Did you honestly believe ESO would not go b2p before console launch?

Blud

Where you actually surprised by this?

Blud

Why were the 6-month subs removed?

BoloBoffin

Blud wrote: »

Why were the 6-month subs removed?

Why are they back for ESO+?

This is a vague question, though. Unless I misremember, ESO for XBox/PS was announced as a subscription service. Then there were a number of delays. If the delays had not happened, it very well might have begun as a subscription service. After the last round of rumors with no word one way or the other, it was a better guess. And I thought at that point it was the sticking point for going onto the consoles.

I do believe Zenimax and Bethesda would have preferred a subscriber-only model. I think the Elder Scrolls fan base had the best shot of repeating the success of WoW and EVE. It didn't happen. And I don't blame us or Zenimax, personally. I don't think there's anything to blame. We tried. We didn't make it. I'm going to play this next version for a while and see how it goes. If it works as explained, great! I'll be along for a while.

If you want my bottom line: ESO still loves and delivers for us, but it wants to see F2P on the side. Since ESO isn't my imaginary lover, I'm OK with that.

Forestd16b14_ESO

Uh no kinda had to see it coming cause PS4 and crapbox 1 both require you to buy plus / live to play online. So stack that ontop of ESO subscripton fee and they be like 40... 50 ... bucks a month to pay. Sure you can buy a yearly thing but that be well over 120 bucks just to play a online game. So yea kinda had to see this coming.

ashlee17

Hate to admit it but yes.

Cogo

Yes. I believed every word they said since last year.

Now I feel like an idiot.

NadiusMaximus

Every single game I have ever bought has. Except one, wow.
The one game all others try to emulate so much, and yet fall flat trying.

tpanisiakb16_ESO

Totally felt the "going B2P" vibes, but I figured they'd try to cash in on the console sales / subscriptions first. The more I look at it though and truly understand the more daft I feel. This makes perfectly good sense and is a pretty good business decision, even if it bothers people content with subscriptions.

I'm still staying subbed, I still get a lot of fun from ESO, but I also remain a bit cautiously optimistic. I think it'll be easy to fall into developing vanity items opposed to working on meaty, substantial content.

"Damnit, we're not finished with XYZ DLC and we're not turning a good profit -- I know, sell some keys to open RNG chests." And so the cookie crumbles.

Spottswoode

Before console launch, no. Eventually, yes.

Khivas_Carrick

I expected it to last a year before facing issues. Seems I fell short.

Rantahu

ZOS not responding was a dead giveaway. If ESO wasn't changing its payment policy then ZOS would have told us. I highly doubt they're that blind that they can see all the talk about f2p.

Wolfshead

Well i have my guess about but what i'm wonder those of us who still have our 6 month subscribe run pass march 17th do our account automatic turn in to a premium membership, ESO Plus account or not?

And there idea sound more like samething SWTOR have but i hope we get more options then just 1 month as a ESO Plus account SWTOR do have more options to there membership.

Well at least this better then F2P options i just hope ZoS do it right but it is sad that did gave there community members the heads up and just let rumours mill crazy but we will see.

KBKB

No was obvious because.. Sub fees with consoles + ESO too much to pay, Fanbois can suck it so many denied it and said the game was thriving perhaps they will go out and get a pair of glasses now once they stop wailing from the basement.

folklore

I didn't expect it to come so soon, but I definitely saw it coming in the near future. Surprised me but at the same time -- I at least expected it a tad.

Nazon_Katts

Cogo wrote: »

Yes. I believed every word they said since last year.

Now I feel like an idiot.

Welcome to reality. Glad to have you back.

Cogo

Nazon_Katts wrote: »

Cogo wrote: »

Yes. I believed every word they said since last year.

Now I feel like an idiot.

Welcome to reality. Glad to have you back.

Was never gone. Just stopped posting and defending Zeni. But hi kittah.

asteldian

Not surprised but disappointed. I desperately hoped despite the signs that it may have pulled through. Alas, its illness was terminal.

Nazon_Katts

Cogo wrote: »

Nazon_Katts wrote: »

Cogo wrote: »

Yes. I believed every word they said since last year.

Now I feel like an idiot.

Welcome to reality. Glad to have you back.

Was never gone. Just stopped posting and defending Zeni. But hi kittah.

You think. And. Meow.

frosth.darkomenb16_ESO

I did not think it would happen because this is such a bad decision I could not fathom how it could cross their mind.

I guess that in todays world, it is naive to expect people to avoid mistakes endengering their livelihood.

Heishi

tpanisiakb16_ESO wrote: »

Totally felt the "going B2P" vibes, but I figured they'd try to cash in on the console sales / subscriptions first. The more I look at it though and truly understand the more daft I feel. This makes perfectly good sense and is a pretty good business decision, even if it bothers people content with subscriptions.

I'm still staying subbed, I still get a lot of fun from ESO, but I also remain a bit cautiously optimistic. I think it'll be easy to fall into developing vanity items opposed to working on meaty, substantial content.

"Damnit, we're not finished with XYZ DLC and we're not turning a good profit -- I know, sell some keys to open RNG chests." And so the cookie crumbles.

Sh!t.. I totally forgot about RNG chest and cash keys.. it's been too long since I was in a B2P/P2W/F2P game. I tried to blot out the memory of those. As accepting as I've been of this B2P debacle, if they really throw out RNG chest I might have to be done.

Nazon_Katts

Heishi wrote: »

tpanisiakb16_ESO wrote: »

Totally felt the "going B2P" vibes, but I figured they'd try to cash in on the console sales / subscriptions first. The more I look at it though and truly understand the more daft I feel. This makes perfectly good sense and is a pretty good business decision, even if it bothers people content with subscriptions.

I'm still staying subbed, I still get a lot of fun from ESO, but I also remain a bit cautiously optimistic. I think it'll be easy to fall into developing vanity items opposed to working on meaty, substantial content.

"Damnit, we're not finished with XYZ DLC and we're not turning a good profit -- I know, sell some keys to open RNG chests." And so the cookie crumbles.

Sh!t.. I totally forgot about RNG chest and cash keys.. it's been too long since I was in a B2P/P2W/F2P game. I tried to blot out the memory of those. As accepting as I've been of this B2P debacle, if they really throw out RNG chest I might have to be done.

Hunting for silver and gold keys all of the sudden gets another quality, now doesn't it.

Heishi

Nazon_Katts wrote: »

Heishi wrote: »

tpanisiakb16_ESO wrote: »

Totally felt the "going B2P" vibes, but I figured they'd try to cash in on the console sales / subscriptions first. The more I look at it though and truly understand the more daft I feel. This makes perfectly good sense and is a pretty good business decision, even if it bothers people content with subscriptions.

I'm still staying subbed, I still get a lot of fun from ESO, but I also remain a bit cautiously optimistic. I think it'll be easy to fall into developing vanity items opposed to working on meaty, substantial content.

"Damnit, we're not finished with XYZ DLC and we're not turning a good profit -- I know, sell some keys to open RNG chests." And so the cookie crumbles.

Sh!t.. I totally forgot about RNG chest and cash keys.. it's been too long since I was in a B2P/P2W/F2P game. I tried to blot out the memory of those. As accepting as I've been of this B2P debacle, if they really throw out RNG chest I might have to be done.

Hunting for silver and gold keys all of the sudden gets another quality, now doesn't it.

Blud

Heishi wrote: »

tpanisiakb16_ESO wrote: »

Totally felt the "going B2P" vibes, but I figured they'd try to cash in on the console sales / subscriptions first. The more I look at it though and truly understand the more daft I feel. This makes perfectly good sense and is a pretty good business decision, even if it bothers people content with subscriptions.

I'm still staying subbed, I still get a lot of fun from ESO, but I also remain a bit cautiously optimistic. I think it'll be easy to fall into developing vanity items opposed to working on meaty, substantial content.

"Damnit, we're not finished with XYZ DLC and we're not turning a good profit -- I know, sell some keys to open RNG chests." And so the cookie crumbles.

Sh!t.. I totally forgot about RNG chest and cash keys.. it's been too long since I was in a B2P/P2W/F2P game. I tried to blot out the memory of those. As accepting as I've been of this B2P debacle, if they really throw out RNG chest I might have to be done.

Chests with the chance for a drop of Dreugh Wax

EQOAnostalgia

Knew this would happen waaaay back when the game was still being beta tested lol. MMO's are a very very very tough space to compete in. Right now the only sub based mmo's making money are WoW and FFXIV... i think FFXI is still going too so i guess 3? I'm not aware of any others with sub fees actually making money. I don't mind B2P as long as it's done right and isn't P2W, straight up F2P on the other hand is pure garbage.

SFBryan18

I chose other because I really didn't feel I could predict the future.

IceDread

And people lol'ed when I wrote... http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/comment/1477012/#Comment_1477012

EQOAnostalgia wrote: »

Knew this would happen waaaay back when the game was still being beta tested lol. MMO's are a very very very tough space to compete in. Right now the only sub based mmo's making money are WoW and FFXIV... i think FFXI is still going too so i guess 3? I'm not aware of any others with sub fees actually making money. I don't mind B2P as long as it's done right and isn't P2W, straight up F2P on the other hand is pure garbage.

That's not really true. A lot of mmos are released and exists on the market, that's true. However, there are very few quality mmos out there. So many still have bugs and server lag and the issues piles up.

Customers wants the quality they paid for and will leave if they do not get it or go to the best option even if it's bad. I took a 6 month break form eso because of bugs and how weapon crit/spell crit magica/stamina was set up and went to swtor, then they started to get lag... so went back here..

It's not that hard to take a good market position but a lot of companies do like to release their products way to early and then there is wonder why so many leave the product.

Belidos

I didn't even believe it would release with a subscription model. F2P and B2P is the way MMO's are going whether we like it or not.

AngryNord

Rantahu wrote: »

ZOS not responding was a dead giveaway. If ESO wasn't changing its payment policy then ZOS would have told us. I highly doubt they're that blind that they can see all the talk about f2p.

Yeah, in hindsight it became pretty obvious...

Digiman

I had a feeling they would go F2P like SWTOR not B2P. There silence on the matter dulled my suspicion into just thinking they were inept at customer communication and satisfaction.

Eitherway both of my perceptions are true.

PBpsy

Not completely obvious but their treatment of their original PC subscriber base for the last 3 months did point towards this . Yes.

asteldian

frosth.darkomenb16_ESO wrote: »

I did not think it would happen because this is such a bad decision I could not fathom how it could cross their mind.

I guess that in todays world, it is naive to expect people to avoid mistakes endengering their livelihood.

11M Skyrim sales on console is what made B2P cross their minds. A serious influx of cash that a decade of subs won't give, even if just half buy this.
Money is always the reason. Why should they care if the game goes to *** in a year? The payout is well worth it from a business sense.
I will stay until the inevitable happens. With all the money they make with console release there will be no reason for them to ruin the game until nexxt financial year. That's when they will really start milking the cash shop and wasting more time there than with content. So until then just have fun and keep an eye out for other mmos in the making