Opinions: Returner- and/or Free-Login Campaign due to current situation.

[Vahlnir]

Careful. Making any suggestion involving possibly getting something, even the smallest thing, free will attract the "wElL yA sHoUlDnT pLaY iF yA cAnT aFfOrD iT" crowd.

BuT yUr PrIoRiTiEs ZoMg!

(you're welcome)

[Hasrat]

If they make it free, they are getting zero money from anyone, have three people taking up computing power on their servers, and still have to keep the game running in uncertain financial times.

The Free-login campaign doesn't make it free for everyone. Subbed players still pay subs. It's simply a campaign to bring inactive players back, with the goal of hopefully regaining their sub. Much like the Callback campaign is meant to encourage active subs to get any inactive friends back into playing and subscribing.

[Jojoya]

Careful. Making any suggestion involving possibly getting something, even the smallest thing, free will attract the "wElL yA sHoUlDnT pLaY iF yA cAnT aFfOrD iT" crowd.

Which is still true. People need to learn to live within their means. Pay for basic necessities first then if you have anything left over you can get the luxury extras - like video game subscriptions.

I'm not against this idea, though like others have said it's unlikely since the situation is having a world wide economic effect on businesses as much as it's having on the employees. SE still needs to be able to pay their employees, suppliers, etc. while the business is operating.

But as a middle ground, maybe they could offer a deferred payment option for those who need it. Let players have up to 2 months where they don't need to pay upfront. After that, the player would need to bring their subscription current by paying for those 2 months plus the next month as usual before they can resume playing. Failure to bring the account current would make the player ineligible for future free log-in and returning player promotions. Those with the financial resources to continue paying their sub (or have already paid in advance) would be unaffected.

[Divinemights]

No, at the best they will offer 100% experience bonus like Blizzard did with WoW.
You are asking too much from a company (any company).
Please do not confused with act of gesture and self-entitlement

[Vahlnir]

No, at the best they will offer 100% experience bonus like Blizzard did with WoW.
You are asking too much from a company (any company).
Please do not confused with act of gesture and self-entitlement

You must not be aware of the fact that they utilize free login/returner campaigns pretty regularly regardless of the real world circumstances.

[Anarnee]

I actually would prefer they didn't. I have a queue on every server that I have characters on for the past week. I don't mind when the game is in a lull, but that is not the case right now.

Editing my reply to the post below so I don't have to bump this thread.

Maybe your log in queues are different but mine aren't more than 30-45 seconds. Even at Shadowbringer's launch, it was very rare I had to wait more than 5 minutes to log in.

A 5 minute wait is not a big deal.

I never said the queues were particularly bad, but that is besides the point.

As paying customers I shouldn't have to wait in more of a queue because they decide to do a free campaign in the middle of a busy spell.

[Iscah]

I actually would prefer they didn't. I have a queue on every server that I have characters on for the past week. I don't mind when the game is in a lull, but that is not the case right now.

Yeah, that's probably when they bring in those sort of campaigns. "The game population is dropping, let's bring more people in". Not when they're already busy.

[Jojoya]

I actually would prefer they didn't. I have a queue on every server that I have characters on for the past week. I don't mind when the game is in a lull, but that is not the case right now.

Maybe your log in queues are different but mine aren't more than 30-45 seconds. Even at Shadowbringer's launch, it was very rare I had to wait more than 5 minutes to log in.

A 5 minute wait is not a big deal.

[Asako]

I'm honestly surprised they didn't make up until end of Heavensward or Stormblood free to play given the current situation. With people having a lot more free time this is a good time to get them hooked. Then you can sell them Shadowbringers once they are invested into the game. Like printing your own money.

Apparently Square don't like free money. xD

[worldofneil]

A 5 minute wait is not a big deal.

It can be if you pay for a standard subscription with 8 characters and want to swap characters a few times.

I'm honestly surprised they didn't make up until end of Heavensward or Stormblood free to play given the current situation. With people having a lot more free time this is a good time to get them hooked.

They already do a free trial that has no time limit up to level 35 with every class... It might not be endgame, but you'd know by then if you like the game or not.

They're also not going to give away the base game which they currently charge for (which you need to do to even get to Heavensward or Stormblood like you suggested)