Seems like alot of people want this game to become Free 2 Play. >.>

[A5ko]

I'm not saying F2P models can't be done right given a game where it fits with the game mechanics, I'm just saying that it's not the end-all-be-all of MMO payment methods, and I don't see it becoming so in the future.

I would have agreed with you maybe 6 months ago, but now we have behemoths in the games industry discussing F2P options as the only way forward. E3 highlighted the sheer amount of F2P games coming out and their popularity. Things like League of Legends are making a killing and this is obviously appealing to a business intent on making money.

The decline of subscriptions for subbed games is a wake up call for many. I was surprised at just how quickly SWTOR lost millions of players. If it was F2P from the start, then it would have had more people willing to stick with it, without the loss of money.

I'm not going to continue arguing with folks though. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, I do dislike people making sweeping generalisations of a game based on one bad experience with another game however.

I'm not for Pay to Win, but anything that is enjoyable and polished will always be worth a look from myself regardless of pay structure.

[Keisuna]

I would have agreed with you maybe 6 months ago, but now we have behemoths in the games industry discussing F2P options as the only way forward. E3 highlighted the sheer amount of F2P games coming out and their popularity. Things like League of Legends are making a killing and this is obviously appealing to a business intent on making money.

The decline of subscriptions for subbed games is a wake up call for many. I was surprised at just how quickly SWTOR lost millions of players. If it was F2P from the start, then it would have had more people willing to stick with it, without the loss of money.

I'm not going to continue arguing with folks though. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, I do dislike people making sweeping generalisations of a game based on one bad experience with another game however.

I'm not for Pay to Win, but anything that is enjoyable and polished will always be worth a look from myself regardless of pay structure.

I'll admit, I've never looked at the sales numbers for these games, but free to play won't do well unless the game mechanics are built in a way that compliments it. You can't just ignore the game mechanics when you make your method of payment is a part of the game itself, and I'm willing to bet that's why SWTOR went down. Because it was trying to incorporate a free to play model when it didn't fit.

If FFXIV does become free to play, it will likely fail unless the game is remade all over again.

[A5ko]

I'll admit, I've never looked at the sales numbers for these games, but free to play won't do well unless the game mechanics are built in a way that compliments it. You can't just ignore the game mechanics when you make your method of payment is a part of the game itself, and I'm willing to bet that's why SWTOR went down. Because it was trying to incorporate a free to play model when it didn't fit.

SWTOR is being made F2P (with certain restrictions) to try and revive the player base. It was dropping long before F2P even came into it. The Secret World has also started to do some F2P weekends to get some interest as it just isn't doing as well as hoped.

If FFXIV does become free to play, it will likely fail unless the game is remade all over again.

This is where we can disagree. It could be that the only way to get players back is by making it F2P. Think about how many left after the charging was brought back in following launch.

FFXIV 2.0 has a bigger uphill struggle than most MMO's as this is a second relaunch. Some people will just stay stubborn and refuse to try the new game, when it could be pretty amazing. Just like those on these boards who see all F2P as just another terrible game.

If FFXIV went F2P right now, as in tomorrow, would you say it was a failed game and stop playing? I wouldn't because F2P doesn't automatically mean crap.

[Firon]

SWTOR is being made F2P (with certain restrictions) to try and revive the player base. It was dropping long before F2P even came into it. The Secret World has also started to do some F2P weekends to get some interest as it just isn't doing as well as hoped.



This is where we can disagree. It could be that the only way to get players back is by making it F2P. Think about how many left after the charging was brought back in following launch.

This part is false cause Yoshi-p stated they gained more active players when the game started to sub. I know for a fact my ls got over 200+ members coming back after subs all of them were from GAF.

[A5ko]

This part is false cause Yoshi-p stated they gained more active players when the game started to sub. I know for a fact my ls got over 200+ members coming back after subs all of them were from GAF.

Yes, but people still left. It couldn't justify it's price to some people. When you now compare active subscribers to other MMO's you see a chunk of players it could have had if maybe it were still free.

[Firon]

Yes, but people still left. It couldn't justify it's price to some people. When you now compare active subscribers to other MMO's you see a chunk of players it could have had if maybe it were still free.

That still doesn't change the fact we have more players active when it was F2P.

[Keisuna]

Yes, but people still left. It couldn't justify it's price to some people. When you now compare active subscribers to other MMO's you see a chunk of players it could have had if maybe it were still free.

They were getting access to all game content for free, though. That's not the same as a free to play model by a longshot.

[Starlord]

This part is false cause Yoshi-p stated they gained more active players when the game started to sub. I know for a fact my ls got over 200+ members coming back after subs all of them were from GAF.

Exactly, If I had to conjure a guess I would say the people didn't come back During the free time period because a lot of people on there was Jerks/trolls during the free trial period. I assume they came back figuring those people would Leave after the reinstatement of subs.

/shrug

[Keisuna]

If FFXIV went F2P right now, as in tomorrow, would you say it was a failed game and stop playing?

It would depend a lot on how they implemented it into the game. Again, the game mechanics as they are now, and likely will be once 2.0 comes out, is not one that compliments a free to play model. They would likely have to either change or scrap the very game mechanics that draw me to FFXIV in the first place. In these cases, yes, I would sadly leave, because FFXIV would be just like all the other MMO's that I never play.

If by some miracle of game design they are somehow able to implement a free to play model that doesn't kill everything I love about the game, then yes, I'd stay.

I wouldn't because F2P doesn't automatically mean crap.

But it doesn't automatically mean awesome, either. The game has to be designed with the free to play model in mind for it to be effective.