No plans for micotransactions..

[Castanica]

Along with the July version update, we implement the Mog Wardrobe 3 & 4 optional service. I would like to let you know that this does not mean that the plan for FFXI moving forward is to go the microtransaction route, so please rest assured this is not the case.

I know many players like this, but to me this is a very sad statement. This shows that they have no intention of trying to make this game more profitable, that the game will never now move beyond the small and extremely shallow updates it is getting.

This game will never grow in terms of playerbase, the only chance it had was to make more money from the players it has via optional items. I was hoping this new $2=4 service would usher in some kind of store to sell cosmetics and other services, it seems that will not happen and now the small hope that they would ratchet up the content additions is gone.

You'll never have to pay more more items, you'll also never get anymore worthwhile updates ever again. The content you will be doing next year will be the same content you're doing right now, you'll just have a different mount to do it with.

It's just sad to me that there are so many games with much smaller populations than ffxi, running and making good profits, getting far bigger updates and we have to endure mediocrity.

[Sirmarki]

This game will never grow in terms of playerbase.

Of course not, its not advertised, nor marketed anymore... Companies spend millions advertising products to draw people in, if they are not advertising it then there will be no fresh player base.

With regard to updates, SE have already stated that there are to be no more major content updates.

[Elexia]

And what they actually meant was there will be no more expansion like updates. Unless of course XIV continues down its destructive path then, I guarantee XI will see the spotlight again because largely it's already the better MMO, it just hasn't had a foundation update in the 14 years it's been running.

[OmnysValefor]

It depends on where they go with microtransactions.

I have no problems with $5 to change your character model. Virtually everyone is surprised that was never a thing.

Name change, it can be done but it's not easy and it's expensive.

Server transfer, I have np with there being a fee for this except *right now*, I believe SE bears some responsibility to maintain decently healthy populations. If they'd done this earlier, a lot of transfers to Asura wouldn't have happened and the balance would be more level. So either give us a free-transfer campaign, or merges or say like "Your server will be shutting down in two weeks, you can go anywhere you like for free.", and if you don't pick it just puts you on a healthier server.

Obviously, I've made my opinion known about gameplay-related enhancements (even QoL). This doesn't need to transform into that conversation.

[Catmato]

I wish they'd go free to play and use what they learned with login points as cash shop items. Pay to win? Maybe, but at least there would be people to play with.

[Spectreman]

I wish they'd go free to play and use what they learned with login points as cash shop items. Pay to win? Maybe, but at least there would be people to play with.

If want want a pay to win game and is cheap enough to not transfer to a populated server, like Asura then you dont have ANY idea how expensive a P2W game is.

[Seiowan]

If want want a pay to win game and is cheap enough to not transfer to a populated server, like Asura then you dont have ANY idea how expensive a P2W game is.Oh, come now. Everyone knows Pay-to-win is really cheap... as long as you don't mind wallowing in mediocrity. If you actually want to get anywhere, you need Bill Gate's bank account, but hey, at least it's free right!?

[Catmato]

If want want a pay to win game and is cheap enough to not transfer to a populated server, like Asura then you dont have ANY idea how expensive a P2W game is.

No matter how populated Asura is, it won't bring back people who refuse to pay $12.95 for a 14 year old game with minimal updates.

[Stompa]

I know many players like this, but to me this is a very sad statement. This shows that they have no intention of trying to make this game more profitable, that the game will never now move beyond the small and extremely shallow updates it is getting.

This game will never grow in terms of playerbase, the only chance it had was to make more money from the players it has via optional items. I was hoping this new $2=4 service would usher in some kind of store to sell cosmetics and other services, it seems that will not happen and now the small hope that they would ratchet up the content additions is gone.

You'll never have to pay more more items, you'll also never get anymore worthwhile updates ever again. The content you will be doing next year will be the same content you're doing right now, you'll just have a different mount to do it with.

It's just sad to me that there are so many games with much smaller populations than ffxi, running and making good profits, getting far bigger updates and we have to endure mediocrity.

During the time last year, when the press-conference was held, and FFXI Fans around the world were very upset because it seemed like our beloved game was going to be taken offline, there was a flurry of these threads saying "The game is dead! Only a Cash Shop can save it!"

I believe that those threads were written by one or two people. The threads lacked any real grasp of marketplaces or the concept of unique and novel projects, which fall outside conventional brackets.

And so, anyway, SE later informed us that the game will be around for many years and "we hope to see your smiling faces in the future." FFXI Fans around the world cheered, danced, lit fireworks. I personally wept with joy, as I learned the news.

However this great news has not stopped these threads from appearing, with the same "Cash Shop or death" memes, which remind me of hostage-taking ransom demands. The fact that the game is still online, with a healthy subscription base, and thousands of happy FFXI Fans, has obviously gone unnoticed by some.


and we have to endure mediocrity.

FFXI is not mediocre, in any way. FFXI is the greatest computergame in the history of the human race. I would be happy to write out another essay explaining why this is, along with references from my own computergaming history, which started when I built a kit-computer in 1981 and wrote my own machine-code Cricket Game. I have been playing computergames daily for 35 years, and FFXI is the greatest computergame in the world.

I have taken onboard the slurs by Haters who have insulted FFXI since 2002, that small but vocal minority, I listened to them because I am a respectful person who believes in free speech. But they are wrong, because FFXI is the greatest computergame of all time.

The other sad fact is that these "Cash shop or dead game" threads, always come alongside "there's no new content and that's why the game sucks." This is a contradiction of enormous proportions. If you have actually beaten all the existing content, and have built your Empys etc. then you wouldn't have any use for a Pay-To-Win cash shop. The only reason you would need to buy stuff in a Cash Shop, is because you have been unable to challenge the game using the existing stratified-attainment system, you have failed to win, you have not beaten the existing content - so the calls for endless new content is contradictory.

Again, I am a FFXI Fan, until I die. The backbone of FFXI is the "stratified attainment system" which challenges players to go adventuring and obtain hard-to-get gear. This is the most addictive and enjoyable part of being a Gamer. A real challenge, with no short cuts. This is also why FFXI has been online for so long, because real Gamers love a challenge. A Pay-to-win cash shop would instantly kill this righteous challenge system, along with the subscriptions of loads of real Gamers.

I'm playing FFXI today, and enjoying every moment. It is the greatest computergame of all time. I'm happy paying the current subscription, and I would actually pay higher subs if it kept Vana'diel online. Because I love FFXI, forever.
:cool:

[Immortta]

Nice post Stompa :)

[Eaglestrike]

Honestly they should just let you buy gil in-game, remove what's left of the chinese gil farming and generate additional revenue. Since I merc I know there are people that buy gil (not all my customers do, in fact I don't think most of them do, but some...almost certainly do...) and I'd rather this be additional revenue for SE than to an outside company.

The biggest issue with this happening is the inflation would be nuts, so I'm not sure how to deal with that.

[Eaglestrike]

Also, are there any free to play MMO's that are actually good? I don't know of a single MMO considered "good" by the community that is free to play. Last I checked MMO ranking went:

1) WoW
2) FFXIV
3) Eve (if you're weird and into that style of game)
4) ???
5) No profit

Obviously FFXI is there, and best I can find only like 20k actual EVE players exist so we're a good bit above that. But I haven't heard good things about LOTRO, Rift, Aion, ESO, Star Wars, Star Trek, Wildstar, etc. in forever and ever after they've gone F2P. Guild Wars 2 and Lineage might be the most successful MMO's to compete with FFXI for 3rd place. Don't feel like looking up their numbers.

But yeah...F2P games are basically all dead and the cash shop just lets them pay for a few devs. Major thing is those games were made for the PC, so it's a lot easier to generate new content for them, when it isn't for FFXI. As well they're trying for monthly events/updates in FFXI, where you might get only like two a year in those f2p games. So there's a major difference in how the games are being developed.

[vienne]

Also, are there any free to play MMO's that are actually good? I don't know of a single MMO considered "good" by the community that is free to play. Last I checked MMO ranking went:

1) WoW
2) FFXIV
3) Eve (if you're weird and into that style of game)
4) ???
5) No profit

Obviously FFXI is there, and best I can find only like 20k actual EVE players exist so we're a good bit above that. But I haven't heard good things about LOTRO, Rift, Aion, ESO, Star Wars, Star Trek, Wildstar, etc. in forever and ever after they've gone F2P. Guild Wars 2 and Lineage might be the most successful MMO's to compete with FFXI for 3rd place. Don't feel like looking up their numbers.

But yeah...F2P games are basically all dead and the cash shop just lets them pay for a few devs. Major thing is those games were made for the PC, so it's a lot easier to generate new content for them, when it isn't for FFXI. As well they're trying for monthly events/updates in FFXI, where you might get only like two a year in those f2p games. So there's a major difference in how the games are being developed.

In EVE you buy game time with in game currency (PLEX) or real life money. I'll note that aquiring enough of this in game currency as a beginning or casual player to be able to fund for game time is very difficult. The majority of EVE players buy PLEX with rl money, PLEX can be sold on the AH so they can also invest in more ships to get blown up. Most people, like in FFXI, have multiple accounts or buy multiple PLEX a month to finance the fact that they suck at playing EVE :D
I'd say EVE's monetary system is very well thought of. Around 40k weirdos were playing it in 2015 iirc.

[Deirdre]

For what it's worth, I've met a few people that play ESO and Aion off and on, but not many. What about Everquest, anyone have any numbers on how many people actually play that one still? It's sub based right?

[Castanica]

Also, are there any free to play MMO's that are actually good? I don't know of a single MMO considered "good" by the community that is free to play. Last I checked MMO ranking went:

1) WoW
2) FFXIV
3) Eve (if you're weird and into that style of game)
4) ???
5) No profit

Obviously FFXI is there, and best I can find only like 20k actual EVE players exist so we're a good bit above that. But I haven't heard good things about LOTRO, Rift, Aion, ESO, Star Wars, Star Trek, Wildstar, etc. in forever and ever after they've gone F2P. Guild Wars 2 and Lineage might be the most successful MMO's to compete with FFXI for 3rd place. Don't feel like looking up their numbers.

But yeah...F2P games are basically all dead and the cash shop just lets them pay for a few devs. Major thing is those games were made for the PC, so it's a lot easier to generate new content for them, when it isn't for FFXI. As well they're trying for monthly events/updates in FFXI, where you might get only like two a year in those f2p games. So there's a major difference in how the games are being developed.

Every mmo is good to someone, or they would not be playing them.

How do you classify good? Number of active players? if so wow is better than ffxi, ffxiv, tera, eso, swtor and a few others combined.

[Eaglestrike]

Every mmo is good to someone, or they would not be playing them.

How do you classify good? Number of active players? if so wow is better than ffxi, ffxiv, tera, eso, swtor and a few others combined.

And in many, many ways it is. I played it for years over FFXI and do not regret doing so. I just now prefer horizontal over vertical progression so FFXIV/WoW/etc. are not for me. And when it comes to job balance and a well programmed game WoW absolutely destroys FFXI.

But yes, having enough income is pretty paramount to being a good game. I think the f2p models basically let a small group of people with fat wallets keep a game afloat, which means even less people are around in your "mmO", which kind of defeats a bit of the enjoyment of the whole thing.

[Diavolo]

For what it's worth, I've met a few people that play ESO and Aion off and on, but not many. What about Everquest, anyone have any numbers on how many people actually play that one still? It's sub based right?

EverQuest adopted a three tier system over four years ago: free to play, one-time fee and monthly fee.

[Castanica]

Just wanna point out that almost every f2p game offers an optional subscription, which many do choose to pay.

[Seiowan]

Also, are there any free to play MMO's that are actually good? I don't know of a single MMO considered "good" by the community that is free to play. Last I checked MMO ranking went:If you're talking true F2P, then probably none. Guild Wars 2 deserves an honourable mention though, since it doesn't have subscription fees and is actually a damned good game through and through.

[Zeldar]

Too bad "damn good game" doesnt always translate to a successful game . Turbografix 16 was a damn good system, but when I mention it to people my age (yes, I'm 40+ and owned one when I was about 16-17) most have never heard of it. Ys, Bonks Adventure, all the ripoffs that were the same game just renamed ( Street Fighter=Fighting Streets, lol)....some great games on a great system, but it wasn't all that successful. Sorry for the slightly off-topic post.