Won't go f2p will it?

fredarbonab14_ESO

tallenn wrote: »

Here is the fact: If the game can't sustain a fairly large subscriber base (and I'm not making any predictions, one way or the other), then yes, it will most definitely go free to play. The only alternative is to close up shop.

A quick review of history and statistics leans heavily in favor of free to play at some point, and in fact, sooner, rather than later. Don't blame me, blame the math. WoW and Eve (the only long term subscription only games I can think of) are the exceptions in this genre.

Companies are also finding out that the F2P can now be a whole can of worms; especially now that many MMOs now offer it; now they find competing with each other for the same players looking for something free to play. At first everything is an edge, in time it becomes an anchor.

neocomab16_ESO

Shimond wrote: »

neocomab16_ESO wrote: »

while the later points arent exactly bugs these are still gamebreakers for me because my patience is at some point worn out and that point is reached by now.

So yeah, the game is going f2p because right now there is nothing ESO stands out with compared to other mmos. Why would you pay 15 bucks a month for a mediocre experience when you are not a total hardcore ES fan? I dont see any and I guess lots of people think similar.

If the vast majority of people feel the way you do, then I imagine it will go F2P if that's their only option of keeping the game alive (and we have absolutely no idea what their minimum sub level is to maintain the game - they've never said).

However, all you've done is point out why you won't be subscribing. I'm having none of the actual issues you're having, and none of the design decisions as they stand bother me.

Well then take a closer look at your skills instead of simply assuming they work properly. Or even better, become a vampire. I'd bite you for free in 6 days just so you can see how "well polished" even the basics in this game are.

mutharex

neocomab16_ESO wrote: »

Shimond wrote: »

neocomab16_ESO wrote: »

while the later points arent exactly bugs these are still gamebreakers for me because my patience is at some point worn out and that point is reached by now.

So yeah, the game is going f2p because right now there is nothing ESO stands out with compared to other mmos. Why would you pay 15 bucks a month for a mediocre experience when you are not a total hardcore ES fan? I dont see any and I guess lots of people think similar.

If the vast majority of people feel the way you do, then I imagine it will go F2P if that's their only option of keeping the game alive (and we have absolutely no idea what their minimum sub level is to maintain the game - they've never said).

However, all you've done is point out why you won't be subscribing. I'm having none of the actual issues you're having, and none of the design decisions as they stand bother me.

Well then take a closer look at your skills instead of simply assuming they work properly. Or even better, become a vampire. I'd bite you for free in 6 days just so you can see how "well polished" even the basics in this game are.

You assume a lot of things and also show little interest to wait till the game (that is 2-3 weeks old?) gets its fixes. I think you are doing the right thing in not subscribing, but you are really overestimating the number of people who are like you

Gedalya

Aphrodite wrote: »

If this game goes f2p because of allllll the new age f2p jobless kids i will quit so fast...any worries here that this game will go bottoms up and die a f2p death?

I don't understand; you will quite if they change their business model? As long as the core game isn't impacted what is the problem? WoW adopted a modified Free 2 Play (F2P) model and I don't recall any problems there. I personally think there is more money in F2P; games like those created by Wargaming.net make money hand over fist with the F2P model having spawned two additional titles after their hit World of Tanks, and having purchased Big World Technology, the company that created the API they used to make their games. With offices in North America, England, Belarus, China, and Japan, that's pretty good from just F2P.

Shimond

neocomab16_ESO wrote: »

Well then take a closer look at your skills instead of simply assuming they work properly. Or even better, become a vampire. I'd bite you for free in 6 days just so you can see how "well polished" even the basics in this game are.

I never once made the claim the game doesn't have issues that need correcting.

What I said was they don't bother me enough to unsubscribe.

wrlifeboil

zaria wrote: »

wrlifeboil wrote: »

Greyhaven wrote: »

What I have noticed is an uptick of CoD bro gamers bashing the game on YouTube and Astroturfing Archage, I don't think that will translate into F2P because these same idiots were saying basically the same thing about Skyrim and didn't shut up until the initial sales figures and post launch awards started coming in. Despite all the BS the sky isn’t falling there isn’t a mass exodus, the game has bugs and communication between Devs and players needs to improve…pretty much like every other MMO.
ESO isn’t going anywhere if it goes F2P (which I doubt we will more than likely see a B2P model) so be it, if it hasn’t killed a train wreck like TOR it won’t kill this game

Almost sounds like a reasonable explanation but, as usual, inconvenient facts get in the way.

We knew what Skyrim sales were. More than 3 million copies were sold within two days after launch. ZOS hasn't released any sales figures for ESO yet. Early access players have been playing this game for three weeks already, launch day players nearly three weeks. If they are still playing the expectations game, its nearing the end.

So using Skyrim as an example might not be valid. But we should know soon. I can't imagine ZOS not releasing sales figures after the first week of May when the early access and launch day players have to decide whether to let their debit/credit cards be charged or not for the first monthly subscription.

I think Bethesda said Skyrim sold 20 million a year or something after launch.
Else they tend to not publish sales figures so we has to use 3rd part services like VGcarts who don't count all digital sales as steam or the elderscrollsonline store.

Bethesda don't have to report sales figures as its an private company.

Bethesda shipped 10 million copies before launch. The reported sales was ~3.5 million in the first two days. Do a Google search.

wrlifeboil

fredarbonab14_ESO wrote: »

tallenn wrote: »

Here is the fact: If the game can't sustain a fairly large subscriber base (and I'm not making any predictions, one way or the other), then yes, it will most definitely go free to play. The only alternative is to close up shop.

A quick review of history and statistics leans heavily in favor of free to play at some point, and in fact, sooner, rather than later. Don't blame me, blame the math. WoW and Eve (the only long term subscription only games I can think of) are the exceptions in this genre.

Companies are also finding out that the F2P can now be a whole can of worms; especially now that many MMOs now offer it; now they find competing with each other for the same players looking for something free to play. At first everything is an edge, in time it becomes an anchor.

It usually took about a year after launch for subscription mmos go f2p. So if they are signs that eso is going f2p, look for those signs by the devs later this year. Translation: stop worrying about eso going f2p until autumn.

mutharex

wrlifeboil wrote: »

zaria wrote: »

wrlifeboil wrote: »

Greyhaven wrote: »

What I have noticed is an uptick of CoD bro gamers bashing the game on YouTube and Astroturfing Archage, I don't think that will translate into F2P because these same idiots were saying basically the same thing about Skyrim and didn't shut up until the initial sales figures and post launch awards started coming in. Despite all the BS the sky isn’t falling there isn’t a mass exodus, the game has bugs and communication between Devs and players needs to improve…pretty much like every other MMO.
ESO isn’t going anywhere if it goes F2P (which I doubt we will more than likely see a B2P model) so be it, if it hasn’t killed a train wreck like TOR it won’t kill this game

Almost sounds like a reasonable explanation but, as usual, inconvenient facts get in the way.

We knew what Skyrim sales were. More than 3 million copies were sold within two days after launch. ZOS hasn't released any sales figures for ESO yet. Early access players have been playing this game for three weeks already, launch day players nearly three weeks. If they are still playing the expectations game, its nearing the end.

So using Skyrim as an example might not be valid. But we should know soon. I can't imagine ZOS not releasing sales figures after the first week of May when the early access and launch day players have to decide whether to let their debit/credit cards be charged or not for the first monthly subscription.

I think Bethesda said Skyrim sold 20 million a year or something after launch.
Else they tend to not publish sales figures so we has to use 3rd part services like VGcarts who don't count all digital sales as steam or the elderscrollsonline store.

Bethesda don't have to report sales figures as its an private company.

Bethesda shipped 10 million copies before launch. The reported sales was ~3.5 million in the first two days. Do a Google search.

Are you talking about TESO? I can't find anything about it if that's the case

wrlifeboil

mutharex wrote: »

wrlifeboil wrote: »

zaria wrote: »

wrlifeboil wrote: »

Greyhaven wrote: »

What I have noticed is an uptick of CoD bro gamers bashing the game on YouTube and Astroturfing Archage, I don't think that will translate into F2P because these same idiots were saying basically the same thing about Skyrim and didn't shut up until the initial sales figures and post launch awards started coming in. Despite all the BS the sky isn’t falling there isn’t a mass exodus, the game has bugs and communication between Devs and players needs to improve…pretty much like every other MMO.
ESO isn’t going anywhere if it goes F2P (which I doubt we will more than likely see a B2P model) so be it, if it hasn’t killed a train wreck like TOR it won’t kill this game

Almost sounds like a reasonable explanation but, as usual, inconvenient facts get in the way.

We knew what Skyrim sales were. More than 3 million copies were sold within two days after launch. ZOS hasn't released any sales figures for ESO yet. Early access players have been playing this game for three weeks already, launch day players nearly three weeks. If they are still playing the expectations game, its nearing the end.

So using Skyrim as an example might not be valid. But we should know soon. I can't imagine ZOS not releasing sales figures after the first week of May when the early access and launch day players have to decide whether to let their debit/credit cards be charged or not for the first monthly subscription.

I think Bethesda said Skyrim sold 20 million a year or something after launch.
Else they tend to not publish sales figures so we has to use 3rd part services like VGcarts who don't count all digital sales as steam or the elderscrollsonline store.

Bethesda don't have to report sales figures as its an private company.

Bethesda shipped 10 million copies before launch. The reported sales was ~3.5 million in the first two days. Do a Google search.

Are you talking about TESO? I can't find anything about it if that's the case

Skyrim.

ZOS hasn't released sales figures for eso yet.

mutharex

wrlifeboil wrote: »

mutharex wrote: »

wrlifeboil wrote: »

zaria wrote: »

wrlifeboil wrote: »

Greyhaven wrote: »

What I have noticed is an uptick of CoD bro gamers bashing the game on YouTube and Astroturfing Archage, I don't think that will translate into F2P because these same idiots were saying basically the same thing about Skyrim and didn't shut up until the initial sales figures and post launch awards started coming in. Despite all the BS the sky isn’t falling there isn’t a mass exodus, the game has bugs and communication between Devs and players needs to improve…pretty much like every other MMO.
ESO isn’t going anywhere if it goes F2P (which I doubt we will more than likely see a B2P model) so be it, if it hasn’t killed a train wreck like TOR it won’t kill this game

Almost sounds like a reasonable explanation but, as usual, inconvenient facts get in the way.

We knew what Skyrim sales were. More than 3 million copies were sold within two days after launch. ZOS hasn't released any sales figures for ESO yet. Early access players have been playing this game for three weeks already, launch day players nearly three weeks. If they are still playing the expectations game, its nearing the end.

So using Skyrim as an example might not be valid. But we should know soon. I can't imagine ZOS not releasing sales figures after the first week of May when the early access and launch day players have to decide whether to let their debit/credit cards be charged or not for the first monthly subscription.

I think Bethesda said Skyrim sold 20 million a year or something after launch.
Else they tend to not publish sales figures so we has to use 3rd part services like VGcarts who don't count all digital sales as steam or the elderscrollsonline store.

Bethesda don't have to report sales figures as its an private company.

Bethesda shipped 10 million copies before launch. The reported sales was ~3.5 million in the first two days. Do a Google search.

Are you talking about TESO? I can't find anything about it if that's the case

Skyrim.

ZOS hasn't released sales figures for eso yet.

Aaah ok, thanks

FrauPerchta

Paid player base drops too low and ESO will go F2P with micro-transaction that will charge real dollars for things as simple as soul stones and horses to player housing, restricted dungeons and entire areas of the map.

zaria

FrauPerchta wrote: »

Paid player base drops too low and ESO will go F2P with micro-transaction that will charge real dollars for things as simple as soul stones and horses to player housing, restricted dungeons and entire areas of the map.

Again, going F2P is done because number of subscribers is so low they estimate they can get 4-5 time as many active players with F2P as they currently has subscribers. You need many more players as F2P only brings in 3-4 $ player / month.

Yes its probably plenty of wishful thinking involved in this, same as changing the manager/ CEO solves the problem
The other benefit of F2P is that you fill up empty servers, this is less of an issue with ESO because of megaserver.