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People, relax.

marcmyb14_ESO
marcmyb14_ESO
✭✭✭
This could've gone much worse. They could've gone F2P with a pay-to-win cash shop. They didn't. They could have a real money to gold conversion system. They won't. They could've done like GW2 and not offer DLCs at all. We're getting DLCs.

Nothing has to change seriously, the game will likely be mostly like it was before, especially if you sub to ESO Plus. And if you don't, then you won't be at a big disadvantage, you'll just have to pay for extra content as you would if it were a single player game.

This is pretty much the best B2P model there is, and lots of people are overreacting. Was ESO a paid beta up until this point? In a sense, maybe it was, but so what? You'll be getting compensated for money you spent on the sub in the form of crowns, and you'll use that to buy DLCs.

It is most likely the subs that got the game this far. If they didn't make back some of the money they spent on developing, the game might still be as it was in 1.2. Instead, we are getting 1.6 on PTS in a week, with the Champion system and the Justice system. Do you think they would've bothered doing that if the game was B2P to begin with?

Sure, some of that money is factored in to console development, but as a result, the money they make from console sales (which mind you will be MUCH higher now) will go towards developing the game further.

TL;DR
This is the best payment model there is other than subscriptions. It may even be better.


So just relax and stay positive, because this probably isn't going to ruin the game at all. If anything, it may get better.
GM Oghma Infinium - Ebonheart Pact
VR14 Imperial Dragonknight - Indualis Decimius
VR14 High Elf Sorcerer - Arienna Stormcaller
VR1 Dark Elf Dragonknight - Flame and Shadow
26 Khajiit Nightblade - J'Kaaz Vulon
10 Breton Templar - Sam Guevene
  • Jitterbug
    Jitterbug
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    frankie-say-relax.jpg
  • knightblaster
    knightblaster
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    The concern is about what happens next, 6-12-18 months down the road, given what has happened in pretty much every other MMO that has ventured in this direction, eventually -- even those which started out with a system very similar to this one when they first went to a hybrid model.
  • Plantagenet
    Plantagenet
    ✭✭✭
    ZoS has done a classic bait and switch, totally lied to their player base on multiple occasions. Stolen DEV time away form content we were promised and were paying for to work on this arse-backwards program no one asked for except the accountants...

    I hope they go bankrupt.
  • xaraan
    xaraan
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    I agree people should calm down. If they hadn't been in denial this was coming for weeks now it wouldn't be so crazy. 1. it's not a shock and 2. I'm happy about the change. (And look at my poster history to tell I'm not always happy about everything zos does)

    I think we'll see more players, hopefully some that will stick around.

    I think the whole "less content" argument is BS. Look at what we got for new, and I mean BRAND NEW, content added the last almost year we've paid a sub for. Craglorn and two vet dungeons? woohoo. Not blowing my socks off. Now that they have to get content out to make money, i.e. sell as a DLC I think it will come faster (not to mention the orc zone, argonian zone, imperial city a couple others are already prepped and we'll see this year).

    The addition of cosmetic items is a great thing IMO. Even if you aren't a RPer (I'm not) I still love customizing my character. And if this also means they put in options to change character appearance, I'll be a happy man.

    And please god let them sell a new character slot or two (I'm running out of characters to play myself).

    As for a sub, I'll be paying the same but now I'll also be getting free crowns for the cash shop, an xp/gold bonus, and of course whatever DLCs - that's more than I've been getting for my sub so far. I will have paid a sub for over three months by the time 1.6 goes live for nothing at all except server access - no bonuses, no crowns and no content. I much prefer the new bonuses.

    If you disagree.. shrugs, take your lol's turn 'em side ways and... you know the rest. Cuz those lol's mean the same thing they did the past few weeks you used them everytime someone said the game was moving this way. Didn't make it not true, did it?
    Edited by xaraan on 21 January 2015 23:30
    -- @xaraan --
    nightblade: Xaraan templar: Xaraan-dar dragon-knight: Xaraanosaurus necromancer: Xaraan-qa warden: Xaraanodon sorcerer: Xaraan-ra
    AD • NA • PC
  • Paulhewhewria
    Paulhewhewria
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    Honestly I don't know how to feel about the change,but I do enjoy the fallout LOL!
  • Gyudan
    Gyudan
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    ✭✭
    There is a new position available at @ZOS for a QA Tester Intern, so at least the game seems to still be moving forward.

    It requires excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills of course.
    Wololo.
  • marcmyb14_ESO
    marcmyb14_ESO
    ✭✭✭
    The concern is about what happens next, 6-12-18 months down the road, given what has happened in pretty much every other MMO that has ventured in this direction, eventually -- even those which started out with a system very similar to this one when they first went to a hybrid model.

    Except other B2P mmos don't usually offer DLC do they? That's the difference, they're promising DLC. That's what makes me somewhat hopeful.
    GM Oghma Infinium - Ebonheart Pact
    VR14 Imperial Dragonknight - Indualis Decimius
    VR14 High Elf Sorcerer - Arienna Stormcaller
    VR1 Dark Elf Dragonknight - Flame and Shadow
    26 Khajiit Nightblade - J'Kaaz Vulon
    10 Breton Templar - Sam Guevene
  • Morgha_Kul
    Morgha_Kul
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, I've seen many other games go from subscription to some variation of free to play, but I've never seen any of those games improve. AT ALL. Quite the opposite. Every single time this sort of thing has happened in the past, it has been beyond detrimental to the game, it has destroyed the foundation of the game as a whole.

    What I mean is, there is little to no development time (read dollars) spent on the GAME, all the company pays attention to is the STORE.

    I've seen it over and over and over and over, and the pattern is exactly the same every time. As far as I'm concerned, this is really the beginning of the end. Any hopes I had of seeing parts of the world not currently in the game (like Vvardenfell or Black Marsh, or what have you) will likely be dashed. Those areas will be left undeveloped, unless they can be somehow monetized. And so it will go for everything, a downward slippery spiral into destruction.


    Don't misunderstand me, I really hope I'm wrong. I've just never been wrong about this kind of thing before.
    Exploring Tamriel since 1994.
  • Khivas_Carrick
    Khivas_Carrick
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    xaraan wrote: »
    I agree people should calm down. If they hadn't been in denial this was coming for weeks now it wouldn't be so crazy. 1. it's not a shock and 2. I'm happy about the change. (And look at my poster history to tell I'm not always happy about everything zos does)

    I think we'll see more players, hopefully some that will stick around.

    I think the whole "less content" argument is BS. Look at what we got for new, and I mean BRAND NEW, content added the last almost year we've paid a sub for. Craglorn and two vet dungeons? woohoo. Not blowing my socks off. Now that they have to get content out to make money, i.e. sell as a DLC I think it will come faster (not to mention the orc zone, argonian zone, imperial city a couple others are already prepped and we'll see this year).

    The addition of cosmetic items is a great thing IMO. Even if you aren't a RPer (I'm not) I still love customizing my character. And if this also means they put in options to change character appearance, I'll be a happy man.

    And please god let them sell a new character slot or two (I'm running out of characters to play myself).

    As for a sub, I'll be paying the same but now I'll also be getting free crowns for the cash shop, an xp/gold bonus, and of course whatever DLCs - that's more than I've been getting for my sub so far. I will have paid a sub for over three months by the time 1.6 goes live for nothing at all except server access - no bonuses, no crowns and no content. I much prefer the new bonuses.

    If you disagree.. shrugs, take your lol's turn 'em side ways and... you know the rest. Cuz those lol's mean the same thing they did the past few weeks you used them everytime someone said the game was moving this way. Didn't make it not true, did it?

    This man has said literally every single thing I have been saying all god damn day, and still people can't pull their heads from their ostrich sized asses long enough to realize that Chicken Little was an ***.
    Bobbity Boop, this game might become poop, but I'll still play because I'm just a pile of goop!
  • Darkonflare15
    Darkonflare15
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    xaraan wrote: »
    I agree people should calm down. If they hadn't been in denial this was coming for weeks now it wouldn't be so crazy. 1. it's not a shock and 2. I'm happy about the change. (And look at my poster history to tell I'm not always happy about everything zos does)

    I think we'll see more players, hopefully some that will stick around.

    I think the whole "less content" argument is BS. Look at what we got for new, and I mean BRAND NEW, content added the last almost year we've paid a sub for. Craglorn and two vet dungeons? woohoo. Not blowing my socks off. Now that they have to get content out to make money, i.e. sell as a DLC I think it will come faster (not to mention the orc zone, argonian zone, imperial city a couple others are already prepped and we'll see this year).

    The addition of cosmetic items is a great thing IMO. Even if you aren't a RPer (I'm not) I still love customizing my character. And if this also means they put in options to change character appearance, I'll be a happy man.

    And please god let them sell a new character slot or two (I'm running out of characters to play myself).

    As for a sub, I'll be paying the same but now I'll also be getting free crowns for the cash shop, an xp/gold bonus, and of course whatever DLCs - that's more than I've been getting for my sub so far. I will have paid a sub for over three months by the time 1.6 goes live for nothing at all except server access - no bonuses, no crowns and no content. I much prefer the new bonuses.

    If you disagree.. shrugs, take your lol's turn 'em side ways and... you know the rest. Cuz those lol's mean the same thing they did the past few weeks you used them everytime someone said the game was moving this way. Didn't make it not true, did it?
    Yeah I agree. They showed the Clockwork City and Mephala's realm in the twitch stream. They also show a new Redguard city location. These were content that was not even talked about until now. I wonder if I can finally be able to talk to Soltha sil in his clockwork city now. In Morrowind he was killed by Almalexia before you could meet him. I am so excited.
    Edited by Darkonflare15 on 21 January 2015 23:35
  • knightblaster
    knightblaster
    ✭✭✭
    The concern is about what happens next, 6-12-18 months down the road, given what has happened in pretty much every other MMO that has ventured in this direction, eventually -- even those which started out with a system very similar to this one when they first went to a hybrid model.

    Except other B2P mmos don't usually offer DLC do they? That's the difference, they're promising DLC. That's what makes me somewhat hopeful.

    LOTRO had that feature as well -- areas and content you could unlock for cash or get with the sub. Eventually it ended up where it is now, where there are substantial things in the shop and so on. Eventually, the paid content doesn't make enough money for you, and you need to ramp up the shop.
    Edited by knightblaster on 21 January 2015 23:37
  • Morgha_Kul
    Morgha_Kul
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    xaraan wrote: »
    I agree people should calm down. If they hadn't been in denial this was coming for weeks now it wouldn't be so crazy. 1. it's not a shock and 2. I'm happy about the change. (And look at my poster history to tell I'm not always happy about everything zos does)

    I think we'll see more players, hopefully some that will stick around.

    I think the whole "less content" argument is BS. Look at what we got for new, and I mean BRAND NEW, content added the last almost year we've paid a sub for. Craglorn and two vet dungeons? woohoo. Not blowing my socks off. Now that they have to get content out to make money, i.e. sell as a DLC I think it will come faster (not to mention the orc zone, argonian zone, imperial city a couple others are already prepped and we'll see this year).

    The addition of cosmetic items is a great thing IMO. Even if you aren't a RPer (I'm not) I still love customizing my character. And if this also means they put in options to change character appearance, I'll be a happy man.

    And please god let them sell a new character slot or two (I'm running out of characters to play myself).

    As for a sub, I'll be paying the same but now I'll also be getting free crowns for the cash shop, an xp/gold bonus, and of course whatever DLCs - that's more than I've been getting for my sub so far. I will have paid a sub for over three months by the time 1.6 goes live for nothing at all except server access - no bonuses, no crowns and no content. I much prefer the new bonuses.

    If you disagree.. shrugs, take your lol's turn 'em side ways and... you know the rest. Cuz those lol's mean the same thing they did the past few weeks you used them everytime someone said the game was moving this way. Didn't make it not true, did it?

    This man has said literally every single thing I have been saying all god damn day, and still people can't pull their heads from their ostrich sized asses long enough to realize that Chicken Little was an ***.

    The problem is that it STARTS with trivial things, and over time escalates until there's nothing left EXCEPT those things. The game falls away and the knick knack store takes over. It happened in every single game I've seen go to some form of free play. Some took longer to disintegrate than others, but they all did eventually.
    Exploring Tamriel since 1994.
  • Teiji
    Teiji
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    tumblr_m1ontoGQZW1qg14emo1_500.gif

    I can imagine the console version being much more healthy now. I can easily see this having a huge positive effect on TESO, I've got a handful of people I look forward to dragging into TESO now.
    "Serving Boethiah is Freedom, embracing heroism is Liberty, existing solely for noxiphilic sanguivoria is truth." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

    European megaserver Fallout 4

    Loyalist of Boethiah, heroism enthusiast, exposer of secrets, bless'ed of noxiphilic sanguivoria.

    Nerf one grind, two more take its place; hail Gryndra!


    I am a dank memer and satire enthusiast
  • marcmyb14_ESO
    marcmyb14_ESO
    ✭✭✭
    The concern is about what happens next, 6-12-18 months down the road, given what has happened in pretty much every other MMO that has ventured in this direction, eventually -- even those which started out with a system very similar to this one when they first went to a hybrid model.

    Except other B2P mmos don't usually offer DLC do they? That's the difference, they're promising DLC. That's what makes me somewhat hopeful.

    LOTRO had that feature as well -- areas and content you could unlock for cash or get with the sub. Eventually it ended up where it is now, where there are substantial things in the shop and so on. Eventually, the paid content doesn't make enough money for you, and you need to ramp up the shop.

    LOTRO is pretty much as bad as it gets. I played it for about 3 years, and I was done before the last expansion came out when I found out they had no new raids/dungeons planned anymore. Nowdays, I can't even call it F2P, it's more like pay-to-play 95% of the game, and then pay some more. I don't see this game going down that route at all.
    GM Oghma Infinium - Ebonheart Pact
    VR14 Imperial Dragonknight - Indualis Decimius
    VR14 High Elf Sorcerer - Arienna Stormcaller
    VR1 Dark Elf Dragonknight - Flame and Shadow
    26 Khajiit Nightblade - J'Kaaz Vulon
    10 Breton Templar - Sam Guevene
  • xaraan
    xaraan
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    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Morgha_Kul wrote: »
    xaraan wrote: »
    I agree people should calm down. If they hadn't been in denial this was coming for weeks now it wouldn't be so crazy. 1. it's not a shock and 2. I'm happy about the change. (And look at my poster history to tell I'm not always happy about everything zos does)

    I think we'll see more players, hopefully some that will stick around.

    I think the whole "less content" argument is BS. Look at what we got for new, and I mean BRAND NEW, content added the last almost year we've paid a sub for. Craglorn and two vet dungeons? woohoo. Not blowing my socks off. Now that they have to get content out to make money, i.e. sell as a DLC I think it will come faster (not to mention the orc zone, argonian zone, imperial city a couple others are already prepped and we'll see this year).

    The addition of cosmetic items is a great thing IMO. Even if you aren't a RPer (I'm not) I still love customizing my character. And if this also means they put in options to change character appearance, I'll be a happy man.

    And please god let them sell a new character slot or two (I'm running out of characters to play myself).

    As for a sub, I'll be paying the same but now I'll also be getting free crowns for the cash shop, an xp/gold bonus, and of course whatever DLCs - that's more than I've been getting for my sub so far. I will have paid a sub for over three months by the time 1.6 goes live for nothing at all except server access - no bonuses, no crowns and no content. I much prefer the new bonuses.

    If you disagree.. shrugs, take your lol's turn 'em side ways and... you know the rest. Cuz those lol's mean the same thing they did the past few weeks you used them everytime someone said the game was moving this way. Didn't make it not true, did it?

    This man has said literally every single thing I have been saying all god damn day, and still people can't pull their heads from their ostrich sized asses long enough to realize that Chicken Little was an ***.

    The problem is that it STARTS with trivial things, and over time escalates until there's nothing left EXCEPT those things. The game falls away and the knick knack store takes over. It happened in every single game I've seen go to some form of free play. Some took longer to disintegrate than others, but they all did eventually.

    Right now, we have no been getting anything special for what we pay a sub for - they could release two zones this year and be at double what we got last year (and I have a feeling we'll see a lot more than two). So acting as if the quantity of new content released will drop from what we have now is crazy in my eyes.
    -- @xaraan --
    nightblade: Xaraan templar: Xaraan-dar dragon-knight: Xaraanosaurus necromancer: Xaraan-qa warden: Xaraanodon sorcerer: Xaraan-ra
    AD • NA • PC
  • knightblaster
    knightblaster
    ✭✭✭
    Morgha_Kul wrote: »

    The problem is that it STARTS with trivial things, and over time escalates until there's nothing left EXCEPT those things. The game falls away and the knick knack store takes over. It happened in every single game I've seen go to some form of free play. Some took longer to disintegrate than others, but they all did eventually.

    Right. The reason is that eventually the paid for content isn't cutting it in terms of revenue (too many F2Pers won't buy) and so they need to ramp up the shop to maintain revenue flow. The typical F2P player spends very little if anything, and many will balk at the lump-sum to unlock a DLC, but they won't at 1 or 2 dollars here and there to unlock something in the shop. So if you have enough F2Pers, you still make very nice money on a volume basis, while you see your DLC sales slack off --- meaning you do them less frequently, over the course of time. This is the pattern, and it isn't something a game company can control very well, either. It has to do with how the dynamic of the playerbase changes when most of it is B2P/F2P players, and how you can best monetize those players. Over time, that's the shop.
  • Darkonflare15
    Darkonflare15
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Morgha_Kul wrote: »
    xaraan wrote: »
    I agree people should calm down. If they hadn't been in denial this was coming for weeks now it wouldn't be so crazy. 1. it's not a shock and 2. I'm happy about the change. (And look at my poster history to tell I'm not always happy about everything zos does)

    I think we'll see more players, hopefully some that will stick around.

    I think the whole "less content" argument is BS. Look at what we got for new, and I mean BRAND NEW, content added the last almost year we've paid a sub for. Craglorn and two vet dungeons? woohoo. Not blowing my socks off. Now that they have to get content out to make money, i.e. sell as a DLC I think it will come faster (not to mention the orc zone, argonian zone, imperial city a couple others are already prepped and we'll see this year).

    The addition of cosmetic items is a great thing IMO. Even if you aren't a RPer (I'm not) I still love customizing my character. And if this also means they put in options to change character appearance, I'll be a happy man.

    And please god let them sell a new character slot or two (I'm running out of characters to play myself).

    As for a sub, I'll be paying the same but now I'll also be getting free crowns for the cash shop, an xp/gold bonus, and of course whatever DLCs - that's more than I've been getting for my sub so far. I will have paid a sub for over three months by the time 1.6 goes live for nothing at all except server access - no bonuses, no crowns and no content. I much prefer the new bonuses.

    If you disagree.. shrugs, take your lol's turn 'em side ways and... you know the rest. Cuz those lol's mean the same thing they did the past few weeks you used them everytime someone said the game was moving this way. Didn't make it not true, did it?

    This man has said literally every single thing I have been saying all god damn day, and still people can't pull their heads from their ostrich sized asses long enough to realize that Chicken Little was an ***.

    The problem is that it STARTS with trivial things, and over time escalates until there's nothing left EXCEPT those things. The game falls away and the knick knack store takes over. It happened in every single game I've seen go to some form of free play. Some took longer to disintegrate than others, but they all did eventually.
    Well might as well enjoyed the ride before it gets there. No point getting out when the game is actually getting better.
  • knightblaster
    knightblaster
    ✭✭✭
    The concern is about what happens next, 6-12-18 months down the road, given what has happened in pretty much every other MMO that has ventured in this direction, eventually -- even those which started out with a system very similar to this one when they first went to a hybrid model.

    Except other B2P mmos don't usually offer DLC do they? That's the difference, they're promising DLC. That's what makes me somewhat hopeful.

    LOTRO had that feature as well -- areas and content you could unlock for cash or get with the sub. Eventually it ended up where it is now, where there are substantial things in the shop and so on. Eventually, the paid content doesn't make enough money for you, and you need to ramp up the shop.

    LOTRO is pretty much as bad as it gets. I played it for about 3 years, and I was done before the last expansion came out when I found out they had no new raids/dungeons planned anymore. Nowdays, I can't even call it F2P, it's more like pay-to-play 95% of the game, and then pay some more. I don't see this game going down that route at all.

    I dunno -- LOTRO didn't *start* like that when it first went hybrid, either. I was a lifetime LOTRO subber, and was there at the beginning and as it transitioned and then again later. At the transition it was being peddled *exactly* as this is. EXACTLY as this is.

    Now, I don't *know* that this will be the same, but generally speaking, having seen this happen in multiple MMOs (LOTRO isn't the only one, as we know), my own view is that what we see initially is not what we will see eventually, and that dynamic is largely out of the company's control -- it is a natural flow once the B2P/F2P crowd becomes the dominant force in the playerbase, and the company needs to find a way to monetize them in the best way.

  • Lord_Draevan
    Lord_Draevan
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Today's going to be the worst since it was just announced. It'll calm down soon.
    I'm a man of few words. Any questions?
    NA/PC server
  • I_killed_Vivec
    I_killed_Vivec
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    ✭✭
    xaraan wrote: »
    I think the whole "less content" argument is BS. Look at what we got for new, and I mean BRAND NEW, content added the last almost year we've paid a sub for. Craglorn and two vet dungeons? woohoo. Not blowing my socks off.

    That's true, but... maybe all the new content that we were led to believe might be on the horizon has been held back on purpose with the view of making it P2P.

    I suspect many people will unsub, resub when there's new content, unsub again. I can't see this cycle being good for future developments - people are only paying when there's something new. I suppose they have a head start with content they have held back and the new console players working through the basic content, but only time will tell whether they can keep delivering when they don't have a steady income stream.

  • Mercurio
    Mercurio
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    History has already proven you wrong many times over, OP. But keep positive and keep paying! ZOS needs people like you.
  • Darkonflare15
    Darkonflare15
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    Thous guar mounts look good and I am definitely getting one. I was hoping they would cash shop anyway. We already have a few items in a premature cash shop with the imperial edition and palomino horse mount.
  • marcmyb14_ESO
    marcmyb14_ESO
    ✭✭✭
    The concern is about what happens next, 6-12-18 months down the road, given what has happened in pretty much every other MMO that has ventured in this direction, eventually -- even those which started out with a system very similar to this one when they first went to a hybrid model.

    Except other B2P mmos don't usually offer DLC do they? That's the difference, they're promising DLC. That's what makes me somewhat hopeful.

    LOTRO had that feature as well -- areas and content you could unlock for cash or get with the sub. Eventually it ended up where it is now, where there are substantial things in the shop and so on. Eventually, the paid content doesn't make enough money for you, and you need to ramp up the shop.

    LOTRO is pretty much as bad as it gets. I played it for about 3 years, and I was done before the last expansion came out when I found out they had no new raids/dungeons planned anymore. Nowdays, I can't even call it F2P, it's more like pay-to-play 95% of the game, and then pay some more. I don't see this game going down that route at all.

    I dunno -- LOTRO didn't *start* like that when it first went hybrid, either. I was a lifetime LOTRO subber, and was there at the beginning and as it transitioned and then again later. At the transition it was being peddled *exactly* as this is. EXACTLY as this is.

    Now, I don't *know* that this will be the same, but generally speaking, having seen this happen in multiple MMOs (LOTRO isn't the only one, as we know), my own view is that what we see initially is not what we will see eventually, and that dynamic is largely out of the company's control -- it is a natural flow once the B2P/F2P crowd becomes the dominant force in the playerbase, and the company needs to find a way to monetize them in the best way.

    I disagree, I started LOTRO right after it went F2P at lvl 65. It was P2W even then, requiring VIP to go to the moors, and I remember having to buy classes like RK and warden, trait slots, etc. and all the creep classes except Warg, including all their skills. That's nothing like what ESO is offering.
    Edited by marcmyb14_ESO on 21 January 2015 23:56
    GM Oghma Infinium - Ebonheart Pact
    VR14 Imperial Dragonknight - Indualis Decimius
    VR14 High Elf Sorcerer - Arienna Stormcaller
    VR1 Dark Elf Dragonknight - Flame and Shadow
    26 Khajiit Nightblade - J'Kaaz Vulon
    10 Breton Templar - Sam Guevene
  • marcmyb14_ESO
    marcmyb14_ESO
    ✭✭✭

    I suspect many people will unsub, resub when there's new content, unsub again. I can't see this cycle being good for future developments - people are only paying when there's something new. I suppose they have a head start with content they have held back and the new console players working through the basic content, but only time will tell whether they can keep delivering when they don't have a steady income stream.
    People do this in other sub games as well, including WoW. It's just how sub games work.
    Edited by marcmyb14_ESO on 21 January 2015 23:59
    GM Oghma Infinium - Ebonheart Pact
    VR14 Imperial Dragonknight - Indualis Decimius
    VR14 High Elf Sorcerer - Arienna Stormcaller
    VR1 Dark Elf Dragonknight - Flame and Shadow
    26 Khajiit Nightblade - J'Kaaz Vulon
    10 Breton Templar - Sam Guevene
  • Morshire
    Morshire
    ✭✭✭✭
    The concern is about what happens next, 6-12-18 months down the road, given what has happened in pretty much every other MMO that has ventured in this direction, eventually -- even those which started out with a system very similar to this one when they first went to a hybrid model.

    Except other B2P mmos don't usually offer DLC do they? That's the difference, they're promising DLC. That's what makes me somewhat hopeful.

    LOTRO had that feature as well -- areas and content you could unlock for cash or get with the sub. Eventually it ended up where it is now, where there are substantial things in the shop and so on. Eventually, the paid content doesn't make enough money for you, and you need to ramp up the shop.

    LOTRO is pretty much as bad as it gets. I played it for about 3 years, and I was done before the last expansion came out when I found out they had no new raids/dungeons planned anymore. Nowdays, I can't even call it F2P, it's more like pay-to-play 95% of the game, and then pay some more. I don't see this game going down that route at all.

    I dunno -- LOTRO didn't *start* like that when it first went hybrid, either. I was a lifetime LOTRO subber, and was there at the beginning and as it transitioned and then again later. At the transition it was being peddled *exactly* as this is. EXACTLY as this is.

    Now, I don't *know* that this will be the same, but generally speaking, having seen this happen in multiple MMOs (LOTRO isn't the only one, as we know), my own view is that what we see initially is not what we will see eventually, and that dynamic is largely out of the company's control -- it is a natural flow once the B2P/F2P crowd becomes the dominant force in the playerbase, and the company needs to find a way to monetize them in the best way.

    I disagree, I started LOTRO right after it went F2P at lvl 65. It was P2W even then, requiring VIP to go to the moors, and I remember having to buy classes like RK and warden, trait slots, etc. and all the creep classes except Warg, including all their skills. That's nothing like what ESO is offering.

    Yet.

    Follow me if I advance, Kill me if I retreat, Avenge me if I die.

    When this immediate evil power has been defeated, we shall not yet have won the long battle with the elemental barbarities. Another evil, it may be an invisible adversary, will attempt, again, and yet again, to destroy our frail civilization. Is it true, I wonder, that the only way to escape a war is to be in it?

    If I die, you are forgiven, If I live, I will kill you.
  • marcmyb14_ESO
    marcmyb14_ESO
    ✭✭✭
    Morshire wrote: »

    Yet.

    Speculation. ;)
    GM Oghma Infinium - Ebonheart Pact
    VR14 Imperial Dragonknight - Indualis Decimius
    VR14 High Elf Sorcerer - Arienna Stormcaller
    VR1 Dark Elf Dragonknight - Flame and Shadow
    26 Khajiit Nightblade - J'Kaaz Vulon
    10 Breton Templar - Sam Guevene
  • Bloodfang
    Bloodfang
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    SERIOUSLY WHAT AN OVERREACTION!

    1. They are replacing P2P Model with a P2P/B2P Hybrid. Call it more like a B2P Trial if you want.

    2. Cash Shop WON'T be P2W. If you are subscribed you will eventually buy everything for "FREE" with the crowns you will be getting monthly anyway.

    3. Cash Shop WILL be more like a FEATURE than an ANNOYANCE. You will have all those awesome Costumes, Mounts and Pets there. Like I already said, if you stay subscribed you will be basically getting them for "FREE" anyway. It's addition to the game, and nothing annoying at all.


    SUMMARY: Yes when I read the article first, I was really disappointed, however through some deep thought, I've found out that this Hybrid Model is way better than the P2P Model we used to have. It's possibly the best Payment Model ever created. Why:

    - More Revenue for ZOS -> More Content for US

    - NO P2W Cash Shop -> Just very good looking vanity stuff.

    - A Buy to Play Trial for EVERYONE -> Playerbase is gonna increase by a lot.

    - Buy To Play DLCs (Free for the subbed people) -> A great way to "force" people to sub anyway. I expect DLCs to be much more costly than a subscription.

    What some of you don't understand:

    - ESO wasn't doing bad, it would've kept the P2P Model on it's own just fine.

    - Microsoft forced this on them, as they didn't want to drop the Xbox Live fee (Sony was prepared to drop it actually for the PS Net).

    - Copies sold from Consoles will most likely jump from 200k -> 2mil+ just due to this change -> We are looking at 120+ mil revenue just from Console Sales.

    PEOPLE NO NEED TO EXAGGERATE OR OVERREACT!
    YOU WILL QUICKLY FIND OUT THAT UPDATES WILL STAY RIGHT ON SCHEDULE! HECK THEY'LL BE PROBABLY EVEN FASTER AND BIGGER. IT WAS A SMART BUSINESS MOVE!
    Edited by Bloodfang on 22 January 2015 00:18
  • Sneak_Thief
    Sneak_Thief
    ✭✭✭✭
    Everyone just needs to calm down, have a beer or smoke something, but chill. It will all be O-Tay.
  • BlueIllyrian
    BlueIllyrian
    ✭✭✭
    xaraan wrote: »
    I agree people should calm down. If they hadn't been in denial this was coming for weeks now it wouldn't be so crazy. 1. it's not a shock and 2. I'm happy about the change. (And look at my poster history to tell I'm not always happy about everything zos does)

    I think we'll see more players, hopefully some that will stick around.

    I think the whole "less content" argument is BS. Look at what we got for new, and I mean BRAND NEW, content added the last almost year we've paid a sub for. Craglorn and two vet dungeons? woohoo. Not blowing my socks off. Now that they have to get content out to make money, i.e. sell as a DLC I think it will come faster (not to mention the orc zone, argonian zone, imperial city a couple others are already prepped and we'll see this year).

    The addition of cosmetic items is a great thing IMO. Even if you aren't a RPer (I'm not) I still love customizing my character. And if this also means they put in options to change character appearance, I'll be a happy man.

    And please god let them sell a new character slot or two (I'm running out of characters to play myself).

    As for a sub, I'll be paying the same but now I'll also be getting free crowns for the cash shop, an xp/gold bonus, and of course whatever DLCs - that's more than I've been getting for my sub so far. I will have paid a sub for over three months by the time 1.6 goes live for nothing at all except server access - no bonuses, no crowns and no content. I much prefer the new bonuses.

    If you disagree.. shrugs, take your lol's turn 'em side ways and... you know the rest. Cuz those lol's mean the same thing they did the past few weeks you used them everytime someone said the game was moving this way. Didn't make it not true, did it?

    Your logic is fundamentally flawed in assuming that DLCs will be main source of income, they won't, it will be the cash shop - just like in every game that has it.

    DLC/expac are too slow and too costly, cash shop is cheap, easy and fast. All you have to do is fill it with things giving purchaser the edge over non purchaser, so fluff and DLCs serve only to sugarcoat the deal.

    So, you will get a shop in which your monthly stipend will be just a tad short of buying anything of value, one dungeon/mini zone packed as DCL every three months and a ton of items in the cash shop.

  • BlueIllyrian
    BlueIllyrian
    ✭✭✭
    Everyone just needs to calm down, have a beer or smoke something, but chill. It will all be O-Tay.

    How about you mind your own business and stop preaching to me how I should behave?
    Edited by BlueIllyrian on 22 January 2015 00:31
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