They say it's pay once, play forever. So I buy the game and play it as I'd play Guild Wars for example. But they also have some promotions where the say "full 30-day membership included". So, do I have to pay a monthly fee? Also there's a cash shop. So, does it has a retail price, monthly fee AND a cash shop?
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So paying for membership is optional past the box price. It gives an xp boost, a monthly allowance of funcom points and slightly earlier access to some areas. Not necessary in the slightest.
It's on the page as well...
Pay once - you have to buy the box. It has 1 month membership included. Membership = subscription. After that 1 month:
Play forever - you don't have to pay more, if you don't want to. There are DLC's (called Issues) in every 3-4 month for around 10 dollars/euros, but you don't have to buy those either (but they have great stories, so worth buying them). The first 4 Issues are included in the box. Since the b2p switch there were 4 more Issues during this year.
There's a cash shop for buying the Issues, and for a lot of cosmetic stuff (titles, pets, clothes) and services (transfer, rename, boost, etc.). You can play without spending anything in the shop.
The subscription option is still there, members get a permanent 10% discount in the shop, a free cosmetic item every month (sorta exclusive items, not always purchasable for the non-members), and a monthly stipend to spend it on the shop. edit: plus a daily xp boost as reni wrote. Always forget those... just like forget to use them, all the time
There's a lifetime sub option too, with the above and a +10% discount. If you plan to stay subbed for more than 1.5 years, it's a better deal to go with the lifer sub.
"So, does it has a retail price, monthly fee AND a cash shop?"
So yep, it has a retail price (frequently around the "massive" sum of $10), has a monthly fee (only if you want to pay for that) and has a cash shop (again, only if you want to pay).
Technically it isn't free to try. It buy to play.
No matter how cynical you become, its never enough to keep up - Lily Tomlin
agreed but most b2p are pretty limited in what you can do once you do so.this game can be found at any given time for 10 bucks on the net.you get a massive amount of content for that as opposed to "f2p" games like neverwinter where it costs a good chunk of money just for bag/bank slots.
Actually it's even better until tomorrow, since the Massive edition (I think that's how they call it) is on a 50% sale. It's an upgrade to the box (which contains Issue 1-4), this upgrade unlocks Issues 5-7 on the account, plus some fluff on the side.
An Issue is normally 10 Euro (or $ for the luckier ones, since the $ is cheaper), this 50% sale it's a great deal to those who doesn't have Issue 5, 6 and 7. (15 $ / Euro for 3 Issues, AP boost and some more fluff which I don't remember right now )
Edit: other fluff = xp boost, and starter weapons from every kind.
And it seems that the Massive edition is an upgrade only for those who have the game, on the other hand it's a standalone one for those who doesn't have TSW. For them it contains the box as well, so 1 month sub, Issues 1-7 and the fluff above.