What are the Chances FFXIV will go F2P?

[Tezz_Xivectro]

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.

[kukurumei]

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

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.

[Jennestia]

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

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.

[Rjain]

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

[Zenaku]

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.

[Rjain]

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

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.

[Morticous]

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.

[kukurumei]

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.

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.

[Xatsh]

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.

[Cendres]

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.