Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

buy now or wait for F2P?

13

Comments

  • LobotomistLobotomist Member EpicPosts: 5,965
    Originally posted by perran7691
    I doubt it will ever go F2P, but it could possibly go B2P.

    F2P is generally much more profitable than B2P



  • DistopiaDistopia Member EpicPosts: 21,183

    Hard to really tell on this one. We have no real idea on how successful it is or isn't, what with no real or accurate sales info released, as well as a megaserver broken up into instances and phases. There's nothing to really show any true view of it's health at the current time or future... Outside of the release of hard official active numbers.

    They also have no outside investors to answer to much like SE, they're on their own in that regard, which means they have no reason to cave in on their business plan if it makes their own ends meet.

    I'll buy a physical as soon as it drops locally, it's still $59.99 every where around here. I'll wait until I see if for around 20-30,. I only want to play it for the story aspects at this point, I don't think that's really worth 59.99 +sub.

     

    For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson


  • Froggie85Froggie85 Member UncommonPosts: 221
    Originally posted by AmbrosiaAmor
    Originally posted by Allacore69

     [mod edit]

    I wish it would go F2P but, no. It wont. The top 3 mmo's people talk about non stop are: FF XIV ARR, Wildstar, and ESO. With all this attention, none of these will go F2P ever. You can keep wishing all you want. It's not going to happen.

    So many great games were supposed to go F2P in the past couple years, that users here stated it would be F2P in a year. Well.....there still P2P.

    [mod edit]

    This topic is stupid as hell.

     

    Well it was more of a question from the OP. It isn't stupid since he possibly has a genuine concern. For some odd reason people love to use World of Warcraft and EVE Online (at least for the past 5 years here in MMORPG.com) to justify or prove that their X Y Z game will Never™ go F2P. You said that you wished that the game would go F2P? Why would you make that comment if you genuinely don't want it to go F2P?

     

    You should know by now that WOW is the exception to the rule when it comes to their P2P business model. There aren't a whole lot of P2P games that can go for a year (or more) without any content and get away with it (before dropping the next expansion of course). You said and I am quoting you that "So many great games were supposed to go F2P in the past couple of years, that users stated it would be F2P."

     

    Well guess what they were right. It has nothing to do with loving/hating/trolling/white knighting a game (when you take a look at the much greater picture. First off, there aren't a whole lot of strictly P2P games left. There are only 8 games left (that have more than 1 year of online service) that continue to use the P2P business model (exclusively); make that 11 titles now with the 3 newest additions... in a 16 year spread.

     

    http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/6248836

     

    6 of those games have been running since before 2005, when the MMO landscape was very different than what it is today. Those few have (with a few exceptions) been able to establish a pretty strong following. EVE Online might very well be the only MMO that has a stable and growing P2P population (even if it is by a small degree).

     

    Want to know how many MMORPGs released from 2005 to 2014 have been running using the P2P business model and have been running for more than one year?

    Two.

    Darkfall and The Hammers End. That's it. The 3 "newcomers" are FFXIV, ESO, and Wildstar... but none of those 3 games have a year in service so it is too soon to tell. Naoki Yoshida has already talked about the F2P model and even stated in one of his slides that both business models can coexist.

     

    Just to prove it to you that I am not knocking on ESO, I will use Wildstar as an example. Look at:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCSOFT

    Look at all of their titles. Can you name me one MMORPG that is currently using the P2P business model exclusively that isn't Wildstar [In the Western Market]? So does this fall within hating/trolling/white knighting/defending a game or does this has to do more with the MMO trend that has been happening in the past 5+ years? Do we even need a crystal ball at this point?

     

    It might take a short time or maybe even a long time before either of those 3 games go F2P... but to say never? Like in 10+ years never? I mean...

     

    Believe it or not people who have been passionate of white knighting games before (such as FFXIV and ESO) have quit at some point. Some do come back, others do not. I know you came back for both games, but you did state:

     

    Originally posted by Allacore69

    Been playing ESO, which is getting stale, and I'd like to return.

    I've been guild hopping around and have found no help.

    Is it a good idea to re sub or am I just fooling myself? I mean I need help. Seems like when you get close to 50, nobody in general chat is willing to talk.

     

    So if you (as passionate as you've been for both games) found ESO to be stale and left FFXIV for X Y Z reason... what makes you think others have not done the same. It all comes down to money/numbers. Do we have enough folks and/or are we growing/stable? Keep it P2P. Are we loosing players at a constant rate or hemorrhaging beyond a certain threshold in a 3-6 months forecast? Start prepping for the switch. That is as simple as it gets.

     

    I read that thread and he decided to sub to both FF and ESO. 

     

    Your point is moot. He's subbing to both.

  • JoeyjojoshabaduJoeyjojoshabadu Member UncommonPosts: 162

    They'll almost certainly wait until the console versions go live. I'd bet good money they are pinning a lot of their hopes on console success. With a dearth of console mmorpgs, they may pull it off. But if console sales are not great they will prob go F2P soon after. My personal view is that console jockeys will be less likely to pay a monthly sub, so they will go F2P a few months after console launch.

     

  • Froggie85Froggie85 Member UncommonPosts: 221
    Originally posted by Joeyjojoshabadu

    They'll almost certainly wait until the console versions go live. I'd bet good money they are pinning a lot of their hopes on console success. With a dearth of console mmorpgs, they may pull it off. But if console sales are not great they will prob go F2P soon after. My personal view is that console jockeys will be less likely to pay a monthly sub, so they will go F2P a few months after console launch.

     

    Again, almost a year later and FF XIV ARR is NOT F2P.  And guess what.....it came out on both PC and PS3 when it launched.

    PC sold way more copies and have way more subs.  Thats a simple fact. 

     

     

  • JoeyjojoshabaduJoeyjojoshabadu Member UncommonPosts: 162
    Originally posted by Mandodo69
    Originally posted by Joeyjojoshabadu

    They'll almost certainly wait until the console versions go live. I'd bet good money they are pinning a lot of their hopes on console success. With a dearth of console mmorpgs, they may pull it off. But if console sales are not great they will prob go F2P soon after. My personal view is that console jockeys will be less likely to pay a monthly sub, so they will go F2P a few months after console launch.

     

    Again, almost a year later and FF XIV ARR is NOT F2P.  And guess what.....it came out on both PC and PS3 when it launched.

    PC sold way more copies and have way more subs.  Thats a simple fact. 

     

     

    Sooo, you're supporting what I said? Or are you saying that ESO needs to be shut down and relaunched? Because it's general reception has been about as good as the original FF XIV. I suppose ZOS's console release is the equivalent of 'ESO-Reborn' then, as the game will be vastly more polished and ready than the PC release. But of course, that means they will be counting on fairly large sales to pull their arses out of the fire. But we'll see in x* months time.

  • Froggie85Froggie85 Member UncommonPosts: 221
    Originally posted by Joeyjojoshabadu
    Originally posted by Mandodo69
    Originally posted by Joeyjojoshabadu

    They'll almost certainly wait until the console versions go live. I'd bet good money they are pinning a lot of their hopes on console success. With a dearth of console mmorpgs, they may pull it off. But if console sales are not great they will prob go F2P soon after. My personal view is that console jockeys will be less likely to pay a monthly sub, so they will go F2P a few months after console launch.

     

    Again, almost a year later and FF XIV ARR is NOT F2P.  And guess what.....it came out on both PC and PS3 when it launched.

    PC sold way more copies and have way more subs.  Thats a simple fact. 

     

     

    Sooo, you're supporting what I said? Or are you saying that ESO needs to be shut down and relaunched? Because it's general reception has been about as good as the original FF XIV. I suppose ZOS's console release is the equivalent of 'ESO-Reborn' then, as the game will be vastly more polished and ready than the PC release. But of course, that means they will be counting on fairly large sales to pull their arses out of the fire. But we'll see in x* months time.

     

    Half and half. I don't see how ESO is in the fire. We do not work for them so we don't know. They could come out next week and announce they have 5 million active subscribers. Then we will all look like tards for speculating.

     

    Truth is, we just don't know.

     

    Only time will tell.

  • greatskysgreatskys Member UncommonPosts: 451

    Its not really worth a box price and subscription in my opinion . Its not a terrible game there are some part of it that are fun but the way the mega server phasing works alongside its linear design is that when you are doing quests that were designed to be soloed ( or done in a party of two at most ) you always seem to end up with at least 5-10 people on the same quest . This means all the mobs are killed almost instantly . It leads to a feeling of overcrowding and lack of immersion . Its a weird mix of a single player style game and an mmo which mixes about as well as oil and water at times . 

    Anyone with common sense ( that excludes many gamers in my experience lol ) can see TESO will eventually have to change its business model . There are too many free to play games ( and subscription based ones ) offer a better game experience . My hope is when it does change that it will become buy to play rather than free to play because I think the buy to play model would suit it better . 

    I look forward to playing it again when it does change models. I doubt it'll happen for a year or two yet because of the console releases . I can wait there are plenty of other games out there . 

  • GdemamiGdemami Member EpicPosts: 12,342

    It is not a question If ESO drop sub fee but When it will drop sub fee.

    P2P is something new games cannot afford in the long run, there is too many no sub/F2P games and the momentum of new game gets depleted fast.

    My bet is F2P over B2P but time will tell.

    I can only wish the game didn't cripple melee combat :(

  • AmbrosiaAmorAmbrosiaAmor Member Posts: 915
    Originally posted by Mandodo69
    Originally posted by AmbrosiaAmor
    Originally posted by Allacore69

     [mod edit]

    I wish it would go F2P but, no. It wont. The top 3 mmo's people talk about non stop are: FF XIV ARR, Wildstar, and ESO. With all this attention, none of these will go F2P ever. You can keep wishing all you want. It's not going to happen.

    So many great games were supposed to go F2P in the past couple years, that users here stated it would be F2P in a year. Well.....there still P2P.

    [mod edit]

    This topic is stupid as hell.

     

    Well it was more of a question from the OP. It isn't stupid since he possibly has a genuine concern. For some odd reason people love to use World of Warcraft and EVE Online (at least for the past 5 years here in MMORPG.com) to justify or prove that their X Y Z game will Never™ go F2P. You said that you wished that the game would go F2P? Why would you make that comment if you genuinely don't want it to go F2P?

     

    You should know by now that WOW is the exception to the rule when it comes to their P2P business model. There aren't a whole lot of P2P games that can go for a year (or more) without any content and get away with it (before dropping the next expansion of course). You said and I am quoting you that "So many great games were supposed to go F2P in the past couple of years, that users stated it would be F2P."

     

    Well guess what they were right. It has nothing to do with loving/hating/trolling/white knighting a game (when you take a look at the much greater picture. First off, there aren't a whole lot of strictly P2P games left. There are only 8 games left (that have more than 1 year of online service) that continue to use the P2P business model (exclusively); make that 11 titles now with the 3 newest additions... in a 16 year spread.

     

    http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/6248836

     

    6 of those games have been running since before 2005, when the MMO landscape was very different than what it is today. Those few have (with a few exceptions) been able to establish a pretty strong following. EVE Online might very well be the only MMO that has a stable and growing P2P population (even if it is by a small degree).

     

    Want to know how many MMORPGs released from 2005 to 2014 have been running using the P2P business model and have been running for more than one year?

    Two.

    Darkfall and The Hammers End. That's it. The 3 "newcomers" are FFXIV, ESO, and Wildstar... but none of those 3 games have a year in service so it is too soon to tell. Naoki Yoshida has already talked about the F2P model and even stated in one of his slides that both business models can coexist.

     

    Just to prove it to you that I am not knocking on ESO, I will use Wildstar as an example. Look at:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCSOFT

    Look at all of their titles. Can you name me one MMORPG that is currently using the P2P business model exclusively that isn't Wildstar [In the Western Market]? So does this fall within hating/trolling/white knighting/defending a game or does this has to do more with the MMO trend that has been happening in the past 5+ years? Do we even need a crystal ball at this point?

     

    It might take a short time or maybe even a long time before either of those 3 games go F2P... but to say never? Like in 10+ years never? I mean...

     

    Believe it or not people who have been passionate of white knighting games before (such as FFXIV and ESO) have quit at some point. Some do come back, others do not. I know you came back for both games, but you did state:

     

    Originally posted by Allacore69

    Been playing ESO, which is getting stale, and I'd like to return.

    I've been guild hopping around and have found no help.

    Is it a good idea to re sub or am I just fooling myself? I mean I need help. Seems like when you get close to 50, nobody in general chat is willing to talk.

     

    So if you (as passionate as you've been for both games) found ESO to be stale and left FFXIV for X Y Z reason... what makes you think others have not done the same. It all comes down to money/numbers. Do we have enough folks and/or are we growing/stable? Keep it P2P. Are we loosing players at a constant rate or hemorrhaging beyond a certain threshold in a 3-6 months forecast? Start prepping for the switch. That is as simple as it gets.

     

    I read that thread and he decided to sub to both FF and ESO. 

     

    Your point is moot. He's subbing to both.

     

    That wasn't my point. Note that I did say:

    "Believe it or not people who have been passionate of white knighting games before (such as FFXIV and ESO) have quit at some point. Some do come back, others do not. I know you came back for both games..."

     

    The main point of my response to him was the "rest" of the thread (specifically the trend that P2P MMOs have been going through). I'm sure he is capable of responding (as an adult) unless he left that responsibility to you.

    image

  • BailoPan15BailoPan15 Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by shr4pnel
    Do you think this game will go F2P this year or should I buy it now because it doesn't look like it will EVER be F2P?

    I think you should just buy Skyrim, its on sale for 5$ at Steam now. TESO is worth a skip...

  • ShodanasShodanas Member RarePosts: 1,933
    Originally posted by Allacore69

     


    Originally posted by shr4pnel
    Do you think this game will go F2P this year or should I buy it now because it doesn't look like it will EVER be F2P?

     

    Buy now cuz we all know it's not going F2P. Be realistic dude. Remember when people said the same about WoW in 2005-2006? I do. And now here we are.

    Buy now or miss your chance forever lol.

    Actually, in 2005 - 2006 no one was saying that WoW would go F2P. No one sane anyways.

  • AmbrosiaAmorAmbrosiaAmor Member Posts: 915
    Originally posted by baphamet

     


    Originally posted by AmbrosiaAmor

    Originally posted by baphamet If the game doesn't interest you now, I can't see it being interesting to you once it's F2P with restrictions. i will never understand the f2p crowd that refuses to play a game because it's not good enough. but would if it's a free, restricted, and gimped version of the game they don't think is worth playing if they have to pay money. Honestly, does the game being free make it funner for you guys?
     

     

    This is very easy to answer. I know someone else posted a thread about something similar to what you are stating so I might as well comment it here. It isn't so much that it will be "more" fun or "more" interesting in the long run, but rather something to dab on in the short run. I will give you 4 perfect personal examples.

     

    Example #1: FFXIV

    I enjoyed my time in FFXIV but I ran through 2.0's content just shy of 2 months. I practically experienced everything in the game (minus crafting) that the game had to offer. Before the recent updates, anyone interested in endgame had to wait for a whole week due to lockouts. And you could do this endgame content in just a little over an hour. So I would log on 1-2 hours a week to play said content and not come back till the next week. Was it worth it to me the $15 a month for the long run? No.

    Example #2: TSW

    The #1 thing I loved about The Secret World was the story and voice acting... everything else fell between average or below average. Was it fun for me in the short run due to those 2 very fun aspects in the game? Yes. In the long run? No.

    Example #3: SWTOR

    Same as example #2

    Example #4: ESO

    Almost similar to example #2 and #3. It felt to me like WOW 3.0 or SWTOR 3.0 in the PVE department minus the combat of course. I really did love the voice acting and the story during beta... but not enough for me to sub for the game.

     

    Summary:

    There might be one or two aspects of the game or maybe one or two endgame content that you truly enjoy... but not the rest. It either falls that you feel that the rest of the content isn't that much fun OR you cleared said content already leaving you with very little else to do. So the question isn't how difficult it is to obtain said $15, but rather is it worth it to you IF you fall under one of these two (or more) categories in the long run.


     

    and if the few things you do enjoy about the game in the short term are restricted to you because you are not a paid subscriber, what then?

    for example, what if you couldn't equip the best raid gear in said game but raid content was the only content you liked?

    like i said, i just don't get why would you play a gimped restricted version of a game you already think is not worth paying for?

    that means the content you do like will be restricted as well most likely.

     

    Most of the points I listed has to do with the main storyline. In most cases (especially AAA MMOs that switch from P2P to F2P) usually do not put up a barrier on these. They might give a boost in regards to leveling up etc. but usually the non-endgame content usually has little to no restrictions. It is why I said it was more in the form to dab on and play for a short while rather than long term.

     

    But with that said, you do bring up an excellent point about raid gear: which goes perfectly with my example #1. That response isn't so cut and dry. Your question about raid gear is really good. You are right that endgame content usually is restricted in some sort of fashion whether it be longer lockouts or having to buy the content piece by piece or having to sub all together to experience said content.

     

    Well let's use FFXIV as the perfect example. I am going to sub back up for a month to level up Ninja (and whatever new jobs that might come out) once the new patch hits. Getting to level cap on the new jobs should be rather fast, so that shouldn't be a problem. What about endgame? Well when I sign up and find endgame no longer interesting, then I'll just focus on leveling up the new jobs.

     

    But what if I do want to jump back in? What then? Well I have 2 options. Hopefully when I log back my linkshells/company/friend's list is still intact... to some degree. If that is the case then I should be able to hop back in (unless DPS/Healing roles have been filled up) in which case I might have to branch out. If I do log back in and everyone or almost everyone is gone; then that would make things considerably more difficult. My only choice then would be to look up at recruiting free companies in hope that the roles open match up to the ones I like to play.

     

    If by the end of the month I still can't find an active endgame group, then I have 2 more choices. Should I stay and keep seeking (or maybe make my own if I truly want to stay for the long haul) or quit again. The more simple answer would be to stay subbed; but that alone isn't a guarantee that you will stay in an active guild. This reminds me of most of my experiences from current MMOs... guilds usually feel like revolving doors for the most part. But it does help staying in the game rather than just quitting and coming back after a long gap.

    image

  • ZefireZefire Member Posts: 676
    Originally posted by shr4pnel
    Do you think this game will go F2P this year or should I buy it now because it doesn't look like it will EVER be F2P?

    It will be free to play eventually

  • GillleanGilllean Member Posts: 169
    Bought Imperial edition played 2 months sold account for 3 time more that I bought the game .  GOOD Game and good money return. Kind feel bad for selling account oh well now I wait Black Desert ^^
  • kitaradkitarad Member LegendaryPosts: 7,915
    Originally posted by Shodanas
    Originally posted by Allacore69

     


    Originally posted by shr4pnel
    Do you think this game will go F2P this year or should I buy it now because it doesn't look like it will EVER be F2P?

     

    Buy now cuz we all know it's not going F2P. Be realistic dude. Remember when people said the same about WoW in 2005-2006? I do. And now here we are.

    Buy now or miss your chance forever lol.

    Actually, in 2005 - 2006 no one was saying that WoW would go F2P. No one sane anyways.

    Dungeons and Dragons Online was one of the first games they tested this model on  and that was in 2009. So how could they have been asking for WoW to go F2P when that type of thing was not yet popular.

  • GiffenGiffen Member UncommonPosts: 276
    It takes time to develop the game tools/systems to monetize the F2P model....I doubt ESO has the resources to get those ready by the end of this year, so I really doubt it goes F2P by then.  Probably by the end of 2015 though, but by then so many other games will have come out that the crowd will have moved on to bigger and better things.
  • NanfoodleNanfoodle Member LegendaryPosts: 10,617
    Originally posted by shr4pnel
    Originally posted by ohioastro
    If you're interested in it now play it now.  If you're not, pass.  It's not complicated.

     

    Sadly, I don't have $50 to throw away.

    From the YouTube vids, it seems that I will like this game. But that's exactly what happened with WildStar -- loved everything about it from watching all the YouTube vids so I bought it and hated it soon after.

    I would wait for a free trial if 50 bucks is a lot of money. This game has done very badly and has had a very messy launch. They still have much to fix to make this a working MMO. 

  • centkincentkin Member RarePosts: 1,527

    The base price is $30 not $50/$60.  You can find it on amazon for 30.  If you want to try to hunt for the wild $10 one at various walmarts, you can try. 

    I have found the game fun and challenging enough.  I play a nightblade and while I made it to the max level in LOTRO without a single death, I die all too readily in ESO.

    If you liked Skyrim, this is more elder scrolls.  You even see Ma'iq. 

    At any rate, I am V6, most of the way to V7, and I think it depends upon if you enjoy playing the game or are more interested in bypassing the game to dungeon grind etc.  If you sit back, listen to the quests, and get the atmosphere then it is a good game in the ESO tradition.  If you blast through all the quest details and just follow the arrow then not so much.

  • rodingorodingo Member RarePosts: 2,870
    Originally posted by kitarad
    Originally posted by Shodanas
    Originally posted by Allacore69

     


    Originally posted by shr4pnel
    Do you think this game will go F2P this year or should I buy it now because it doesn't look like it will EVER be F2P?

     

    Buy now cuz we all know it's not going F2P. Be realistic dude. Remember when people said the same about WoW in 2005-2006? I do. And now here we are.

    Buy now or miss your chance forever lol.

    Actually, in 2005 - 2006 no one was saying that WoW would go F2P. No one sane anyways.

    Dungeons and Dragons Online was one of the first games they tested this model on  and that was in 2009. So how could they have been asking for WoW to go F2P when that type of thing was not yet popular.

    Because no one was actually saying that about WoW in 2005-2006.  Specially when its subs were still climbing and were at the 8 million mark (give or take a million) by the end of 2006 according to Statista.  Maybe he was just joking?  Sarcasm is hard to read.

    "If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor

  • Swids2010Swids2010 Member Posts: 244
    I would personally give this game another shot if it was free but I wouldn't hold your breath as its unlikely it will be anytime soon mainly because the developers defended there p2p so much during development even stating on multiple occasions that it would be impossible for them to support or continue to develop if the game was f2p

    image
  • NanfoodleNanfoodle Member LegendaryPosts: 10,617
    Originally posted by Swids2010
    I would personally give this game another shot if it was free but I wouldn't hold your breath as its unlikely it will be anytime soon mainly because the developers defended there p2p so much during development even stating on multiple occasions that it would be impossible for them to support or continue to develop if the game was f2p

    They will be eating them words I am sure. 

  • LordZeikLordZeik Member UncommonPosts: 276

    Havent read through this entire thread but going to leave this little article I found on the net that is pretty recent.

    http://gamingbolt.com/the-elder-scrolls-online-interview-business-model-is-what-the-business-model-is

    You're better off buying it. There's a major update coming today as well. Good time to try it out.

  • bcbullybcbully Member EpicPosts: 11,838
    Originally posted by LordZeik

    Havent read through this entire thread but going to leave this little article I found on the net that is pretty recent.

    http://gamingbolt.com/the-elder-scrolls-online-interview-business-model-is-what-the-business-model-is

    You're better off buying it. There's a major update coming today as well. Good time to try it out.

    Nice find. 

    "You know the business model is what the business model is and it allows us to deliver high level content on regular basis right now. So there are no plans that I am aware of."

    "We see fundamentals and we ape in"
  • MadDemon64MadDemon64 Member UncommonPosts: 1,102

    It really all depends on whether or not you think that the game is worth spending $15 a month for, plus the cost of the box.  I personally don't think so (I tried it out during the beta to come to that conclusion), but I thought that if it were a f2p game or something, I would definitly play it.

    It really all depends on whether or not you think the enjoyment you will get is worth the money.  And for all of you naysayers about it going f2p: given the average reviews it is getting and the fact that their marketing isn't as good as their major competitors at this time (WoW and Wildstar), there is a very good chance that it will go b2p, if not f2p soon.

    Since when is Tuesday a direction?

Sign In or Register to comment.