From Never F2P To...

[SpayedNeko]

First of all i dont get the whole scaremongering over f2p. Done properly a f2p or b2p model can work out really well for an mmo. The main problem being the fact that is has to be done properly, so players arent feeling like they're being nickel & dimed *cough*swtor*cough*.

A couple good examples of mmos handling f2p properly in my opinion, are Rift and Tera. Regardless of your personal views of said mmos themselves, the way they handled the f2p transisition, as in not restricting content access, and offering mostly cosmetic items and character slots on the cash shop is how f2p should be. There's also been truly horrible examples of mmos going p2w after converting to f2p, but that doesnt mean ALL f2p games are bad.

I truly hope it doesnt come down to the game going hybrid f2p/sub, but if it came down to a choice of either the game shutting down or going hybrid, id rather put up with some f2p servers if it meants keeping the game i love going.

[Cikala]

First of all i dont get the whole scaremongering over f2p. Done properly a f2p or b2p model can work out really well for an mmo. The main problem being the fact that is has to be done properly, so players arent feeling like they're being nickel & dimed *cough*swtor*cough*.

A couple good examples of mmos handling f2p properly in my opinion, are Rift and Tera. Regardless of your personal views of said mmos themselves, the way they handled the f2p transisition, as in not restricting content access, and offering mostly cosmetic items and character slots on the cash shop is how f2p should be. There's also been truly horrible examples of mmos going p2w after converting to f2p, but that doesnt mean ALL f2p games are bad.

While I have not played Rift since the transition to F2P, I did try Tera after their transition and I have to disagree with you. First, I will never support an MMO that produces lottery boxes. The only way I'll buy a cash shop item is if I know exactly what I'm getting, not shell out possibly hundreds of dollars for a CHANCE at getting what I want. Second, all their updates are just adding new stuff to the cash shop. There were no content updates that you didn't have to pay extra for or win some kind of lottery the entire time I played. Going F2P, no matter how it's done, ruins an MMO every single time in my opinion. As long as there is a sub-based MMO out there, I won't bother with F2P.

[Azadross]

Surely I can't be the only one that is now completely over F2P titles after playing a number of them and realizing just how insidious the development behind the cash shops really is. I know we'll give most of the game away for free to get these junkies hooked and then we'll slug them 10-20 times the normal subscription costs for them to participate in any end game content ... brilliant.

[Invz]

This is nothing new. Yoshida said in 2012 that he was considering F2P as an alternative business plan

Of course I am very interested in F2P as an alternative business plan, and I will continue to look into it. However adopting a F2P model means changing certain aspects of the game design in order to fit to the model since the prices customers have to pay for F2P are different to those they pay for subscription-based games. Therefore, if we do decide to change the business model in the future, it will also be necessary for us to adjust the game design so that it works accordingly.

Source: http://www.videogamer.com/pc/ff14/ne..._audience.html

[Zaiken]

I hope they never go F2P. Not only it bring childish behavior and communities in, it is always bad press for the game. I can see it now. FFXIV - Realm Reborn 2nd Launch after a failed start now gone F2P. I hope it never go F2P, we don't need F2P, the game is totally pack and doing very well.

[Jennestia]

I hope they never go F2P. Not only it bring childish behavior and communities in, it is always bad press for the game. I can see it now. FFXIV - Realm Reborn 2nd Launch after a failed start now gone F2P. I hope it never go F2P, we don't need F2P, the game is totally pack and doing very well.

All MMOs do well at the start - ARR especially because it's designed like most MMOs are in the past half decade. If you download any F2P MMO right this moment, even on Steam, you'll see ARR is very, very similar to many of them, which coincidentally are also relaunches due to failures.

[Riffy]

Yoshi P,

I know you will never read this, but your word is your word.

Please, (If you would be so kind), don't go against your word like ANet did (in regards to progression gear). I don't need to make up numbers to show how many were disappointed with that move they made two months after launch. Personally, I didn't care much for it, since I was waiting for this game.

All I have in this world is my balls and my word and I don't break them for no one

You already know what the right answer is, Yoshi P.

I offer a solution that you can revise and play with of course: Offer a free trial (yes this is nothing new) of perhaps two weeks to a month. During this trial, perhaps restrict (or not) them from such content (this is also nothing new) to show that P2P is an exclusive service, and exclusivity is means I want in. Entice them during this trial so that they know they, at the very end, they will be receiving a solid product worth every penny of the 12.99 should they elect to subscribe.

Or, unless if it's all about the benjis for you, and you're trying to appeal to the F2P market with a cash shop, then well... the only thing I could hope from this is that the quality of F2P games from competitive devs would now have to appease and even improve the bar that will be raised if you so choose to make this game F2P.

I would rather you not, tho, just imo. There's a saying here in NA I'm not sure is as prevalent in Japan, and it goes, you can't please everyone.

[AmoryDalis]

u know tera started out p2p witch means that once they got enought money they decided to move to other model. jsut goes to show u they want that huge influx first then they may do something, but either way they need to fix the current problems and keep p2p, even becuase if they go f2p its a huge smack into everyones face yet again. and it will only add to the current problems