The future of F2P

[ChiefCurrahee]

I think FFXIV:ARR will fare just fine under a subscription model. I just wanted to say that first and foremost.

With the recent news of SWtor going F2P this fall, the release of GW2 at the end of the month and many of the previous gen MMO going F2P (Aion, L2, Lotr:0). Sub based games are going the way of the dodo.

If FFXIV were to adopt a F2P model in the future, how would you want it to be implemented?

Cash Shop offering vanity items

Episode type content offering side quests or new scenarios

DLC offering new dungeons

Freemium - Subs are given full access to all DLC, while non-subs must purchase a la carte.

I'm not saying I want FFXIV to go F2P. I like sub games where the population as a whole is on the same page. No one is left out because they didn't buy the DLC or uber geared from cash shop purchases.

Is it inevitable for F2P to work it's way in FFXIV at some point? If so how would you want it to be implemented?

[Shiki_Lockhart]

F2P will be always more expensive than P2P. The reason is if you want all achievements and items you will pay a lot more than doing a monthly payment. And I still bet some gears or items would have gamble so will be like casino - making you waste more money than you should. So no, I don't want that system.

[Doho]

i definitely DO NOT want ffxiv to go free to play but.. if it were

Cash Shop offering vanity items: Please God, no. What happens here is developers usually slack on the free gear and make the cash shop stuff look amazing. In the end the game just ends up looking like some fashion caste system. Vindictus wasn't too bad with this, but still.

Episode type content offering side quests or new scenarios: Sure why, not. FFXI is P2P and they managed to release three of these without too many complaints.

DLC offering new dungeons: Similar to the above. Wouldn't mind it, but it could get damn annoying after a while.

If anything they should just charge for extra character slots. Which they're going to do anything.

in short, i really hate F2P. Very happy with Legacy sub of $10/month lol

[Atoli]

Can I just say that I don't want it implemented?
FFXIV is my first sub based game (well, WoW was sub-based as well but I didn't stay past the first 30 days so it doesn't count) and it's so much better for the community.
Less trolls and little children obviously, but mainly how everyone has the same chance at everything.
Having to buy the right to do content is probably the worst way to implement F2P, but I recently noticed that even the vanity item chash shop is horrible. To make people want to buy character costumization options, clothes, mounts, etc. you first have to create a need for it, meaning the game is usually bland and ugly unless you spend a huge amount of money on changing that.
Yet I would still probably prefer this option if it totally HAD to go F2P, but seriously, despite having played many F2P MMOs I'd prefer it of FFXIV just stayed sub based.

[SunTzuuu]

I rather see FFXIV stay p2p so the community doesnt go down the drain if you know what i mean..But if there's no other possible way to keep FFXIV alive,i would rather see a Cash shop with vanity items,mounts etc etc.Because ive played games like D&D that had episode type content and DLC offering new dungeons,and as a f2p player i felt pretty left out since i missed way to much content,items etc and i didnt want to pay for the game and eventually quit playing altogether because of this.

I think Cash shop is the most beneficial for SE,and it lures in the most people in this way.Freemium wouldnt work for this game i guess,since people do want to enjoy all content for free but still want to have the option to pay for some extra vanity items or mounts that are otherwise unavailable to obtain.

[Ralliare]

ToR Had to go F2P because once you did the story there was nothing to do pretty much. 7 months and no updates at all? What was the point?

Implementing F2P mechanics into a P2P FFXIV would be interesting however to get more out of a smaller userbase, vanity items etc only no pay to win stuff. Character recustomisations and server changes too etc.

[Churchill]

KEEP PL,ABOLISH LEVELING

[KiriA500]

ARRB? A Realm Reborn, Buddy?

I REFUSE TO PLAY CANADIAN FFXIV!

[Kailok]

IF they had to pick, I would recommend them go the same path as Guild Wars 2. True Free-to-Play.

Completely free to play, though there is an in-game store where you can purchase vanity items if you'd like them. Nothing you absolutely need but if you want it you can buy it. It should bring in enough money for them to keep balance (face it, people love vanity items) without requiring a subscription.

Though, honestly I don't see it happening. I'd be fine with whatever as long as they don't do the tiered Freemium model. Free accounts are always so much more limited that it doesn't even feel like you're really playing the game, so I see no point calling it "free to play".

[rina_inverse]

It was never "free to play"
More like "free to play, pay to win"