YoshiP stated that MMOs are trending toward F2P

[Magistrella]

Funny you should mention that. *cough*retainers*cough*

Lemme fix that:

additional retainers.

Still 2 of mine have nothing else but skins in it. 2 are for crafting 2 are luxury because it makes life easier.

I pay 12,99 per month as everyone else that only pays in monthly installments - so i don't really see it as paying more.

I could now go on about "1 buck per 175 slots" "data reasoning bla bla" but meh, buy it or leave it - you don't need them and if you don't craft you dont get a substantial advantage if you (and even if you do 1 retainer of each kind is more then enough, hence why i have 4 total). SE did enough with materials from beastmen tribes so you dont need to hoard every ingredient. And with management you can easily make due with 2 retainer even if you're an omni crafter

but i keep going on even tho i didn't want to - i see them as not necessary bonus to enhance playing experience *shrugs*

[Verius_Nox]

F2P MMO's generate easy cash for just existing but they're also usually lazier in design. TERA's 3 new classes were all gender and race locked because the developers don't want to waste time making animations for male characters and other races that people don't play as often. In a modern sub model MMO, that would not fly. Rift's design has gone downhill since they went F2P as well. It started off with a fairly good launch, barring some servers having issues, and a great addition of dimensions and then on to Nightmare Tide, that was so full of bugs even one of their biggest enthusiasts refused to stream it til they fixed it.

F2P MMO's are great games for when you're in-between, but as something to spend most of my time on? They're garbage. SE has to keep quality control because that's the only way to keep people subbed, a F2P game doesn't because they'll generate income just from being there and offering a new skimpy outfit for your elf every 30 days.

[Yshnal]

Why do the people defending the extra retainers always have at least one of them? Are you afraid that if they increase it for everyone you would've been wasting your money? That's why you want to keep the status quo, to feel better about renting them? Just curious.

As for the main topic, and as some people have said already, the moment this game goes F2P I'll leave and I won't look back. I've played enough F2P MMOs to know that they aren't worth my money nor my time (especially on the long run). Their whole point is to find new ways to keep getting more money, instead of making a fun game that people want to keep playing and paying every month. It's logical that they do that, but I don't have to like said model as it's NOT customer or player friendly.

[Catwho]

Why do the people defending the extra retainers always have at least one of them? Are you afraid that if they increase it for everyone you would've been wasting your money? That's why you want to keep the status quo, to feel better about renting them? Just curious.

As for the main topic, and as some people have said already, the moment this game goes F2P I'll leave and I won't look back. I've played enough F2P MMOs to know that they aren't worth my money nor my time (especially on the long run). Their whole point is to find new ways to keep getting more money, instead of making a fun game that people want to keep playing and paying every month. It's logical that they do that, but I don't have to like said model as it's NOT customer or player friendly.

We currently see the value in it. If SE added a third free retainer I wouldn't care. For me they are a matter of convenience, not necessity.

FFXI charged $1 extra for additional characters because we used them in exactly the purpose that we use retainers for - extra storage capacity and market board slots. Except XI didn't even give you the first two free and their capacity was half of a XIV retainer. So it's really about the same.

[FoxyAreku]

When a game goes F2P, it may as well be dead in my eyes.

Not to mention the one time I tried a "F2P" game I ended up spending more money than I have in my year+ of FFXIV. But that's a me problem, probably.

[Sterre]

The day when FFXIV goes F2P, I will stop playing it. That's all I have to say about this.

[Jim_Berry]

I like the way DC Universe does it's f2p model.

[Naunet]

FFXI charged $1 extra for additional characters because we used them in exactly the purpose that we use retainers for - extra storage capacity and market board slots. Except XI didn't even give you the first two free and their capacity was half of a XIV retainer. So it's really about the same.

Those are full characters that can do everything another character can, not glorified banks with a face. Also, this isn't FFXI. A lot of us are paying full price for the sub so that we can play more than one character. But then SE wants to charge additional monthly fees for more bank access? It's ridiculous. Those retainers are going to end up costing you WAY more money than they ever would even in a f2p mmo. Actually, they probably already have.

[Voltyblast]

But then SE wants to charge additional monthly fees for more bank access? It's ridiculous.

I agree on that aspect too, and no the fact that it's "optional" doesn't excuse the fact that additional bank space should be available for everyone.

But heck I would've let this slide if that 1 additional buck was additional retainer per character and that's it but NOPE, it's an additional buck to your subscription and your retainer only lasts 30 days without it.

Not even F2P games are that greedy (at least not all of them!)

[Shiroe]

see FFXIV going F2P, even if not heavenward yet, but the main game possibly.. especially since its starting to feel brocken with the unsynced BS!!

.. Yoshi, pl change that back, the unsynced is ruining the main game and experience.. or only allow unsynced if 2 (yes 2), players less are taking part.. and then only allow up to +50 gear lv unsyned not more or some other solution.. (.. its a bit off topic, but see that breaking the game, and possibly forcing it into F2P at sooner than expected)