Please make FFXI f2p!

[Castanica]

So I read about the retiring of ffxi and the removal of the developers from the project.

Does this mean we will get a f2p model or at least a drastic lowering of the subscription?

A subscription pays for a game to be updated, that's the whole point of it. You pay for the developers wages to make new content right? That will be soon removed.

Now that FFXI will be PC only a f2p model will work really well, optional items for impatient players and various cosmetics would make the smaller playerbase this game has incredibly profitable.

To quote south park: Make the game about waiting (current FFXI) and let players pay not to wait (f2p money fountain). Look at a game like Warframe on steam, that game makes nearly $30 million a quarter currently, and it's not even a very complex game.

The old arguments against f2p are honestly done and dusted since the game will soon be put out to pasture, at this point they really need a f2p system or it simply won't be sustainable into 2016 and beyond.

Currently playing and posting due to the f2p 2 week thingy!

[vienne]

f2p, no thanks. A lower sub i'd support after november. Serverss need maintenance, they still need devs for bugs and tweaks, they need mods for these forum and GM's in game, they need to pay the cleaning lady that does the office too. I'm ok with paying for this basic service rather then paying in game for stupid cosmetics or to give people the ability to buy progression.

[Stompa]

A subscription pays for a game to be updated, that's the whole point of it. You pay for the developers wages to make new content right? That will be soon removed.

Not really true. I pay subs for a lot of games that never "change" in terms of updates, like online Chess groups and online Dice/Cards gambling groups. Games like Poker and Chess never get updated (not in thousands of years!) but people still pay to be members in some of those online groups.

We can agree that Chess and Poker are classic games. People love to play those games online, with strangers from around the world. Some of those groups are of course free, but there are also paid membership groups. The difference in free and paid groups for those games, is that the paid-membership Poker/Chess groups have glitch-free service which are moderated and controlled to preserve fairness and enthusiasm. The free versions are often a huge headache / trainwreck and less fun to be part of.

FFXI is also a classic game. It will remain a classic game after it stops being updated (ie. altered). We will still be playing a classic game online, with likeminded people from around the world. And so we should pay subs for that service.

I reject the notion that a game that has no updates is basically "dead" which is what has been said in a few threads. If it is a fun game, a classic game, then you can still enjoy playing it, even after the updates stop. It is only dead to you, if you as an individual stop enjoying it.

Also "no thanks" to the idea of cash shops / pay to progress etc. This game requires some patience, a lot of the best classic games require patience. Being in a hurry to finish things is not really what a good game is about. Playing the game by the rules, enjoying it and making progress using skill and perseverance, are what all classic games are about.

Why should we base a game's worth on how much it is updated. Surely we should base a game's worth on the core game itself, how much we enjoy the basic mechanisms of the game, the rule structures, storylines, atmosphere etc.

Currently FFXI is a huge explorable world, with hugely immersive content and very nice gear / battle / character-progress systems etc. After the updates end this year, FFXI will still remain this exact same huge world, with all those great features still intact. The only question is, do you enjoy playing FFXI?

I do, and since FFXI will still be available after the updates end, I will still enjoy playing it and I am happy to pay subs for the chance to enjoy this classic online game, even without updates.

[Castanica]

f2p, no thanks. A lower sub i'd support after november. Serverss need maintenance, they still need devs for bugs and tweaks, they need mods for these forum and GM's in game, they need to pay the cleaning lady that does the office too. I'm ok with paying for this basic service rather then paying in game for stupid cosmetics or to give people the ability to buy progression.

What do you have against f2p? You would prefer the game to die?

My guess is that you have never actually played a f2p game and have wild ideas of exactly what that entails.

[vienne]

What do you have against f2p? You would prefer the game to die?

My guess is that you have never actually played a f2p game and have wild ideas of exactly what that entails.

I have played GW2 (which yes its not totally f2p) Aion, Rift, I have a pretty good idea about what f2p is and i dont like the concept. This game will not die any slower with going f2p.

[Castanica]

I have played GW2 (which yes its not totally f2p) Aion, Rift, I have a pretty good idea about what f2p is and i dont like the concept. This game will not die any slower with going f2p.

F2p saved numerous games that would of otherwise died.

The funeral for FFXi has been given a date, quite why you would rather a game die than go f2p is beyond me.

[Ethereal]

Elder Scrolls Online went F2P and the community grew. The monthly fee was holding back people that were on the fence.

[vienne]

F2p saved numerous games that would of otherwise died.

The funeral for FFXi has been given a date, quite why you would rather a game die than go f2p is beyond me.

f2p has saved numerous young games with no loyal playerbase, while ffxi has 13 years on the counter. Which it wouldnt have if not for a loyal playerbase. You are speculating about the soon to be end of ffxi which is not for anytime soon. SE will not allow ffxi to go f2p as long more lemons can be squeezed. This topic has been brought up numerous times, never has any mod or dev given a reaction on this, your wish is highly unlikely. I did say i'm OK with a lower subscription fee after november.

[Isal]

I'd only see the need to reduce the price of the subscription fee after the final update. The only way I'd (personally) condone a F2P model is if the game play experience in the game remains exactly as it is on the current model if I continue to pay the same or reduced subscription fee every month. If I have to pay any more than that to get the same experience on the F2P model, then forget it. Any time I see an MMO switch to requiring microtransactions out the butt like the app games out there today (wanna keep playing? Just buy more <insert game's name for currency here>! The more you play, the more you pay!), I'm completely turned off. (I'm not referring to EXP/XP, I mean the literal experience of playing the game)

Given that Square Enix has plans for a native mobile client some time in 2016, I'd wager they have plans for the game's subscription model for the next 1-2 years at least, I wouldn't expect the "funeral" until then.

[Castanica]

f2p has saved numerous young games with no loyal playerbase, while ffxi has 13 years on the counter. Which it wouldnt have if not for a loyal playerbase. You are speculating about the soon to be end of ffxi which is not for anytime soon. SE will not allow ffxi to go f2p as long more lemons can be squeezed. This topic has been brought up numerous times, never has any mod or dev given a reaction on this, your wish is highly unlikely. I did say i'm OK with a lower subscription fee after november.

Go look up Everquest 1.

I would play this game and spend money if it was f2p, I won't pay a subscription for a game that gets no updates.

I'm playing it now, only because it's free.

As I said, the funeral date has been given. November.