Optimistic About ARR's Launch

[Molic]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but who are you talking about having 4-5mm playbase? Here is another one of Ryahl's editorials on the Obituary for the subscription MMO. The fact is, the playerbase is just not there for a traditional western style subscription MMO. At least to sustain it long term. Pretty much you would have to find a WoW killer, and how many games have attempted and failed at that over the years?

If you take out WoW from the mix, you can see that the entire western subscription market was under 4million players (when the piece was written the data available was upto Dec 2011).

I see your facts and raise you blind faith! also contrary to popular belief the western market isnt the only market. also this is an optimistic thread i have no need for your pessimistic graphs and chart and data stuff, and i was getting tired of seeing the f2p arguments continuing on and on and on and on and on.... so i made a shallow attempt to hopefully dissolve it in some way or fashion.

[DubstepNinja]

I see your facts and raise you blind faith!

and I will add some good vibes! to our optimism pizza!

[AmandaHuggenkiss]

also contrary to popular belief the western market isnt the only market.

Truth.
Remember FFXIV is also going to be played in China.
On Chinese servers since China won't let their kids play with others.
This game has a huge following over there.

[Naraku_Diabolos]

Truth.
Remember FFXIV is also going to be played in China.
On Chinese servers since China won't let their kids play with others.
This game has a huge following over there.

A lot of the RMT groups are from China, too. If they get their own dedicated servers, then there should not be any problems with RMT organizations that originate in China to be on the other world servers. I'm not trying to sound mean, but a lot of those organizations do originate from China.

PS: Aren't you the community rep Fern?

[Nix]

PS: Aren't you the community rep Fern?

iirc Fern's character had the same name but spelled differently~

Pretty sure it was this one: http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com...cicuid=5001253

[Warlock]

iirc Fern's character had the same name but spelled differently~

Pretty sure it was this one: http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com...cicuid=5001253

Is that why Ferny winks? O.o I rather imagine an Arhima flying to SE's cafeteria to grab a soda and then burping XD

[Nix]

Is that why Ferny winks? O.o I rather imagine an Arhima flying to SE's cafeteria to grab a soda and then burping XD

Haha! That would be awesome XD

[Aela]

I see your facts and raise you blind faith! also contrary to popular belief the western market isnt the only market. also this is an optimistic thread i have no need for your pessimistic graphs and chart and data stuff, and i was getting tired of seeing the f2p arguments continuing on and on and on and on and on.... so i made a shallow attempt to hopefully dissolve it in some way or fashion.

Oh, I'm not trying to be all gloom and doom. I pay a monthly fee for the games I play. I have played (and paid for) nearly every MMO on the market. I have even bought a number of lifetime accounts. However, the business side of things can't be ignored. Coming from a strategic business background I just can't stand by and see a company (or playerbase) hope themselves into a positive cash flow situation. It doesn't work that way. However, if any game has the player base to retain and build a viable and strong subscription base..it would be FFXIV. However (as SWTOR proves) an active and willing fan base isn't enough. Plus, add to it the fact that FFXIV has already been viewed as a failure from the 1.0 launch, time will tell.

From our first column on EorzeaReborn:

A Realm Reborn is really a grand experiment. We have never seen a successful relaunch of an MMO. What Square Enix is trying is monumentally large. It seems that the producer, Yoshida has a pretty clear, and compelling, vision for the rebirth. It will be interesting to see it come to fruition and. FFXI took the best from the genre with the core of its IP and turned out an admirable, and enjoyable, MMO. Here’s hoping Final Fantasy XIV – A Realm Reborn turns out to be the same thing for 2013.

I do think that ARR will give a lot of good and positive reasons to return to FFXIV. If I felt otherwise we would have never started EorzeaReborn! Additionally, keep in mind that it isn't about F2P, if you read over the link for the Box+ model you would see I am not talking about a "free" model. It is more of an alternate to the subscription model. I hate (HATE) games were if I want to open a chest I just looked I have to goto the cash store and buy a key (I am looking at YOU GW2 & Vanguard!). A successful model for a B2P/Box+ would allow the player an option of EITHER going with a traditional subscription, or pay piece-wise for DLC (downloadable content). As it stands, GW2 sold 3 MILLION copies, way far and above what it needed to be "successful", however in its case, time will tell if they actually monetized their DLC correctly.

Since FF has such a HUGE following, imagine the numbers of players FFXIV could pick up if they went with a model where the player bought the box, and then paid $10-15 for content updates, instead of a "set" $15 a month. Most of the "Non"-subscription player base want to feel like they are getting something for their cash output. (Plus, the cost to provide servers is no longer an issue like it was in early MMOs, the monthly subscription fees need to give you something for your input.) (this is all stuff we address in the box+ editorial)

TL: DR - F2P isn't the problem, it is the perception of F2P/B2P in MMOs that is the problem.