Bioware Investigating Free-To-Play Market for SW:TOR

[News Portal]

Seems like everyone's predictions were Jedi-like in their accuracy - Bioware is investigating the free-to-play market for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Already slated to go free up to level 15 in July, the game is feeling the pinch from other free-to-play competitors. “If it was just free-to-play games and they weren’t very good it wouldn’t even be a question but there are definitely good games out there and good games coming out, so of course all of this competition impacts your plan with what you want to do," Lead Designer Emmanuel Lusinchi told Games TM. “The MMO market is very dynamic and we need to be dynamic as well. Unless people are happy with what they have, they are constantly demanding updates, new modes and situations."

Source: Games TM

Read full article by GON News

[phewcha]

I may end up playing again...

[GoToadGo]

It was an innevitability really.

[Vencha88]

Sooner the better. Free-to-play is just the better option in my opinion. Subscriptions are unsustainable and create an entry barrier for new comers to the genre.

[Cyrinno]

Free to play to level 15 is nothing special really almost all subscription MMO's have this demo.

I do prefer the free to play model being able to come to a game when they bring out new content. Which is good for players becuase it encourages new content to be made and then bought.

[c0mc0]

So how does FTP work in MMOs? SWTOR is the only MMO I have ever played or had interest in playing - do they make their cash back through selling gear? Or auction houses? The former sounds a little like pay to win, but feel free to tell me that's not how it works...

Do they end up dropping less quality random loot and making you look to buy it instead?

[Cyrinno]

So how does FTP work in MMOs? SWTOR is the only MMO I have ever played or had interest in playing - do they make their cash back through selling gear? Or auction houses? The former sounds a little like pay to win, but feel free to tell me that's not how it works...

Do they end up dropping less quality random loot and making you look to buy it instead?

Two or Three ways.

1. Sell Gear

2. Sell Buffs that last a certain amount of time

3. Sell actual content such as new zones or dungeons.(best way IMO so you still have to buy the content to get the best gear but it's not just handing gear over. Almost like DLC)

4. They often have VIP status which is still a subscription usually with free access to all the new content as long as your still paying.

[c0mc0]

So it sounds like those paying would be more powerful and have access to better gear than those not paying?

[Marius]

That's usually how it works.

But generally, those on the 'free' plan don't care. I am on a free sub to Age of Conan, and all I really want to do is log in every now and then to talk to friends. Why would I care about endgame raiding power?

This way, the free plans let those play who just want to be social or maybe level up for a bit, and they might buy something like a cosmetic look. It's overall a good way to tailor the payment model to everyone.

[Cyrinno]

Mostly if you play any MMO you have to pay to play properly.

It would just be the same continue your subscription, or pay every time a new dungeon is released for example. But everyone has to pay in some way if they really want to play. Free to play to me generally means, free to pay your way instead of just being stuck with a sub.

[Cyrinno]

That's usually how it works.

But generally, those on the 'free' plan don't care. I am on a free sub to Age of Conan, and all I really want to do is log in every now and then to talk to friends. Why would I care about endgame raiding power?

This way, the free plans let those play who just want to be social or maybe level up for a bit, and they might buy something like a cosmetic look. It's overall a good way to tailor the payment model to everyone.

Exactly it's great for keeping in touch with friends and who knows when a new dungeon comes out you might just buy that part of the game so you can play with your friends for a while.

[Stoibs]

ahh **** this is LOTRO all over again, we'll see claims that the real money cash store will "definitely not ever offer clear advantages over free players, this is not pay to win" then gradually over the months you'll see the micro transactions offering just that
Time to finish up my current character's storylines I guess and wait patiently for Guild wars 2.

[Marius]

ahh **** this is LOTRO all over again, we'll see claims that the real money cash store will "definitely not ever offer clear advantages over free players, this is not pay to win" then gradually over the months you'll see the micro transactions offering just that
Time to finish up my current character's storylines I guess and wait patiently for Guild wars 2.

Guild Wars 2's main revenue source is an item shop.

[Cyrinno]

Aye infact they said this early and it'll be a more micro system then what GW1 has where you just purchase expansions. GW2 is probably going to have more but smaller content updates available int he store instead of the less but bigger expansion idea.

[InAUGral]

I have to admit I dont mind MMOs being F2P to some degree. Star Trek Online and Lord of the rings Online seem to pull it off quite well especially LOTRO. It HAS microtransactions sure but like STO you can grind in-game to earn currency to then buy things instead of paying real money for items( or in LOTROs case even whole Expansions).