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EverQuest II: On F2P Success and EQNext

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

It's been nearly two months since the free to play launch of EverQuest II. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Executive Producer Dave Georgeson about the success of the new version of EQII and the future of EQ as a whole... including EQNext. See what he's got to say in our exclusive interview.

MMORPG: How have the longtime Veterans of EQ2 responded to the changes? Have you had any exodus, or do you instead see more former players coming back now that the price barrier is gone?

Dave Georgeson: Absolutely zero exodus. There was a lot of concern from vets before the changes occurred that they wouldn’t like the end-results. However, after watching EQ2X do so well for over a year, and after realizing that the only tangible change to players when we go F2P is to a) make subscriptions optional, and b) remove any up-front costs, well…there’s not much to be afraid of after that, is there?

Read more of Bill Murphy's EverQuest II: On F2P Success and EQNext.

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Comments

  • MontaronxMontaronx Member UncommonPosts: 273
    What i still dont get is if this game is truely f2p how come all of my old chars are still blocked from playing?? Allot of race/classes are sill locked. So i cant pay :(

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  • fenistilfenistil Member Posts: 3,005

    F2P are almost always initial success.  Lot of returning players and new ones.

     

    Real test is to compare revenue from first month after conversion to freemium with revenue year later.

     

    I don't see companies publishing data after few initial months.  Maybe they are even not bad but in most cases not that spectacular imo. (with maybe DDO exception).

  • MoiraeMoirae Member RarePosts: 3,318

    Here's a shocking idea... how about using all that extra money to fix problems that have existed since the day of release. You know, like the massive memory leak. You start actually using that money for something other than to pad your own pockets and release more content that doesn't work right, and start being honest with your players, and I might consider coming back.



     

  • MoiraeMoirae Member RarePosts: 3,318

    Originally posted by Montaronx

    What i still dont get is if this game is truely f2p how come all of my old chars are still blocked from playing?? Allot of race/classes are sill locked. So i cant pay :(

     

    You really don't get that? Because f2p games are rarely ever actually f2p. But you know that because thats the way its always been. 

  • dreamsofwardreamsofwar Member Posts: 468

    Originally posted by Moirae



    Originally posted by Montaronx



    What i still dont get is if this game is truely f2p how come all of my old chars are still blocked from playing?? Allot of race/classes are sill locked. So i cant pay :(





     

    You really don't get that? Because f2p games are rarely ever actually f2p. But you know that because thats the way its always been. 

    EQ2 really takes the biscuit though.

    I downloaded the game, logged in and i was blocked off from most good and evil races, most of the classes were locked except for a few basic ones and i was limited to a handful of neutral races.

    "Free to play your way"  just means its a free game but you just have to pay for everything else you want to play.

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247

    Originally posted by Montaronx

    What i still dont get is if this game is truely f2p how come all of my old chars are still blocked from playing?? Allot of race/classes are sill locked. So i cant pay :(

    If the client is not allowing you to create a character and start playing, contact support.

     

    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • fenistilfenistil Member Posts: 3,005

    Originally posted by Moirae

    Here's a shocking idea... how about using all that extra money to fix problems that have existed since the day of release. You know, like the massive memory leak. You start actually using that money for something other than to pad your own pockets and release more content that doesn't work right, and start being honest with your players, and I might consider coming back.










     




     

    Lol why should they?

    They have customers, they have money. 

    New EQ on the way.

    Since it was not fixed yet then it propably is an issue that would take significant resources (money money) to fix.  They did not care for so many years , so why should they when games is this old and propably with new games and new EQNext , population and revenue will drop in a year or so.

     

    This is SOE they don't care that much about quality of their service. Never did , never will.

     

    That's why I avoid their games like plague.

  • rojoArcueidrojoArcueid Member EpicPosts: 10,722

    Originally posted by Montaronx

    What i still dont get is if this game is truely f2p how come all of my old chars are still blocked from playing?? Allot of race/classes are sill locked. So i cant pay :(

     

    they call it true f2p because theres not eq2 extended vs live servers anymore. but its still a hybrid restricted game. see the matrix payment pattern on their website, free / silver / gold members.





  • dagon3dagon3 Member Posts: 117

    " Absolutely zero exodus. There was a lot of concern from vets before the changes occurred that they wouldn’t like the end-results. However, after watching EQ2X do so well for over a year, and after realizing that the only tangible change to players when we go F2P is to a) make subscriptions optional, and b) remove any up-front costs, well…there’s not much to be afraid of after that, is there?"

    I had to laugh After 5 years of playing im no longer a subber nor is 90 percent of the guild i was in or countless other vets i know.

    In regard to those who posted about using the money to fix the problems, nah they will use it to add even more items to the cash shop.

    They need to fix the item revamp they destroyed first of all at lvl 90 i was getting items from quests that had stats from a lvl 20 item lol.

    Oh well im at no loss , dont play anymore greed and the marketplace have warped everyones minds at soe.

  • BeyornBeyorn Member UncommonPosts: 366

    Originally posted by Montaronx

    What i still dont get is if this game is truely f2p how come all of my old chars are still blocked from playing?? Allot of race/classes are sill locked. So i cant pay :(

    I can understand this,  it would be nice to be able to have our characters which we have already paid for the prior expansions accessable.  I can understand them now needing money but it was a bummer to log on my character, which has gear two expanions behind, and not be able to use any of it.  As I see it I already paid for all the content.  Now moving forward if I want something newer or from an expanion I havnt bought then I will need to pay some cash.

  • drbaltazardrbaltazar Member UncommonPosts: 7,856
    It is optionally f2p or pay to play.in f2p you get to have less but it still permit you to test the game.the big issue is here a lot ofcplayer skipped eq2 because the game wasn't optimised for gpu system so most stayed away while shaffing at not being able to test this supposedly unplayable game because you needed a 4 ghertz Cpu.with f2p a lot of player (those at the forefront of ammo news got to go test it.now word of mouth is starting to reach casual player most that have went go eq2(mostly adult)have e.joyed it so much they are supporting the game via store or buy the game and pay monthly.before?didn't happen because in 2005 everybody said it was an unplayable game nobody want a game gathering dust on their shelves.i am happy cause eq2 is a good game
  • drbaltazardrbaltazar Member UncommonPosts: 7,856
    Pay monthly.
  • SkillCosbySkillCosby Member Posts: 684

    I e-mailed Smed months ago about EQNext and this was his response:

    Me: Being nickel & dimed to death is where the MMO is heading, e.g., cross-promotional items, cash shops, real money auction houses, etc. It's being done by everyone; it's getting old.



    Bring it back, John.  A person who purchases the game and pays the monthly fee should be able to obtain any item in the game though hard work.

    Smed: I mostly agree with you. However there  is a new reality out there for companies that run online games. That reality is that f2p seems to be the new norm in business models.

     

     

    The only problem with EQ2X is the fact that the initial limitations are too great. The races and classes you have access to are slim and none. This generated a very poor experience if you ask me.

  • drbaltazardrbaltazar Member UncommonPosts: 7,856
    Planet side 2 engine for an a ammo.hell no they haven't learnedly. From the past
  • finnmacool1finnmacool1 Member Posts: 453

    EQII is simply one of the best high-fantasy MMOs that’s ever been made. It’s feature-rich, content laden, constantly evolving, and has a community that’s perpetually growing and changing. As an example of that particular flavor of MMO, there is no comparison. Other games have larger audiences, but no one can claim to be better than EQII, and no new game can possibly ever catch up in feature depth and content.

     

    I wouldnt expect him to actually tell the truth given his employer and position but this part had me rolling on the floor laughing. This game is a thousand percent better than at release but that says more about $oe pushing crap out before its ready to turn a buck than for the quality of eq2. The game has always had the feel of a bland,souless, substanceless rice cake. There are many much better games in the genre including eq1,vanguard,and wow.

  • KendaneKendane Member UncommonPosts: 225

    Just hope EQNext isn't having to end up spending 100s of dollars to get to max level or see what you would normally see in 60 dollars plus a monthly fee.

  • logan400klogan400k Member UncommonPosts: 68

    I think the gent is writing checks SOE is going to be hard pressed to cash with EQNext. As a loyal (at the time) EQ player and SOE loyalist (I played EQ, SWG, Planetside) I wanted to love EQII, but never could. It is the reason I went to WoW, because EQII was so horrible. Now I understand some folks love it and that's great, I am glad you enjoy the game but it felt like a step back in game play and content over EQ, IMHO.

    We shall see. if EQNext is good I will play it, but I am skeptical.

    Just My 2 Lunars

  • drbaltazardrbaltazar Member UncommonPosts: 7,856
    I wont play eqnext.planet side2 engine is a solo coop engine it isn't a massive multiplayer engine no ty
  • senseo65senseo65 Member Posts: 9

    They Should Restrict chat up to level 10 only and Auction Restriction SUCKS at last make a personal shop mode so all players can buy/sell his gear and the ItemMail items should be tradable

  • JeroKaneJeroKane Member EpicPosts: 6,959

    Originally posted by Moirae

    Here's a shocking idea... how about using all that extra money to fix problems that have existed since the day of release. You know, like the massive memory leak. You start actually using that money for something other than to pad your own pockets and release more content that doesn't work right, and start being honest with your players, and I might consider coming back.










     

     It's a dead horse my friend! They also completely borked the whole Itemization within the game last summer and never managed to fix that one either!

    All the good devs that actually knew what they were doing, are long gone and no longer working on this game and/or company.

    It was a very difficult decision for both my gf and me last year october. But we decided to cancel our subs and move on.

  • dagon3dagon3 Member Posts: 117

    Originally posted by precious328

    I e-mailed Smed months ago about EQNext and this was his response:

    Me: Being nickel & dimed to death is where the MMO is heading, e.g., cross-promotional items, cash shops, real money auction houses, etc. It's being done by everyone; it's getting old.







    Bring it back, John.  A person who purchases the game and pays the monthly fee should be able to obtain any item in the game though hard work.

    Smed: I mostly agree with you. However there  is a new reality out there for companies that run online games. That reality is that f2p seems to be the new norm in business models.

     Another thing i would like to add is , all these things there adding to the cash shop are not attainable through hard work , This is one true load of BS especially when it comes to mounts and flyers its almost become pay to win , its not quite there yet but its heading that direction yes not all the items have stats YET , Minus the gear they added with the last x pac for doing dungeons.

    But on the direction soe is heading with the game i can almost bet you in the near future they will.

    The mounts, all of them already have stats on them , this is just the beggining they will slowly start adding them little by little so nobody notices.

    This is why i no longer play .

      That reality is that f2SPEND seems to be the new norm in business models.

     

    Its not free to play , its free to log in and spend to play .

     

    The only problem with EQ2X is the fact that the initial limitations are too great. The races and classes you have access to are slim and none. This generated a very poor experience if you ask me.

     

  • steelheartxsteelheartx Member UncommonPosts: 434
    I hope that they're not planning to make EQ Next console based. Seems SOE is almost hell bent on shifting the MMO genre away from PCs :(

    Looking for a family that you can game with for life? Check out Grievance at https://www.grievancegaming.org !

  • dagon3dagon3 Member Posts: 117

    Originally posted by JeroKane

    Originally posted by Moirae

    Here's a shocking idea... how about using all that extra money to fix problems that have existed since the day of release. You know, like the massive memory leak. You start actually using that money for something other than to pad your own pockets and release more content that doesn't work right, and start being honest with your players, and I might consider coming back.










     

     It's a dead horse my friend! They also completely borked the whole Itemization within the game last summer and never managed to fix that one either!

    All the good devs that actually knew what they were doing, are long gone and no longer working on this game and/or company.

    It was a very difficult decision for both my gf and me last year october. But we decided to cancel our subs and move on.

    EXACTLY!!!  Couldnt agree more , game has gone to shit!

  • MeltdownMeltdown Member UncommonPosts: 1,183

    Good interview, although I was unaware of how much a Homer he is for EQ2. "There is no comparison" umm... I could make like 10 comparisons. I like his comments on the "casino" style of entertaining, makes logical sense and its good because it focuses more on the fun than anything. 

     

    EQNext has me excited still, I was hoping for an entirely different direction and it looks like that is exactly what they are doing... how different can it really be? I guess we will have to wait and find out.

    "They essentially want to say 'Correlation proves Causation' when it's just not true." - Sovrath

  • ElikalElikal Member UncommonPosts: 7,912

    "The next installment of the EQ franchise is very much still in a black box. We’re not talking about it publicly. But I can say this…it’s not your standard MMO. We’re not adhering to any of the ordinary conventions. We are making a game that needs to be made, that definitely is “massive” and truly “multiplayer” (not trumped up single-player content), but we’re not making a game that you expect. As such, it should stand alone nicely and not be a direct competitor to EQII. Of course, if it’s as good as we intend it to be, it might be a competitor anyway, but not because it’s specifically targeting EQII’s type of gameplay."

     

    I loved SWG and EQ2 and spent way more time in them by far than in ANY other MMO. But this quote just crushs my hope. How can it be unlike any other MMO and be good? That just sounds impossible and like some mix of crap just to stand out! *sigh* Just make a classic Everquest and call it EQ3, will ya!? :(

    People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert

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