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[Column] The Secret World: The Revenue Model Shift
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
With today's big announcement that The Secret World is going "buy to play", it's no surprise that our latest column devoted to the game offers our thoughts on the matter. Check it out and then join the conversation in the comments.
The basic mechanics are simple: Buy the game. Get the full experience, including all existing content, features, and storylines. Get free updates periodically, and pay for Funcom currency to buy new story content, cool stuff, and convenience items. If you want to get more perks, you can "subscribe" for a stipend of points and an overall discount on the store, among other things.
Read more of Victor Barreiro Jr.'s The Secret World: The Revenue Model Shift.
Comments
Being a pessimist is a win-win pattern of thinking. If you're a pessimist (I'll admit that I am!) you're either:
A. Proven right (if something bad happens)
or
B. Pleasantly surprised (if something good happens)
Either way, you can't lose! Try it out sometime!
Wow. Never been first :-) Definitely was a nice surprise to see this morning. I dont think not saying 'F2P' will stop people from calling it F2P (as thats actually what it is). This is also confirming my belief that publishers are moving to a F2P construct if you will.
What I'm curious about is, that this seemed to be planned (perhaps not a date given) - so what was the justification to go subscriber model first? Recouping cost would be my thought but wonder what other goals were expected? It starts to set a precendent of why subscribe if you know they will go F2P at one point?
I will say I like the F2P model as it works for and now I will definitely check this title out. One time fee of 49.99 is peanuts.
If you check the other articles and the FAQ, the box price should now be 30 bucks (or euros or whatnot).
A writer and gamer from the Philippines. Loves his mom dearly.
Can also be found on http://www.gamesandgeekery.com
As far as I understand the information available future content that would have been called issues becomes purchaseable DLC. If you've ever owned TSW, or buy TSW before a certain date, you'll get the next issue free, I believe.
I'm sort of half asleep now (past 10pm here). Feel free to check out the resources linked at the end of the post and the first two links after the post addendum for more info.
A writer and gamer from the Philippines. Loves his mom dearly.
Can also be found on http://www.gamesandgeekery.com
This was quite the surprise to wake up to... but not a bad one in the least. They tried using the subscription model - it didn't work, so Funcom is astute enough to move to another model. Nothing wrong with that - it's actually good business sense.
However, I'm curious about the posters who screamed 'I hate TSW because it's not F2P! It has to go to F2P! It has to go to F2P!!!' for all these months. Now that they have had their wish granted, will they say 'Hey cool, let me dive on in!' or will they find themselves scrambling for some other reason to hate TSW, since one of their biggest justifications just got knocked out from under them?
Time will tell.
So much entitlement....
They are giving everyone access to all the existing content including all the existing story, dungeons, raid, missions... with absolutely no restrictions. No gear restrictions, no skill restrictions, hell... you are even allowed to keep your hotbar!
It is pretty much the best model you will find alongside GW2 and Aion for B2P / F2P.
I think it is absolutely fair that they charge for new content if they adopt this payment option. They are still producing a lot of content for the game and someone needs to pay the bills. I would rather payments for actual content than monthly payments for a promise of content that never comes, or comes late (SoE I am looking at you).
Very happy about this.
It's a shame they didn't do this from the start. That would have changed everything for them.
Wise words mr Evilastro. I admit that as a lifetimer I was a bit worried up until they revealed the new model. Now I'm actually getting bonuses with monthly points and items. Plus this is a real b2p so people who cannot play often don't get shafted. There's content for months. I'm playing since headstart and still have multiple goals to reach and I don't have alts.
This is almost too good to believe. No limits on dungeons PvP or really anything for $30, not bad at all. I think there is enough at this point in the game that $30 is a very nice deal, especially for those of us that already purchased the game and don't have room in the family budget for more money blown on gaming. I really don't care too much about future story content (at least at this point) I'll be back in the game with no limits.
I hope this model works for them. I know there will be quite a bit more people in game now, making for a much better game experience for the rest of us.
So... you've never, ever played any game that had DLC? Or sequels? Really?
Agree, They are giving away EVERYTHING right now to those who buy, they gotta generate revenue somewhere. money directly for more content seems perfectly fair, they developed and tested the content, we want the content, we pay for it.
So true my man so true. Haters screamed this from the top of their lungs. Well now its exactly the same model as boringwars2.
So you say everyone wins?! Wha....? This doesn't make sense
1. For the freebies, yes, you still have to *buy* the game and additional DLC content as its released.
2. Subscribers and Lifetimers get a monthly allowance of funcom points to do as they wish in the cash shop in additional to other perks. DLC still has to be paid for, but the allowance will cover most if not all of it. No one gets shafted as the additional content is included for the most part as it always has (you just have to use your allowance of points to buy it).
Same game, different coat so-to-speak. I'm sure someone *will* find a way to complain about the change up. The level of entitlement flowing amongst gamers, especially MMOgamers is very disheartening.
It will good if the game doesnt have monthly paid DLC.
Boxed + monthly DLC = Boxed + monthly subs?
Pardon my English as it is not my 1st language
ATTENTION!!!
Why in the world didn't they do this model with AoC??? The world wouldn't be so empty. Insteady they penny pinched with AoC and TSW gets the proper B2P model? WTF! I loved TSW but couldn't justify the subscription once GW2 came out. I will now go back to TSW because it's a fantastic game, but do this for AoC as well and I'm back to that game in a flash.
Yeah! Monthly points expire after 6 months! How awesome!
I love this new model for F2Pers but if you bought a lifetime and have to spend your points or lose them every six months and you get no discount on DLC, it kinds sucks.
Just one more example of why lifetime subs and supporting these game companies usually comes around to bite you in the butt. Not only do you lose your right to vote with your wallet but you are also stuck in whatever crazy F2P model they launch. Seriously, points expire after 6 months? Who does that?
Where's bcbully? Hasn't he chimed in yet? I expect he'll do cartwheels.
So, uh.. they shouldn't get paid for working hard to create new content? You should just get it for nothing because you paid 30-50 for an already complete game with tons of content.
Wow...
I don't think you can make this deal much fairer, to be honest.
Charmed MMO? Holy <bleep> that would be some crazy stuff indeed...