What are the Chances FFXIV will go F2P?

Considering the lost player base, and their commitment to keep what few players they have plus attract new people with the ps3 release, how likely do y'all think it is that they'll go free to play forever, with microtransactions?

Don't think SE would do that myself

Slim to none.

Assuming they want to maintain SOME semblance of class, they probably won't. They've maintained that they're pretty much against anything that would arbitrarily give some players an advantage over others anyway. And personally the idea of having certain pieces of content locked behind money doors doesn't sit well with me.

They're banking on the PS3 version, so I highly doubt it.

If ps3 version fails, (which it will if its release anytime this year / early next year) then it will have to stay free to play.

In its current state up until way past 1.20 if they went p2p or micro-transactions people will leave in a heart beat.

If they can't hammer out a good groundwork, F2P wouldn't matter much. If they can't attract enough people now, how would they be able to generate enough profit for this game to even pay for itself? (also consider the quality of future content as a consequence of this)

I could definitely see XIV going F2P within the next year, especially if the PS3 ver doesn't attract the playbase SE is banking on, but as others have said, at the current rate of updates I wouldn't expect to see it released until fall 2012.

And in all honesty, I'm not totally against F2P games anymore as long as the cash shop is fair and doesn't cost a fortune for simple items. Its the way MMOs are headed, and the best way to keep a solid # of subscribers even if they only pay a little here and there, or not at all. There are just so many MMOs that are getting released that its hard to dedicate all your time to just one anymore, but I won't pay for more than 1 at a time with a full sub.

I like how Turbine has handled LOTRO and DDO, where the entire world and storylines are open to explore and adventure in and kills mobs all you want, but with optional quest packs. If XIV ever went F2P, SE could release a new zone every 2-3 months and you pay $10 or so to unlock all it offers, and a cosmetic equip screen would be great as well. There are so many great looking sets of gear to choose from, and it'd be great to see what else their art team could conjure up with no stats.

Microtransactions? That assumes they're making smalltime content. Heck, they could have that now.

I'd leave in a heartbeat if it goes f2p, there are enough mature players in p2p games, no need for mature underage players.

Going free to play?

The game IS free to play right now...

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Originally Posted by Chardrizard

I'd leave in a heartbeat if it goes f2p, there are enough mature players in p2p games, no need for mature underage players.

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Thats just a ridiculous statement if ever I did see one. I've played my fair share of MMOs for the better part of the last 14+ years and it don't matter if its entirely free or paid subscription only. You will always be privy to the immature jack-asses no matter what. There is no such thing as only mature gamers in the P2P only MMOs...

Prime example is WoW...thats entirely P2P and its horrible, look at how AoC was/is even though its F2P now, and even LOTRO was pretty bad, and many others. I've actually seen better communication now that there is an influx of new players in all these AAA MMOs that have gone F2P. There is more average blood to go around and getting group content done, no longer is it just the elitist pricks that sit on there capped out high horses spewing how horrible everyone else is cause they don't rush to the cap or have the best gear within a month.

And besides, why havn't you quit XIV already then, cause its been basically F2P for the past 10 months. I've seen it on clearance for as low as $5-$10 before, so that can barely be called B2P...

Its obviously sarcasm if you cant spot the italic

Also you still cant play xiv without a CC access, which is the reason why the kiddos doesnt play.

I wouldn't completely count out the idea of a F2P model. Square-Enix isn't exactly a small company, but at the same time they can only allot so much money to each product.

FFXIV was a project they went into with the intention of a subscription to keep them going. They've had absolutely none of that now for coming close to a year. If they still don't want to charge a subscription to keep going, a F2P model might have to do. Investors can only take so much.

I've seen a number of AAA games go F2P, and there's even been some indications that WoW might do it at some point; it's not an unusual thing for this industry anymore. Heck, I remember hearing about how LOTRO's profits TRIPLED after they went F2P. That certainly has it's appeal.

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Originally Posted by Crica

Going free to play?

The game IS free to play right now...

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They mean the inclusion of something like a cash shop, or micro-transactions. That's what is considered to be a F2P model.

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Originally Posted by BlackHawkGS

They mean the inclusion of something like a cash shop, or micro-transactions. That's what is considered to be a F2P model.

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Still, as long as its a fair system like LOTRO and DDO have, I'm all for it! However, if it were like EQII, AoC, EVE, FE, and others to come...no thanks. Those examples are too limiting and costs far too much...its better to just pay the monthly sub instead!

never! :p

And personnally i prefer to pay each month ^^

I think their best option right now is to offer a hybrid system. Unless the PS3 version is a huge success (i have a feeling if it is, they wont have the servers prepared and people will leave), a hybrid system is probably the best way to go. They could do what many other games do and offer 2-3 different ways to play the game. They could give the option to players to buy content with crysta, pay a monthly fee to unlock everything, or play in a restricted free environment. If people are concerned about community, they can put a level cap on the free mode and ask people to pay ~$5-10 in order to remove it.

Microtransactions make a TON of money if done right. My only concern is 1 in about 5 games do it right, and it's even worse for MMORPGs that try it. So, in my opinion it's a huge risk, but so is banking on the PS3 version and going with a monthly fee model.

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Originally Posted by Khalus

Still, as long as its a fair system like LOTRO and DDO have, I'm all for it! However, if it were like EQII, AoC, EVE, FE, and others to come...no thanks. Those examples are too limiting and costs far too much...its better to just pay the monthly sub instead!

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lol, exactly. There's been plenty of implementations of F2P models that keep the game fair.

I think many people are more afraid of the audience this will bring in... to which I rebuttle, I don't believe that immature audience has a powerful enough computer to play this game in the first place XD

Considering Yoshida said it himself the game won't go F2P: Never

The FF14 staff honestly just isn't cut out for f2p. F2P is very competitive and need very experienced veterans to get profitable. It's very not easy and honestly harder the subscription based games these days.

There is just no one in SE that has that experience, or the infrastructure. Heck just look at their payment system.

People are saying that the game cannot, would never etc be F2P. Ok thats fine. But would people actually pay monthly to play this game keeping the existing competition in mind?

Well, for what it's worth, SE's plan from the beginning was for this game to have both monthly subscriptions and microtransactions.

(The microtransactions were extra retainers for a dollar)

If they can't get people to subscribe for it, they'll probably shut it down.

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Originally Posted by Corrderio

Considering Yoshida said it himself the game won't go F2P: Never

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To me, just cuz he says it, isn't enough. He's made a statement where they changed their minds about the main focus of the game (from guildleves to whatever it's evolving to now). Never say never.

That being said, however, it seems most people are of the opinion that it won't go F2P forever. Personally, I wouldn't want it to either. It just doesn't feel like a AAA MMO to me if I'm not paying a monthly sub. But times are changing. And I certainly wouldn't wanna pay a sub for a game that isn't competitive on a AAA level.

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Originally Posted by kukurumei

The FF14 staff honestly just isn't cut out for f2p. F2P is very competitive and need very experienced veterans to get profitable.

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...Have you honestly played F2P MMOs? They're all exactly the same game with a different gimmick.

If this were two years ago, I'd say that I don't think so. Now I'm not so sure. So many game companies that I never thought would entertain the f2p model, and have stated they would not consider it, have turned around and done so. It is especially common to see it happen when a game is no longer doing well or didn't do well right out of the gate like they had initially hoped. It is my opinion, and I hate to even say it, that it is a distinct possibility XIV could end up a f2p game in the future.

the second they decide this is a F2P game, they can kiss most of their current player (and potential players) goodbye. The PS3 version either puts out or im going with they shut it down and stick everyone on the new MMO they are working on (they did say 2-3 MMOs, not a definitive 3)

I doubt it never will be F2P and am happy about it.

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Originally Posted by Alkoun

Considering the lost player base, and their commitment to keep what few players they have plus attract new people with the ps3 release, how likely do y'all think it is that they'll go free to play forever, with microtransactions?

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In all of SE's discussions I've never seen permanent free to play even mentioned as a possibility. The game would need to be totally redesigned around the F2P business model. They might just as well just take their lumps and make a new game at that point. If this game ends up permanently F2P it will be because they've pulled the plug and development is no longer being done.

They should just lower the overall price to around $5-10/month (or good offered bundles) i think. Don't see it going F2P because they are so "proud" of the FF name.

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Originally Posted by Jennestia

...Have you honestly played F2P MMOs? They're all exactly the same game with a different gimmick.

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I have a plenty, so I must as you the question,m "Have you played F2P?"

It's crazier then amazon.com the way they do things, you need very experience people running a successful F2P. Not only must you get quality gaming and creativity going like a standard game, you must also have a shifty and on the edge retail model like amazon.

Daily specials, weekly specials, bundles, seasonal, just the right amount of limits, and timing, and you just can't rely on credit cards...no...that doesn't make money anymore, you have to partner up with various gift/pre-paids cards.

But not just any old pre-paid card companies. No they won't do business with you just with kick backs. You have to offer incentives. People only buy pre-paids if you offer "special items" or points, or some kind of in-game-tie-in.

There is so much promotional retail BS going on it's amazing. You're running contests, lotteries, amateur spotlights, you have to redesign you entire webpage just right even.

Again, since you're the one who brought it up: "Have you played a F2P MMO?"

It's a crap load of slick movements that SE has next to no experience in. They can't even run a successful online shop considering how big the franchise is.

Only thing SE has going for it is, is if they bring in their subsidiary partners like their magazine department, etc. You know people that SELL.

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Originally Posted by kukurumei

I have a plenty, so I must as you the question,m "Have you played F2P?"

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Yep plenty of them, including 2 new ones and they're all the same exact game with a different setting and different gimmick -- so there's no "competitive nature" of F2P games, as they're all basically the same and people choose whichever one has theme they personally like, they're just throwing out the MMOs in hopes to make money, not necessarily compete, because if you've played one F2P MMO, you've played em all as they say which is why the one thing that separates them is the theme of the world, e.g Lucent Hearts is a Romance/Zodiac themed one while Iris is a 'magical' themed one, yet plays the same.

The cash shops and microtransactions are also generally the same throughout them all, some companies try their best to not make "more money = get further", but you can pretty much guess what types of items would be sold.

This game would sooner be unplugged and done away with than go F2P.

It would never stay F2P listen all SE need to do is market the s*** out of FFXIV for PS3 everywhere in USA and other part that the game would be sold. Maybe display FFXIV on E3 2012 and show the new pack for the game and talk to sony about making a CE version of FFXIV with a PS3 with art work of FFXIV and PS3 CE version of FFXIV inside. Even have FFXIV ready to play on the PS3 from release and do other type of marketing for FFXIV and this wont be F2P.

But if SE only does marketing in Japan then i guess they be no hope for ffxiv.

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Originally Posted by Zenaku

listen all SE need to do is market the s*** out of FFXIV for PS3...

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You say that as if it's easy.

I agree with it but considering how much money this game has lost and is still continuing to lose, and given the fact Square-Enix said they plan on cancelling a crapload of projects because of their extreme losses in general, I don't think they're going to spend too much more on a project that has record low players.

they should come out with an expansion with the PS3 and give it to everyone who signed up in the first 3 months for free. The fact that its been F2P since then is not good enough, the game should have been a finished starting product.

Do I think it will stay F2P? nooooope.

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Originally Posted by Jennestia

The cash shops and microtransactions are also generally the same throughout them all, some companies try their best to not make "more money = get further", but you can pretty much guess what types of items would be sold.

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Heck no, or you're probably just been glammored to not noticing all the retail smoke and mirrors they pulled over on you.

Successful F2P cash shops know how to milk people for money.

Some of the more popular useful ceations in the f2p world

-Exlusive limited sales. aka Sale items. For a limited time, or limit amounts:
They just don't put stuff on cash shops anymore...no..they rotate it. To put people in a state of constant fidgeting. Want that santa dress? That pegusus mount, that no-break +1 upgrade gem. Tough. you have to constantly watch the cash shop to show up...but it doesn't just "randomly" show up...no...there are "expensive" times and "cheap" times.

It brings out bargin hunters! and bargin hunters forget that they've been taken for a ride!

-Balance. They can't be completely useful or completely fluff. No one would ruin the balance, the other won't attract customers. It has to be "slightly" useful.

- Permanent vs temporary. No things can't be permanent. There won't be repeat customers, but customers won't buy things that waste as well...what a tough nut to crack...not if you're good. Just the right amount of bundling and right amount of permanent vs used...and you got your self a never ending sale. Let's put this nice permanent costume, with a 10 day pet...just to hook them... they thing it's a fluffy, but once they get used to the pet they will wait for a permanent version...and oh wait...what's this a 10 use instant teleport?

- Upgrade system. Always a bit of random, a bit of stat, but just enough carrot with that stick...what combine them to make a 100% upgrade...ya buy in bulk to save!...in bulk...$$$

Face it, from what you posted, you've probably been taken for a big ride on your F2P experience if you even serious into those games.

F2P is a business not unlike opening a retail store. You need very very experienced people to make money not on merits but on trends, fashions, and consumer salesmanship.

Why does amazon and ebay become household names and not cheapcheapcheap.com, or thebestproductonearth.com? Because they know how to SELL!

Novices...

bet you never asked yourself why hotdogs comes in packs of 8 and buns in packs of 6 question.

My Guess is the game will be shutdown before going F2P.

Maby A Buy to Play model like GW2 or something if the ps3 fails, but I do not see them doing a cash shop model.

From what I understand the transition from subscription model to a F2P one isn't exactly easy. This game is already on life support, introducing a F2P model would mean more work and we'd be waiting a lot longer still. It would not surprise me if they just canned the game first.