PCGamer comments on removal of 6-month subscriptions.

Winnower · January 2015

http://www.pcgamer.com/the-elder-scrolls-online-removes-six-month-subs-f2p-rumours-abound/

Apparently someone at PCgamer still pays some attention to the forums here.

Maybe someone at ZoS might want to make a comment that is less than ambiguous.

Gidorick · January 2015

Woah... PC Gamer is still around? Awesome!

Beowulf_McCallum · January 2015

From the article
'...it might seem a sensible course of action to remove the paywall and encourage any and all to get involved.'

This made me LOL. They think of a subscription as a paywall?!? If they get their F2P/B2P wish, they're in for a rude awakening...

Gyudan · January 2015

Well, @ZOS is more likely to step in and answer the rumors now that the news it out of the forum.

TequilaFire · January 2015

There are a whole lot of ignorant comments after that article.
Mostly ESO hate by people that don't even have a clue!

Gyudan · January 2015

It's not just PCgamer.

http://www.loadthegame.com/2014/12/31/elder-scrolls-online-removed-six-month-subs/

http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/25868/article/the-elder-scrolls-online-removes-six-month-subcriptions/

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/12/new-sign-that-elder-scrolls-online-might-go-free-to-play/

http://www.idigitaltimes.com/elder-scrolls-online-free-play-release-rumors-fly-after-bethesda-drops-six-month-404000

Maybe @ZOS_GinaBruno should take a look before it gets out of hand.

TequilaFire · January 2015

What I find amazing is all those sites that owe their existence to games go to such lengths to help spread unconfirmed rumors that hurt games.
Click bait. imo

Ourorboros · January 2015

TequilaFire wrote: »

What I find amazing is all those sites that owe their existence to games go to such lengths to help spread unconfirmed rumors that hurt games.
Click bait. imo

Looked to me like all those articles are just doing their job. They reported our forum discussions, and, yes, in some cases did the same speculation we have been doing about the motive for losing the 6 month sub. All of this noise could be settled, if ZOS just responded. It's their silence, however, which is speaking volumes.

Gidorick · January 2015

TequilaFire wrote: »

There are a whole lot of ignorant comments after that article.
Mostly ESO hate by people that don't even have a clue!

And that ignorance and hate shall flow freely across the lands of Tamriel if ESO goes F2P/B2P...

Neizir · January 2015

If it really does come to the worst I'd rather ESO go B2P rather than F2P. I'd still prefer the sub model but GW2 and TSW have found success with the B2P model, selling useless cosmetics in their cash shops.

What ZOS could also introduce is a way to convert in-game currency or a special item for game time while still retaining a subscription. EVE does it, Wildstar does it and even WoW is thinking of doing it. It's a win-win situation. Everyone who wants to sub can stay subbed, while those who don't want to sub can collect these special items or trade their gold for gametime. Then everyone's happy.

kelly.medleyb14_ESO · January 2015

Neizir wrote: »

If it really does come to the worst I'd rather ESO go B2P rather than F2P. I'd still prefer the sub model but GW2 and TSW have found success with the B2P model, selling useless cosmetics in their cash shops.

What ZOS could also introduce is a way to convert in-game currency or a special item for game time while still retaining a subscription. EVE does it, Wildstar does it and even WoW is thinking of doing it. It's a win-win situation. Everyone who wants to sub can stay subbed, while those who don't want to sub can collect these special items or trade their gold for gametime. Then everyone's happy.

If this happens I will gladly leave and never look back, just like I did RIFT when it went f2p. The gold to money for sub only I would probably tolerate as long as it's a LOT of Gold, say 250k per month.

Gidorick · January 2015

Neizir wrote: »

If it really does come to the worst I'd rather ESO go B2P rather than F2P. I'd still prefer the sub model but GW2 and TSW have found success with the B2P model, selling useless cosmetics in their cash shops.

What ZOS could also introduce is a way to convert in-game currency or a special item for game time while still retaining a subscription. EVE does it, Wildstar does it and even WoW is thinking of doing it. It's a win-win situation. Everyone who wants to sub can stay subbed, while those who don't want to sub can collect these special items or trade their gold for gametime. Then everyone's happy.

I hate to agree... but I agree. The name of the game is getting more $ for ZOS. If ZOS can get more money coming in they might be able to put more resources into improvements. They STILL have to answer to Bethesda for what goes into the game so I trust that the game won't be *** out like all the doomsayers are saying.

I would personally hope a subscription option is retained if it goes b2p/f2p and that these forums be reserved for those that pay the subscription... but that's probably a bit much to ask.

Jitterbug · January 2015

I feel the same way actually, I mentioned the AoC model in another thread where subs get access to all content, so they don't notice the f2p/b2p stuff, but new players can level to max and do pvp minigames. All expansions, raids, and guild v guild pvp is for subs only.
Their cash shop does offer gear at an entry endgame level and leveling gear, and to me is works well.

Personally I like cash shops, like in TSW, with all kinds of nonsense I can buy, and I would like ESO to have one as well, but that's just me.

Wifeaggro13 · January 2015

Winnower wrote: »

http://www.pcgamer.com/the-elder-scrolls-online-removes-six-month-subs-f2p-rumours-abound/

Apparently someone at PCgamer still pays some attention to the forums here.

Maybe someone at ZoS might want to make a comment that is less than ambiguous.

who really knows why. they probably are going to switch to a freemium eventually. But in all honesty these are the guys that reviewed the game after 2 hours of play. did not get to level 10. Did not go to cyrodil , never did the first dungeons. then had the nerve to say it didn't have enough single player feel LOL while stating they dont really play MMO's only shooters.

But they absolutely gave rave reviews to 1980's emulator run and jump in the same issue .

So truthfully just go play any of the MMO markets Freemium and F2P games out there for 90 days then come back and play ESO and tell me it's doomed. My biggest problem with this game is some of the design choices ,melee/armor imbalances , Zerg feel to the trials. But the rest of the game is rock solid and far beyond what the market has to offer. ESO is likely going Freemium is, all even WOW has a freemium model all MMO's do this post launch.

MornaBaine · January 2015

Good article OP thanks for sharing.

knightblaster · January 2015

Neizir wrote: »

If it really does come to the worst I'd rather ESO go B2P rather than F2P. I'd still prefer the sub model but GW2 and TSW have found success with the B2P model, selling useless cosmetics in their cash shops.

What ZOS could also introduce is a way to convert in-game currency or a special item for game time while still retaining a subscription. EVE does it, Wildstar does it and even WoW is thinking of doing it. It's a win-win situation. Everyone who wants to sub can stay subbed, while those who don't want to sub can collect these special items or trade their gold for gametime. Then everyone's happy.

Well, but it would be done such that a customer would pay ZOS for an item that has gametime (like EVE's PLEX), and that customer can resell it to another customer for in-game currency -- so ZOS gets paid a sub for each player. It would never be that a player would pay ZOS itself in-game currency for game time, because there is no benefit at all for ZOS in that transaction.

Samadhi · January 2015

So the forum community is so vocal that game review sites have begun to write articles about us and based on our statements about what ZOS does.

Honestly not sure how to feel about that.

Want to reach back into my memory to a time where game review articles were written mainly about game content, rather than being written about forum drama.

ers101284b14_ESO · January 2015

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

Gyudan · January 2015

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

There's no ESO live tomorrow. The next one is mid-january.

ers101284b14_ESO · January 2015

Gyudan wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

There's no ESO live tomorrow. The next one is mid-january.

Seriously? Cause the last one was the 19th. So the next one should be the 2nd.

Tandor · January 2015

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Gyudan wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

There's no ESO live tomorrow. The next one is mid-january.

Seriously? Cause the last one was the 19th. So the next one should be the 2nd.

Has the holiday season passed you by?

ers101284b14_ESO · January 2015

Tandor wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Gyudan wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

There's no ESO live tomorrow. The next one is mid-january.

Seriously? Cause the last one was the 19th. So the next one should be the 2nd.

Has the holiday season passed you by?

No but every 2 weeks was what they where doing. I don't remember January 2nd being a Holiday. But yep she does say the 16th.

Aaron0887 · January 2015

TequilaFire wrote: »

There are a whole lot of ignorant comments after that article.
Mostly ESO hate by people that don't even have a clue!

It's not just the comments, the "journalists" that run the site are just as bad. Their ESO review was the most uninspiring piece of garbage I'd seen on there since they reviewed Dragon Age 2. It's the reason I don't put any stock in their opinions any more.

It's worth a read just to laugh at how little of the game they seemed to have actually played before their "review" was published.

Khivas_Carrick · January 2015

Jitterbug wrote: »

I feel the same way actually, I mentioned the AoC model in another thread where subs get access to all content, so they don't notice the f2p/b2p stuff, but new players can level to max and do pvp minigames. All expansions, raids, and guild v guild pvp is for subs only.
Their cash shop does offer gear at an entry endgame level and leveling gear, and to me is works well.

Personally I like cash shops, like in TSW, with all kinds of nonsense I can buy, and I would like ESO to have one as well, but that's just me.

That sounds like what swtor is doing and that game so far is still thriving.

AlexDougherty · January 2015

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Gyudan wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

There's no ESO live tomorrow. The next one is mid-january.

Seriously? Cause the last one was the 19th. So the next one should be the 2nd.

Has the holiday season passed you by?

No but every 2 weeks was what they where doing. I don't remember January 2nd being a Holiday. But yep she does say the 16th.

ESO Live may be broadcast Live (or whatever the term is, I used to use Podcast myself, but apparently that's wrong), but they spend several days getting everything ready.

Now if they did Broadcast tomorrow, even if they have fully recovered from New Years day, the preparation would be right and they would be getting everything wrong. Then they would have to apologise, do another ESO Live saying what the news actually is, apologise Again.

Or they could just wait until a week or two down the line, which is what they are doing.

Csub · January 2015

Even the Hungarian GameStar made a news about this, but quite frankly they are so subjective and post ridiculous, unprofessional stuff that even if I wanted I couldn't believe them. They hardly post anything about any MMOs besides WoW, and when they do it's mostly negative (or stupid, like how loyalty pet reward for ESO is a sign of desparation and imminent F2P) while they praise whatever they like.

Still, an official statement to the media would be nice because just a tiny portion of those comments makes me feel I'm getting dumber and dumber.

Averya_Teira · January 2015

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Gyudan wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

There's no ESO live tomorrow. The next one is mid-january.

Seriously? Cause the last one was the 19th. So the next one should be the 2nd.

Has the holiday season passed you by?

No but every 2 weeks was what they where doing. I don't remember January 2nd being a Holiday. But yep she does say the 16th.

They have the luxury of taking as long as they want for Holidays lol.

ers101284b14_ESO · January 2015

AlexDougherty wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Gyudan wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

There's no ESO live tomorrow. The next one is mid-january.

Seriously? Cause the last one was the 19th. So the next one should be the 2nd.

Has the holiday season passed you by?

No but every 2 weeks was what they where doing. I don't remember January 2nd being a Holiday. But yep she does say the 16th.

ESO Live may be broadcast Live (or whatever the term is, I used to use Podcast myself, but apparently that's wrong), but they spend several days getting everything ready.

Now if they did Broadcast tomorrow, even if they have fully recovered from New Years day, the preparation would be right and they would be getting everything wrong. Then they would have to apologise, do another ESO Live saying what the news actually is, apologise Again.

Or they could just wait until a week or two down the line, which is what they are doing.

True that. Although they could have it done on the 9th. But waiting until the 16th it is

I like the live shows. But I guess if we get a Road Ahead or at least Champion on PTS before the show then we can get some questions to ask on the show so that would be wicked.

Averya_Teira wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Gyudan wrote: »

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

Maybe we will find out whats going on during ESO Live tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxNiMwf4s0o

There's no ESO live tomorrow. The next one is mid-january.

Seriously? Cause the last one was the 19th. So the next one should be the 2nd.

Has the holiday season passed you by?

No but every 2 weeks was what they where doing. I don't remember January 2nd being a Holiday. But yep she does say the 16th.

They have the luxury of taking as long as they want for Holidays lol.

But then we have Valentines day, St Patricks day, Easter, Arbor Day! We wouldn't get one until May

Just Kidding

Alphashado · January 2015

Games go F2P when they are losing subs. ESO is gaining just as many subs every day as it loses and I would dare to say that it appears the population is on the rise now due to the upcoming justice system and the champion system.

I have no factual numbers to back this up. It's just pure speculation based on what I see. There are more people in zones than there were a few months ago. There are a ton of new players just based on questions asked in zone and guild chat. I can still easily recruit 5-15 people per day for a trade guild to replace inactive accounts.

ESO is actually gaining in reputation and popularity.

There are plenty of people out there that would LOVE for ESO to go F2P just so they could point their finger and say "Ha! I told you so!"

If I remember correctly, PCgamer was at the top of the list when it came to bashing ESO at release.

It's interesting that WoW hasn't gone F2P even though it's been losing subs for
years.

ESO will never be F2P. It might someday go B2P, but I don't see that in the near future and that is just my opinion.
.......................................................................................................................

***The only thing that concerns me are rumors that zos is struggling with consoles to implement a subscription agreement. I don't know much about it other that it's a rumor. But if for some reason they can't get a subscription model to work for the consoles, then we might have an issue. I haven't played console games for years. I'm curious: Are there any current console games that require a sub? <-- honest question.

ers101284b14_ESO · January 2015

Alphashado wrote: »

Games go F2P when they are losing subs. ESO is gaining just as many subs every day as it loses and I would dare to say that it appears the population is on the rise now due to the upcoming justice system and the champion system.

I have no factual numbers to back this up. It's just pure speculation based on what I see. There are more people in zones than there were a few months ago. There are a ton of new players just based on questions asked in zone and guild chat. I can still easily recruit 5-15 people per day for a trade guild to replace inactive accounts.

ESO is actually gaining in reputation and popularity.

There are plenty of people out there that would LOVE for ESO to go F2P just so they could point their finger and say "Ha! I told you so!"

If I remember correctly, PCgamer was at the top of the list when it came to bashing ESO at release.

It's interesting that WoW hasn't gone F2P even though it's been losing subs for years.

ESO will never be F2P. It might someday go B2P, but I don't see that in the near future and that is just my opinion. The only thing that concerns me are rumors that zos is struggling with consoles to implement a subscription agreement. I don't know much about it other that it's a rumor. But if for some reason they can't get a subscription model to work for the consoles, then we might have an issue. I haven't played console games for years. I'm curious: Are there any current console games that require a sub? <-- honest question.

FF14 does but they also didn't release on Xbox. PS3 version never needed PS+ to play it and not sure if PS4 did or not.

Ourorboros · January 2015

All this speculation would go away if ZOS would just release a statement about why they removed the 6 month sub ( and not some lame excuse that it's not popular ). This issue has led to several forum threads with view counts among the highest ever, and has now spread to the internet gaming community. The official silence on this is making things worse. Why would they not make some statement if they have no F2P or B2P plans. I don't think this will go away soon unless ZOS makes a statement.