Cash Shop a sign of free to play?

[Roris]

FFXIV ARR is not a WoW clone, only the UI/mounts are everything else is not WOW based. a clone to me is a "exact" replica of something. FFXIV is not that.

WoW clone is a widely used and accepted name for MMOs that take a lot of their cues from WoW just like ARR does. Similar end game token system, similar lockout system, similar emphasis on instances over open world dungeons, similar emphasis on the game "starting" at the level cap, similar emphasis on "raiding", similar tab targeting and GCD combat, similar emphasis on PvP (I know, this one's shaky, but a lot of ARR's skills are balanced towards both PvE and PvP with some effects even being useless or near useless in PvE). TOR, Aion, Rift, ARR, they all belong under the exact same group, another favorite term for them is themepark MMO.

[Starlord]

WoW clone is a widely used and accepted name for MMOs that take a lot of their cues from WoW just like ARR does. Similar end game token system, similar lockout system, similar emphasis on instances over open world dungeons, similar emphasis on the game "starting" at the level cap, similar emphasis on "raiding", similar tab targeting and GCD combat, similar emphasis on PvP (I know, this one's shaky, but a lot of ARR's skills are balanced towards both PvE and PvP with some effects even being useless or near useless in PvE). TOR, Aion, Rift, ARR, they all belong under the exact same group, another favorite term for them is themepark MMO.

FFXIV ARR is a "modern MMO inspired" not a specific clone. It takes ideas from a different areas of MMOs:

FATES= GW2
UI- WOW
Instance battle- FFXI ( FFXI came out before WOW

Etc, FFXIV ARR doesn't belong to any particular clone. It's practically it's own thing.

[Roris]

So it's a multi game clone, ok. I guess the name Final Fantasy instantly dispels any clone qualities it might have apparently, shame the name alone won't save it like it was already proven with 1.0.

[Vespar]

FFXI never went F2P Neither will FFXIV. Please stop begging for it. F2P is a horrible model for this game to take. Subscription based model will keep this game going for a much longer time and with better quality patches/expansions than F2P ever would. Cash Shop will probably help revenue which will in turn help pay for things like server maintenance, wages, lowering the time between patches and the quality of said patches.

[Starlord]

So it's a multi game clone, ok. I guess the name Final Fantasy instantly dispels any clone qualities it might have apparently, shame the name alone won't save it like it was already proven with 1.0.

Lol, Multi-game clone? Not really sure how that makes sense but alrighty then :P.

FFXIV ARR is it's own game, since it's not focusing on 1 type of game's formula. It has it's own formula consisting of various content from other games, and putting a twist to them. Whether you think FFXIV ARR is bad or not is up to you, but it's certainly not being a clone to any 1 particular game.

[Zaero]

IF you're going to argue on what's a WoW clone and not....MMORPG.com is that way. (insert eyeroll here)

[DefendPopPunk]

Lol, Multi-game clone? Not really sure how that makes sense but alrighty then :P.

It's made up of the cells of multiple MMOs, like Cell from DBZ!

OT: Yeah it has elements from other MMOs, but there's no denying that distinct final fantasy feel it has at times. I don't think many games escape borrowing game design aspects from others in its genre. I wouldn't necessarily single out or fault ffxiv for that.

Just uhhhh no f2p please XD

[Felessan]

Months ago they said: FFXIV ARR won't have a cash shop anytime soon. Keep dreaming.
And now here we are!

Games go to F2P route from P2P route not because they really want it. But because they are failing hard and it's their only chance to turn things around.
I don't see this happening to FF14 in near future as it quite popular and doesn't yet show signs of decline.

The cash shop is certainly a step toward exploring that territory, or at least putting in a "safety net" ahead of time for if/when they decide to go F2P.

It's just a monetization of popular demand of various "vanity" items (mounts, pets, glamour, name changes, server changes etc). You just need to separate "pay for looks" and "pay for win".
It exist in WoW for years and actually it was introduced there near best of WoW times.

[Felis]

Months ago they said: FFXIV ARR won't have a cash shop anytime soon. Keep dreaming.

And now here we are!

Say "Thank You" to the people who wanted more than 10 Fantasias

[Andres_Lonegrief]

With all the currencies we have, they could easily turn this game into F2P: you'll get less gils from dungeons and quests, but you'll get the chance to purchase packs of gils, soldiery, allied seals or else. It wouldn't be that difficult.

Maybe the cash shop won't change anything, but at the moment I have the feeling that eventually ffxiv will be like those stupid mobile games that are actually killing an industry. IIf that's what will happen, i'll just stop playing and have a happy life. Nobody will miss me, but I think I'll survive