After the next expansion they should consider expanding the F2p experience

[Kes13a]

Let free trial players actually feel like they're getting their money's worth by giving them access to more content when they decide to purchase the game, without requiring an additional purchase of the latest expansion to be able to do anything new.

its a FREE trial, with the ability to get in a lot of play time to see if you like the game up to level 60. they arent giving you only half xp or something, and if you decide to continue, you are not back starting at level 1.

I'd say they are getting their monies worth since they do not have to pay a dime.

[Caddo]

Had a consideration. Rather than expanding the free trial, I'd propose they ought to expand on what the "base game" offers. As is, if you purchase the game, without any expansions, you get... pretty much exactly the same content as the free trial. Sure, a few minor inconvenience restrictions are lifted. But otherwise, there's almost no reason for that "base game" to even exist, it's just extra money you have to throw at them just to be able to purchase expansions.

Let free trial players actually feel like they're getting their money's worth by giving them access to more content when they decide to purchase the game, without requiring an additional purchase of the latest expansion to be able to do anything new.

No inconvenience restriction lifted. This is a huge red flag from the start. Nope, nope, nope.

They already aren't paying any money so why should they get "more" than they currently get? ~420 MSQ and over 100+ hours of gameplay for free is more than a trial player needs to see if they are "getting their money's worth".

The way the trial already works is they basically get 1-60 content for free and they don't have to "buy" the Starter Edition if they don't "want" to and can go straight to the "Complete Edition" (which is around the price of a normal AAA game but often on sale for 50% off). They can play to their hearts content in the 1-60 area with the current restrictions and if they want to move on, pay like *everyone* else did for the expansions. I've bought every expansion as they released, CE versions, and I think paying $60 USD for *ALL* of them is just a steal but yeah.

They can pay like the rest of us if they want more content.

I wonder how many people forget they used to be capped at level 35 ARR...

[Byron-Blackfyre]

I, for one, welcome more players in Eureka and Heaven on High. I would strongly support making Stormblood part of the free trial once 7.0 is out.

[Hasrat]

I'd say they are getting their monies worth since they do not have to pay a dime.

They already aren't paying any money so why should they get "more" than they currently get? ~420 MSQ and over 100+ hours of gameplay for free is more than a trial player needs to see if they are "getting their money's worth".

Kinda feel like you're both misinterpreting that sentence. The "money's worth" comment was not in regards to the free trial, but the purchase of the base game.

As is, does buying the starter edition, base game, ARR+HW, get you anything of significant value that you don't already have on the free trial?

Free trial is great as is, and I ain't saying it needs changing. Just throwing out the alternative option of adding one more expansion to that starter addition purchase.

Free trial: ARR+HW, with restrictions
Purchased base game: ARR+HW+StB, without restrictions

[CaptainLagbeard]

I think expanding it to the end of Stormblood would be reasonable, as 4.1 to 4.55 is kind of where the story starts setting the course towards Endwalker.

[ronibosch]

The only thing they should expand to F2P is giving free players the option to play Viera and Hrothgar. A lot of players fantasia into them without knowing that they can't wear hats, so this may lessen that problem and spare them from wasting the free fantasia given to them at the end of ARR.

Free players can't hire retainers, so I would rather they not be given too much to do, for fear that they run out of space. Unless, retainers are unlocked for them as well.

[Seraphor]

Kinda feel like you're both misinterpreting that sentence. The "money's worth" comment was not in regards to the free trial, but the purchase of the base game.

As is, does buying the starter edition, base game, ARR+HW, get you anything of significant value that you don't already have on the free trial?

Free trial is great as is, and I ain't saying it needs changing. Just throwing out the alternative option of adding one more expansion to that starter addition purchase.

Free trial: ARR+HW, with restrictions
Purchased base game: ARR+HW+StB, without restrictions

This I can agree with.
Purchased base game could include everything up to the two most current expansions. So you could say it the base game should include Stormblood. This at least would open up RDM and SAM for level 50 players, which would be something Free Trial players don't get.
Then once 7.0 is released, the base game would include everything up to ShB.

After all if you are buying the game, what difference does it really make whether you buy ARR+HW and then SB+ShB+EW, or you purchase ARR+HW+SB and then ShB+EW? In either case, they're packages that include multiple expansions, just distributed differently.

[Rehayem]

This I can agree with.
Purchased base game could include everything up to the two most current expansions. So you could say it the base game should include Stormblood. This at least would open up RDM and SAM for level 50 players, which would be something Free Trial players don't get.
Then once 7.0 is released, the base game would include everything up to ShB.

After all if you are buying the game, what difference does it really make whether you buy ARR+HW and then SB+ShB+EW, or you purchase ARR+HW+SB and then ShB+EW? In either case, they're packages that include multiple expansions, just distributed differently.

You can already purchase the expansions to limit yourself to said expansion, let's say Stormblood, but you need to pay the subscription. Making it solely "buy to play" would render subscription obsolete and that's not exactly what the majority wants, except for f2p players. I disagree on expanding the free trial as of now, stated earlier in the comments about that. Maybe once 8.0 rolls around they can make it til Stormblood, but for now? No.

[CaptainLagbeard]

The previous expansions (currently Stormblood and Shadowbringers) could definitely survive off of a buy once, play for free system with the Free Trial restrictions still applying without an active sub... They even have the "Starter Edition" which contains SB and ShB.

[Seraphor]

You can already purchase the expansions to limit yourself to said expansion, let's say Stormblood, but you need to pay the subscription. Making it solely "buy to play" would render subscription obsolete and that's not exactly what the majority wants, except for f2p players. I disagree on expanding the free trial as of now, stated earlier in the comments about that. Maybe once 8.0 rolls around they can make it til Stormblood, but for now? No.

1. No you can't. You can't just buy Stormblood anymore, unless you happen to find a physical copy from 2017/18 I guess. The only option is to buy Endwalker, which includes Stormblood and Shadowbringers.
2. Ok? But that's not what either of us were saying... No one mentioned doing away with the subscription.

Currently, you buy the base game, which includes ARR and HW. This is identical to the Free Trial minus the social limitations, and you are committing to a subscription.
Then you buy Endwalker, to gain access to SB, ShB and EW. You're already paying to experience all of the same content included in the Free Trial, and then you need to pay all of it to advance further. So it doesn't really make a lot of sense.

If buying the base game instead included ARR, HW and SB, then that would be a step up from the Free Trial, allowing you to advance further before you committed to the further expansions, and would make that transition to paying a subscription actually give you something of value besides retainers and an FC.