How do you feel about the B2P announcement

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

Cazic wrote: »

I've always supported the $15/mo sub model, and at first this news didn't sit very well with me. I'm still a bit unsure, but I think this transition is a smart move on ZOS's part.

A lot more people will be able to play the game who currently cannot due to the subscription fee. A lot of players will continue to pay $15/mo for "Plus" - combine that with Crown Store purchases and I'm sure they'll be bringing in enough to continue releasing good updates.

Also, this is the best way to do it with the console versions in mind. If they had chosen make the sub fee a requirement on top of PS Plus and Xbox Live, that would just drive people away.

I dont get it. Xbox live gold is only what $40 a year? You telling me people are that cheap they cannot afford $3 a month?

eisberg

Like - may draw in more population due to lack of monthly fees

I like it. I just bought the game today after seeing that news, though I failed to look at when it was happening. So either I will take nearly a month off once my first 30 days are done, or I just might pay for 1 month of subscription to get some crowns to begin with. I did buy this game for only $15, so paying another $15 isn't so bad, I am enjoying what I have played so far.

Cazic

Like - all of the "likes" above

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO wrote: »

Cazic wrote: »

I've always supported the $15/mo sub model, and at first this news didn't sit very well with me. I'm still a bit unsure, but I think this transition is a smart move on ZOS's part.

A lot more people will be able to play the game who currently cannot due to the subscription fee. A lot of players will continue to pay $15/mo for "Plus" - combine that with Crown Store purchases and I'm sure they'll be bringing in enough to continue releasing good updates.

Also, this is the best way to do it with the console versions in mind. If they had chosen make the sub fee a requirement on top of PS Plus and Xbox Live, that would just drive people away.

I dont get it. Xbox live gold is only what $40 a year? You telling me people are that cheap they cannot afford $3 a month?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they are. I'm not one of those people, but guaranteed there are some who would look the other way simply because they don't want to pay a separate sub fee on top of their existing one.

karmamule

Like - may draw in more population due to lack of monthly fees

My choice wasn't there, but I picked a mildly optimistic one. I'm really in the "wait and see" category. I've seen mixed results when other MMOs have gone with the B2P approach, and really have no idea how this plays out.

I'll start off continuing as a plus subscriber and will wait to see what the pace of new content is, what the quality of the new content is, and how the population is affected both in numbers and in general tone from this change.

Bottom line: if I keep having fun and feel that whatever money I do spend is getting me quality entertainment time then I'll be happy and keep playing. If the cash shop hucksterism gets out of control (neverwinter I'm glaring at you) or the content releases dry up then I'll most likely move along.

I've been in love with Tamriel and all the Elder Scrolls games from Arena onwards, and won't give up easily on this. I'm nervous about the change, but still very excited about the Justice and Champion systems, and nothing has changed in that regard.

I have no crystal ball. Time will tell.

Mercurio

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

I unsubbed today. Time for another game.

Cazic

Like - all of the "likes" above

And really, for those of us who never wanted it to be B2P/F2P, we can just continue paying $15/mo for ESO Plus and go on as normal. All we will get is the added bonus of included Crown Store currency and DLC - all for what we've already been paying for the past 10 months.

I think what will happen is that the content update routine will change - we probably won't get updates quite as substantial as what we are now (1.4, 1.5, 1.6, etc..). The larger updates will likely be released in the form of purchasable DLC. This would help them make money on the standard players and give incentive to pay $15/mo for ESO Plus (which includes the DLC).

Dazin93

Dislike - other

Dislike because yet again ZOS lied to the community and clearly doesn't care what the community wants from the game and has only been manipulating their subscribers for ill gotten profits all along.

Hopefully the developers of some new MMO's on the horizon will keep their word and ESO will join the ranks of so many other MMO's; a distant memory.

OtarTheMad

Like - may draw in more population due to lack of monthly fees

I honestly don't know what to think. My vote is with extreme caution/worry about how this will effect the game. I sort of feel like we've been paying for beta but another seems to think that this was always going to happen because can you put a p2p game on console? How would that work since console players have to pay for Xbox live and PSN? Seems unfair for them a bit. And they can't really keep PC p2p and put consoles as b2p... then we are ripped off.

I don't know.... let's see where this road goes. Does this mean though that we are guaranteed Update 6 and 7 by the PC launch date of the "new" PC version?

DigitalCow

Dislike - fears of cash shops giving unfair advantages

That's it! I'm done, I'm wiping my hands clean on this game! I came into this fantastic game because it wasn't like any other MMO. Now look at this, a slap to the face and a kick to the shins, there is no difference anymore this a just a plain old MMO. Spending over a hundred dollars for the Imperial Collectors Edition. Pizza and soda ready for this amazing game with early access! I feel in love from that day on this was my MMO an MMO I know I wont be leaving anytime soon. This is just disappointing!

Is this because of those dirty Console peasants! That they have to ruin our game!
#Unsubscribe

Dubah

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

This game isn't worth it now, just go F2P ZOS. Already cancelled my sub got 4 days left and really am not even interested in B2P or pay sub crap. good luck and see ya'll later

Throren

Like - all of the "likes" above

Im cautious about the crown shop but staying a bit optimistic. Look at guild wars 2. They are buy to play and they are doing very well.

All these posts of people essentially crying with entitlement, saying how much they hate changes and how they are unsubbing. Good. This game doesn't want or need people with negative attitudes. If you were true fans of the game like some claim to be, you wouldn't quit and run to the forums. You would at least stick it out to see how the changes work before deciding.

I gurantee you that if this game stayed sub it would go the way of Warhammer Online. I loved that game. Great pvp and an awesome setting, but it just couldn't bring in new players because of its sub fee. The very loud vocal minority verbally crucified anyone on the forums that even suggested the game go free to play, saying how it would ruin the game etc etc. But because they stayed sub model, the game was running at a loss to EA so their entire dev team save one or two folks was pulled away. By the time people smartened up and realized this game needed F2P to survive it was too late, the call to pull the plug on the servers was given (and there were no devs left to switch the revenue model anyways)

So if you truly love this game and are a fan, you'll stick through this until you can test it out and see how it affects everything and then you can make an informed decisions whether you want to stay or not. Otherwise you just look like immature entitled children, crying about how unfair it is, how it is a betrayal etc etc etc. Grow up. If you are going to leave, then go, don;t need to make a stink about it.

Dave2836

Hmm... I think we should take a step back for a moment and consider what is being offered vs what is being taken away.

For continuing our subscriptions we are getting the following as listed in the faqs.

ESO Plus offers members exclusive in-game bonuses, a reoccurring allotment of crowns and access to all downloadable content (DLC) game packs for the duration of membership:

30-day Membership:

1500 crowns at the start of each 30-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition

90-day Membership:

4500 crowns at the start of each 90-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition

180-day Membership:

9000 crowns at the start of each 180-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition

And we weigh with what is being taken away:
1 - Exclusivity of being part of a relatively small paying community
2 - Feelings of entitlement due to being a paying member.
3 - Security of previous precautions taken against the majority of gold spammers.
4 - Conservative player base with Introduction of volatile and possibly hostile environment stemming from influx of new players.

As someone who has been playing since early access, like many of you, have seen this game evolve beautifully. The missteps in the beginning have created a horrible first impression (bugged quests, bugged chests, bugged bugs, gold spammers, etc) however the game was cleaned up. A lot of the stigma also lies with the journalism aspect as many reviews didn't leave glowing remarks.

As someone who is an artist, and actually converses with other artists, the main priority is to have someone else experience our work. A writer will rather have 1000 people read their book for free than have 100 people pay for their book and not read it. I see the work that is being done here, and I understand the urge for these artists to allow others the same experience we have.

This game is complete freedom, and allows absolute freedom, moreso now with the dye system on top of how we can play our characters to the new mounts coming soon. My first pay to play MMO was EQ2, and can I tell you I hated it. The game was so restrictive in its mechanics. It was made based on min/max theory and I had to do a certain quest by a certain level to get somewhere then when I got lost in the world to explore I was stuck as a level 23 lacking in skills to fight my way out of a lvl 50 zone. My second game was DCUO and that was similar to this game in its freedom. Yes there was a slight min/max theory because it was pvp based, however the freedom to play how we wanted was there because they used short bursts of exciting engaging material to alleviate the grind. I remember travelling to Metropolis from Gotham at lvl10 just so I could pound on Bizarro, and it was fun because I could do that.

This game offers something that a lot of other games totally missed out on. It's not about clicking nor the loot. Not about how many sky shards we can collect or how fast we can grind to vr14. They managed to create a sandbox inside of a themepark. The lack of an auction house should have driven the point further it was up to us to decide how to manage the economy. I'm surprised no one has created an unofficial standardized website or forum like this one. The email system with c.o.d. option and lack of player housing should have told us everything we needed to know about ingame interactions.

They read these forums, these comments, and comprehend all that we say, analyze and create plans to introduce engaging content for us. The subscriber has the freedom and power in this game, even moreso with the new subcription plan, or lack thereof. The unfortunate result is no one knows what to do with a Sandbox... as a lot of them have failed, or maybe we as an audience have failed to recognize them as such. In Diablo II there is a secret class called a "Ranger"... its the paladin using a bow, definitely counterproductive given the paladin's fundamental skill set. In ESO, the Templar can use a bow without a problem. The NB or DK can use the restostaff. Our imaginations are only surpassed by reality.

On an offhand analogy... how many of you still pay for cable/satellite television and still comment there's nothing to watch?

clocksstoppe

Like - may draw in more population due to lack of monthly fees

Morthur wrote: »

Just in case my meaning wasn't obvious:

Nice pay2win imperial edition. You aren't fooling anyone. You will return shortly.

skillastat

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

DLCs will be pay-to-win.

Why?

Because it'll trigger new stuff and gear only accessible from those new zones and DLCs.

Enough said

#Unsub
#Uninstall

Delte

Dislike - fears of new content slowing down

Dislike the whole idea and leaving the game.

LordTareq

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

Dislike. It feels as a betrayal to their loyal customer base. Besides the listed downsides/fears listed by the OP, I feel that essentially I've been paying for a year so the game is now polished enough for the consoles, and new players get to enjoy the benefits of my investment for free. Pfff.

kevlarto_ESO

Dislike - fears of new content slowing down

I kinda had a feeling, but this is all about the consoles I think oh well.

I plan on staying to see what happens with the store and what they offer, I will be on the ESO pass paying the sub, two factors for me, am I still having fun, and am I getting my money's worth still, I hope to they do not do a swtor model where they heavily monetized everything and nothing goes into the game it all goes into the cartel market.
Overall I am disappointed, and think if things do not work out I might give up mmo's all together no loss really been playing them since mudz.

Zed

Dislike - other

Yeah, I'm done. It's not that I don't like the game. The game, despite it's flaws, bugs, and Zenimax's absolutely terrible response time to the previous, is fun. I like it. I like the people I play with. I like the world, the NPCs, the music, more or less everything.

Cash shops, on the other hand, I hate. They take a game that originally may have had a ceiling of X dollars (where X is the price of a monthly subscription for any month after the first) for the full experience and blow the roof off the thing. With a cash shop, the sky is now the limit on how much money a single player can spend. The floor also bottoms out to 0 dollars per month but as someone who was happy with that above X, having to paying some undefined amount of money in a cash shop to get the full experience doesn't appeal to me.

Of course, my opinion matters very little now. I don't doubt that it mattered very little before but it matters even less so now that I'm likely going to be replaced by someone who is willing to spend two or three times more than what I did per month. So yeah. feelsbadman.jpg

Zershar_Vemod

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

BlueIllyrian wrote: »

New player here, bought game on discount over Xmas, bought Imperial upgrade 4 days ago and now I am chalking those € 40 to learning loss. Canceled my sub, and on my way out. Thanks, if I wanted crappy f2p with cash shop posing as "convenience" I would stay and get fleeced at LOTRO or STO. As it is I might as well go back to SWTOR, it's limited f2p looks better than this.

Don't even bother with SWTOR at this point.

I'd say give Star Citizen a look though.

Mograineb16_ESO

Like - all of the "likes" above

rofl, why are you guys cancelling subs? I loved gw2, dont see a problem with eso going gw2 style. Either you like the game or you dont, the payment methods are irrelevant. Its not gonna be pay to win, its just gonna be pay if you want extra stuff you dont really need.

Vahrokh

Like - other

Morthur wrote: »

staticstorm wrote: »

Tapio75 wrote: »

In fact i would rather have good small population sustainable game with good community like EVE rather than generalised f2p MMO which i fear this will become.

Still not totally surprised as i fear that game suffered from too much MMO crap added to potential sandbox TES MMORPG.

isn't that the issue it wasn't sustainable.

It isn't sustainable because ZOS failed to deliver eithe
- a TES Sandbox MMO a la "EVE in TES" (which would probably only retain a small number of fairly hardcore players/fans but those pretty much indefinitely if done properly) or

- a mass-marketable MMO with all the standard features and "comfort" of modern-day WOW. Now please note: I quit WOW years ago when it got totally "dumbified" and I'm in no way a fan of WOW but - that being said - it does have many features that make it very easy and accessible to a very large market and therefore commercially successful. It caters to the 12 year old, it caters to the 70-hours-a-week hardcore raider and it caters to many other people that just want to hop in, click "Looking for Epics", run a dungeon, loot purples, the end.
For example, none of those three groups of WOW player will find it interesting, challenging or in any way "fun" to have to run between 15 different AHs to buy an item, or have 6 mules for inventory management etc. These are really strange and vaguely schizophrenic design choices... no idea who the target audience for that sort of features is..? Seemingly nobody since the game is going F2P..?

- a new and truely innovative MMO (easily said, hard to pull off - which is why 90% of all new MMOs sadly go for the WOW-clone approach and usually suck too much to even pull that off)

ZOS failed to deliver any of those games and instead opted for some strange mix with often very questionable prioritization of features and aspects of the game.

Is it trying to be a story-driven game? In that case the story part is pretty weak compared to some other RPG games (including, of course, the ES series). The main story line + guild quests are OK and some are even great but the story is very linear and doesn't offer any real freedom to develop your character in a role-playing sense. The majority of the other quests are just quite bland and the actual game-play usually amounts to "go there, loot that, kill this".

Is it trying to be a PVP centric game? In that case they could give players a much wider range of battles to compete in and could design a game that is well designed enough to attract a "pro gamer" following (like Starcraft and whatnot).

Is it trying to be a raiding game a la WOW? In that case the game mechanics need quite a bit of work and the game needs to be able to cater to a large amount of players by being well designed, intuitive, like any of these WOW-clone/McDonalds Theme Park MMOs that any 12 year old can pick up and feel successful in but still offer more challenging content for a more hardcore audience.

ZOS, sadly, didn't deliver. And now I fear the game will go the way of all failed MMOs... oh well.

Your post is very insightful.
Also, don't "fear the game will go the way of all failed MMOs... oh well", because the game has already failed.

Game failed when it had to be aborted and they had to scramble it out and put the anticlimactic: "Grind VR levels. Not just that. Have VR be a terrible, out of any sense replica of playing all the 3 factions".

I was already saying that in May 2014. When they nerfed VR I also said it was BAD because it meant the content would have been consumed by everyone before ZoS could add more areas. Which happened. I said in June (or before), Craglorn was a TERRIBLE idea, because of the most horrible game design ever conceived in the industry.
But no, they went ahead and strong in the abyss, after all who cares if players with 15 years of MMO esperience told them SINCE CLOSED BETA their game was heading to ruin?
In fact I did not buy the game when it opened, my closed beta testing told me it'd be a failure. I later got a box only because some friends moved to ESO from another MMO and asked me to join them.
But it took one step into VR1 to understand this game would fail or (and?) go F2P. And sadly, it did.

Reverb

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

I think we all know this, but Zenimaz doesn't care how we feel. They knew there would be backlash. Their business models figured x% would unsub at the announcement, x% will unsub within 30 days of the change, there will be a x% sales increase at launch of the change, and the population will set the new average 180 days later. That new average will be more profitable than the current subscriber base. Those of us that have been loyal since beta are just part of the X, and don't matter.

The good news is that the new players will inject life into the game, and will probably enjoy it very much.

More good news is that my project car will probably make it out of the garage and onto the road this summer. Just the announcement of the upcoming change has stripped away my attachment to the game. Right now I would usually be in Cyrodiil or leveling another alt in prep for 1.6.instead I'm shopping for TMIC tubing and making a list of things to prep the lift. I don't even have the desire to log into TS to see what my guild is doing. With no games on the horizon that have caught my interest, Zenimax has given my real life a serious boost.

Kevinmon

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

Dislike. Most *** choice ever. Unsubbed. Never forget the liars at ZOS.

Mopar63

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

If you decide to keep paying for this game I hope for you that it works out. However a company that lies about it's intentions is not one I will give my money too.

Bethesda as a parent over compnay you need to come out against this move hard and fast or this might be my last Elder Scrolls game, MMO or solo play.

ahstin2001nub18_ESO

Dislike - other

Lynnessa wrote: »

I used to play Phantasy Star: Universe on my PS2. Here's hoping that ESO lasts more years than that one did.

I am optmistic. Will be nice to play the game without the hassle of subscription & etc.

omg.... i did final testing for that game..... don't get me started

togmb16_ESO

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above

Unsubbed and soon uninstalled. Bye ZOS.

warwizard

Dislike - other

Very very disappointed....the PC community that we had was really great.. I feel that this is going kill the PC version of the game.

superquadockyb14_ESO

Like - all of the "likes" above

Can someone enlighten me as to what the big deal is?

Zed

Dislike - other

ahstin2001nub18_ESO wrote: »

Lynnessa wrote: »

I used to play Phantasy Star: Universe on my PS2. Here's hoping that ESO lasts more years than that one did.

I am optmistic. Will be nice to play the game without the hassle of subscription & etc.

omg.... i did final testing for that game..... don't get me started

Putting a game that requires updates on a system that doesn't come with a hard disk is never a good idea. But then again, the 360 was sucking pretty hard at the end of it's life cycle too. Clone weapons everywhere. The Japanese PC version was the only version PSU that ever got the love that game deserved.

skillastat

Dislike - all of the "dislikes" above