Should ESO bring back a subscription model instead of using ESO crates as a funding mechanism?

Skwor · February 2019

With all the grief on the threads lets get an idea where people actually stand.

VaranisArano · February 2019

The people who can really answer that question are ZOS' accountants. They have the data for the whole game population on both subs and crown crates, unlike the rather small sample size of players on the forums.

Presumably, they already answered that question with a "No."

Edaphon · February 2019

Crates instead of subscription

Mandatory subscriptions already failed once and they would fail again.

I'm fine with whales funding the game for me.

Footfalls · February 2019

Crates instead of subscription

Damn I meant to vote both

Skwor · February 2019

Use both

VaranisArano wrote: »

The people who can really answer that question are ZOS' accountants. They have the data for the whole game population on both subs and crown crates, unlike the rather small sample size of players on the forums.

Presumably, they already answered that question with a "No."

As I prefaced, this is a heat poll of forum posters. I have no intent of this being a market tool.

Imryll · February 2019

Since without my craft bag I can't play for more than a day or two, as far as I'm concerned it has already--for all practical purposes--brought back the subscription model. Also, somewhat to my surprise, I like the cosmetic diversity engendered by the availability of crates. I'd like for new houses and hairstyles not to be crowns/crates only, but the variety of mounts and pets and costumes that I see out in the world is great.

Emma_Overload · February 2019

Nobody knows if subs failed. ZOS, like most game companies, never discusses finances. Some people have speculated that sub revenue was under expectations, but others claim that either Sony or Microsoft "forced" ZOS into a B2P model when ESO was launching on consoles.

Nemesis7884 · February 2019

Crates instead of subscription

Your choices are kinda unclear - what do you consider eso plus? I assume subs. For you means mandatory only....i like the current balance that eso strikes

Nemesis7884 · February 2019

Crates instead of subscription

Emma_Overload wrote: »

Nobody knows if subs failed. ZOS, like most game companies, never discusses finances. Some people have speculated that sub revenue was under expectations, but others claim that either Sony or Microsoft "forced" ZOS into a B2P model when ESO was launching on consoles.

The game is still around producing content very regularly which is a good sign

Skwor · February 2019

Use both

Nemesis7884 wrote: »

Your choices are kinda unclear - what do you consider eso plus? I assume subs. For you means mandatory only....i like the current balance that eso strikes

I would consider ESO+ a sub. I see ESO as both right now.

Monsieur · February 2019

Subscription instead of crates

I’d rather the game was funded via subscription and supplemented with the crown store, but definitely not loot boxes.

These days I find there’s nothing much worth buying with crowns, the stuff I might be interested in is always locked behind 100 or 400 gems but I don’t want to support or partake in the loot box culture, so I go without.

zaria · February 2019

Other

VaranisArano wrote: »

The people who can really answer that question are ZOS' accountants. They have the data for the whole game population on both subs and crown crates, unlike the rather small sample size of players on the forums.

Presumably, they already answered that question with a "No."

Once you have dropped sub you can not really go back as it will kick loads of players who bought the game and don't need or can afford eos+.
legaly you probably can, some games has added P2W loot boxes after release. But it will not make you popular.

Ertosi · February 2019

Other

I seriously doubt crates are their primary income, so I feel the premise of the poll is moot.

Only ZOS would know for sure, but I suspect ESO+ subscriptions are their primary income, followed by base game and chapter purchases, followed by crown packs (with said crowns being spent primarily on mounts/pets, DLC unlocks, and housing).

Soundwave · February 2019

Use both

If you buy 1500 crowns a month why wouldnt you just sub? Or just sell craft bag for 10k crowns.

DaveMoeDee · February 2019

Other

I'm fine with the current setup. I'm already subbing for my crafting bag. I don't want players who can't afford the sub to be priced out of the game. I enjoy playing with them, apart from when they leave crap when looting nodes.

Skwor · February 2019

Use both

Ertosi wrote: »

I seriously doubt crates are their primary income, so I feel the premise of the poll is moot.

Only ZOS would know for sure, but I suspect ESO+ subscriptions are their primary income, followed by base game and chapter purchases, followed by crown packs (with said crowns being spent primarily on mounts/pets, DLC unlocks, and housing).

Not meant to imply it was the primary souce. As I stated this is a "heat sampling" of forum posters around the issue of crates given all the energy around the issue lately.

wolf486 · February 2019

Crates instead of subscription

Even though I'm currently subbed, I won't re-sub after it expires. Forced monthly subs is why I am not playing Final Fantasy Online or WoW

DaveMoeDee · February 2019

Other

Soundwave wrote: »

If you buy 1500 crowns a month why wouldnt you just sub? Or just sell craft bag for 10k crowns.

What kind of fool buys 1500 crown packs each month? Why wouldn't they buy in bulk?

Geez, I would save so much money if they sold the crafting bag for 10k. Subbing is so much more expensive and I'm sitting on 10k useless crowns from subbing. I would miss the double bank, but that isn't worth $15/month.

DaveMoeDee · February 2019

Other

wolf486 wrote: »

Even though I'm currently subbed, I won't re-sub after it expires. Forced monthly subs is why I am not playing Final Fantasy Online or WoW

The great part about this model is that during content lulls, I can not sub but still stop in for a trial run or an event. It isn't all or nothing.

Eirella · February 2019

Subscription instead of crates

I wish! The game was so much better when it was P2P.

CMDR_Un1k0rn · February 2019

Crates instead of subscription

If people are silly enough to blow a fortune on RNG crates, well, the rest of us may as well benefit. Caveat emptor, and all that.

DISCLAIMER: I subscribe anyway, and I put aside a bit of money for gaming every month, which for the foreseeable future will be used to buy utilities such as experience scrolls and research scrolls, as there aren't any other games I'm interested in right now, and this is money that will be spent on games anyway as gaming is my hobby. A mandatory subscription would not stop me playing.

idk · February 2019

Neither (explain)

Zos made the change and it is not something one can just put back in the bottle. I do not think it would work business wise.

As for the "Crates instead of a subscription" it does not make sense and if the context if to drop the subscription and have the cash shop take it's place it makes even less sense because a subscription is the best revenue source Zos has for playing the new content. Crates and everything outside of outright buying a DLC is icing on the cake so the entire idea is nonsense..

MLGProPlayer · February 2019

Crates instead of subscription

Only if they want the game to die. Servers were on the verge of being shut down before the game went B2P.

daemonios · February 2019

Subscription instead of crates

Yes, a thousand times yes. I have always been against microtransactions because they end up being a goal in themselves instead of a fair payment for a game as a service, which is what an MMORPG is. ESO is far worse in many ways since the introduction of the crown store.

Unfortunately many people seem to be against paying a monthly fee, even if they're happy to pay for a shiny time-limited costume or ridiculous novelty mount... This is something I don't think I'll ever understand.

Caligamy_ESO · February 2019

Asks a yes or no question

Doesn't include no

Skwor · February 2019

Use both

Caligamy_ESO wrote: »

Asks a yes or no question

Doesn't include no

Read the options. Yes and no are built into the responses plus a few other options.

daemonios · February 2019

Subscription instead of crates

Edaphon wrote: »

Mandatory subscriptions already failed once and they would fail again.

Did they, though? I missed the part where ZOS shared their financial data with us. I don't think they ever even claimed this was the case.

Edaphon wrote: »

I'm fine with whales funding the game for me.

I'm not. The game became worse for this. The grind is much worse, for one. Motif pages/fragments? Unheard of until right before they got rid of subs. Horses used to come with pre-leveled stats and you could level different ones independently, as opposed to right now a new character needing 6 months to get their riding skill maxed. Content updates are much smaller than during the first year (vet dungeons, lower & upper craglorn, orsinium). But rest assured that there's always some time-limited special offer in the crown store... *sigh*

Lake · February 2019

Use both

Arenanet's Guild Wars 2 was "saved" after their all-time-low revenues (in their financial report) by adding mount lootboxes.

Crates are very important.

Valrien · February 2019

Subscription instead of crates

Edaphon wrote: »

Mandatory subscriptions already failed once and they would fail again.

I'm fine with whales funding the game for me.

It didnt fail, they just saw more money in the crown store

MLGProPlayer · February 2019

Crates instead of subscription

Valrien wrote: »

Edaphon wrote: »

Mandatory subscriptions already failed once and they would fail again.

I'm fine with whales funding the game for me.

It didnt fail, they just saw more money in the crown store

It did fail. The player base was on the verge of collapse. You had like 500 people online through Steam.

Pevey · February 2019

Use both

I like the way it is where it is basically both. In the poll choices, i would substitute crown store in general for crates, though. I don’t think crates specifically are necessary. But an optional sub along with crown store revenue is a good model. Despite participating in the closed beta, I avoided playing this game while it was sub only because I didn’t want to get sucked in. Once it was buy to play and dirt cheap on sale, I gave it a shot and of course promptly got sucked in and pay to sub. So it is a model that works to draw more people in by lowered the risk of trying it out.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Should ESO bring back a subscription model instead of using ESO crates as a funding mechanism?

Should ESO bring back a subscription model instead of using ESO crates as a funding mechanism? 214 votes