Change in payment model is successful

Nightbringe1

quoted from a post on the DDO forums

http://forums.ddo.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37

http://www.warcry.chttp://forums.ddo.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37om/news/view/98671-DDOU-Entices-One-Million-New-Players

Quote:

WESTWOOD, MA - February 26, 2010 -Turbine, Inc. announced today that Dungeons & Dragons Online®: Eberron Unlimited™ (DDO Unlimited), the world's best free-to-play massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) has already attracted over one million new players since its September 2009 launch. The massive influx of new players has been across all of the various consumer plans available. DDO Unlimited's paid subscriber base has more than doubled, while at the same time players are transacting in the new DDO store at three times the industry average, growing the franchise's revenue over 500% since its launch in September. ...

Congrats.

Papadam

Damn that is impressive numbers, glad to see a true success in the MMO industry after all the failures the last few years! This is what happens if you do F2P the right way and I guess some othe companies are going to be even more interested to try switiching to F2P.

Good work Turbine, now bring us Half-orcs and druids

Nebless

What you weren't happy with Monks?  Half-Orc's and Druids!  What next? a +5 Vorpal sword of bunny slaying? :-)

I got to say that Turbine really did it right.  I had a paid sub for a bit and the game just wasn't worth the $15.00 a month, but with the F2P changes it's really come out of the closet.  It's such a fun, casual game; I'm happy it's finally getting the love and attention it should have.

When ever I need my D&D fix, I crank up the volume, listen t the DM and in I go!

ste2000

There is nothing shocking having 1 million plus subscribers in a F2P game (compared to the Asian ones this is a very poor achievement, we are talking about 10+ millions).

I have 1 account too, but I played only 1 week, but because those accounts do not expires, they count as always active, so those numbers are a bit deceiving.

They said the revenues went up 500%, which is good...................but based on what?

If they used to make 100K before the F2P, now they are doing 500K, which is a good improvement but hardly a lot of money.

I do not doubt that unsuccesful games like DDO are better off with a F2P revenue system, but applying this system to every game can be counter productive if the game is actually good.



Those F2P games are played by 2 categories

1) Who can't afford to pay to play a game, but have lots of time in their hands

2) Who hasn't got time to play a game for long hours, but have lots of money to invest in the shops to catch up with people who have more time.



The middle category is completely missing from those games.

Those are the people who don't want to spend too much money on a game but have enough time to spend playing it.

This people are the ones that put most money in this industry because although they pay only $15 a month they are in larger numbers than the people who is prepared to spend $50+ on a cash shop.

Those 2 categories don't get along, because who pay $15 a month knows that they won't be able to compete moneywise with whoever is prepared to spend $50+ therefore they won't play the game.

A F2P game will always miss the big numbers (of paying customers) of P2P games.



Therefore I believe that P2P games will always be more profitable than F2P games, but never than less they are profitable if applied to a game not worth $15 a month

But if a game is good, P2P is the way to go, the cash shop would scare away more people than it would attract.

Nebless

Originally posted by ste2000


There is nothing shocking having 1 million plus subscribers in a F2P game (compared to the Asian ones this is a very poor achievement, we are talking about 10+ millions).
Since DDO isn't and won't ever be an attractive Asian market game (neither was D&D) I think pulling a mill out of a mainly US player base (I don't think it's as big in Europe as here) isn't a bad achievement.
I have 1 account too, but I played only 1 week, but because those accounts do not expires, they count as always active, so those numbers are a bit deceiving.
Well they did say new subscribers since Sept 09 when it went F2P, but yes I agree that since accounts don't expire numbers are a bit deceiving which can be said for any game, WoW included.
I do not doubt that unsuccesful games like DDO are better off with a F2P revenue system, but applying this system to every game can be counter productive if the game is actually good.
Very true, and I can think of a few games just off the top of my head that F2P would benifit by widening their player base and revenue intake.



Those F2P games are played by 2 categories

1) Who can't afford to pay to play a game, but have lots of time in their hands

2) Who hasn't got time to play a game for long hours, but have lots of money to invest in the shops to catch up with people who have more time.
And here you totally fail as I play DDO and don't fall into either of your categories.  You need to add to your list 'those that know the value of their money vs fun factor'.  I haven't put a single cent into the game since it went F2P and don't plan on it.  Not all of us want to keep up with the Jones.



The middle category is completely missing from those games.

Those are the people who don't want to spend too much money on a game but have enough time to spend playing it.

This people are the ones that put most money in this industry because although they pay only $15 a month they are in larger numbers than the people who is prepared to spend $50+ on a cash shop.

Those 2 categories don't get along, because who pay $15 a month knows that they won't be able to compete moneywise with whoever is prepared to spend $50+ therefore they won't play the game.
While I don't think you're talking about DDO, the article did say they've seen an increase accross all the subscription styles, which would be a) Play totally free b) Spend some money in the cash shop and c) Pay a regular $15.00 a month subscription.  So obilivously there are people who will pay $15.00 a month, not caring that someone else is spending big bucks at the cash shop.  Once again not all of us want to keep up with the Jones.


A F2P game will always miss the big numbers (of paying customers) of P2P games.



Therefore I believe that P2P games will always be more profitable than F2P games, but never than less they are profitable if applied to a game not worth $15 a month

But if a game is good, P2P is the way to go, the cash shop would scare away more people than it would attract.