Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
When did it become OK to charge $30 - $50 for a month of premium in F2P?
Sogi-Ya
Member Posts: 53
I'm seeing F2P game after F2P game price gouge the fuck out of "premium services" and "boosters," sometimes for double or tripple the cost of what it would take for a monthly subscription to a P2P game .... when did this becoime ok to do?
I guess this is the victory lap F2P beating P2P or something: now that F2P has is clearly winning the battle VS P2P it dosen't have to keep competitive on comparable subscriptions pricing.
[mod edit]: the whole reason F2P took off was because it was more accessible and affordable than P2P, shit gets too bad people will just shift back in the other direction ... espacally if going B2P works out for TSW and western P2P holdouts realise that there are other options to stay competitive.
Comments
Which MMOs charge more than $20 for premium monthly service?
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Why on Earth would anyone ever even play a f2P mmo anyway. I guess I could see it if your 10 years old and dad will not give up his credit card, or a struggling collage student, all trying to play SOMETHING totally free for lack of funds.
But an mmo ?....How do you play with others ?....Eather there gimped or your gimped by not spending a penny. You paid for a package and all others don't have the same package as you !
Once a game goes F2P, I drop it forever:
- Vanguard was one of my best, but I never looked back once it went F2P.
- I never really gave LOTRO a real chance, I would love to now, but went F2P. I would not touch this game with a ten foot pole now.
There F2P for a reasion....To suck you dry, its a last dying effort that does not last long. We have a lot of free band wagon jumpers here just waiting for the next mmo to go F2P. They fill up a world for about a week and the world is empty again. As I say, I could understand collage kids or 10 year olds, but If your not in the completely no money category and THINK YOUR GONNA GET SOMETHING GOOD FOR ALMOST NOTHING YOUR NOT LEARNING A LESSON FROM ALL F2P GAMES.
How long will this cycle of thinking last before people stop bashing there heads messing around with F2P ?
Fallen Earth's "Commander" monthly is $29.99/mo.
Shouldnt have cried about a 15$ a month or 50 cents a day sub lol. Now you are stuck with outrageous f2p cash shops which more go pay to win lol.
It became ok when people (aka idiots) started paying those prices. What was reasonable, now becomes ridiculous, and when that happens, it is time to find new hobby or become an idiot yourself.
It is the same thing that happened with p2p. When games first came out, people demo'd, and were careful not to pay for games that weren't worth the money. Today, no more demos, people pay to beta, the idiots will pre-order in the millions months (years?) before the game has a release date. Some morons even totally give up their voices by buying lifetime subscriptions...
If you were a developer, what would you do? You mostly likely would chase the cash. If idiots are willing to pay $25 dollars for skins, why would you charge $3?
Because a game mechanics shouldnt be based on how deep someones pocket is. Everyone should be on equal grounds and not be neglected items because they have to buy them. Your f2p model isnt so free. And a sub game everyone has the chance to gain the same items not be forced into renting mounts, clothing, bags, etc.
My personal feelings anyways.
Granted many of you dont pay a dime, i wont call you freeloaders because that disrespectful.
But on average think what you get for 15/month:
make or earn mounts, bags, inventory, armor, weapons, etc
housing and player crafting, no need to pay cash for items that are made in game
no charges for armor and weapon upgrades
full content, no paid dungeons or missions
no dlc's that charge a lot and give less
pets are free or can tame or earn thru missions
unlimited content, dungeons, etc.......
Now your major f2p games with people that do pay
5-15$ for a bag (2-4 bags needed)
15-30$ for a mount ( and some games are rentals for 14-30 days, sad)
5-20$ for a pet
5-20$ for day, week, or monthly boosters for xp/coin/etc
5-20$ for class or race unlocks
5-20$ for dungeon unlocks
and so much more.
Seems every month f2p come out with content, good! But its normaly based around their market and not good content for exploring, leveling, etc.
YES.. IF you are new to a F2P game, expect to pay a premium the first few months of unlocking everything you want.. Instead look at how much games cost you PER YEAR to get a more accurate comparison.. Most sub based games like WoW will cost you the initial game purchase of $50ish or more depending if there are previous expansions to buy as well.. then $15 a month.. Take me for example as a very casual player.. I bought GW2 and have one maxed level toon and have yet to BUY anything from the store.. I'm sure some day I"ll get around to unlocking more character slots and inventory slots, etc etc.. But at the rate of my content consumption, I can not justify paying $180 a year for a sub based game..
I suppose it's a lucrative business strategy. I mean, think about it.
You make a f2p browser MMO. Make it a sandbox and all you have to do is put up a few building blocks. Create a handfull of race choices (humans, elves, beasts), create a few skill choices. Throw in some weapons and spells. Add in a few building materials (rocks, trees, etc) and let players create the world. You don't have to create quests or dialogue or even a storyline. And then charge fees for actual game content that is optional. After all, Susie doesn't need access to dungeons if all she really wants to do is farm cabbages and squash.
It is a free world. You always have the option of playing part of the game for free. If it is not "ok" for you, don't buy it.
What is really funny is that I'm now paying FAR LESS than I would have to play more games than I would have if I had a sub to them all.
Big reason for this. I do not feel the need to open my wallet at every shiney new PoC the cash shop puts out.
I do support the games that I like
LOTRO has recieved the most of my cash as f2p, however I've played since launch and I'm now paying far less per month than I would have if it did not go f2p.
After that it is the Kingsisle games (Pirate and Wizards 101) becuase I have a LARGE batch of crowns that I divide out between 3 people. For the ammount of time my family (as a whole) has played these games we have saved a considerable chunk of change by not subbing.
STO is last on the list. I think I have spent $20 since f2p. GEE sure is costing me more than a sub since f2p launch.
I understand that self control is a problem. That is a reason why I laugh heartily when people complain about money problems just after they tell me they are spending hundreds of dollars a day on various items.
--> http://www.swtor.com/r/nBndbs <--
Several Unlocks and a few days game time to make the F2P considerably easier
i do not understand your mentality..you dropped vanguard when it went f2p..thats just cutting your nose off to spite your face.the one thing VG needed was an influx of players..which some have now subbed.i get the idea you dont like the shop but to drop the game beggars belief.i logged into VG the other day and could'nt believe how many were playing..so much so i subbed for 3 months myself..i never worry about what other people do per say .what i mean by that is if they want to buy out of the shop then sobeit.good for the game.lotro has flourished and has an amzing community on my server.even the dreaded SWTOR is doing good..i fail to see what the problem is.and in any case at this rate you will run out of games to play.because most or all are adopting this feature now.cost me £16 for a 3 month sub btw to Vanguard..i have never ever seen a sub offer that cheap for VG even when it had next to no players..now its bouncing with them.thats probably why a lot have subbed
p.s you mention that these games suck you dry..to give you an example of how wrong you are..lotro riders of rohan cost £30-£40 in the UK..i got it for nothing in the store..just by using turbine points..you know sometimes things like this go in your favour.
Agree^^^
You can spend a lot of cash on ftp,but do you really need to?You also need to figure in that once you spend for unlocks up front,the rest is gravy after that.You may spend 30-50 bucks or so for unlocks at the beginning,but it's basically free after that,if you keep the wallet shut.
Some day I'm going to put a sword through your eye and out the back of your skull!
Arya Stark
Lol you left Vanguard after it went free to play? I'm sorry, but I think you missed out on some of the better times in Telon. The world was populated and you could actually get a group to run some of the best dungeons in MMOs.
What was your reasoning for leaving again?
Most MMO players don't pay. It is well known that a few whales pay through the roof. Actually i am quite appreciative of that .. because these whales subsidize my games.
To get the same out of a f2p as a pay to play you are spending a great deal more than that $15 a month.
Lets look at SWTOR, probably the worste example but... lets use it anyways.
As a free to play player in SWTOR it's first going to cost you $100-$180 off the rip to unlock everything. Then it's going to cost you an additional $56 a month to get access to everything lol.
"You have to pay for four different passes to unlock four of the game's five content avenues (all but the story) and each weekly pass is 240 cartel coins. As each cartel coin costs a little over 0.727 cents USD each, 240 per pass, four passes per character, two characters, four passes a month = 7680CC, or $55.84.
Now obviously, no sane person is going to actually pay $56 a month for SWTOR. They're going to pay the $15 subscription fee, or they're not going to pay at all. Which makes one thing very painfully obvious: SWTOR's F2P isn't meant to be a free-to-play MMORPG; it's meant to be an excessively contrived demo to get people to sign up for subscriptions."
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/183525/the_burning_of_star_wars_the_old_.php
And this is a concern for me. MMOs have become bite sized morsels. Players pop in when there's something new, eat it up like locusts and then move onto the next crop (MMO). F2P I think exasperates the problem because it doesn't encourage loyalty. It only encourages people to play when new content is added.
I like to believe with subs, the devs try to create a game that encourages people to stay month to month, developing long term goals.
Commander is a VIP tier with three other tiers below it:
http://fallenearth.gamersfirst.com/2011/09/free2play-details-and-more.html
A far cry from the OP's claim:
"I'm seeing F2P game after F2P game price gouge the fuck out of "premium services" and "boosters," sometimes for double or tripple the cost of what it would take for a monthly subscription to a P2P game"
You're really going to pitch that level of choice as a bad thing or as price gouging? Some of you will go to some serious lengths to hate on F2P.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
good grief I don't know any games that charge that for a premium. That is why god gave us a brain, so we can go man I being nickled and dimed to death. If I see a game like that its time to move on.
I'm starting to think the ones that complain about how costly F2P is are the ones with serious self control problems.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I see it more of a "I'm now an adult, I have kids, I do not have the time to spend on 2+ mmo's"
Now however I can visit LOTRO as I see fit, without spending a sub
I can now Visit SWTOR whenever I want without a Sub.
I can now Visit Fallen earth without....
You get the picture
I have roughly 4 different types of MMO's that I play based on my mood, however I'm not going to spend $60 a month on the off chance that I want to play one of those during the time that I can actually play.
Now howeve I will support a game I like by purchasing credits, even if I do not use them right away. I build them up for when cool expansion stuff comes out, kind of like banking them for later. LOTRO is exactly that way for me.
It may not be a monthly sub, but obviously people like me are keeping Turbine in business.
--> http://www.swtor.com/r/nBndbs <--
Several Unlocks and a few days game time to make the F2P considerably easier
To answer your question, it became ok the first time a player decided it was worth it to spend that much a month.
It will continue to be ok as long as that player, and others like them, continue to spend that much a month.
A creative person is motivated by the desire to achieve, not the desire to beat others.
You're using the worst ftp model there is and you're assuming everyone wan't access to everything.How about looking at EQ2 that gives you the game up to lvl 90 I believe for free.Once you buy the races and classes you want,plus bag unlocks you're set.You can play to 90 with mastercrafted gear and the spells you have.So you won't need to spend anything else until end game.
Pretty sweet deal to me.Pretty sure EQ1 and Vanguard are close to this.
When you only buy what you actually need ftp is much cheaper,even with SWTOR's model.Why unlock things you don't need?If you need everything then sub.
Some day I'm going to put a sword through your eye and out the back of your skull!
Arya Stark