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Will Funcom go F2P with AoC?
Ubie
Member Posts: 185
Funcom seems to have a couple of F2P titles in the works. If these titles are "financially successful", will Funcom change AoC to a "F2P w/micro-transaction" model also? Funcom has already said it was not ruling out AoC and AO going F2P anyway, and "IF" they see their new titles doing well, why shouldn't they?
www.fatfoogoo.com/2009/03/funcom-eyes-free-to-play-as-age-of-conan-comes-up-short/
www.massively.com/2009/07/14/free-to-play-an-option-for-age-of-conan/
www.n4g.com/pc/News-360653.aspx
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Comments
Yes, if the F2P model proves financially successful for Funcom in other games, expect this one to follow the same path.
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I hope they do two models.
F2P and Subscription but have subscription servers seperate to F2P and subscription servers get their content under the sub and F2P have to pay for it with MT.
I hope they don't do micro transactions like SOE did where you can buy items, money etc for ingame use. If funcom do that, then for sure I will not resubscribe to AoC. If they choose to go F2P as AO is, you can play the basic game, but you have to pay monthly fee's if you want the expansion packs that could be an interesting thing. It did work for AO, so I don't see why it shouldn't work for AoC.
Playing: Battlefield - Bad company (Xbox360) Arma2, DFO (PC)
On my radar: TSW, MO
MMO's played: SWG (pre cu/cu), WoW, AoC, WAR, DFO, Planetside
MMO's that I have tested: Lotro, L2, Aion, Ryzom
Yes, it worked for AO to such a degree that all 2 players there are happily puttering about. Just imagine the development cycle for AoC if it goes F2P - dx10 final version in 2020, sieges lasting for more than 10 seconds in 2030.
Yes, it worked for AO to such a degree that all 2 players there are happily puttering about. Just imagine the development cycle for AoC if it goes F2P - dx10 final version in 2020, sieges lasting for more than 10 seconds in 2030.
When AO flopped and struggled to get back on the feet a way for the game to keep a somewhat healthy population was to use this F2P model. And for AO it did work. they managed to keep the game alive for longer then anyone anticipated or dared to hope. As long as AoC is making money with it's current model they won't go F2P, however the day AoC looses enough customers so that having a subcription fee works against the game rather with it that's the time they will put it on F2P. A FP model like that will keep people playing the game and it is a form of artificial life supprot for the game. A way for a company to keep up the interest in the game is to have them F2P, this way they allow a lot of players to play the game for free whilst the ones who want to content you pay for will do so. If they are successfull in managing to bring out content that tempts people they will gain more subscribers.
A game that goes from P2P to F2P is a good sign that the game isn't doing well. The last amount of players I heard that AO was supposed to have was around 20K or so. It was more then enough to keep the few servers they have witha healthy population. A friend of mine have been logging into AO every now and then when he is bored with the games he normally play and from what he said there was enough players there. But Funcom wasn't making millions on these players, but they did make some money off the game every month as there was always some who paid the monthly fee to get the latest expansion pack.
Time will show when and if Funcom chooses this model for AoC, If AoC drops below 50K subscribers I would not be surprised if they go F2P. Yes the developement will be hurt by it, anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get his head checked.
Playing: Battlefield - Bad company (Xbox360) Arma2, DFO (PC)
On my radar: TSW, MO
MMO's played: SWG (pre cu/cu), WoW, AoC, WAR, DFO, Planetside
MMO's that I have tested: Lotro, L2, Aion, Ryzom
I think you are a bit ignorant of the facts for SoE's microtransactions and what they're all about....First of all, there is nothing wrong with what SoE does w/ the Station Marketplace in games like EQ2, EQ and so on. Why? B/c they don't sell anything that has any meaningful impact on the game itself. They aren't selling gear, or items that drop from mobs, or anything like that, they are selling FLUFF like house items, xp and aa and tradeskill potions, server transfers, name change tokens, house and player pets, and crap like that. So, there really isn't anything wrong with SoE getting more money to funnel into the developement of the game they are selling specific items for.
Look, when SoE first announced that they were opening up the Marketplace and bringing microtransactions to all servers I was PISSED. Now, I would classify myself as a semi-"hardcore" raider/achiever/explorer and I have never bought gold, or items, and have always reported farmers when I saw them and was gung-ho against microtransactions, especially in a game that I played. But once I actually took the time to find out what kind of things they'd be selling, and that they wouldn't be selling gear, or free level potions and that anything they did sell wouldn't have any impact on the game itself, except in that it will bring more funds to the game's production budget....well, then I had no problem with it and am actually a supporter of it. Yeah, I have bought fluff items off the marketplace, and you know what? I enjoyed it. I've gotten some nice furniture for my house, and got myself a really snazzy set of appearance armor, and am now always on the lookout for more neat stuff.
So, in summation, I understand your negative, knee-jerk reaction to micro-transactions, but don't be so dead set against it. If it's done "right", like SoE did, then it could be a VERY positive feature for your game of choice. Basically, if they do say they are thinking of doing micro-transactions, wait to find out exactly what they entail before deciding that it's a bad thing and you don't want anything to do with it.
I think you are a bit ignorant of the facts for SoE's microtransactions and what they're all about....First of all, there is nothing wrong with what SoE does w/ the Station Marketplace in games like EQ2, EQ and so on. Why? B/c they don't sell anything that has any meaningful impact on the game itself. They aren't selling gear, or items that drop from mobs, or anything like that, they are selling FLUFF like house items, xp and aa and tradeskill potions, server transfers, name change tokens, house and player pets, and crap like that. So, there really isn't anything wrong with SoE getting more money to funnel into the developement of the game they are selling specific items for.
Look, when SoE first announced that they were opening up the Marketplace and bringing microtransactions to all servers I was PISSED. Now, I would classify myself as a semi-"hardcore" raider/achiever/explorer and I have never bought gold, or items, and have always reported farmers when I saw them and was gung-ho against microtransactions, especially in a game that I played. But once I actually took the time to find out what kind of things they'd be selling, and that they wouldn't be selling gear, or free level potions and that anything they did sell wouldn't have any impact on the game itself, except in that it will bring more funds to the game's production budget....well, then I had no problem with it and am actually a supporter of it. Yeah, I have bought fluff items off the marketplace, and you know what? I enjoyed it. I've gotten some nice furniture for my house, and got myself a really snazzy set of appearance armor, and am now always on the lookout for more neat stuff.
So, in summation, I understand your negative, knee-jerk reaction to micro-transactions, but don't be so dead set against it. If it's done "right", like SoE did, then it could be a VERY positive feature for your game of choice. Basically, if they do say they are thinking of doing micro-transactions, wait to find out exactly what they entail before deciding that it's a bad thing and you don't want anything to do with it.
I totally agree. Micro-transactions are much better than most people assume. Going free-to-play would be a good thing for AoC. It's not a "death blow" like some people think. It can be a new begging!
Stop necroing threads and get a life!!! It's a damn video game. How many times do you gotta be banned?
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Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate.
Stop necroing threads and get a life!!! It's a damn video game. How many times do you gotta be banned?
Lol, what? I wasn't banned.
This thread was on page 2 so I don't think it was necroing. I didn't go to page 3 or further.