Should FFXIV go permanently F2P ?

[RogueDK]

Ok, I know I'm sort of /poking a slumbering drake with this topic, but imo, it just might save the game - If done the right way. Heres what I suggest:

1) Final Fantasy XIV goes completely Free To Play. So not a trial-setup. No "you can only level up to rank/level 20, and then you will have to pay each month. Free.

2) Like most other F2P games an ingame store is added where people can buy stuff for real money. This store has to be fully stocked with eye-candy, and fluff - like new special armors only available this way, or new emote motions. Also adding in "convenience-items" like special high potions and single-use XP-booters. (Empress Band anyone?)

3) Items added to store must never ever feel like they are a necessity. Above mentioned armor must have a free equivalent. What people would pay for would be cosmetic only. The potion has to have a looong cooldown. Something you'd only use once and awhile. XP-booster should also have a hefty time cooldown. So no "forcing" players into buying anything. If someone rejects another player from joining a party, because they lack something only purchasable from the store, the concept has failed.

4) Prices at the store must be kept at a level where everybody feel they can afford to spend money. Make stuff too expensive in there and no one will buy anything. "A bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush..."

Now... Would you support this idea? Would SE make money this way? Possibly even attract new players?
What do you guys (and gals) think?



{/hurray for me first post - sorry it had to be said. ^.^;}

[SydeBeheln]

SE would never do this.
They are a company, and like any company they need more than a cash shop to supply their demands.
On top of that, I believe I read an interview with a developer on either FFXI, or FFXIV about having F2P games. They said morally Final Fantasy is not about the ability to purchase items with real money, but to work for it like a game should be.

[Atoli]

No, just no.
I've played many F2P games and some P2P, so I think I can say I have some experience on both.

1. F2P games usually gain less money than P2P. Sure, most of the time it's enough to keep the game going for a few years, but often the playing experience is way worse than in P2P games because they can only afford minimal staff so there are few and bad events, boring expansions, etc.

2. To even gain any money at all, F2P games NEED to make Cash Shop items needed.
"Oh great, I can buy myself a LP potion for 3$ which heals 20 LP while I get one that heals 50 LP for 500 Gil ingame. I'll totally buy it, although it's less useful than the ingame one."
Nope, nobody is gonna do that.
It's different if the cash shop item heals your LP by 2000..but in that case, you would be REQUIRED to buy it for certain bosses, which would lead to the game being extremely cash shop dependant, and that's just not fun at all and horrible..

3. I've played a game where you really didn't need cash shop items, it was F2P AND it even had all the great expansions, events every week, etc.
It was fun, I loved it, I still love it, in my opinion it was the best game ever made and I would never have quit it, but the reason I'm playing FFXIV right now instead of that game is because it had to be shut down because the company was actually PAYING for it instead of gaining money for it.
I'd rather NOT see FFXIV go down that path...

So P2P is fine by me.
(It also helps keeping annoying little children away who can't pay for it..in many F2P games the average age is 13, while in FFXIV it's 18+.)

[Lienn]

F2P = bad. In every single aspect.

Actually i'd rather SE already being charging subscription fees so they would be able to put much more manpower here to speed up things.

[ienmity]

I'll play either way, but I seriously doubt SE is hurting for money, probably why its been F2P all this time while they get it up to par. As far as SE never going F2P, they recently bought Wakfu from Ankama, it's a pretty fun flash turned based mmorpg. I've played both, and F2P and P2P have both let me down, nothing lasts more than a few months before its repetitive. The best mmo i've ever played is FFXI (pre-abyssia) hands down. I'm excited to see FFXIV molded to something of the likes of it, and the patch notes for 1.19 look to be promising.

[Atoli]

But that would lead to most players quitting because they don't see why they should pay for a broken game, and they are kind of right.
Charging fees NOW of all times when the game is just starting to get better could break it's neck.

A "donate" option would be nice though, so we can support the process if we want to

[Zemeckis]

I see no problem with it going F2P i mean hell guild wars did fine with it right?

[SydeBeheln]

I see no problem with it going F2P i mean hell guild wars did fine with it right?

Come on now, we are talking about SE. =/

[Esk]

No - Please see all the other threads for responses/rants/constructive post.. that's for both sides the argument.

I'm against this as while we don't have a great community at times, all the F2P games I've tried have had much worse.
You generally just Pay to get the best, so little/no reward for putting in the and effort.
Content is generally more hollow then P2P games from my experience an better polished overall.
(I'm here cos it might have a FF story hidden somewhere lol)
All players are on a semi equal footing regardless of the RL income they have.

[Archadius]

Guild Wars is different, doesn't have "cash crap" stores. It's just B2P.

Can't say I like the idea of F2P for a couple reasons:
- I personally find that I am unable to commit to a game I'm not paying for (or intend to pay for)
- Cash stores in F2P games are always way OP and then it becomes a "have this paid item or gtfo" community