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How long before The Elder Scroll Online goes F2P?
- Thread starter dmr87
- Start date
Rogue_Ledr
Banned
How long did it take SW:TOR to go F2P? I'd say less time than that. Especially since this has to compete with so many other MMOs, including the recently released Final Fantasy 14.
Nah. It's a vocal minority who feel its a bad game. Most of those people haven't played it, though.
The issue with Elder Scrolls going F2P is that the game doesn't have anything that would make a player want to spend money on it. That's not a slam on the game or it's content quality, it's just that I don't know how to monetize it. The game doesn't have a ton of customization options. The armor can't be over the top. The weapons can't have super awesome looking particles. The lore and world limit how crazy they can go. PVP is core to the game, so P2W would completely destroy it.
How quickly it goes F2P completely depends on how fast they can get out this first major content update. I'd guess a year.
How quickly it goes F2P completely depends on how fast they can get out this first major content update. I'd guess a year.
And its something I wholeheartedly agree with. I love the Guild Wars/Guild Wars 2 buy-to-play model, and would love to see every single MMO transition to that model. It allows for far greater player freedom of choice in when and why they want to paly, the devs can offer a small non-essential cash shop and everyone can just play and be happy. I would kill for that subscription model on every MMO possible, as it would mean I could play all MMOs without the worry of "am I spending enough time in-game to appreciate the $15 sub fee."
I'm happy with ESO right now, I feel the subscription fee is worth it to me but that isn't to say it can't be changed. I just feel like free-to-play is not the step the MMO genre needs to take, it can really deter players from actually enjoying your game and in most circumstances turns into a nickel and dime status.
Shuggah_Daddy
Banned
Yeah I hate to say it but I'm going to go ahead and cancel my subscription. I got to about lvl 15 and it's just getting worse. It's like a single player mmo basically, questing with friends is the worst shit ever. I might try it again when it becomes f2p but yeah I really can't see myself playing this again with the amount of issues there are. I really really liked this game at first and I do think it looks great and amount of content is insane, but I like to play mmos with my friends and it seems pretty impossible to do that unless I'm doing pvp. I hope it becomes f2p at least a year from now. Doubt it happens before then.
dark_chris
Gold Member
one year.
DeadlyParasite
Member
Why does everyone have a hard-on for MMO's going Free-to-Play?
I was enjoying SWTOR when it launched up until they converted the game into a godawful f2p mess, utterly destroying the game in both spirit and gameplay mechanics.
I am currently playing ESO and the moment it goes f2p is the moment I uninstall. Eons ago when people didn't have money for games, they simply didn't play them. Now people are intent on dragging down the experience and quality in the name of not having to spend money.
It makes me sad.
I was enjoying SWTOR when it launched up until they converted the game into a godawful f2p mess, utterly destroying the game in both spirit and gameplay mechanics.
I am currently playing ESO and the moment it goes f2p is the moment I uninstall. Eons ago when people didn't have money for games, they simply didn't play them. Now people are intent on dragging down the experience and quality in the name of not having to spend money.
It makes me sad.
DimmuBurgerKing
Member
I'm playing it alongside FFXIV at the moment and I'm having a great time, particularly the PVP side of things. I rolled a Nord on the Ebonheart Pact, currently questing and exploring in Morrowind. Players in the guilds I'm in are having an overall positive experience, though there are complaints - namely, the quest content being too easy is one that I hear often, that it's tailored to single play outside of group dungeons. Another one is the players camping vampire/werewolf spawns to kill them, keeping other plays from getting bitten so that they have to buy "bites" from them for varying amounts of gold.
In the end, I think that whether or not it goes F2P hinges on their ability to keep the flow of content steady and sure. I think there's plenty to keep PVPers happy for some time. The upcoming "adventure zone" looks promising for PVE-focused players.
There is so much truth in this post it's not even funny. The same was true of LOTRO. While I still think it has the best F2P model of any of the formerly subscription-based MMO's out there, there was a noticeable drop in the overall quality of the player base that only began AFTER the transition to F2P. F2P players, in general, don't care about the game, and chafe at the idea that they might have to spend a few bucks for any amount of content, immediately deriding it as "pay to win."
In the end, I think that whether or not it goes F2P hinges on their ability to keep the flow of content steady and sure. I think there's plenty to keep PVPers happy for some time. The upcoming "adventure zone" looks promising for PVE-focused players.
There is so much truth in this post it's not even funny. The same was true of LOTRO. While I still think it has the best F2P model of any of the formerly subscription-based MMO's out there, there was a noticeable drop in the overall quality of the player base that only began AFTER the transition to F2P. F2P players, in general, don't care about the game, and chafe at the idea that they might have to spend a few bucks for any amount of content, immediately deriding it as "pay to win."
Darkmakaimura
Member
6 - 12 months from the release of the PS4/Xbox One editions. I am open to the idea the game could become wildly popular, although, due to good word of mouth and maintains the subscription.
Right but I mean they haven't even bragged about that much on TESO.
The game dident really change for Subscribers. The Subscribers get all the benefits. How did being a Subscriber change in the F2P model?
I subbed to SWTOR for 2 months. I just wanted to complete the Jedi and Sith story arcs and thats it.
LostOne428
Banned
End of the year is where I'm going to put my money.
that's where me, my little bro, 2 cousins and buddy are buying.....PS4
QuantumZebra
Member
This + I'm sorry but I love this game, and it does seem to be doing fairly well. It won't be going F2P for at least a year but likely 2+ years (imo)
SwiftDeath
Member
10 minutes
I give it 5 and a half months
Feel the same sad people wanting mmo's to turn into cash shop f2p clones. When everything goes f2p then im out. Brings a different crowd makes the game cheap. You don't have the cash to play......don't play.
You know it's funny how people complain so bitterly about microtransactions and then gripe when an MMO actually dares ask for a sub fee.
I'd take the sub fee over microtransactions.
But, in ESO's case, from Angry Joe's interview it sounds like they took all the pitfalls of microtransactions anyways (little gold drop so you can't make money fast and expensive items that will take a long time to save up for, well unless you pay extra to buy them). That alone will make me want to avoid ESO entirely and hope it doesn't just go F2P, but fail so they learn not to do crap like that and actually design the game to be fun.
Sub fees I don't mind cause they usually have to make the game fun so you want to play more so you'll pay the sub. Microtransactions are more likely to encourage them to make the game frustrating to play so you'll pay extra to avoid the grind.
I'd take the sub fee over microtransactions.
But, in ESO's case, from Angry Joe's interview it sounds like they took all the pitfalls of microtransactions anyways (little gold drop so you can't make money fast and expensive items that will take a long time to save up for, well unless you pay extra to buy them). That alone will make me want to avoid ESO entirely and hope it doesn't just go F2P, but fail so they learn not to do crap like that and actually design the game to be fun.
Sub fees I don't mind cause they usually have to make the game fun so you want to play more so you'll pay the sub. Microtransactions are more likely to encourage them to make the game frustrating to play so you'll pay extra to avoid the grind.
I know about a dozen guys who bought the game. I know about a dozen guys with sever cases of buyer's remorse despite me telling them to wait for initial reviews.
AngryJoe's review was pretty scathing but legitimately mirrors a lot of complaints I've heard from my friends so it doesn't surprise me that they all feel burned.
When it goes free to play I may give it a look but only if bethesda have addressed some of the shortcomings with the game itself.
AngryJoe's review was pretty scathing but legitimately mirrors a lot of complaints I've heard from my friends so it doesn't surprise me that they all feel burned.
When it goes free to play I may give it a look but only if bethesda have addressed some of the shortcomings with the game itself.
When it's a $15 sub, $60 base game and $80 for the version with full functionality of races/factions with free horse, I can see why "most of those people haven't played it".
Teletraan1
Banned
It does split the player base. You have the haves and the have nots, you have to potentially interact with people who can't enjoy all the content. It results in a smaller group of players to run end game content, PVP etc because they put that behind paywalls for everyone else who doesn't want to spend money on a game but are bored.
That Angry Joe review that everyone is taking as gospel has some pretty bad information in it. You dont need to buy anything to be able to get an affordable horse that you can easily gain that amount of money by level 20 which is no different than any other MMO I have ever played. The density of the 1-20 zones make a horse completely unnecessary and you can buy a horse for 17.2k that has the same amount of stats as the Imperial Edition horse just allocated differently. Your horse levels up by feeding it 1 of 3 different foods every 20h to level up speed/stamina/inventory. The imperial race has mediocre racial bonuses and there are already 3 races that don't look all that different and have arguably better racials. It is shitty they even bothered to put any of that behind a paywall because its all useless. It caused more controversy than it should be worth but guess what. Every jabroni I encounter in this game is riding an imperial horse. People buy this special edition crap.
Skel1ingt0n
I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
All this thread is doing me is reminding how disappointing ToR turned out to be 
My most hyped game of all time, and it was a mess. I wish I was playing it now - but I know I'd just re-feel that disappointment.
My most hyped game of all time, and it was a mess. I wish I was playing it now - but I know I'd just re-feel that disappointment.
Darkmakaimura
Member
I know it's receiving better than expected reviews from the average person, but has it been that big of a success?
Xyrmellon
Member
Not a chance, XIV is doing too well.
bloodreign
Member
See this a lot, and I don't get it. It has nothing to do with people 'wanting' a game to go FTP it has to do with people not being willing to pay. Its not going to go FTP being of a poll, its because people aren't giving it enough money. "you don't have the cash to play...don't play" has no bearing at all, either enough people will like it and pay or enough won't.
MetroidPrimeRib
Banned
6-9 months.
This game probably won't go F2P soon. Trying to appease both solo and party players is the biggest challenge for Zenimax Online.
There's a very solid single player experience to be had with this game. It's not entirely on par with previous entries, but the game is better in other areas, such as combat, quests, lore, and some crafting.
Exploration is somewhat of a mixed bag, as a sizable portion of the game recycles exteriors/interiors, and the small amount of points of interests for lore/loot/leveling.
I would totally recommend this game to any Elder Scrolls fan. Players will definitely sink about 30-60 hours into this game on average. I'm not sure I could reccomend this game to anyone that wants to party up with friends and tackle quests/dungeons/world bosses. This is probably an area where the game is lacking, but I can't provide too much of an opinion as I'm definitely a solo player.
Craglorn (the first expansion) seems to be an attempt to remedy some of this, as well as the other faction zones, as most of the end-game content is pretty tough. Soloing is definitely possible, but additional friends would make the experience more enjoyable for end-game players.
ESO will thrive if Zenimax can continue to release content that appeases a somewhat splintered audience. If not, I can easily see myself not renewing once I've cleared what I feel is within my range in terms of difficulty. MMO gamers that want to play with their friends may have written this game off altogether.
There's a very solid single player experience to be had with this game. It's not entirely on par with previous entries, but the game is better in other areas, such as combat, quests, lore, and some crafting.
Exploration is somewhat of a mixed bag, as a sizable portion of the game recycles exteriors/interiors, and the small amount of points of interests for lore/loot/leveling.
I would totally recommend this game to any Elder Scrolls fan. Players will definitely sink about 30-60 hours into this game on average. I'm not sure I could reccomend this game to anyone that wants to party up with friends and tackle quests/dungeons/world bosses. This is probably an area where the game is lacking, but I can't provide too much of an opinion as I'm definitely a solo player.
Craglorn (the first expansion) seems to be an attempt to remedy some of this, as well as the other faction zones, as most of the end-game content is pretty tough. Soloing is definitely possible, but additional friends would make the experience more enjoyable for end-game players.
ESO will thrive if Zenimax can continue to release content that appeases a somewhat splintered audience. If not, I can easily see myself not renewing once I've cleared what I feel is within my range in terms of difficulty. MMO gamers that want to play with their friends may have written this game off altogether.
KingGreasy
Member
Sooner than the Old Republic. There's no way this game met its expectations when they decided to make this game. This is coming off a franchise that has sold well for over a decade and its coming off the heels of its best selling game in the series. This game has been bashed hard for over a year and its reviewing a bit worse than SWTOR. SWTOR and Guild Wars 2 after releasing almost immediately were being touted on their sales numbers. Those games had hype and their betas were well received. SWTOR for about two months had mostly good media before the lack of end game updates hit.
I'm guessing ESO sold less than SWTOR. The hype fled this train over a year before it launched when that alpha gameplay leaked then its various betas didn't do much to put some wind back in those sails. Then it got hammered by the Imperial Edition and then the horse cash shop thing. Its reputation is already worse than SWTOR when that launched, and there's still a good amount of bugged quest plus those dupes. I have a hard time believing they will be able to update their end game enough to satisfy people. It will fall into the average themepark pit of not enough content compared to WoW; as well as all the former subscription MMOs that also didn't have enough endgame content yet after being free to play for a while now have more than the newly released subscription MMO. Plus WildStar seems to hyped by the hardcore MMO community. That will hit ESOs numbers a bit probably.
I'm guessing ESO sold less than SWTOR. The hype fled this train over a year before it launched when that alpha gameplay leaked then its various betas didn't do much to put some wind back in those sails. Then it got hammered by the Imperial Edition and then the horse cash shop thing. Its reputation is already worse than SWTOR when that launched, and there's still a good amount of bugged quest plus those dupes. I have a hard time believing they will be able to update their end game enough to satisfy people. It will fall into the average themepark pit of not enough content compared to WoW; as well as all the former subscription MMOs that also didn't have enough endgame content yet after being free to play for a while now have more than the newly released subscription MMO. Plus WildStar seems to hyped by the hardcore MMO community. That will hit ESOs numbers a bit probably.
Which is fine, but then they shouldn't talk about how terrible the game is.
Broadbandito
Member
since it is releasing on multiple consoles, i don't see it hitting f2p for a long while to be completely honest.
Does initial cost of a game not factor into any conversations about said game? And shouldn't the fact that certain things are forever locked behind the CE paywall be something to be discouraged and completely rebuked by gamers at large?
Incitemaybe
Member
While it would be nice and MUCH easier to stomach (15 dollars a month after paying up front for it is way too much for me.) having controller support would've already won them a sale from me.
I don't want to keep repeating it, but there is no "cash shop" in the sense of a free-to-play game. It has one offer on their store besides buying the actual game, and that's a $15 upgrade to the Imperial Edition, which is exactly what Blizzard and the like do with their collector's editions.
Again, the free horse isn't anything special. It is the same value as a 17k horse, which Joe forgot to mention, that can be easily bought with in-game gold by level 20 at the latest. There is no pay-to-win, not when everything that is "offered" in the Imperial Edition outside of the actual Imperial class can be found in-game. The horse is just the 17k one with a new skin, you can find the Imperial Motif in-game to create Imperial gear and the racial stats aren't that impressive.
I just wanted to point that out so the people jumping up and down on the misinformation can actually have some legitimate info. Go nuts at critiquing the game and wondering when it will be free-to-play, but its always best to have the entire facts before offering an opinion.
Again, the free horse isn't anything special. It is the same value as a 17k horse, which Joe forgot to mention, that can be easily bought with in-game gold by level 20 at the latest. There is no pay-to-win, not when everything that is "offered" in the Imperial Edition outside of the actual Imperial class can be found in-game. The horse is just the 17k one with a new skin, you can find the Imperial Motif in-game to create Imperial gear and the racial stats aren't that impressive.
I just wanted to point that out so the people jumping up and down on the misinformation can actually have some legitimate info. Go nuts at critiquing the game and wondering when it will be free-to-play, but its always best to have the entire facts before offering an opinion.
I'd argue that both titles are doing well enough, and will survive for years to come on their current playerbases. I just don't get this stigma that one has to be better than the other.
I cancelled my sub tonight. I really hope it doesn't go F2P because that is pretty much the death knell for the game.
I'll probably follow it, and might come back a few months down the road, but right now the game is a complete mess. So many bugs, and when you're not fighting bugs, you got botters...just a mess.
I'll probably follow it, and might come back a few months down the road, but right now the game is a complete mess. So many bugs, and when you're not fighting bugs, you got botters...just a mess.
Said every MMO ever. =P FFXI and FFXIV has had their economies decimated because of them (what little economy XIV had anyway).
FreezerGeezer
Member
I'd say within the year.
Personally I am really enjoying the game though. Had couple issues with bots in solo dungeons but that is about it.
Will be staying subbed for the foreseeable future for sure.
Personally I am really enjoying the game though. Had couple issues with bots in solo dungeons but that is about it.
Will be staying subbed for the foreseeable future for sure.
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