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General: Richard Aihoshi: F2P Spreads West
Dana
Member Posts: 2,415
In this week's free to play column, Richard Aihoshi looks at the movement of F2P, microtransaction driven games coming West. Recently Turbine became one of the first mainstream US developers to change to this model with the announcement of changes to the way Dungeons and Dragons Online is paid for.
A couple of weeks ago, Turbine made the rather intriguing announcement that it will enter the free to play market this summer with Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited, which is referred to as a digital upgrade to its 2006 subscription title. The press release didn't really say anything as to when or why this came about, and I've seen nothing in this regard since. As a result, I can only speculate the seemingly obvious, that the company feels the game has more potential to move forward with a change of business model.
One thing I find interesting is that SOE took the same step quite recently with the launch of Free Realms. However, it was developed from the ground up, which means the decision to do so was made some time ago. I have no way of knowing whether this factored into Turbine's thinking or if the timing was purely coincidental. What's very clear, however, is that F2P is continuing to gain prominence within the western market.
Enjoy his full column here.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
Comments
As a Western gamer, no it wouldn't be interesting. The whole item mall sham is a dagger to my heart. Just nickel and dime us to death; sell content once you're hooked like a drug dealer; offer unfair advantages by way of items and gear in PvP games. It all just sucks.
I have no problem paying a subscription fee, or several fees. There is real value to your entertainment dollar in 15 or even 30 dollars a month. But once you start letting people buy there way to the top, with no effort, you enter a zone of cheating and exploit that I want no part of. It is just greed, and it is creeping towards NA and EU like a virus.
Actually the danger of going to a f2p model is adding a lot of short term players. The f2p game doesn't attract the long term players, hence it is a revenue model based on continually attracting new players which means the first time a newer MMO shows up you have significant playerbase loss. Rather a dangerous way to gain revenue.
There will always be subscription games because there are a significant portion of the market that won't play with players who can buy their way to the top.
The short term players contribute to the retention of the long term players. The long term ones are usually the ones that are paying. F2P effectively and greatly reduces the chance of people leaving because of a 'dead' server.
- RPG Quiz - can you get all 25 right?
- FPS Quiz - how well do you know your shooters?
Apart from Free realms, all the other games mentioned were one step before closure. F2P was the last ditch effort to bring life to these games that they quality alone could not support them in the competitive P2P market. If nothing else, it reinforces the argument that F2P games are of lower quality compared to the P2P ones. As for Free realms, it'll be interesting to see some financial results once the novelty of being new wears off.
What the market is lacking is more diversity of quality products. Unfortunately F2P does not promote quality, but an excuse to "sell" an inferior product. After all, it's "free", right?
Edit: Another game that was not mentioned and went F2P due to low quality is Archlord from Codemasters.
I can't help but think of the Arcade Era when I read your post.
One of the unavoidable truths of arcade games is that they were designed to kill the player quickly, as that meant more quarters for vendors. As a result, arcade games needed to remain simplistic in order to keep plays short and revenues high.
http://www.ubyssey.ca/?p=7940
Sure, it almost seems like a negative thing... but when I examine western gaming history... I almost saw the F2P market as inevitable.
Though I can't really explain why or how... it just feels like this is and was bound to happen since the dawn of MMO's.
Perhaps... an endless cycle that merely changes the forms that it appears. The F2P shopping-market will likely become a dominant form of online entertainment until it is time for it to change again.
As gamers’ tastes grew sophisticated, interest in arcade games dwindled and most large-format gaming centres closed down. Cabinets started disappearing from donut shops and grocery stores.
Give it time, eventually it will change back.... right now this is what the market wants it seems. Maybe 4-6 years?
or perhaps developers need a new way to develop games that drastically cuts down on costs so that they don't have to go to these methods.
I disagree that players can buy their way the top in all F2P games. This is spewed on forums a lot, but is is simply not true. I currently play Atlantica Online and Runes of Magic and in both of those games, it is not possible to buy your way to the top. It is mostly mounts and vanity items. You really should check out some of the higher quality F2P games before you make blanket statements. I personally play several F2P games as well as a subscription game. It does not matter to me what business model they use. Get over it and just play a game that is fun.
The Clever Legion is Recruiting! www.clever-legion.com
Be consoled in learning that that will not work for an Item Mall MMO. The 70-80% of the playerbase that plays for free is needed to keep the game going. To try to nickel and dime the entire playerbase removes that 70-80% which effectively causes the remaining players, the ones monetizing the game, to leave.
- RPG Quiz - can you get all 25 right?
- FPS Quiz - how well do you know your shooters?
I would advice Richard Aihoshi to study F2P market model and the players those company's aim for.
Its the Long term adicted player they wana draw in, not the short term freebee player. they dont give a crap about those.
The longterm adicted guy/girl player they can SELL item to. like big time marketers and fast talking salesman they will try to convince you that new mount is ultra cool and super luxe and you Must buy it or your soo avarage.
For those peopel strong enoug to resiste the F2P model is fine I guess, most people are not that strong. Infact on avarage we are extremely weak when it comes to resisting getting new stuff.
There aint a Financial crisis for nothing. people want thing, get loans cource its sooo cheap and tempting and poof....
F2P is here to stay , but its not a good thing. its making a honest fair market into a grap all you can sales market .
I disagree with Richards analysis. All I see in the Western market are failed games on life support turning to F2P as a last roll of the dice. I admit Free Realms is an anomoly in this area, but then the game is really designed for kids and would probably not suite a subscription model.
I admit I'm not a fan of F2P, I would be more than happy if this system stayed in the East and never reared its ugly head in the West again. I've no idea why I feel that way, a part of it is that I'm just used to Sub based system, I like to know where I stand with a game and that if I pay the set fee I will have access to everything I need in the game, the strange thing is that it isn't about the amount of money for me, I'd be happy to pay a higher sub if the game is worth it. I think the other thing is the association of F2P=Crap game. Seriously, when we get the first AAA title in the West that is F2P then I'll start getting worried, for now it just remains the indicator of failing games imho.
Quote from Richard Aihoshi:
As I've mentioned in my recent column on trends I'm tracking, I expect we'll see more games offering payment schemes aside from straight subscription or item sales. Sometimes, I even wonder about both together. Wouldn't that be interesting?
oh god no, it's already been tried, EQ2 is a sub game with item mall and it sucks, instantly cancelled my Station Access account as a direct result. It's one or the other, and that means sub based unless your game is a failure.
Interesting? No, at least for everyone who thinks $15 for a potential whole month of fun is a fair price for being equally competitive and don't want to face games in which $100 a month might not even be close enough to become competitive. China's Pay For Hours format is the definite win for casual players, you should be focusing on this instead of the F2P model that is highly appealing for the developers, not for the players.
Inevitable? Maybe, people are getting used to accepting that getting completely "owned" by someone who spends $1000 a month is better than someone who spends 15 hours a day. For the companies, that is a great way to think, money = win.
Mark my words, DDO will get a growingly abusive item mall, it gets much worse when you need to pay a monthly fee for content AND have an item mall to trash money with. It has happened with every F2P game after its initial hype when patches that stack on providing item mall content.
First Richard forgot something about DDO unlimited..Turbine is making it possible for players to earn points in game to pay for the premium content like races, classes and adventures. Second, I hope this trend gets more popular. It is no secret that our economy is in shambles and alot of people cannot afford to play the games they used to pay for, or want to start. 15 dollars a month is alot for people watching their budgets. If the Big Game companies can make like Turbine and give the free players a chance to earn points, ingame, to spend on stuff that others pay with cash then a huge bravo to them. It show that the companies understand the economy and can still make money from those who are working and have the money while helping the ones who don't/can't. May the trend pick up...I applaud them all for doing so.
I'm sorry even though this is off-topic i felt the need to comment on this. I didn't play Runes of Magic but i did play Atlantica Online and to me it felt like you could buy your way to the top with the item mall(I honestly don't see how you don't).
You have:
-Scrolls that can kill a whole group of monsters(experience is added to the character that uses the scroll)
-teleport licences that allows you to move between areas much faster than other players(a much faster way to finish quests since you dont waste time walking)
-power up items that give you 50% more experience and damage(and some defense)
-enhance stones that allow you to upgrade your armors w/o the risk of losing them
And i could go on. I'm not saying that the game is unplayable but there is still the possibility of buying your way to the top. However most people that say that "in f2p games you can buy your way to the top" are also ignoring the fact that if someone wishes to they can buy a max level character from "bot farmers" or "players that quit". It's not like the people on this forums haven't heard of RMT.
Now back on topic i agree with Senadina, that f2p in a way condone and actually promote cheating(or at least it creates the community for it). I have seen EULA's that say "we do not allow RMT" but they do allow the trade of item mall items for in-game currency between players(which is actually the same thing except the money goes through the game publisher/developer instead of directly to a player).
Can you cite which MMOs you are referring to?
I'm also interested in whether you think those are the exception or the norm with item mall MMOs.
- RPG Quiz - can you get all 25 right?
- FPS Quiz - how well do you know your shooters?
Sorry D&D was DOA.. And struggled ever since it was released. They went with a partial micro transaction to open classes and parts of the game, yet retained its monthly fee and have the whole game to open the door to populate its servers.
Its not the same, nor should be chucked in with the payed advertisments that have all but taken over mmorpg.com.
North American gamers want a lvl playing field, we are a subscription customer base. Hence when these asian item mall games show up they disappear from radar just as fast. The content offered has always been a generation or three behind the NA developed games.
If we NA players do play those titles we dont spend money on them.
As of late the asian developers have been trying to turn our biggest pc gaming market into a item mall game, The fps market.
EA tried to experiment with the idea with battlefield heros, and as its been going, The models not profitable, so they are practically giving the items away, They lowered the prices on everything to next to nothing and made them perminant. Thus they are trying to just make thier money back for the development. The last ditch effort.
Why spend cash on a game i can out right buy and play , mod, etc... And a few download for free for ever and have the whole game forever.
So no matter how Richard tries to spin the free to play model, the facts are the facts. And we have choosen with our wallets.
The guys like a used car salesman, trying to convince me that ol car with 200,000 old lady miles is the biggest and best thing since carryout.
Why would i want that ol car when i own a mustang...
FoE Fist of the Empire
It may not be the best solution but I think this is the trend for the future here in the west. I know players now that are quitting thier games because of lack of money. F2P is an answer so they can continue in thier favorite games. Even Bliz may have to consider it.
I've tried both of those games, so don't assume about my gaming history. The reason I do not play them now has nothing to do with item malls and everything to do with the fact that they are not AAA titles, but inferior F2P games. Yes, inferior. They do not have the polish of a AAA P2P game.
But now, developers with money are adopting this F2P item mall crap, and it incenses me. Sony, Turbine, and other big developers are hopping on this crapwagon.
And while I cannot, of course, claim that EVERY game with an item mall is selling PvP advantages, I know for a fact some DO. Which goes back to my point about RMT being a creeping infection that will consume everything in it's path eventually.
I think F2P is a viable option..god knows why NCsoft isn't doing this with Aion as it would make that game a major contender, but I can promise you that EQ and EQ II will be F2p by 2010. Right now my game dujour is perfect World I am in a aweosme close knight guild I spend about five bucks a month and work for the rest of my loot. IF NCsoft would go F2P with Aion I would be there in a heartbeat.
Can you cite which MMOs you are referring to?
I'm also interested in whether you think those are the exception or the norm with item mall MMOs.
Right off the top of my head...Conquer Online springs to mind. In order to have a ton of +5 or higher enhanced dual-slotted gear with the best gems, you could spend months farming things with a 1/100 drop rate to make said upgrades, realizing that each upgrade has a less chance than the last to work (until you're looking at 1/100 chance of the upgrade going through, so we're talking 10,000 or more kills for a success)....or you could spend a ton of rl money now and have it in a day. And since all the best players are geared like that...to keep up you have to be too.
Gunbound also springs to mind, though not an RPG...the best gear comes from the item malls, and makes a HUGE difference in stats.
Many (not all, but many) Item-mall based MMOs sell items who create a VERY defined edge in player power. Those with a credit card to burn stay well ahead of those who have not.
I agree 100%.
I agree 100%.
I understand it's a better monetary model for developers than a subscription base, but it still caters to people with more money than brains.
I really hope Blizzard's new project isn't a microtransaction game...
Great post. I highlighted a very important sentence that definitely deserved it.
Rmt, Item mall style F2P games never land on my harddrive.
Its the most disgusting form of gaming yet.
There was a time when companies had more pride in themselves on good products that could hold the attention of their targeted audience . Just doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Every game I recently have been looking at with the exception of a few notables seems to have some form of RMT/ implemented. Its enuf to make people like myself cancel subs immediately and never renew. Make me sick.
DDO was the only game I've ever cancelled a credit card to get out of a pre-order for. It was horrible.
Great post. I highlighted a very important sentence that definitely deserved it.
I can see it now, game subs sold on contracts like cell phones. You'll have pay as you go, x minute/month plans (complete with overage charges), and unlimited plans. I'm so excited to see the horrible time wasting crap the studios come up with.
I can picture huge spawling worlds, with no insta-travel (or even high speed travel) and mounts will of course be an additional monthly charge. Either combat speed will be slow, quest kill counts will be very high, or quest mobs will be very spread out. Queues will be everywhere, from shop keepers who only deal with 1 person at a time to long and frequent load screens (w/ ads since this is a total money grab screw job).
I can't help but think of the Arcade Era when I read your post.
One of the unavoidable truths of arcade games is that they were designed to kill the player quickly, as that meant more quarters for vendors. As a result, arcade games needed to remain simplistic in order to keep plays short and revenues high.
http://www.ubyssey.ca/?p=7940
Sure, it almost seems like a negative thing... but when I examine western gaming history... I almost saw the F2P market as inevitable.
Though I can't really explain why or how... it just feels like this is and was bound to happen since the dawn of MMO's.
Perhaps... an endless cycle that merely changes the forms that it appears. The F2P shopping-market will likely become a dominant form of online entertainment until it is time for it to change again.
As gamers’ tastes grew sophisticated, interest in arcade games dwindled and most large-format gaming centres closed down. Cabinets started disappearing from donut shops and grocery stores.
Give it time, eventually it will change back.... right now this is what the market wants it seems. Maybe 4-6 years?
or perhaps developers need a new way to develop games that drastically cuts down on costs so that they don't have to go to these methods.
Free to play, aka micro transaction business model is the epitomy of capitalisation, which in turn is a western philosophy.
So you're right, it was inevitable and it is only the older MMO gamers who are going to complain about it, as they have been spoilt with a wealth of subscription MMOs for over a decade now.