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Free to play MMORPGs the future of PC gaming?
kaidliam
Member UncommonPosts: 5
What do you guys think?
If you follow the MMORPG site or shows like the Free to play Weekly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd1GzRZvLBM) you know that every week they show new great free to play MMORPG and MMO games, and lots of pay to play games are now becoming free...
So... Do you think free-to-play MMORPG and MMO games are the future of PC gaming? What do you think the future of PC gaming is?
Comments
Hmm. I would say the answer to that will depend on the company. Perhaps even the location. Blizzard or SOE making a free to play MMO? Not likely. I think all they're seeing are dollar signs and would probably refuse to set their MMO's for the Free to play or Freemium model. It would probably take something really catastrophic before we see them go f2p. Turbine has had good success with the hybrid model. So, the big names? Mmm...maybe not so much. But I think many of the Asian/Korean ones will stay Free to Play. That seems to be where their success lies.
Some are good, some are bad. And it doesn't cost you anything by trying. There's plenty of hatred for the f2p model (though, I wonder if that comes from the PvP'ers. Not sure. I just know I see alot of hate for the f2p games).
Now, if there were actaully any SENSIBLE corporations among the big names, they would know that in today's economy, it would benefit them to go free to play. Do an item shop that is NOT pay to win. They might find alot more people willing to play. But it's all catch as catch can. Someone has to outdo someone else. Though, maybe that isn't an accurate sumation. Anyways, just my two cents. Take it for what it's worth. But I do find Runes of Magic fun. At this point. And I haven't paid a cent yet.
The MMOs going free is due to them doing poorly as P2P games. Not because P2P is an unpopular payment choice, but because the games themselves are so lackluster that most gamers can't see the justification for paying a monthly subscription.
I hate to stereo type F2P games as being lower quality, but the industry itself is proving exactly that.
I do not think the ftp-mmo's are the future at all, I think they are merely a sign of either triple-a titles that have failed as well as second-rate mmo's that arent worthy of being ptp in the first place,in other words,second-rate.
100% free MMOs?... Meh. havent seen any good ones yet... and I doubt there will be any if they have no revenue.
Buy to play or get someone else to pay and buy for ingame currency... or vanity items or booster items.... well there might be something there..
I certainly never liked having to pay for expansions as well as paying subscriptions..
But Ill pay if I like it.. if I dont like it... I wont play...
I just hope they start making good games again.. instead of pretty themepark borefests.
I think that the main purpose of your post is to advertise that YouTube channel. Well, you asked.
A great new game every week? Really? If you see another game as being great every single week, then your standards are far too low. If one truly great game comes out in an entire year, that's pretty good for the year.
I do think that "free to play" is the future of marketing MMORPGs. Not of the MMORPGs themselves, but of marketing them. We've already got subscription games being advertised that way because they've got a fairly generous free trial. People already describe buy to play that way. It's not that big of a step to describe everything as "free to play" in some arcane sense.
The future of MMOs? Sure. The future of PC game. Hell No.
I think once the old timer who never even touch a computer but invest in the MMO gaming industry die off or leave after ruining it, then developers will wise up and look at Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. Thats the best payment model I've ever seen in anygame. Pay for the game, pay for exspansions if you want them, and then buy stuff like character slots, cometic costumes, name changes etc if you want them. Its nearly perfect and definatly fair. You get a p2p quality game but don't have to invest hundreds of dollars in to it.
And if devs are afraid to apply it to their game, that shows that they know they're making bullsh*t. rather than a decent game that people will invest time (and eventually money) into. Since statistics show that the longer a person plays a game, the more likely they are to put money into it after putting so much time into it.
In another thread I compared the Online game with Movies and TV shows..
They spend so much money and energy making lots of runofmill stuff that looks great but is very shortlived.
Online games go free to play and Movies go straight to DVD and then TV in short order and TV shows get cancelled.. though oddly with TVshows its often the ones I like that get cancelled.
But just once in a while something good comes a long... Might be an instant hit.. might be something the grows on the cult level for years. But its something people will enjoy again and again and again.. even if they have to pay for it.
More often than not, though. I find myself wondering.. why the hell did I just spend 50$ on this P O S.. but meh.. its only 50 bucks.. Id rather have my 2 hours or my month back. But atleast Im dont have to see/play it again. But now I dont have something to entertain me.
I am on the verge of giving up on the genre.. just seems like its becoming more and more a consumer product to to consumed and then discarded for the next thing..
There are so many other things that can entertain me for longer and for cheaper. MMOs just happened to be a unique form of entertainment before it turned into 9/10ths boring solo game play with some boring rading at the end.
More P2W propaganda...................
TBH, this is the first time I have seen P2W associated with future. If you haven't noticed P2W normally means the slow death of a P2P MMO, or it is some korean grinder.
This....
P2P games stand head and shoulders above the F2P crowd because the quality is better.. graphics, gameplay, .. mostly gameplay.. and ... the players themselves.. of all the games i've played. the best player 'communities' have been in P2P games.. if anything.. the F2P games suffer from disjointed communities that are more argumentative than anything. in MMO's the old adage 'you get what you pay for' is very applicable..
I wish the Guild Wars model would take off. Buy the box, then buy the expansions if you feel like it, and never pay a sub fee.
Would I spend less money than I have this past year or so of constant MMO hopping? No. Those boxes aren't cheap! But I'd be a happier customer if I could put a game down, then pick it up again a few months later without having to reactivate just to see if my tastes have changed, or if the community has miraculously gotten better, or if some bugs have been fixed, or just because I want to spend an afternoon in a particular game world rather than whatever my usual one is.
GW2 is going to have to be a serious yawn fest for me to regret buying it when it comes out because even if it doesn't turn out to be the Holy Grail of MMO Games, I'll know I can go back and forth with it and never buy any content I don't want. I also don't have to worry about people going crazy with their wallets and turning it pay to win, as the cash shop should be pretty limited. As long as the cash shop stays limited, I'll be happy.
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Free to play implies a failed business plan.
It is not a business model for PC's ne ways. F2p will boon in the consol market, as children & young adults can afford "perks" once in a while for their persona/character. These micro transaction are perfect for the captured audience of sony, ms, etc networks.
Secondly, free to play games have little depth. And are meant as social backdrops for casual play. Thus, for sh1ts & giggles buying often from the shoping mall. Free to play is the future of money grabbing devs. Since nothing other than money drives the game.
The watermark games will always be PC based. Just look at all the consol kiddies drolling over BF3. Gameplay that many PC players have been ejoying for nearly 10 years. Only difference is that DICE wrapped their gameplay in outstanding graphics.. now joe gam3r dud3 will see it in his gamer mag & become instant know_it_allz..!
"No they are not charity. That is where the whales come in. (I play for free. Whales pays.) Devs get a business. That is how it works."
-Nariusseldon
It's hard to answer that question, simply because so many developers are pushing games out quicker without real content, using tried & true basic class/race/abilities designs and art direction. It's a race to grab their piece of market share, in my opinion. However, I believe the quality games will continue to be subscription based, or at least start that way until they are forced into a F2P model.
Game companies will market their products to make the most money. Their market research will determine whether or not the subscription model or item shop model is best suited to their product and complete their design accordingly. The subscription games which become Free To Play only do so because their subscription model failed. They are attempting to draw more business with that model. Ultimately, it's the willingness of the customer to fork over money for micro-transactions (yay a shiny companion pet for only $25!), which drives this trend.
People need to really stop playing the LOTRO as the flagship P2W game. It was originally P2P and was converted to P2W.
Yes, P2P games do have considerably better communities. Even WoW's mass of frustrated and naive teenagers is tolerable when compared to the people you meet in F2Ps. It isn't possible to create a community when the game is centered around buying your way to the top.
There is room for both f2p and p2p models. Having options is good.
Not all pay games were doing poorly. After DDO was about to go under, they went F2P and then it started turning a proft by a wide margin. So Turbine, being no dummy, decided to take LOTRO and see if they could up the profits by changing it to F2P, even though it wasn't suffering and in no danger of being canned.
Even Age of Conan is going F2P despite the last xpac increasing the subscriptions. Why? Simple, just like how when the Avatar 3D movie made so much money, you see a lot of 3D movies coming out as a result. DDO went from near server shutdown to making a profit, so of course other companies decided to "go with the flow" and try and cash in on that market.
A lot of the F2P games look great, no "cheap" graphics. So I would think the time when a game that was F2P had a stigma against it is pretty much gone.
Free to play MMORPGs the future of PC MMORPG gaming?
corrected.
I don't see single player ever going F2P.
How much WoW could a WoWhater hate, if a WoWhater could hate WoW?
As much WoW as a WoWhater would, if a WoWhater could hate WoW.
I agree with you, but its possible to have a single player game for free, with ads, and payment options for more itens or even more missions and stuff like that....
Isn't that what facebook games are all about?
The problem with ads in games is that, they are most often gonna be out of context with the game, thus ruining the entire game direction.
As for more items and more missions......we already have DLC :P
How much WoW could a WoWhater hate, if a WoWhater could hate WoW?
As much WoW as a WoWhater would, if a WoWhater could hate WoW.
I won't pretend to know enough or to be able to see the future to say one way or another if F2P is the future of PC gaming. I just know enough it won't be for me.
My problem lies with the fundamentals of the F2P model. The philosophy begs the developers to encourage the gamer to spend money. How is this done? It starts with fluff, but before long you start seeing stat bonuses on items, XP potions, etc. This leads to games being designed to punish you for NOT spending the money. Increased grind, disadvantaged stats, decreased fun.
The thing I have always loved about MMOs is that its a even playing field (not counting cheats/hacks) for the players involved. With communities such as they are these days, that's really the only thing holding it together for me. Take that away, and I see myself going quickly back to my console and single player PC games.
I really hope that *insert game name here* will be the first game to ever live up to all of its pre-release promises, maintain a manageable hype level and have a clean release. Just don't expect me to hold my breath.
LOTRO was built with funding as a sub game. Only afterwards did the game change the model. IF it had been initially funded as a f2p, the game wouldn't be as large as it is.
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Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
Precisely.
MMOs that are developed and marketed to require an initial box sale and a subscription get significantly more development funding. The initial box sales typically make up for the development costs in the first month or two of the game's release.
When a P2P MMO goes F2P, it's typically because the game has lost the ability to keep most subscription MMO gamers entertained. By shifting to F2P for a hybrid thereof) the developers are tapping into a new target market. If such a game with AAA development resources invested in it were to have released as F2P, the publisher and developer would lose out on considerable cash from initial box sales and subscriptions to make up for development costs.
Naw, games like LOTRO were doing fine before they switched. They just make more money going F2P since you have some additional item shop sales. Subs are pretty much pure profit, so anything that gives money beyond them is awesome for a company.
Anyhow, I do NOT think F2P is the future of gaming in general. F2P, and P2P for that matter, both seem to be designed largely as psychological manipulation tools more than anything else. They are carefully designed to get you to keep playing and earning the developer money (either from subs, advertising, or an item shop). This is BAD game design, because good games are designed to maximize FUN first and foremost. In a sense "games" like this are not games at all, and they certainly can't be counted as good games (even if they are financially successful).
B2P is the future of good gaming.
The problem with a F2P game is that they nickel and dime you to death, and it's complete bullshit. There will never be a good F2P game. WoW is pushing the edge of the envelope with it's massive item mall as it is, and I have noticed that companies started pulling back on the console/pc exclusive DLC marketing crap. That kind of thing is what we are running the hell away from.
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I THINK GAMES SHOULD START GOING B2P. THATS FINE WITH ME.
Having played a F2P game for a LONG while I have to say that F2P MMORPGs are not the future of PC gaming. The F2P game I played was pay to win and over the years more and more people have quited it. There will always be something new in the item mall and someone will always have more money than you so someone will always be better than you. I think part of my attachment to the game I used to play is because I spent so much money on the item mall. I would rather B2P/P2P since F2P games end up costing me more.