Make FFXI Free to play!

[Volarione]

What I would give to port this onto tablet. I would easy pay $50 for the game I already own to be tablet usable.

[Zumi]

I think F2P is a cool idea, would actually prefer it. Although at this late in the game I doubt SE would ever consider it since even if they did go F2P they won't get new players.

[Kaisha]

I doubt F2P would make them much income for new folks trying FFXI out, due to how archaic everything is about its interface, macros, server latency, lack of plug-ins, etc. Better off just maintaining the current subscribers.

[Volarione]

I doubt F2P would make them much income for new folks trying FFXI out, due to how archaic everything is about its interface, macros, server latency, lack of plug-ins, etc. Better off just maintaining the current subscribers.

I like the macros.

[Elexia]

they won't get new players.

Yeah, people been saying this since CoP release.

[Runespider]

I came back to have a play around with how the game has changed lately and was amazed by the player loss since I was on last. This game is not going to last much longer the way it is, the player loss will soon simply reach critical numbers and when that happens it won't be profitable anymore, XIV is also going to cut large numbers away (even though it's horrible). Not even counting the fact that this game's players have almost all fully leveled everything now, this game needs new players desperately.

Free to play will bring in lots of new and old players, all filling up the zones and hungry to do all the content (who doesn't wanna goto dunes or wherever and see masses of players?), it will also make the game a lot more profitable and hopefully that will spur new interest in SE to keep the game properly updated.

Is F2P desired under normal conditions? No. Is it a huge boost to a floundering title? You bet it is, look at Rift and how full the zones are compared to before. Sometimes you have to be a realist and F2P is what this game needs to keep it breathing and fun. Will the game continue to run for years to come even with massive player losses? maybe, but will you still want to play such a stale, dead game?

FFXI is still a great game, but it needs more love from the developers and a lot more fresh players. A free to play hybrid (with an optional subscription for extra benefits) will bring in a lot more money and most importantly players, the money F2P players spend on cash shops is insane compared to the measily £12.99 a month most of us spend.

The people that are hardcore against f2p when the game is dying are like parents refusing a blood transfusion for their baby due to religious reasons, sometimes you just gotta stop being pig headed and see the reality of the situation and although you might not like it see that it's the best for the game.

[Makenshi]

I find a monthly fee is like a filter for all those 12 year olds. I tried Tera a while back after it went F2P and it was like being on x box live all over again.

[Mirage]

No, do not do this.

[Jaall]

I moved on from this game a while ago and now play Guild Wars because it's free to play, but if this game became free to play I wouldn't come back. I don't think it matters whether people have to pay or not, it's the direction the game's taken and the content that has driven people away, and although some might argue that it's not worth the subscription, the content isn't designed for money shops. There are a lot of factors that come into it such as age and mechanics etc that just mean that no matter what they do to this game it will still fade away because times changed and people expect different from mmo's now than they did 11 years ago.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVED FFXI. Favourite mmo by far and definitely the game I played for the longest time, but it has lost a lot of what it was. The game's a little bit stuck because all these new competing mmo's are being released without subscription fees and completely different mechanics with fantastic graphics and the typical UI's, and to keep people playing it wouldn't be a case of making it free, but bringing new and exciting things to the table. FFXI has such a unique style and mechanics that it's virtually impossible to appeal to this whole new market. FFXIV however looks very promising as a recreation of FFXI, but up to date with recent trends. I don't think it'll appeal to everyone and there will always be die hard XI fans who want just another remake but that just can't happen for it to be successful unfortunately.

[Vivik]

The only way I would ever touch this game again is if it were to go ftp and it would be to just fish and craft. The development direction has been utter shit over the past couple months. I guess that's what you get when you let a level 40 player develop content for your game.