http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/21/elder-scrolls-online-opting-for-subscription-model-over-f2p/
I guess I won't be playing.
Elder Scrolls Online opting for subscription model over F2P
- Thread starter Pooky
- Start date
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/21/elder-scrolls-online-opting-for-subscription-model-over-f2p/
I guess I won't be playing.
Glordit
Neo Zeon
+1 to that
Lycanthrope
New member
Personally, I don't mind subscriptions as long as the game is good.
But looking at the Elder Scrolls series, the few things that made it fun (for me) were largely things that could only work in single player--the freedom to pick all sorts of crap up (the random stuff lying around the world like skulls, candle holders, etc) and trade it, being able to loot everything from a corpse and feeling like "the one sole hero" in the game.
Turning the universe into an MMO sounds like a nice idea because, in essence, the one thing that the Elder Scrolls series has going for it is its great universe.
But I don't see how the quests won't just become another grind, how it can do anything differently to what has already been done without just being a simple change in setting (what essentially separates most MMOs from each other).
I believe that the MMO genre needs a hell of a lot more content, immersion, freedom, consequence and impact to stay relevant. Permadeath, bind players to only be able to use one character at a time, let it be real work to achieve something instead of basically handing everything to you on a platter and having "success" only require time and mob/quest grinding.
I don't know... The MMO genre's biggest appeal to me is a virtual world where anything is possible but where loss needs to have a very real emotional impact. And 99% of MMOs out there just don't have that.
For me, the MMO genre is dead and has lost its interest.
Of course, I don't mind trying out new ones and I may even buy TEO but, honestly, I know myself well enough to bet that the chances of me actually getting heavily involved in it are next to nil.
But looking at the Elder Scrolls series, the few things that made it fun (for me) were largely things that could only work in single player--the freedom to pick all sorts of crap up (the random stuff lying around the world like skulls, candle holders, etc) and trade it, being able to loot everything from a corpse and feeling like "the one sole hero" in the game.
Turning the universe into an MMO sounds like a nice idea because, in essence, the one thing that the Elder Scrolls series has going for it is its great universe.
But I don't see how the quests won't just become another grind, how it can do anything differently to what has already been done without just being a simple change in setting (what essentially separates most MMOs from each other).
I believe that the MMO genre needs a hell of a lot more content, immersion, freedom, consequence and impact to stay relevant. Permadeath, bind players to only be able to use one character at a time, let it be real work to achieve something instead of basically handing everything to you on a platter and having "success" only require time and mob/quest grinding.
I don't know... The MMO genre's biggest appeal to me is a virtual world where anything is possible but where loss needs to have a very real emotional impact. And 99% of MMOs out there just don't have that.
For me, the MMO genre is dead and has lost its interest.
Of course, I don't mind trying out new ones and I may even buy TEO but, honestly, I know myself well enough to bet that the chances of me actually getting heavily involved in it are next to nil.
Deceptor
New member
Totally agree. I can't keep up with all the new content Guild Wars 2 releases every 2 weeks.
Snare
New member
You want to work...play some EVE Online dear sir; and despair
Lycanthrope
New member
Been there, done that and became incredibly bored with the experience...
That felt less about "work" and more about "grinding" either in the form of mining or levelling skills. The fact that it also encourages multiple characters, and "out of game, in-game plotting" kind of kills the entire impact of permadeath.
I need more than that...
Shrike
New member
Both TESO and Wildstar will be going F2P after 3 or so months. Why? Not because of numbers drop but because of this:
During hype-build up and pre-launch boxes get sold, massively. During the first 3 months, people pay subs and level, level, level. MMO company makes LOTS of money.
After about 3 months most people hit level cap and run out of things to do and others get bored and move on.
Now the company takes out the F2P plan it had in place since game design phase and slots it and gets money from returnees and those that stay.
Heed my crystal ball fellow gamers, it will happen....
During hype-build up and pre-launch boxes get sold, massively. During the first 3 months, people pay subs and level, level, level. MMO company makes LOTS of money.
After about 3 months most people hit level cap and run out of things to do and others get bored and move on.
Now the company takes out the F2P plan it had in place since game design phase and slots it and gets money from returnees and those that stay.
Heed my crystal ball fellow gamers, it will happen....
shadowfox
Anime Junkie
They'll probably let it run for about a year or so before switching to a F2P model though.
I see so many people say that the P2P model is better, for various reasons, but I don't see anyone sticking around in those games. Star Wars, Star Trek, TERA, Aion, TSW - all of them launched with subs and all of them failed to keep numbers - because gamers as a rule are just way too self-entitled. And devs will never be able to keep them all satisfied.
Every P2P that released after WOW (with the exception of EVE) has eventually moved over to F2P, and ended up doing reasonably well for themselves (last I heard STO has a little over a million active players). Even if people moan about it, it's mostly free so they play.
So Shrike is most likely correct about the reasons behind the decision to launch with subs.
Grievous
New member
I predict loads of people will get it at launch purely because.... Elder Scrolls! But people will soon realise it doesn't offer anything new or special over already established Fantasy MMOs and will lose its player base pretty quick. I suspect people will buy it and play the 30 days that comes with the purchase and wont bother to get a subscription after the 30 days are up.