From Never F2P To...

[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.

[Jennestia]

who knows what he meant by that, could just be something like trial servers where you can get to 15-20 for free and decide if you want to buy the game.

That's not free to play - Free to Play is Free to Play. Freemium is what you described and almost never work well because the games are never designed well enough to justify paying a sub after playing early game for free, those are usually cash grab games.

[Kanzer]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/127378-Final-Fantasy-14-Team-Didnt-Expect-So-Many-Players-PAX-2013

If you read this article yoshi says they may go hybrid one day with p2p and f2p servers. The fact that he said he would NEVER go f2p to now saying this is concerning. I dont want to see this game go f2p. The 180° shift in such little time is not a good sign. What do you guys think?

He said if they <had> to that is the model they would do, way to take things out of context OP. Jesus Christ.

[cherubims]

Somebody Sticky this thread IMMEDIATELY!! , I hope Yoshi responds to this interview.

Going F2P is NEVER a good thing in my book , and to think we'd have to hear it from the horse's mouth.....

To be fair he said "IF" it was to come to that point , but it is still disheartening to hear it from him.

[Supersomething]

Wrong. He said he would NEVER go f2p. What he stated there was what Rift essentially said. They did not plan on going f2p at the beginning. Then slowly they started talking about it. The game has only been out a week and his stance changed from never to if they had to.

Would you care to link the article where he expressed verbatim that he said they would never go F2P? I have googled a few different phrases and the only things I come up with are articles such as this. http://www.gamebreaker.tv/mmorpg/yos...-subscription/

And this article with his full reply not paraphrased: http://venturebeat.com/2013/06/17/fi...lay-exclusive/

He does not expressly state that F2P is completely off the table but expresses that he felt that P2P was the correct model for SE's MMO.

[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

[Gwaiyn]

the game is doing really well, therefore f2p?

that's a bit of backwards logic by SE, i realize f2p is beginning to dominate the gaming market and there have been quite a number of studies and testimonials showing that it's profitable, but is it more profitable than having a full p2p game in the long term?

in terms of games with a cash shop, the only one that i know is doing really well is GW2

and that's really about it, i do wonder though if yoshida is considering making FFXIV F2P because of WoW's sharp decline in subscribers and GW2's overwhelming initial success

[Jieddo]

He never said he wouldnt go F2P, he said that the company didnt have any investors they needed to pay back a return to immediately after launch, thus allowing them to persue a P2P model until the company deemed it reasonable/necessary to explore another model of revenue (B2P/F2P). I dont have the link at hand but he never ruled out other methods, just that they werent interested in anything but P2P at the moment.

[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.

[tyrianna324]

love how people spread rumours on these crap websites getting people like the OP and everyone else that reads the threads made by them going and believing the rumours. Yoshi has stated he will never go F2P that he will shut the game down first before he goes F2P so not sure why anyone believes that tabloid bull crap from a 5th rate website.