sets due to cheaper new sets isn’t well-proven; any negative effect might be minimal, and Reb cards could hold their value regardless. 👍
  • Keeping packs at 4000 DEC without bulk discounts effectively increases the price compared to previous editions, where discounts brought the effective price to around 3478 DEC. In essence, no one is calling for a higher price but without DAO intervention, that might be the inevitable outcome. 🔍

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2. Cheaper packs doesn't mean more revenue and can even cause lost of revenue:

• Argument:
  The amount of money people spend on packs is not directly related to the packs' cost; therefore, there's no real economic reason to lower the price point. This argument, often mentioned by Matt (our CEO), suggests that players have a fixed budget for Splinterlands regardless of pack pricing. Lowering the price won’t necessarily generate more revenue for the company or the DAO. 💸
  Additionally, new players aren’t primarily attracted by lower prices—reducing the pack price won’t necessarily draw more new players. 🚫

• Counter Argument:
  There’s no concrete proof of the above statement. It’s more likely that if the overall cost of the set is lower, more people will be inclined to participate in the sale. Increased participation could mean more packs are sold, even if individual budgets are smaller. Which in the end could mean more revenue. 📈

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3. Pack Price Fluctuations

• Argument:
  Packs are priced in DEC, so when DEC deviates from its peg, pack prices effectively get discounted. For instance, during full crypto cycles, DEC might drop to half its peg value.

• Counter Argument:
  While this is true, it’s also irrelevant since packs are always priced in DEC. The value of DEC is beyond our control and isn’t a point for discussion. 🤷‍♂️

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In all honesty, there are many other arguments that are either variations of the ones mentioned above or ones I don't believe are valid (Ill skip those entirely) 🤷‍♂️

If you think of any other strong arguments, I’d be happy to include them in the list! Let’s keep the conversation going. 💬

My Thoughts

As a Rebellion owner, I'm very opposed to decreasing the price point of packs for the new Arcana set. I wouldn't want to see my holdings lose 30% of their value overnight. One of my main concerns is maintaining the value of these cards. 😟

At the same time, I must admit that increasing the packs to $4 for the CL expansion was a mistake. I was strongly against it at the time and still believe it was a greedy move that failed to yield long-term benefits. Once you raise the price of the packs, it's very hard to lower them later without negatively impacting your buyers.

Higher pack prices discourage players from buying packs. I speak from personal experience since I've been collecting DEC for a while, and I don't have enough to max out the Arcana set (I have around 3M DEC). What does this mean for me? I have a robust max-level Reb set, so to stay competitive, I need a max-level Arcana set. Since I lack the funds, I'm considering skipping the purchase entirely. There's little point in acquiring a gold-level Arcana set to complement a diamond-level Reb set if the overall synergy suffers.

This is why I believe the argument that fewer people will buy the set (and thus less money will be raised) is valid. Its possible that If I don't participate in the sale and hold onto my funds, someone else might end up overpaying for the cards. However, I'm not convinced that this scenario is ideal.

I also have an issue with 4000 DEC packs because, as mentioned earlier, setting the price at 4000 DEC without any discounts effectively increases the price. And once you increase the price, you should never revert it back. We need to address this before the sale goes live. 🚨

That's why I think both sides of the argument must reach a compromise soon. My opinion is that Conclave Arcana packs should be priced at $3, or 3000 DEC. This would inherently make the packs cheaper than Rebellion, but the decrease wouldn't be so drastic as to cause major issues. I believe this is the best way to move forward. While $2 (or 2000 DEC) packs are hard to justify due to their potential negative impact on Rebellion, 3000 DEC packs strike a balanced compromise. Perhaps for the next set we can consider $2 packs, but not for Conclave Arcana. 💡

🔥 Conclusion

The pricing of Conclave Arcana packs is a critical decision that will have long-term effects on the game’s economy, player trust, and overall engagement. Both sides of the debate present strong arguments, maintaining the value of existing cards is essential, but overly expensive packs can discourage participation and limit accessibility.

While lowering the price too much could devalue previous sets like Rebellion, keeping packs at 4000 DEC (with no discounts) effectively raises the price, which could lead to reduced sales and long-term stagnation. The best path forward is a balanced compromise pricing Conclave Arcana packs at 3000 DEC ($3). This adjustment protects acknowledges the concerns of Rebellion holders while ensuring that new and existing players can afford to participate in the sale.

Ultimately, we must find a sustainable model that keeps the game thriving without alienating investors or players. If we get this decision right, it will set a positive precedent for future expansions. The time to act is now before the sale goes live. Let's push for a fair and competitive pricing structure that benefits everyone. 🚀