From Never F2P To...

[Gilraen]

Honestly, all the numbers say is that Square is going to rake in with their fee models. Mind you, there's two tiers of payment plan, Entry and Standard. Most (if not all) can get by with Entry ($9.99) with Standard being for those that... chase servers ($14.99)? Then there's the schedules. You can go for the standard schedule (30 days) or go for extended schedules and save even more money per month. To say that this game is expensive to play is a pretty shallow argument considering how expensive it isn't. And with this many people clawing to get in I'd be surprised if they lose any kind of significant population once the free trials end. As for the Old Republic analogy, they went free to play not in response to the wild success of initial sales but due to the wild drop off of subscribers once the novelty wore thin. Same with Star Trek.

[Alavastre]

I can say that I really like that FFXIV as a subscription game. Being in a few F2P games, and one that converted, I can tell you that I feel much more comfortable about patches with a successful subscription method rather than a successful F2P method. Again, like others I will reference SWTOR. Since RotHC, there has not been any mention of another expansion. Not even a hint of a continuation of the main storyline. That bugs me.

Two other points:
1. Yoshi-P said if they had to move to a F2P model, they would do it a certain way. But I think we are far from that happening. Money is what is important ultimately.
2. If I were to make a MMO it would probably be a hybrid model as I think this would give you the best of both worlds.

[Bizniztyme]

Found it:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/...edi-mind-trick

"The folks behind Final Fantasy XIV have pushed so strongly for a subscription model that new lead director Naoki Yoshida insisted that FFXIV would be shut down without them."

LOL, some interviewer making an exaggerated statement and taking what he says out of context just like everyone else here have been doing, the man literally never said such a thing, not in any video interviews nor can you find any quote from him saying such a thing.

[Crowley]

F2P sucks, I will never play one again TBH

The entire focus shifts from content, bug fixes and server/network upgrades -> fashion and new ways to force people into 'needing' CS items to advance/pvp/content

Its just greed and no respect for the industry or its people that has fueled F2P bonanza. Honestly makes me ill just thinking about it

[Methuselah]

What a surprise

[Shiyo]

Maybe we'll get content updates every 2 weeks instead of 3-4 months if it goes free to play, like guild wars 2 and Phantasy star online 2 do.

[Kayo]

LOL, some interviewer making an exaggerated statement and taking what he says out of context just like everyone else here have been doing, the man literally never said such a thing, not in any video interviews nor can you find any quote from him saying such a thing.

Ah ok, so we should take your word over someone thats been doing this for years then, hmm? Something Yoshi has been asked about non-stop since taking charge of the game? One of the big selling points of the game was all just an fabrication by pretty much everyone in here. Gotcha!

Regardless making this game f2p now would result in the same rage if he promised to never do it or not.

[Vertisce]

I think there is nothing wrong with F2P so long as it is done correctly and managed properly. A good example of this is Tera Online. Keep it to vanity items and minor in-game items that can normally be purchased with a little work in game and there isn't an issue. Another good example of a F2P game that does it right is Star Trek Online. Yes you can purchase a ship with real money but it isn't the best ship in the game. You still have to work for the best. And anything purchased with real money can be purchased using in game money with a little work.

People with this closed mindset of "F2P is bad and ruins all games!" need to wake up and realize that this is the way it's headed. There really is no stopping it. The only thing you can do is help game devs make the right choices in how F2P is implemented.

[Jennestia]

I hope they never go F2P. Not only it bring childish behavior and communities in, it is always bad press for the game. I can see it now. FFXIV - Realm Reborn 2nd Launch after a failed start now gone F2P. I hope it never go F2P, we don't need F2P, the game is totally pack and doing very well.

All MMOs do well at the start - ARR especially because it's designed like most MMOs are in the past half decade. If you download any F2P MMO right this moment, even on Steam, you'll see ARR is very, very similar to many of them, which coincidentally are also relaunches due to failures.

[Crowley]

STO is evil and run by 'lock boxes'

Anything Cryptic will be that way. NWO is same crap model.

Yes there are a few rare exceptions (GW2, PSO2) ~ I have no exp with Tera, but I heard their model is similar to GW2

The games that stay 'honest' like that have almost no reason to spend money, or a very small amount, and I do not understand how that business model even works