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Blizzard should consider making WoW Free to Play
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Post by
589397
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
138638
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Post by
OverZealous
As long as the economy (which is becoming a
very
popular argument) doesn't get worse, I think it's still fine. I agree that the F2P restrictions could perhaps be loosened up somewhat, but I still believe that the P2P system will work better for WoW than other systems, because the playerbase is so massive. Should the playerbase shrink, I can see how they might consider it, but that's not close yet.
After all, if Blizzard pulls in almost a hundred million dollars per month, I don't care how many people would be interested in micro-transactions if WoW was turned into F2P, I still firmly believe that it would result in a substantial loss of monthly income.
Post by
Adamsm
Just look around Stormwind or Orgirmmar, and count how many Tyreal's Chargers you see; that shows why Blizzard doesn't need to go F2P.
Edit: In other words, people are still willing to pay to play, and are willing to lock themselves into a year long payment plan.
Post by
129414
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Post by
548653
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Post by
Astygia
1. The biggest thing I am seeing in this thread is the possible Premium shop Thats why the community lays down to blizzard, NO BUYING OF POWER.
See also, League of Legends probably the most popular game in the world right now
.
No, it's not. Even with dramatic sub loss this past year, WoW's still got more monthly subs that any other game. Not sure where you got the idea LoL is number one worldwide...but lol.
That aside, you're sadly misinformed. F2P games have so many power items in their cash shops because since they don't get a monthly sub, they still need to make money...and putting mostly useless crap in the cash shop is not going to make any. Thus making a F2P game with useless cash shop items that nobody's inclined to buy would basically be buying the most expensive handgun you can just so you can shoot yourself in the foot with it.
Servers cost money. Staff cost money. Maintenance and support and new content cost money. These things add up to a lot more than the few hundred (maaaaaaybe, being giving with that number) people that would buy this month's newest vanity mount.
2. Lets do a reality check people. You are afraid of the kinds of people it would draw in.. Well guess what folks. The WoW Community isn't that great either. Not in the slightest. I've MMO hopped since I stopped paying for WoW and really nothing is different. Theres $%^&*! bags everywhere.. Even on WoW. You don't like a person? Theres a visine for that. /ignore He's being a total %^&*!@? /report.
Let's do another reality check - F2P games have very, very few reliable steady players, because there's no reason to be one in such an environment. Most F2P'ers are hoppers, just like you.
Whether or not WoW going F2P would automatically mean we'd be overpopulated by &*!@#$s is anyone's guess; however what IS guaranteed is that it would mark the end of any meaningful content design, since WoW and non-F2P games like it design the endgame for people who have put in the time and effort to survive the curve. F2P games have little to no curve, because they have little to no steady paying base, and they know they can't afford to have one because if their free game is too hard to play, the players will go spend their cash shop money on something easier.
Also, functions like report will not last long or have wait times of such length as to be ineffective, since there'll be no sub fees to pay staffers for such ultimately unimportant things.
3. I lol'd at this one pretty hard.
For these reasons and more I actually wish that Blizzard would increase the cost of monthly subscriptions/time cards. The price hasn't ever increased and is far overdue for a hike. The added bonus would be that it may potentially decrease the number of kids playing with all their early teen drama/angst/BS (and for the record, I have a 13 year old. His attitude/state of mind coupled with memories of how difficult I was to my own parents leaves me in a state of wonderment how any of us made it through to adulthood without being throttled by our fathers).
You are kidding right? an increase in this economy? The millions of Little Billys not being able to pay on his mommy's dime would drop the games playerbase lower than you realize. Theres a Visine for that. /ignore little billy. Join one of those "mature" guilds.
You're advocating making the game F2P when you know for a fact, if it went that way, armies of people would mass evac to games with a paid staff simply because we know how things work. Yet, you complain that if the sub fee went up, people would quit and the playerbase would die. Cool train of thought.
Truthfully, not many people care about little billy. I have a very mundane, menial job, and I still manage to pay rent, pay various utilities, buy food, spoil my son, spoil my woman (who also plays WoW), and pay for my own WoW. If 'today's economy lol' is so rough that you cannot afford to play an online game, you need to do one of the following: 1. Quit smoking. 2. Quit Drinking. 3. Order one less pizza a month. 4. Get a job.
I'm inclined to lean towards number 4.
The rest is trivial and not worth quoting.
tldr: l2business
Post by
670547
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138638
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Post by
gnomerdon
the game is free to play. up to level 20.
Post by
44284
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Post by
Interest
Everyone ignored my post =(
the game is free to play. up to level 20.
And it's agonizingly limited in that sense too.
Post by
Monday
You're advocating making the game F2P when you know for a fact, if it went that way, armies of people would mass evac to games with a paid staff simply because we know how things work. Yet, you complain that if the sub fee went up, people would quit and the playerbase would die. Cool train of thought.
Well, he's right. There's a delicate balance between how much and how little a sub should be.
Post by
836277
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Post by
Eccentrica
3. I lol'd at this one pretty hard.
For these reasons and more I actually wish that Blizzard would increase the cost of monthly subscriptions/time cards. The price hasn't ever increased and is far overdue for a hike. The added bonus would be that it may potentially decrease the number of kids playing with all their early teen drama/angst/BS (and for the record, I have a 13 year old. His attitude/state of mind coupled with memories of how difficult I was to my own parents leaves me in a state of wonderment how any of us made it through to adulthood without being throttled by our fathers).
You are kidding right? an increase in this economy? The millions of Little Billys not being able to pay on his mommy's dime would drop the games playerbase lower than you realize. Theres a Visine for that. /ignore little billy. Join one of those "mature" guilds.p
I lol'd at your entire post pretty hard. I wish Blizz would triple the monthly sub. It might weed a lot of crap out of the garden. And yeah, your're pretty much coming off as a jerk.
Post by
Sweetscot
Wow isn't due for a sub raise, in fact it's pretty much the perfect amount.
Value is set at $15
Time goes by
Inflation happens thus the $15 is worth less
Game gets older, thus is worth less
Value is still $15.
Post by
Morblar
You do realize you can buy the game for $5 and play to level 60 with the free 30 day trial right? I spent the $5 for classic plus $30 for all expansions and am level 83 right now from the 30 day free trial.
If someone can't dish out $5 for 30 days trial and can level to 60, they shouldn't be considering buying any video games
Post by
GravenTerenas
A thread about F2P and micro-transactions and no mention of the latest addition to Blizzard's online store; the Guardian Cub? The fact that it is bind-on-equip means that people can, if they so wish, convert 10$ or euros into WoW gold, via the auction house. I'm sure this is Blizzard's way of "testing the water" and no mere accident.
Post by
Killsomethin
Right now where free to play games are becoming so much better, (Tribes Ascend is a very good example.) with better graphics, higher budgets, ect. Its not long before Free to Play dominates the market. League of Legends right now has 11M active subscribers. Thats incredible for a free to play game thats only two years old.DC Universe Online also just exploded in popularity with the option to go free to play, the same with Lineage II. Blizzard could easily set up some sort of Premium Currency shop and people will buy it, even if they keep it purely vanity and things like EXP/ Honor boosts.
.
Personally, I might be one in a million, but I
hate
Free to Play games and their 'Premium Currency' shops. I would much rather pay a monthly fee (the same fee as everyone else) and be on the same terms as everyone else, instead of being able to play a game free but have all the people willing to dish out cash being overpowered/being able to level faster and get perks. If WoW went this route, I'd probably give up faith completely in the game.
I would happen to agree, i understand that being free to play an after spending nearly 7yrs playing this game an the whole freaking unleared/learned epic mount bs they did at the start of BC an then a whole other minor annoying issues they managed to do thu the years, yea i would be on the fast track of deactivating my account in a heart beat. i wont be getting into D3 soly because you can use Real LIfe money to buy gear off the A.H. in game. if thats a bad sign i dunno know what is. But people will go to it have fun with it, then thats there own time an i hope they have fun. but if that dont change i can see D3 being a fail game.
Thats my 2 cents.
Post by
Adamsm
i wont be getting into D3 soly because you can use Real LIfe money to buy gear off the A.H. in game. if thats a bad sign i dunno know what is. But people will go to it have fun with it, then thats there own time an i hope they have fun. but if that dont change i can see D3 being a fail game.Happened in D2 as well you know; of course, just as many people are going to use the Diablo AH to make themselves a little richer in RL. I still plan to play my copy of D3, since I got it for 'free' with the Annual Pass, but I don't plan on purchasing anything from the AH.
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