So a business that is seeking to maximize profits (every business in existence) is now a "shady tactic".
/facepalm
Every business has the right to change pricing models as they please - the consumer either buys or doesnt.
Doesn't mean we don't or can't call them out on it either. And no not all sell practices are legal. The internet and gaming is a grey area because people to be don't give a fuck.
Honestly i think B2P is fair. I'd much rather have B2P than a F2P that surely have to have more inconveniences for people so they need to spend some cash. I mean it's not like games are made for free, their income has to come from somewhere.
Tbh i have no idea how much it was ever promoted as F2P, but even so, the game isn't out yet. It's not like they gave you a game and then took it away.
Ok, lemme first sum up some of the shady, scammy tactics some companies have used to attempt and milk $ from their potential player base.
Sell items to a game that doesn't exist (Star Citizen and its many ships) Charge for pre-alpha access (something you would want as many players to test for you so you can fix your game faster) Kickstarter (so much $ lost on promises or products that might appear one thing, but end up being completely different thing) Release your game P2P then B2P then F2P, while try to maintain the P2P sub option and P2W cash shop later on. Make profit out of RMT's and botters (yes, if you wanna know more how google it) Ruin your once great reputation for quick $ from your loyal followers (Blizzard did best job with this imo) Cash in on a great, super popular IP because you know many will overlook what actually the game offers as soon as they hear about the IP.
I can go on and on, but the reason why I made this thread is because there is one thing I never seen done before that belongs in this category, thanks to Albion. What they did deserves to be in this list, because it's so innovative, shady, and scammy tactic to get a massive free advertising, from a huge player base because you've advertised your product as a F2P on launch. There is no better way to gain a massive hype than promote your game as F2P only at the very end change it to B2P.
One thing I have yet to see though is all of those things done to a single game....and when it sinks like the Titanic within the next 3 months, rename your company and repeat the same. This is why it's important for us to track names like Smedley and where are they migrating to.
You don't pay for games anyways. So what does it matter to you? You complain about scummy, shady tactics but you're a bottom feeder. Nothing more then a free to player moocher. You haven't paid for a single game in 5 years and still complaining about what companies are doing for money.
Seriously, why do you think anyone should listen or take you serious on the subject of spending money on gaming?
@fodell54 short answer, because thanks to players like me you get to experience far more MMO's today for FREE. I always have preferred quality over cheap, but if the quality is missing in both then the FREE TO PLAY will always be the better choice. Thanks to players like me more producers will be discouraged of shipping out unfinished, rushed and cash grabbing products built around hype.
If uncle Sam can continue shipping products that take him 2x faster to get the same revenue with 2x less $ invested in it, what do you think uncle Sam will keep doing? To put it simpler for you most companies one of their main goal is to get consumers $ and consumers main goal is to receive a product they believe is worth opening their wallets for.
For me the way I see it it's a win win. Either my wallet will keep growing fatter as it has over the years or I'll have enjoyable product its worth being more broke for. Genuine products that relay on their quality and superiority have far better chance at opening my wallet than products made around shady and scammy tactics. This has always been the case not just for gaming, but anything else.
Sadly, ignorance is the main drive many can't deliver a quality and superior products that could compete with what's out there as well as to create/capture its own market. So, it's not so surprising if they would go with these tactics and prey on those that would bite.
This coming from the same guy who constantly brags about how he hasn't paid for a game in so many years. You are the last person anyone here should listen to when it comes to cash grabs and scams.
In reality devs and pubs don't listen to him. The OPs opinion is completely worthless and unheard, not because they aren't spending money but because they aren't spending money and aren't a potential revenue source. Businesses don't really care about their non-customers and why should they.
You are so wrong on your last sentence. One of the first thing any business is concerned with is "how to attract and create a market" for its product. The fact they've failed to do that with me its their loss they will have to manage not mine...and this at the end will show how successful or not their business will be.
Simple, to create more awareness, so the players at the end have more information to decide in what kind of product/company they choose to invest in and support with their wallets.
At the end this is what these forums are for...for us to find useful information from the kind of games exist out there to what kind of companies are behind them.
I'm honestly not attempting to be provocative but do we not realize that these tactics are literally virtuous in our economic system? I suppose there may occasionally be value in categorizing the methods used but to be surprised at their deviousness and variety seems astonishingly naive.
You are so wrong on your last sentence. One of the first thing any business is concerned with is "how to attract and create a market" for its product. The fact they've failed to do that with me its their loss they will have to manage not mine...and this at the end will show how successful or not their business will be.
"how to attract and create a market" is correct as a business concern, you are distorting what this means. A market consists of the producer/seller and a purchaser.
Do you know what f2p players are? Content and Marketing. It replaces COG funding for development of content and marketing with COG funding for maintaining and attracting a free player base.
F2P players literally become a material in the supply line. Which means they have a cost and a value associated with them. Many things (conversion rates, ARPU, infrastructure costs, development costs, etc) are normally calculated in the B2P/F2P decision.
Going B2P means that someone has decided that their product does not need that piece at that current time. This can be for a multitude of reasons or for some arbitrary reason. They tend to convert to F2P later when the value of F2P marketing/content is higher than the cost of dealing with F2P.
<Disclaimer: I classify F2P players who do not contribute (spending, growing a user base, etc) as a disease. Like the mooch that stays on my couch for longer than a week and doesn't start contributing for their share of groceries.>
To advertise one product for a long time what it will be (for obvious purpose to get as much hype/interest around it) because player A would say to player B, hey you should check this product because it's good + F2P, then player B who usually is his friend would do the same to player C after checking out the product. Now player A, B, C, etc are aware of this product only to find out at the very end that this product is not what it advertised to be (by changing its monetizing model). There is a still good chance this product will at least sell itself to one of those three initial players who were interested in, because they would all still be far more familiar with it.
Players put their time to get more info on specific products they are hyped around based on what they know that product will offer. Players also put time to share it with their friends, etc...why they are interested in such products. IMO, it's best advised to not spread information about your product you are not 100% that's what it will offer on launch. Despite the fact they might get a better revenue thanks to this false advertising in the short run, they are creating a reputation for themselves that will haunt them in the long run.
Smedley and SOE is one example with what they did with SWG after launch. Look at where SOE and Smedley are now. SOE had one of the worst reputation for years plus the way they handled customer support and other things over the years it was meant to cost them dearly.
Simple, to create more awareness, so the players at the end have more information to decide in what kind of product/company they choose to invest in and support with their wallets.
At the end this is what these forums are for...for us to find useful information from the kind of games exist out there to what kind of companies are behind them.
nah .. the forums are for fun pvp. There is nothing here you cannot find out by simple google search.
and most mmos are f2p anyway. Just play 15 min or go to their cash shop and you can find out whether you will like it or not.
@nariusseldon if you are here for forum pvp then you're already pretty bad at it...The moment you used words like "nothing" proved that. Posters who use these words nothing, everything, everybody, nobody....to make their arguments lose their credibility quick.
At the end those 25,000 posts you generated are further proof that some individuals are not worth PvP'ing in fist place. You will always be the last one to write something down for the sake of arguing, cuz yes its safe to say that this is significant part of your life, unfortunately others have better things to do beside arguing for the sake of arguing with someone who feeds off that through most of their day to just make some point.
unfortunately others have better things to do beside arguing for the sake of arguing with someone who feeds off that through most of their day to just make some point.
apparently not you .. otherwise, you won't be responding to a post that you think is just for the sake for arguing.
unfortunately others have better things to do beside arguing for the sake of arguing with someone who feeds off that through most of their day to just make some point.
apparently not you .. otherwise, you won't be responding to a post that you think is just for the sake for arguing.
Yes, not me...because owning players like you is something I've been doing for a hobby in the last 2 decades, but in case you don't see me providing the owning you desperately seems to be in need of, understand that I'm owning someone else in the mean time.
So, wait in the line please...and your turn will come again, eventually. If one thing I've learned from all that is there is only as much owning one can handle before they pull the white flag or in this case think three times before choosing to engage in "forum PvP" with me in near future.
Oh, and in case a mod considers your "forum PvP" as another form of flaming/trolling, then I'll gladly want to see a resolution, one where your behavior at least is much more different the next time you come here and post (if not perma banned).
Those 25k posts you've worked so hard for lost...I bet would shed a tear.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Comments
Tbh i have no idea how much it was ever promoted as F2P, but even so, the game isn't out yet. It's not like they gave you a game and then took it away.
Seriously, why do you think anyone should listen or take you serious on the subject of spending money on gaming?
If uncle Sam can continue shipping products that take him 2x faster to get the same revenue with 2x less $ invested in it, what do you think uncle Sam will keep doing? To put it simpler for you most companies one of their main goal is to get consumers $ and consumers main goal is to receive a product they believe is worth opening their wallets for.
For me the way I see it it's a win win. Either my wallet will keep growing fatter as it has over the years or I'll have enjoyable product its worth being more broke for. Genuine products that relay on their quality and superiority have far better chance at opening my wallet than products made around shady and scammy tactics. This has always been the case not just for gaming, but anything else.
Sadly, ignorance is the main drive many can't deliver a quality and superior products that could compete with what's out there as well as to create/capture its own market. So, it's not so surprising if they would go with these tactics and prey on those that would bite.
At the end this is what these forums are for...for us to find useful information from the kind of games exist out there to what kind of companies are behind them.
"how to attract and create a market" is correct as a business concern, you are distorting what this means. A market consists of the producer/seller and a purchaser.
Do you know what f2p players are? Content and Marketing. It replaces COG funding for development of content and marketing with COG funding for maintaining and attracting a free player base.
F2P players literally become a material in the supply line. Which means they have a cost and a value associated with them. Many things (conversion rates, ARPU, infrastructure costs, development costs, etc) are normally calculated in the B2P/F2P decision.
Going B2P means that someone has decided that their product does not need that piece at that current time. This can be for a multitude of reasons or for some arbitrary reason. They tend to convert to F2P later when the value of F2P marketing/content is higher than the cost of dealing with F2P.
<Disclaimer: I classify F2P players who do not contribute (spending, growing a user base, etc) as a disease. Like the mooch that stays on my couch for longer than a week and doesn't start contributing for their share of groceries.>
Players put their time to get more info on specific products they are hyped around based on what they know that product will offer. Players also put time to share it with their friends, etc...why they are interested in such products. IMO, it's best advised to not spread information about your product you are not 100% that's what it will offer on launch. Despite the fact they might get a better revenue thanks to this false advertising in the short run, they are creating a reputation for themselves that will haunt them in the long run.
Smedley and SOE is one example with what they did with SWG after launch. Look at where SOE and Smedley are now. SOE had one of the worst reputation for years plus the way they handled customer support and other things over the years it was meant to cost them dearly.
and most mmos are f2p anyway. Just play 15 min or go to their cash shop and you can find out whether you will like it or not.
At the end those 25,000 posts you generated are further proof that some individuals are not worth PvP'ing in fist place. You will always be the last one to write something down for the sake of arguing, cuz yes its safe to say that this is significant part of your life, unfortunately others have better things to do beside arguing for the sake of arguing with someone who feeds off that through most of their day to just make some point.
Imagine banning said cheaters, only to have them make fresh and free new accounts.
Now, let's switch to B2P.
Imagine banning said cheaters, only to have them buy a new account from the developer.
So, wait in the line please...and your turn will come again, eventually. If one thing I've learned from all that is there is only as much owning one can handle before they pull the white flag or in this case think three times before choosing to engage in "forum PvP" with me in near future.
Oh, and in case a mod considers your "forum PvP" as another form of flaming/trolling, then I'll gladly want to see a resolution, one where your behavior at least is much more different the next time you come here and post (if not perma banned).
Those 25k posts you've worked so hard for lost...I bet would shed a tear.
Immovable rock vs.....an immovable rock.
Oh yeah, back on topic....if its a good game then the payment model doesnt matter.
It just I remain unconvinced that a f2p game will ever be a good title that I would enjoy.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon