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ESO possilby going F2P question...
norusdog
Member UncommonPosts: 3
I'm curious. I was in a couple beta weekends and enjoyed the game for what it was...didn't go too far (restrictions and in case I wanted to buy it) But I'm interested in possibly getting into it finally.....
As title though..I'm curious about the subs and population (I know it's only observed opinions, etc, not real numbers)....reason I ask is I played SW:TOR and it has been overtaken by the micro-shop and I'm not a fan of f2p...my opinion, not looking to start a debate on that here...So I was "burned" by SW:TOR going f2p (which I still played for a bit but finally stopped)
Has there been any talk/rumors about ESO going f2p or major sub drops (other than the typical first-month influx and drop-off once sub fee's kick in?)
Bio talked about f2p not being in the foreseeable future not months before it was announced and the entire DRAW of that game (the story) fell to the waist-side.
I ask because (and I know no-one can give definites) I'm not sure I want to get into ESO if it does end up going f2p any time soon if it can be avoided..but otherwise really interested in playing.
thanks..just looking for observations and opinions, not flaming or debates before I make my decision.
Comments
I'd say take the chance. No real evidence of any need to flip to F2P, sub numbers are reportedly good, content coming out on a regular basis and big plans announced by the developers for the future.
At the end of the day, you're not going to get "burned" for all that much money, you're not investing in a new automobile or anything here.
I don't play anymore because the game isn't what I was looking for, but it is a well made title and is really coming into it's own now I think.
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Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
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No, it's been the opposite. 800,000k subs was the number pre-steam release. It could be around 900k-1,000,000 (guess) now.
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for f2p on this one.
This is a tender subject for people who pay/play the game. The dev studio has yet to release official sub numbers so no one knows how many actual subs it has. Heck, we don't even know how many boxes it sold. Your concern, however is valid. That being said, if you can't wait and just have to try the game you can always find it pretty cheap. I hear you can get it for $10 USD at a couple of places such as Walmart or Amazon.
People who say the game wont go free to pay are just as clairvoyant as those who say it will. Only ZOS knows the answer and when a dev studio stays tight lipped about sales and sub numbers that usually (not always of course, but usually) isn't a good sign for the health of the game. That's why there is so much speculation on their future sub plans.
So for the price of a couple of happy meals you will get an idea for yourself.
"If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor
Any graphical, audio, or gameplay restrictions not seen in other mmos but found in FFXIV can be blamed on one thing.
PS3
You disregard numbers that every gaming website cites, including this one you are typing on, then go with "you hear you can get it for 10$" as you basis for speculation? Come on man. Let it go. You are not doing OP or yourself any favors. There came a point were I had to let my GW2 hate go too. Like me then, it's just starting to look bad.
I'd go for it, doesn't seem like it's going to happen anytime soon, if at all.
Surprised myself to see that I have over 200 hours in it, and I'm only a VR3 (have had him since pre-release). Took a couple months off but back at it, with every update it gets immensely better
Wouldn't expect this until the game has aged a fair while (years, not months.).
People seem to think games go F2P because "they suck" or "they're only good if they're F2P" - it couldn't be further from the truth.
SWTOR being the example in everyone's mind - it was enjoying a fairly reasonable playerbase of around 600k subscribers. They could have continued on with this and enjoyed some reasonable cash OR.. do what they did and switch to a freemium model and rake it in. Same story for LOTRO.
The best you'll see ESO do is offer a limited play model like WoW or some others does.
It won't go F2P until some time after console release, anyone who believes it will sooner is fooling themselves.
It will eventually go F2P, anyone saying it never will is fooling themselves.
It won't be going F2P until some time after the console release and sales have dwindled, so not any time soon. If you are interested you may as well try it.
That 800,000k is unverified. Even the title of the article it's linked to says nearly 800,000k. Quoted from another article that stated;
The specific total number of subscribers reported by SuperData is 772,374. With a monthly subscription fee of $15, assuming all of those players stay on after their initial 30 day free period.
Zeni ain't saying what their numbers are. As to F2P, anyone can write anything they want but the only people who know for sure are the Bosses who work for the company.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
That is sales numbers, not active subscribers. It might be enough income to cover development depending on what that did cost them but it is far from ideal and I have the feeling Zenimax owner Bethesda would have hoped for more.
My guess is that the decision will come after the console release this late autumn/early winter. If things go well there (and the game is getting fixed up right now so it might) then it wont go F2P but if sales are bad then that would be the logical option. How the console release will go is still anybodies guess.
I sincerely doubt the game will be F2P this year, but it wouldn't surprise me if it do in mars or so.
LOL, what developer doesn't hope for more. When you see them firing people left and right, then you know they missed the mark. Pretty good odds they met their required return and then some.
Personally I don't see this game going f2p anytime soon. They still have to release it on the consoles, which f2p wouldn't happen there.
The game is pretty much stable now, I haven't played in a couple weeks myself, I switch off on games and go back to different ones every other month so I don't get burnt out. The mega server makes areas seem somewhat full of people during peak hours, did notice a lot of people on at 3 and 4 in the morning on the east coast times though, assuming they were Aussie or European mostly.
With that said this is a game I hope never goes f2p, so that the people that didn't support the game never get to play it. So tired of every game that comes out having hundreds if not thousands of threads made game will be f2p in couple months.
I suspect pretty much every MMO these days is planning to go F2P after a while, since it has turned out to be more profitable.
Once a certain number of box sales has passed and subs have dwindled down below a certain threshold they all go F2P to boost their profits again (especially since F2P means a sudden spike in player numbers again when all those who were waiting for the F2P suddenly jump on board).
So my guess would be, yes, it will eventually. Up to you whether you want to wait for that, or try it now. Or skip it completely because you hate F2P models.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/
You guessed 200k extra people when it's daily peak is 2k users on steam.
Reviews have been less than glowing and the backlash after the Steam release was quite... intense.
As others have said, I would imagine they will wait for the console release and see what happens, but, my gut tells me it will be F2P within a year of release.
Some say that if they delayed the console version (Which was first supposed to be released in June), it is to change the economical model of the game.
FFXIV is constantly on sale on a bi-monthly basis for the price of a sub....so yeah....
Did you get the horse from the cash shop or special pet from Steam paying your sub? If not I would say you are not getting the full benefits of the game with your sub. All a sub does is ensure that you pay at least $15 per month for server access and nothing more. When they want more money than $15 they will add something to the cash shop they already have as Blizzard has been doing for years.
Playing- Guild Wars 2, SWTOR
SWTOR Referral Link Get a free Server Transfer and lots of other free stuff for your SWTOR account! Works for both new and previous players.