edit: Never mind this post. Seems you got the massage.
I understand it is satire but the points I made still stand, regardless.
As I type this message I have to keep my eyes off of the 12 year old Japanese girls on either side of the website in pink dresses showing off entirely too much leg.
I think you should get back to talking about games and stop trying to stir up the community just so the site gets more hits to impress the advertisers.
You really should read the article, Trav. Please?
I read the article. I think its brilliant satire, but would you mind if I take a spin on it?
The number one reason why 'your' MMO shouldn't go F2P... because it costs more per month to get the same complete gameplay experience as when it was a subscription game.
Well, yes...these games are basically failures, and they weren't making enough money. They couldn't ask people to pay more for a sub to their failing effort, so they have to resort to a different tactic where they can trick people into paying more, and look more successful due to an influx of freeloaders, and hope to sucker in some folks who spend addictively to feel good.
This industry is sucking badly now. Not only can't they fight their way out of the paper bag that is lockstepped in themepark rigidity, not only have they resorted to saving failure rather than create better, but now they are actively trying to hype up all the reasons that they "should go" FtP as if it's something desirable to us players (as opposed to them).
I understand it is satire but the points I made still stand, regardless. As I type this message I have to keep my eyes off of the 12 year old Japanese girls on either side of the website in pink dresses showing off entirely too much leg. It's gross tbh.
We (as in the Editorial staff) don't actually have any control over the ads. The owners of the site handle that part of the business, and we handle the content. Two completely separate entities.
But yes, I do see your point. I just can't change that. I would suggest e-mailing the Overlords (see contact us at the bottom), and they can tell you the whats and why-fors there.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
edit: Never mind this post. Seems you got the massage.
What ? He got a massage ? I want same. NOW !
This thread becomes better and better.
Sorry, no more massages. Spock mentioned 12 year old girls in this thread so it's all getting a little wrong. Before you know it people are making connections. Blame Spock!
For a large part, they ARE doing well. In fact, it seems that many games "realize" they should have been F2P from the start. And in some cases it's done really well. I'm just of the belief that you should go this way from day one if it's always been "sort of the plan".
I'm also curious to see how GW2's "Buy Once, Play Forever" concept works out since GW2 is not the CORPG its forbear was, and is instead a fully-fledged MMORPG. If they can do it, and their 'shop' is not a money-mongering wallet leech, then it may just set a new standard.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
I have to say I'm suprised to see the large amount of posters who I know to be rather intellegent, jump on Mr Murphy's back before actually reading the article through. That said, now its time for me to put the little whey-faced cretin in his place. (yes of course I'm kidding, sort of)
Bill, when you mentioned the posibility of a counter article in Mr Aihoshi's thread yesterday, this really wasn't what I was expecting. Now don't take this as an insult against your comdeic ability as your article was very funny. But do you think we could get a serious look at this flip side of the argument instead of a piss take? I'm afraid when it comes to this subject, I don't have much of a sense of humor, my failing not yours or MMORPGs, but a failing I seem to share with many posters here, looking at just how many people I normally think of as fair and level headed jumped on you with both feet without reading the article first, or failed to see its humorous intent even if they did.
I feel the FTP argument is "srs bsns" and I'd like to see a serious rather than mocking debate about it from the anti-FTP side. And considering how many times we have been browbeaten by Mr Aihoshi's rather combative wrting style that FTP is all sunshine and roses, I don't think I'm asking too much.
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
Cute, I enjoyed the humor. Always good to have a good laugh.
There are lots of ways to finance a MMO, I am sure we will see some derivations yet to come, personally the freemium method seems to be the best of both worlds at the moment as long as gameplay effecting gear is kept absent from the item shop.
I feel the FTP argument is "srs bsns" and I'd like to see a serious rather than mocking debate about it from the anti-FTP side. And considering how many times we have been browbeaten by Mr Aihoshi's rather combative wrting style that FTP is all sunshine and roses, I don't think I'm asking too much.
No worries, Tardcore. This was actually written before I even received Richard's article for this week. Yes, we're still securing a regular counter to "The Free Zone", and if the person we have in mind agrees, you'll be quite happy I hope.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
I was shocked to see that someone at MMORPG.com has the nads to reveal that he thinks F2P AKA P2W is shite even if he did have to mask it with humour.
When a game goes from P2P to P2W it means the game is too crappy to justify a subscription.
FACT!
All P2W titles are rubbish and how they count thier active playerbase is questionable.
FACT!
P2W cash shops end up costing you more than a sub unless you don't mind playing as a 3rd class citizen.
FACT!
P2P + Cash shop is gay.
FACT!
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
I have to say I'm suprised to see the large amount of posters who I know to be rather intellegent, jump on Mr Murphy's back before actually reading the article through. That said, now its time for me to put the little whey-faced little cretin in his place. (yes of course I'm kidding, sort of)
Bill, when you mentioned the posibility of a counter article in Mr Aihoshi's thread yesterday, this really wasn't what I was expecting. Now don't take this as an insult against your comdeic ability as your article was very funny. But do you think we could get a serious look at this flip side of the argument instead of a piss take? I'm afraid when it comes to this subject, I don't have much of a sense of humor, my failing not yours or MMORPGs, but a failing I seem to share with many posters here, looking at just how many people I normally think of as fair and level headed jumped on you with both feet without reading the article first, or failed to see its humorous intent even if they did.
I feel the FTP argument is "srs bsns" and I'd like to see a serious rather than mocking debate about it from the anti-FTP side. And considering how many times we have been browbeaten by Mr Aihoshi's rather combative wrting style that FTP is all sunshine and roses, I don't think I'm asking too much.
I would also love serious defense of the P2P model in addition. Since it's kind of under siege lately.
On the other hand, that might end up being a sum of all the arguments in favor of it which we already know by heart:
- Sliding slope of cash shops; from vanity pet kittens to super heroin.
- More revenue from subs for more content development
- Realism and equality: your character should be able to get every advantage out of the game, like everyone else. And people will differ in ammount time and effort invested and be succesful due to their intelligence / talents / creativity, et, rather than the size of their wallets and/or willingness to open them up
- Sub pricing not being steep at all at about 50 cents per hour when you play only an hour a day, down to sub 10 cents per hour if you are a hardcore player. So actually a pretty cheap hobby.
For a large part, they ARE doing well. In fact, it seems that many games "realize" they should have been F2P from the start. And in some cases it's done really well. I'm just of the belief that you should go this way from day one if it's always been "sort of the plan".
I'm also curious to see how GW2's "Buy Once, Play Forever" concept works out since GW2 is not the CORPG its forbear was, and is instead a fully-fledged MMORPG. If they can do it, and their 'shop' is not a money-mongering wallet leech, then it may just set a new standard.
What makes you think they are doing well?
They had an initial surge of revenues when they made the change (and revenues are not profits), but we hear nothing of what's happened since then.
Why are they not boasting their continued success since then? Or am I missing something?
For a large part, they ARE doing well. In fact, it seems that many games "realize" they should have been F2P from the start. And in some cases it's done really well. I'm just of the belief that you should go this way from day one if it's always been "sort of the plan".
I'm also curious to see how GW2's "Buy Once, Play Forever" concept works out since GW2 is not the CORPG its forbear was, and is instead a fully-fledged MMORPG. If they can do it, and their 'shop' is not a money-mongering wallet leech, then it may just set a new standard.
What makes you think they are doing well?
They had an initial surge of revenues when they made the change (and revenues are not profits), but we hear nothing of what's happened since then.
Why are they not boasting their continued success since then? Or am I missing something?
Do they need to continue to boast of their success if it levels off and keeps the game running and in better shape financially than before? IE: "Hey guys, since we switched to F2P, we're still doing just as awesome as we were when we first told you about going F2P." There doesn't necessarily need to be growth past the initial surge they experience when going F2P to remain successful.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
For a large part, they ARE doing well. In fact, it seems that many games "realize" they should have been F2P from the start. And in some cases it's done really well. I'm just of the belief that you should go this way from day one if it's always been "sort of the plan".
I'm also curious to see how GW2's "Buy Once, Play Forever" concept works out since GW2 is not the CORPG its forbear was, and is instead a fully-fledged MMORPG. If they can do it, and their 'shop' is not a money-mongering wallet leech, then it may just set a new standard.
What makes you think they are doing well?
They had an initial surge of revenues when they made the change (and revenues are not profits), but we hear nothing of what's happened since then.
Why are they not boasting their continued success since then? Or am I missing something?
Do they need to continue to boast of their success if it levels off and keeps the game running and in better shape financially than before? IE: "Hey guys, since we switched to F2P, we're still doing just as awesome as we were when we first told you about going F2P." There doesn't necessarily need to be growth past the initial surge they experience when going F2P to remain successful.
No company that switches it's game from P2P to F2P was doing awesome.
FACT!
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
No company that switches it's game from P2P to F2P was doing awesome. FACT!
Sorry! What I mean is, do they really need to keep us updated that their INITIAL success is still sitting at about the same rate since they first announced their surge from F2P?
That's what I'm getting at here. Judging by the content many keep putting out and the many folks that seem to still enjoy titles like DDO and LotRO (though there are plenty who loathe the Freemium versions), they can't really be doing that badly, can they?
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
For a large part, they ARE doing well. In fact, it seems that many games "realize" they should have been F2P from the start. And in some cases it's done really well. I'm just of the belief that you should go this way from day one if it's always been "sort of the plan".
I'm also curious to see how GW2's "Buy Once, Play Forever" concept works out since GW2 is not the CORPG its forbear was, and is instead a fully-fledged MMORPG. If they can do it, and their 'shop' is not a money-mongering wallet leech, then it may just set a new standard.
What makes you think they are doing well?
They had an initial surge of revenues when they made the change (and revenues are not profits), but we hear nothing of what's happened since then.
Why are they not boasting their continued success since then? Or am I missing something?
Do they need to continue to boast of their success if it levels off and keeps the game running and in better shape financially than before? IE: "Hey guys, since we switched to F2P, we're still doing just as awesome as we were when we first told you about going F2P." There doesn't necessarily need to be growth past the initial surge they experience when going F2P to remain successful.
Well, that initial revenues boost is like a grand opening sale. Of course they had that. But absolutely no comments from any of them since then doesn't inspire confidence enough to say they are doing well.
Have they lost accounts since because of going FtP? Once people who were willing to buy stuff bought, did they continue to buy more? There are questions that no one seems to be willing to ask, yet the perception that they are continuing to do well seems to willingly continue. Why?
To be honest , zillions of this "F2P is great" , "F2P is wiining" , "F2P is future" , etc is making me wanna vomit.
Yeah sorry for beign so blunt about it , but that's true. I cannot nowadays open a browser on any mmo related page to don't see f2p this , f2p that talk.
Sorry but that's really starting to get tiring and I am closer and closer everyday to just stop visiting. Same with caring about mmorpg games tbh.
Seems , my type of player is not needed anymore. Well no hard feelings , it's business after all.
Erm or not actually I am emotionally invested in mmorpg gaming even though I am not playing for almost half a year (not playing f2p games anymore and p2p games are too simple , too streamlined , and put cash shops as well) , so I really hope f2p / freemium and all models that include buying in-game items , buffs ,skills ,etc for real money will do worse in long run that it is predicted.
I am also too old to turn to indie productions , and mainstream productions carry above things that I won't agree to.
Seems just market don't offer nothing to me anymore.
I just advise for people that have similar insight like me. if you cannot cope with gear treadmill games with f2p / freemium or p2p + cs models , really save yourself a time and just leave mmorpg gaming.
I just realized how much time I was and I am still (hopefully I will be able to stay out) wasting hanging around , reading those pages hoping for some game that will "save" mmorpg genre. No big budget game want to provide this anymore.
So I will quote some well known drawed character and I will rant towards game investors and developers and say
No company that switches it's game from P2P to F2P was doing awesome.
FACT!
Sorry! What I mean is, do they really need to keep us updated that their INITIAL success is still sitting at about the same rate since they first announced their surge from F2P?
That's what I'm getting at here. Judging by the content many keep putting out and the many folks that seem to still enjoy titles like DDO and LotRO (though there are plenty who loathe the Freemium versions), they can't really be doing that badly, can they?
I agree with that but I can't think of a case (in my opinion) where a game improved by a large amount thanks to F2P. Even if it did it's still P2W and alot of the game development is based around the cash shop and squeezing more blood out of a stone. P2P with a cash shop is just wrong as you're paying a sub for them to develop based around a cash shop which they sell back to you again.
Financialy DDO is doing much better and from what I've heard development improved but it does fall under the shite game category (it didn't go F2P because it was so good). As for LotRO I thought they had a decent playerbase already, didn't they? When everyone found out it wasn't worth a life time sub I guess they had to find another way to fleece people and you can hardly remove subs after selling a life time sub for $200 was it?
In short they maybe doing well profit margin wise but it's all a bit dirty and the games weren't up to scratch in the first place. Even if they were it sucks that your sub funded a cash shop which you now need to compete!
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
They had an initial surge of revenues when they made the change (and revenues are not profits), but we hear nothing of what's happened since then.
Why are they not boasting their continued success since then? Or am I missing something?
Do they need to continue to boast of their success if it levels off and keeps the game running and in better shape financially than before? IE: "Hey guys, since we switched to F2P, we're still doing just as awesome as we were when we first told you about going F2P." There doesn't necessarily need to be growth past the initial surge they experience when going F2P to remain successful.
Well, that initial revenues boost is like a grand opening sale. Of course they had that. But absolutely no comments from any of them since then doesn't inspire confidence enough to say they are doing well.
Have they lost accounts since because of going FtP? Once people who were willing to buy stuff bought, did they continue to buy more? There are questions that no one seems to be willing to ask, yet the perception that they are continuing to do well seems to willingly continue. Why?
Well LOTRO is boasting (according to massivly) that f2p trippled their revenue.
They had an initial surge of revenues when they made the change (and revenues are not profits), but we hear nothing of what's happened since then.
Why are they not boasting their continued success since then? Or am I missing something?
Do they need to continue to boast of their success if it levels off and keeps the game running and in better shape financially than before? IE: "Hey guys, since we switched to F2P, we're still doing just as awesome as we were when we first told you about going F2P." There doesn't necessarily need to be growth past the initial surge they experience when going F2P to remain successful.
Well, that initial revenues boost is like a grand opening sale. Of course they had that. But absolutely no comments from any of them since then doesn't inspire confidence enough to say they are doing well.
Have they lost accounts since because of going FtP? Once people who were willing to buy stuff bought, did they continue to buy more? There are questions that no one seems to be willing to ask, yet the perception that they are continuing to do well seems to willingly continue. Why?
Well LOTRO is boasting (according to massivly) that f2p trippled their revinue.
With each $150,000 Donation to Wahala99 Subscription fund.
Yeah but what was thier revenue before going F2P? Also a title goes F2P they almost always cut back on staff which has the effect of widening the profit margin. Did it triple the playerbase also? I'm sure they'll give figures to show a rocketing population but what do the vets who still play say?
It's all smoke and mirrors and selling snake oil in my opinion.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
No such thing as free to play. Not if you want to stay on equal playing field as the rest of the server. Youspend more in a week playing a F2P game than you would with a 3 month sub where everyone is on equal terms. I dont see why F2P games are becoming so popular. They are 90% of the time they are nothing more than trashy beefed up console rpgs made into mmo's/ And arent worth a dime. I stay far away from F2P games.
On a side note many F2P games offer boxes with a "CHANCE" to get a a good item or 99 crap items. This is no more than gambeling, and for some they cant control the urge to spend 100$ a week or more just so they can have that cool mount or some other junk.
My opinion, dont care if you agree. Wont change my mind.
Comments
I understand it is satire but the points I made still stand, regardless.
As I type this message I have to keep my eyes off of the 12 year old Japanese girls on either side of the website in pink dresses showing off entirely too much leg.
It's gross tbh.
I read the article. I think its brilliant satire, but would you mind if I take a spin on it?
Well, yes...these games are basically failures, and they weren't making enough money. They couldn't ask people to pay more for a sub to their failing effort, so they have to resort to a different tactic where they can trick people into paying more, and look more successful due to an influx of freeloaders, and hope to sucker in some folks who spend addictively to feel good.
This industry is sucking badly now. Not only can't they fight their way out of the paper bag that is lockstepped in themepark rigidity, not only have they resorted to saving failure rather than create better, but now they are actively trying to hype up all the reasons that they "should go" FtP as if it's something desirable to us players (as opposed to them).
What a bunch of losers.
It's like...
"Here, take this bag, it's free."
"The bag is full of shit."
"Want to buy some hand sanitizer?"
"You wanted the free bag."
"You're buying the hand sanitizer."
"We are a successful model."
Once upon a time....
Go for it! I'm curious.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
We (as in the Editorial staff) don't actually have any control over the ads. The owners of the site handle that part of the business, and we handle the content. Two completely separate entities.
But yes, I do see your point. I just can't change that. I would suggest e-mailing the Overlords (see contact us at the bottom), and they can tell you the whats and why-fors there.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
Sorry, no more massages. Spock mentioned 12 year old girls in this thread so it's all getting a little wrong. Before you know it people are making connections. Blame Spock!
My brand new bloggity blog.
You can shove F2P-P2W where the sun don't shine !!
-----
Pay-to-Win / F2P will be the death of real gaming, Boycott it !!
Bill, it sounds like maybe you see that these FtP converts aren't doing so well after all.
Once upon a time....
I'm also curious to see how GW2's "Buy Once, Play Forever" concept works out since GW2 is not the CORPG its forbear was, and is instead a fully-fledged MMORPG. If they can do it, and their 'shop' is not a money-mongering wallet leech, then it may just set a new standard.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
I have to say I'm suprised to see the large amount of posters who I know to be rather intellegent, jump on Mr Murphy's back before actually reading the article through. That said, now its time for me to put the little whey-faced cretin in his place. (yes of course I'm kidding, sort of)
Bill, when you mentioned the posibility of a counter article in Mr Aihoshi's thread yesterday, this really wasn't what I was expecting. Now don't take this as an insult against your comdeic ability as your article was very funny. But do you think we could get a serious look at this flip side of the argument instead of a piss take? I'm afraid when it comes to this subject, I don't have much of a sense of humor, my failing not yours or MMORPGs, but a failing I seem to share with many posters here, looking at just how many people I normally think of as fair and level headed jumped on you with both feet without reading the article first, or failed to see its humorous intent even if they did.
I feel the FTP argument is "srs bsns" and I'd like to see a serious rather than mocking debate about it from the anti-FTP side. And considering how many times we have been browbeaten by Mr Aihoshi's rather combative wrting style that FTP is all sunshine and roses, I don't think I'm asking too much.
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
Cute, I enjoyed the humor. Always good to have a good laugh.
There are lots of ways to finance a MMO, I am sure we will see some derivations yet to come, personally the freemium method seems to be the best of both worlds at the moment as long as gameplay effecting gear is kept absent from the item shop.
No worries, Tardcore. This was actually written before I even received Richard's article for this week. Yes, we're still securing a regular counter to "The Free Zone", and if the person we have in mind agrees, you'll be quite happy I hope.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
I was shocked to see that someone at MMORPG.com has the nads to reveal that he thinks F2P AKA P2W is shite even if he did have to mask it with humour.
When a game goes from P2P to P2W it means the game is too crappy to justify a subscription.
FACT!
All P2W titles are rubbish and how they count thier active playerbase is questionable.
FACT!
P2W cash shops end up costing you more than a sub unless you don't mind playing as a 3rd class citizen.
FACT!
P2P + Cash shop is gay.
FACT!
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
CS Lewis
I would also love serious defense of the P2P model in addition. Since it's kind of under siege lately.
On the other hand, that might end up being a sum of all the arguments in favor of it which we already know by heart:
- Sliding slope of cash shops; from vanity pet kittens to super heroin.
- More revenue from subs for more content development
- Realism and equality: your character should be able to get every advantage out of the game, like everyone else. And people will differ in ammount time and effort invested and be succesful due to their intelligence / talents / creativity, et, rather than the size of their wallets and/or willingness to open them up
- Sub pricing not being steep at all at about 50 cents per hour when you play only an hour a day, down to sub 10 cents per hour if you are a hardcore player. So actually a pretty cheap hobby.
My brand new bloggity blog.
What makes you think they are doing well?
They had an initial surge of revenues when they made the change (and revenues are not profits), but we hear nothing of what's happened since then.
Why are they not boasting their continued success since then? Or am I missing something?
Once upon a time....
/lol
Good One Bill
Ha ha ha
If Ya Ain't Dyin, Ya Ain't Tryin
What makes you think they are doing well?
They had an initial surge of revenues when they made the change (and revenues are not profits), but we hear nothing of what's happened since then.
Why are they not boasting their continued success since then? Or am I missing something?
Do they need to continue to boast of their success if it levels off and keeps the game running and in better shape financially than before? IE: "Hey guys, since we switched to F2P, we're still doing just as awesome as we were when we first told you about going F2P." There doesn't necessarily need to be growth past the initial surge they experience when going F2P to remain successful.
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
No company that switches it's game from P2P to F2P was doing awesome.
FACT!
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
CS Lewis
Sorry! What I mean is, do they really need to keep us updated that their INITIAL success is still sitting at about the same rate since they first announced their surge from F2P?
That's what I'm getting at here. Judging by the content many keep putting out and the many folks that seem to still enjoy titles like DDO and LotRO (though there are plenty who loathe the Freemium versions), they can't really be doing that badly, can they?
Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.
My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.
Well, that initial revenues boost is like a grand opening sale. Of course they had that. But absolutely no comments from any of them since then doesn't inspire confidence enough to say they are doing well.
Have they lost accounts since because of going FtP? Once people who were willing to buy stuff bought, did they continue to buy more? There are questions that no one seems to be willing to ask, yet the perception that they are continuing to do well seems to willingly continue. Why?
Once upon a time....
To be honest , zillions of this "F2P is great" , "F2P is wiining" , "F2P is future" , etc is making me wanna vomit.
Yeah sorry for beign so blunt about it , but that's true. I cannot nowadays open a browser on any mmo related page to don't see f2p this , f2p that talk.
Sorry but that's really starting to get tiring and I am closer and closer everyday to just stop visiting. Same with caring about mmorpg games tbh.
Seems , my type of player is not needed anymore. Well no hard feelings , it's business after all.
Erm or not actually I am emotionally invested in mmorpg gaming even though I am not playing for almost half a year (not playing f2p games anymore and p2p games are too simple , too streamlined , and put cash shops as well) , so I really hope f2p / freemium and all models that include buying in-game items , buffs ,skills ,etc for real money will do worse in long run that it is predicted.
I am also too old to turn to indie productions , and mainstream productions carry above things that I won't agree to.
Seems just market don't offer nothing to me anymore.
I just advise for people that have similar insight like me. if you cannot cope with gear treadmill games with f2p / freemium or p2p + cs models , really save yourself a time and just leave mmorpg gaming.
I just realized how much time I was and I am still (hopefully I will be able to stay out) wasting hanging around , reading those pages hoping for some game that will "save" mmorpg genre. No big budget game want to provide this anymore.
So I will quote some well known drawed character and I will rant towards game investors and developers and say
"screw you guys I am going home".
I agree with that but I can't think of a case (in my opinion) where a game improved by a large amount thanks to F2P. Even if it did it's still P2W and alot of the game development is based around the cash shop and squeezing more blood out of a stone. P2P with a cash shop is just wrong as you're paying a sub for them to develop based around a cash shop which they sell back to you again.
Financialy DDO is doing much better and from what I've heard development improved but it does fall under the shite game category (it didn't go F2P because it was so good). As for LotRO I thought they had a decent playerbase already, didn't they? When everyone found out it wasn't worth a life time sub I guess they had to find another way to fleece people and you can hardly remove subs after selling a life time sub for $200 was it?
In short they maybe doing well profit margin wise but it's all a bit dirty and the games weren't up to scratch in the first place. Even if they were it sucks that your sub funded a cash shop which you now need to compete!
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
CS Lewis
Well LOTRO is boasting (according to massivly) that f2p trippled their revenue.
http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/06/turbine-lotro-revenue-tripled-since-going-f2p/
go figure
Tell someone it is free and they cannot resist.
SO:
Free Corvette Stingray!!!
With each $150,000 Donation to Wahala99 Subscription fund.
Esited for spelling error
If Ya Ain't Dyin, Ya Ain't Tryin
Yeah but what was thier revenue before going F2P? Also a title goes F2P they almost always cut back on staff which has the effect of widening the profit margin. Did it triple the playerbase also? I'm sure they'll give figures to show a rocketing population but what do the vets who still play say?
It's all smoke and mirrors and selling snake oil in my opinion.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
CS Lewis
No such thing as free to play. Not if you want to stay on equal playing field as the rest of the server. Youspend more in a week playing a F2P game than you would with a 3 month sub where everyone is on equal terms. I dont see why F2P games are becoming so popular. They are 90% of the time they are nothing more than trashy beefed up console rpgs made into mmo's/ And arent worth a dime. I stay far away from F2P games.
On a side note many F2P games offer boxes with a "CHANCE" to get a a good item or 99 crap items. This is no more than gambeling, and for some they cant control the urge to spend 100$ a week or more just so they can have that cool mount or some other junk.
My opinion, dont care if you agree. Wont change my mind.