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[Column] Elder Scrolls Online: Six-Month Sub Disappears & Those F2P Rumors
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Recently, some players of The Elder Scrolls Online noticed that Zenimax had quietly removed the option to subscribe for six months at a time. Given the game’s somewhat rocky start and time spent since release revamping the game, as well as the upcoming console versions, naturally, the whispers began to swirl. Was the removal of the six-month option an indicator that the game would go free to play or even become a buy to play game?
Read more of Christina Gonzalez's Elder Scrolls Online: Six-Month Sub Disappears & Those F2P Rumors.
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I don't buy that. It might not be F2P related, but removing a subscription option just because many people prefer shorter subscriptions (which i would think is not unique to ESO, but should apply generally and therefore be general knowledge amongst developers)?
Doesn't make sense, unless there is some heavy overhead coming with each different subscription option and *really* few people use the 180 day option, so it's overall extremely inefficent.
But why would there be such overhead? Especially once the process itself is established.
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And then I'll rise with the tide with a lust for life, I'll
Amass an army, and we'll harness a horde
And then we'll limp across the land until we stand at the shore
I knew it was Christina.
Fact Check -
Update 6, which is hitting the PTS and expected to go live this month, will bring a series of changes, including the Justice system, Champion system, and Provisioning overhaul. False. Update 6 is expected to hit PTS this month. It's expected to go live next month.
A recent report confirmed by Square-Enix puts the company’s combined number of console players at under a million combined across three games, but there’s profit happening. Inaccurate. The report confirms under a million across all platforms for all 3 games combined.
Final Fantasy XIV on PS4 doesn’t carry PSN fees. Players simply buy the game and pay a subscription. It’s unclear whether a similar arrangement would be in place for ESO when it launches on PS4 or Xbox One. Partial Truth. It's been confirmed for quite some time that PS4 membership will not be required. Players will be able to buy ESO and only pay the sub.
@NathanaelMoner Q- Will playing online with The Elder Scrolls Online have a separate subscription compared to PlayStation Plus?
A- A PlayStation Plus membership is not required to play The Elder Scrolls Online. PS4 players will only be required to pay the same monthly subscription associated with The Elder Scrolls Online that PC and Mac users will pay — nothing more.
This was my exact thought.
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I could definitely see a Destiny-style model working here. Sony is really pushing for publishers to help with their onboarding of PS Plus members. So if Zenimax were to do something like PS+ is required for play, I'm sure Sony would be happy campers. In addition to that, doing quarterly, $15 or $20 content updates a la Destiny wouldn't be offensive. Actually, if they were to go that route, then I might even be persuaded to re-buy it on console.
The only problem with doing that is how to accomplish it without PC players getting their noses out of joint about it. So this could be where a hybrid model might come in handy for PC players.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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It makes perfect sense if they want to generate more revenue. What is the easiest way to generate more revenue without doing much work? Eliminate the 180 day option that saves the customer about 9%. I bet there would be little lost in subs from this move and that the 180 day subscribers simple move to the shorter term subs. This move puts more money into the company's coffers. It's a business move and makes total sense. I don't see this as any step toward B2P or F2P.
This is my bet too. It becomes pretty obvious when you go to renew your sub, seeing the biggest discount is 1$ for a 3 month purchase...
for those interested in the discussion about when the console version might launch - based on what Zenimax said in Dec. - there is a thread in the ESO forum. This discussion was prior to the news that the 6 month sub option had been removed.
The assumption that the PC version is doing well because money is being spent on the game - tenuous. It might be but I think there is a simpler reason: Zenimax invested 7 years of development based on revenue projections from PC and console sales of which console sales were far away the biggest element. Set against this another year or so is not that huge when you are still chasing those millions of console sales.
To maximise sales however Zenimax need to:
good catch.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
The way you write the article you make it sound like SE has said there are around 1million console subs for their mmos, but the financial report says just "nearly 1,000,000 paying subscribers all together". It doesn't specify how many of these are console subs.
You also present no evidence for your assertion that "the more traditional mmos that have succeeded [on console] have been subscription games".
I like the screen shots though.
have played TESO now 4 day and got mix feels. last time played at lauch time and canceled sub after 2 week play.
Game really dont feel mmorpg, UI is horrible, no mini map (tryed mini map addon but its crashed a lot)., cant see damage taken or done without addons, quest tracker awfull, crafting..meh.
Will play if game turn F2P, wont pay sub for current quality.
but then it would become a dull no real content update game just like GW2. 2 years and what content dose GW2 have to show for it, No new races classes or permanent lands just some weak temporary living story? You want a game that basically coasts along making minor changes now and then then yes B2P can work. You want Frequent changes, and devs actively working on major steps to improve the game then your gonna have to pay with for it in some form more then GW2's cash shop. Just my 2 cents
Once you have a cash shop its only a matter a time before a MMO becomes pay-to-win. If I am wrong name the game that started with only cosmetic items and that's all they had a year later.
These days they usually start with XP potions and other gameplay altering items and they never get better only worse.
Except of course the other buy to play game the secret world gets regular DLCs and GW2 has had more updates than World of Warcraft got in the year prior to the release of WOD and also there are rumors of a GW2 expansion coming this year .
I would say TESO is perfect for a buy to play format . I have no doubt at all that Zenimax are intending on changing the business model sometime this year . I hope its buy to play and not free to play .
Doesn't follow.
Updates - paid updates - are implicit in the traditional B2P business model. With GW2 NCSoft released a hybrid - B2P + cash shop. However GW1 is an example; Destiny - whether you call it an mmo or not; single player / online co-op games like BattleField, CoD, Assassin's Creed, Halo; The Sims, Crusader Kings 2 ...most titles in fact.
Ok, now try to make the argument that XP potions are P2W. P2Advance? Sure. P2W? No. Unless there are people out there who jump up and down yelling, "I won!" when they reach max level in an MMO.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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Nope not gonna go down that road for the millionth time. If you do not agree by now, you never will.
That being said if XP pots are made by craters in a system that has no $$ to gold conversion, they are fine. Put them in a cash shop, you change the entire direction of a games development. The developer is now encourage to slow progression in order to make more money.
Best ESO could hope for after going BTP could be to become some kind of GW2, essentially FTP with stagnant or veeery slow development and all these sexy features that naturally go with FTPness. I hope they won´t do that, in fact I see it as extremely unlikely after all the effort they put - and keep on putting - in the game so far.
Speaking of 6 months sub, I´ll just quote myself from Tamriel Foundry:
´ ...removing 6 months sub option is simply giving developers the OPTIONS to either go BTP, BTP/sub mix or to just keep subs on consoles, and nothing more than that. They can easily sell millions of new copies by BTP or even BTP/sub switch, and it is certainly very tempting to work on with such possibility.
Probably not even ZOS knows what exactly will be ESO´s model on consoles. I guess they´ll just keep on with polishing their little beta test while carefully measuring the market data during next half a year. I´d say that ESO is strong enough – and growing stronger – to go full sub on consoles. They have enough content and quality to make enough people stick to it and, in the long run, earn much more than they would by BTPing. ´
B2P like GW2 has failed according to some internal reports over at NCsoft... I dont think any game will go that direction any time soon...
the future is subscription, which makes the most money, while in the future F2p will be nothing more then an extended trial that tries to trick you intoo subscribing to make money.... this is and will be the system used to give games a 2nd chance and a new start...
i dont think ESO will require a f2p 2nd chance, they have a comsole release comming up, which has allways been aimed to as the games real money maker.. So far the PC release has been the paid beta for this game..
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Is it pay to win or jealousy to losers?
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Facts or go home.
I don't see how a company like NCSoft would keep investing in a product that has failed. They have the name of a company that slashes underperforming games without much second thought. Gw2 already payed out for itself. Makes no sense for them to keep it if it truly has failed.
Oh wait. You pulled that argument out of your ass. Oh snap...forgot this is the internet. People tend to do that a lot. Move on...