Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Turbine: Subscription model isn't dead]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/turbine-subscription-model-isnt-dead/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/turbine-subscription-model-isnt-dead/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/turbine-subscription-model-isnt-dead/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Dungeons and Dragons Online - dark elves
Turbine doesn't think subscription MMOs are dying, which might come as something of a surprise to fans of the pay-as-you-go business model that's spreading like wildfire across the Western MMO landscape.

"It's probably not right to say the subscription MMO is dying, it's probably more right to say the idea of forcing a player to only have one option for having to consume your content -- that's probably dying," says spokesman Adam Mersky in a piece at Eurogamer.

Mersky goes on to say that brave new business models are the norm across the entertainment spectrum, and he also claims that Turbine "certainly pioneered" free-to-play in the online gaming space (though it's worth noting that Funcom introduced a F2P option for Anarchy Online in 2004, five years before Dungeons and Dragons Online took the plunge).

Finally, the Eurogamer piece touches on the upcoming Menace of the Underdark expansion as well as the unnamed "future project" that the company first hinted about in 2009.

MassivelyTurbine: Subscription model isn't dead originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-merskybusiness-modelsddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinef2pfantasyfree-to-playmenace-of-the-underdarksubscription-modelturbineTurbine-EntertainmentMon, 30 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR launch day questions answered]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/24/swtor-launch-day-questions-answered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/24/swtor-launch-day-questions-answered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/24/swtor-launch-day-questions-answered/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR: The wait is just about over
The community team at BioWare told us that we would know when the train was coming, but it came crashing through our house when half of us were still sleeping. As we reported earlier, Star Wars: The Old Republic set its launch day for December 20th for North America and December 22nd for Europe. All the fans exhaled in relief, then promptly started asking more questions.

First off, the Australian and New Zealand launch dates have not been set, and BioWare cannot commit to a launch day yet for that region. However, back in August, Senior Community Manager Stephen Reid posted on the official forums that "There are no plans to 'region lock' or 'IP block' players from the game. You may experience some latency issues if you're not playing in a launch territory." This still holds true today.

To prevent signup issues on launch day, log-ins will be throttled. However, pre-order customers will still gain early access to the game. Senior Community Coordinator Allison Berryman reported on the official forum: "The beginning of Early Game Access will depend on a number of factors, including results from our Game Testing Program and Pre-Orders, but there will be multiple days of access."

Lastly, in case you missed it earlier, BioWare did announce the subscription costs. It comes as no surprise to most MMO gamers that the first month is free with the purchase of the game. After that it's $14.99 per month (£8.99 or €12.99), $41.97 for 3 months (£25.17 or €35.97), or $77.94 for six months (£46.14 or €65.94). There have been no lifetime subscription announcements as of yet, but we will let you know if we hear anything.

MassivelySWTOR launch day questions answered originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Allison-BerrymanaustraliaBioWareEAearly-accessElectronic-Artsip-blockslaunchlaunch-datelaunch-dayLucasArtsnew-zealandregion-lockedStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-Reidsubscriptionsubscription-modelswtorthe-old-republicthrottledtorSat, 24 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wasteland Diaries: F2P -- What to expect]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/wasteland-diaries-f2p-what-to-expect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/wasteland-diaries-f2p-what-to-expect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/wasteland-diaries-f2p-what-to-expect/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Emerging from the cloner
Fallen Earth is going free-to-play on October 12th. That's the plan, anyway. Four different subscriber levels will be available. The free accounts will actually have quite a bit of freedom with in the game (in fact, I'm shocked at how few restrictions they will have). The highest tier is a bit pricey for what you get, but we don't want a pay-to-win system, right? There's a fine line between giving paying customers something worthwhile and upsetting the balance of the entire universe. I'll discuss each subscription level later on in the post.

There are still a few concerns that many in the Fallen Earth community (including me) have about the F2P transition, and not all of them are technical concerns. I'm really not sure what to expect exactly as far as numbers of players, but I'm sure we'll see a huge influx of players both new and returning. How many exactly? I don't have a clue. I'll cover the sub levels first and then discuss my fears about what's to come afterward. So click past the cut and let's get started.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: F2P -- What to expect

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: F2P -- What to expect originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Commandercommander-auraf2pfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeaturedfree-to-playgamersfirsticarus-studiosp2ppay-to-playreward-pointsscavengersubscription-modelsurvivalistwastelanderFri, 09 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/the-soapbox-subs-and-cash-shops-two-great-tastes-that-taste-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/the-soapbox-subs-and-cash-shops-two-great-tastes-that-taste-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/the-soapbox-subs-and-cash-shops-two-great-tastes-that-taste-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Lion dislikes sub + cash shop
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Hoo boy, The Secret World. On the one hand, I was really looking forward to it. On the other hand, it's now joined the likes of EVE Online, pretty much every Sony Online Entertainment title ever made, Star Trek Online, Champions Online, and Funcom's own Age of Conan in my personal double-dipping doghouse.

Yeah, The Secret World is going to have a subscription model (hooray) and a cash shop (boo, hiss, and zomgwtf). This should surprise no one, really, since game industry devs have been going all Gordon Gekko on us for a while now, but it was nonetheless a disappointing reveal on several levels.

Equally disappointing are the folks who defend the subscription-plus-cash-shop model and erroneously refer to it as an example of consumer-friendly choice.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelscash-shopchampions-onlinechoiceconsumer-choicecostcryptic-studiosdouble-dippingeconomicseveeve-onlineevilf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgordon-gekkogreedgreed-is-goodjeff-strainmarketingmmo-industrymoneyopinionplayer-choicesecret-worldsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-trek-onlinesub-plus-cash-shopsubscriptionsubscription-basedsubscription-modelsubscription-plus-cash-shopthe-secret-worldthe-soapboxtswused-car-salesmenTue, 30 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/wasteland-diaries-coming-soon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/wasteland-diaries-coming-soon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/wasteland-diaries-coming-soon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Due to the new partnership between Fallen Earth and GamersFirst, there are some huge changes coming in the very near future and massive changes headed our way before the end of the year. Sector 4 is going to be released soon along with a major re-write of the skills and abilities system. There are still a great many questions that remain unanswered, but the developers on both sides have dropped some subtle and not-so-subtle hints here and there.

There are still many players asking questions in global chat and on the forums that have been answered already. A few of the answers given have left me scratching my head, but I'm still optimistic at this point. But there's still a lot of confusion within the community about what is coming and when. I've dug up many of the responses to the toughest questions by Marie Croall of Fallen Earth and Joe Willmon of GamersFirst, who are holding their cards close to their chests but have nevertheless given up some good info. After the cut, I'll try to clarify what's going on in the short and long term, but it may result in some speculation on both our parts.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Coming soon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-countydynamic-contentf2pfactionsfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeaturedfree-to-playgamersfirsthousingicarusicarus-studiosjoe-willmonmarie-croallpatchplayer-housingrespecrevampsector-4subscriptionsubscription-modelwasteland-diariesFri, 24 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ragnarok Online goes free-to-play]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/ragnarok-online-goes-free-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/ragnarok-online-goes-free-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/ragnarok-online-goes-free-to-play/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ragnarok Online's been pretty quiet following its Renewal update last year, but the free-to-play train is now passing through town and it looks as though the game is hopping aboard for the ride.

Gravity Interactive has announced that it is dropping the subscription model from Ragnarok Online effective immediately. The company encourages new and returning players interested in this F2P format to make their home on the Yggdrasil or Valkyrie servers.

The company is also offering a premium VIP subscription package for players looking to turbo-boost their advancement. VIP players not only have the option to play on a VIP-only server (Ymir) but will also benefit from a 50% increase in experience gain, loot drops, more storage, a lessened death penalty, access to special areas, and the full use of all nine character slots.

If this low, low cost of entry tempts you to check out the game, all it takes to play is a free Warp Portal account through the official website.

MassivelyRagnarok Online goes free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelf2pfree-to-playftpgravitygravity-interactiveragnarokragnarok-onlinerenewalsubscription-modelvipwarp-portalThu, 07 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2011: Turbine makes the case for the free-to-play model]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/12/pax-east-turbine-makes-the-case-for-the-free-to-play-model/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/12/pax-east-turbine-makes-the-case-for-the-free-to-play-model/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/12/pax-east-turbine-makes-the-case-for-the-free-to-play-model/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

"Pioneers get the gold!" Turbine's Fernando Paiz is fond of saying. "And they get the arrows too..."

Instead of the wild, wild west, Paiz was referring to the frontier of MMORPG business models, companies that have diverged from traditional subscriptions over the past 10 years. In a presentation at PAX East titled "The Game Monetization Revolution," he shared how this movement has come about, ways that it can fail, and how pioneers have grabbed the gold by getting it right.

Of course, Paiz has a great perspective on this revolution, having helmed Dungeons & Dragons Online as it made the transition from a pure subscription game to a hybrid free-to-play/subscription title. Both DDO and Lord of the Rings Online have done tremendously well since moving to this business model, proving that AAA titles can thrive outside of the subscription-only checkout lane.

Hit the jump as Fernando Paiz takes us down memory lane and addresses the biggest fear players have with F2P.

Continue reading PAX East 2011: Turbine makes the case for the free-to-play model

MassivelyPAX East 2011: Turbine makes the case for the free-to-play model originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asian-mmosbusiness-modelsconsumablescosmeticsddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinef2pfeaturedfernando-paizfree-to-playguild-warshybrid-modellord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromicrotransactionspaizpaxpax-2011pax-eastpax-east-2011paxeastpenny-arcade-exporunescapesubscription-modelturbineturbine-entertainmentSat, 12 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is the sub fee preventing you from playing DC Universe Online?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/the-daily-grind-is-the-sub-fee-preventing-you-from-playing-dc-u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/the-daily-grind-is-the-sub-fee-preventing-you-from-playing-dc-u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/the-daily-grind-is-the-sub-fee-preventing-you-from-playing-dc-u/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Superheroes have been generating a lot of discussion around these parts of late, and SOE's DC Universe Online is the primary reason. Whether you side with the folks who view the new title as a worthy genre competitor or those who label it MMO-lite and move on, it seems like most gamers have an opinion one way or the other.

Interestingly, SOE chose to go with the traditional monthly subscription model for DCUO, flying in the face of the F2P bandwagon that's gripped the industry over the past year. Ostensibly the sub fee will cover ongoing content updates -- which SOE has repeatedly said will come on a monthly basis -- in addition to the usual costs of maintaining and improving a large-scale online service.

All that said, comment threads here and elsewhere have featured gamers who write off DCUO because a) it requires monthly payment and b) it doesn't have a free trial. For this edition of The Daily Grind, we're curious where you stand on the issue. If you're not playing DC Universe Online, is the sub fee the primary culprit?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is the sub fee preventing you from playing DC Universe Online? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dcDC Comicsdc-universe-onlineDcComicsdcuof2pfree-to-playgame-discussiongamer-discussionmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsopinionSOESony-Online-Entertainmentsubscriptionsubscription-modeltdgthe-daily-grindMon, 24 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bigpoint vs. BioWare: CEO says The Old Republic will never be profitable]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/07/bigpoint-vs-bioware-ceo-says-the-old-republic-will-never-be-pr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/07/bigpoint-vs-bioware-ceo-says-the-old-republic-will-never-be-pr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/07/bigpoint-vs-bioware-ceo-says-the-old-republic-will-never-be-pr/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As a high-profile MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic is proving itself to be a big target for attack. Bigpoint, the German game developer that's working on Battlestar Galactica Online, stepped up to take a swing at the as-of-yet-unreleased title.

At the London Games Conference, Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz made the bold prediction that The Old Republic will never see a profit: "If you look at Star Wars from EA and BioWare, they estimated a development budget of over $100 million. This is an online game for many million of subscribers, so the publisher does not understand that a subscription model is not the future. With microtransactions maybe I see the game having a chance but I don't think that EA or BioWare will ever be profitable with this game."

EA BioWare has yet to release a definite pricing plan for TOR, although it is widely believed it will be subscription-based. Earlier this year, Dr. Ray Muzyka said that there will be "more of the traditional business model with maybe some twists as well."

MassivelyBigpoint vs. BioWare: CEO says The Old Republic will never be profitable originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlestar-galactica-onlinebigpointbiowareea-biowareheiko-hubertzlondong-games-conferenceMicrotransactionsray-muzykastar-wars-the-old-republicsubscription-modelthe-old-republictoryour-jedi-mind-tricks-dont-work-on-meSun, 07 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Station cash, server merges, and musings from the community]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/the-tattered-notebook-station-cash-server-merges-and-musings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/the-tattered-notebook-station-cash-server-merges-and-musings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/the-tattered-notebook-station-cash-server-merges-and-musings/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Welcome to another chapter of The Tattered Notebook. There's a ton to talk about this week, as our favorite game has been making news left and right, in both its traditional and free-to-play flavors.

Pull up a chair and grab a cup of your favorite beverage as we delve into our semi-monthly look at what's turning heads and generating discussion in the EverQuest II community. As it turns out, nothing stirs the pot more than server merges (and maybe Station Cash), and in this week's edition we'll highlight a few noteworthy conversations you may have missed.

Turn the page for more.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Station cash, server merges, and musings from the community

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Station cash, server merges, and musings from the community originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antonia-bayledave-georgesonEQ2eq2xEQIIEverQuest-2everquest-2-extendedeverquest-iif2pfeaturedfree-to-playLucan-DLeremergesopinionpopulationserver-mergessmokejumpersubscription-modelthe-tattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebook-jef-reahardMon, 25 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Atanas Atanasov talks Earthrise PvP, crafting, and payment models]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/atanas-atanasov-talks-earthrise-pvp-crafting-and-payment-model/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/atanas-atanasov-talks-earthrise-pvp-crafting-and-payment-model/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/atanas-atanasov-talks-earthrise-pvp-crafting-and-payment-model/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


GameOgre has scored an interview with Masthead Studios director and Earthrise producer Atanas Atanasov that's worth a read (and not just because Atanas Atanasov is quite possibly the coolest game dev name in history, with all due respect to Tasos Flambouras and Ragnar Tornquist). Anyhow, Atanasov answers a hefty number of questions covering a wide range of topics including the inspiration and backstory for the game, the purpose behind the title's open PvP, and a few details on the crafting system. "Almost every item in the game comes from crafting and the whole economy and combat system is aimed at conquering territories and supplying resources to the guild and friendly crafters," he says.

Atanasov also weighs in on the decision to go with a subscription model for the sci-fi sandbox, a move that bucks current industry trends and is something the Masthead dev team has alluded to before. "A subscription-based game puts players on level ground by giving them all access to the whole world and every game feature. We want to make sure that every player in Earthrise will be treated equally and there will not be paying and non-paying players, players with purchased gear, and players with free gear. Earthrise is an all-inclusive title, pay once and enjoy everything that's included," he says.

MassivelyAtanas Atanasov talks Earthrise PvP, crafting, and payment models originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atanas-Atanasovatanas-atansovcraftingearthriseinterviewmastheadmasthead-studiosp2ppayment-modelspvpsandboxsubscription-modelThu, 16 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Mask: Two layers of toppings]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/behind-the-mask-two-layers-of-toppings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/behind-the-mask-two-layers-of-toppings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/behind-the-mask-two-layers-of-toppings/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

"Microtransactions" is almost a taboo word in the MMO community. Everyone has a different opinion on it. Even here at Massively, our ideas on microtransactions vary widely. But perhaps even more frightening than the label of "F2P" is "double-dipping." Some games continue to charge a normal subscription, while still having some content featured as microtransactions.

All of Cryptic Studios' current games support a double-dipping model, and Champions Online is no exception. A lot of players think this is a terrible, terrible thing. As a gamer, I understand that players want things to be free. I also understand that developers have to strike a real balance between content that's given for free and content that is sold as paid expansions or unlocked via microtransactions.

Continue reading Behind the Mask: Two layers of toppings

MassivelyBehind the Mask: Two layers of toppings originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-maskc-storechampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosdouble-dippersdouble-dippingf2pfeaturedfree-to-playmicrotransactionMicrotransactionspayment-modelssubscriptionsubscription-modelThu, 02 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE confirms subscription model for DCUO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/soe-confirms-subscription-model-for-dcuo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/soe-confirms-subscription-model-for-dcuo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/soe-confirms-subscription-model-for-dcuo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Fans of Sony Online Entertainment's highly-anticipated DC Universe Online title can chew on an additional piece of news to go along with all the goodies revealed at E3 last week. Several websites have run unconfirmed reports on the game's pricing model, so we went straight to the source to get the skinny.

"The revenue model will be subscription based, with a monthly fee of $14.99 per month. The PC version will carry a suggested retail price of $49.99 and the PS3 version will carry a suggested retail price of $59.99," said an SOE public relations spokesperson.

Rumor has it that the superhero title will also feature some sort of microtransaction model to go along with the traditional subscription fee, but when asked about it directly, SOE responded "we have not confirmed microtransactions at this point." Stay tuned to Massively for more details as they become available.

MassivelySOE confirms subscription model for DCUO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batmanbreakingDC Comicsdc-universe-onlineDcComicsmicrotransactionsSOESony-Online-Entertainmentsubscription-modelsupermanMon, 21 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Completionism and avoiding the F2P plague]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/the-anvil-of-crom-completionism-and-avoiding-the-f2p-plague/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/the-anvil-of-crom-completionism-and-avoiding-the-f2p-plague/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/the-anvil-of-crom-completionism-and-avoiding-the-f2p-plague/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I'd like to start this week's column with a disclaimer: I expect to get a lot hate for what follows. A few of you might agree with me, and that's great, but as something of a traditionalist (both in and out of gaming), I'm used to my views being unpopular when measured against current trends. And let's be honest, nothing is currently more trendy, in vogue, or bandwagontastic than F2P when it comes to MMORPGs.

F2P, or more accurately, F2T (free-to-try) is sweeping over our industry like a ravenous zombie horde, sucking brains, wallets, and customer common sense right out the window due to its insane profitability and a glitzy PR assault. Right now, in fact, someone, somewhere in the Funcom offices is no doubt running the numbers on whether or not tacking a cash shop onto Age of Conan makes financial sense. They may even be contemplating pulling a Turbine and going completely F2T. I mean, how could they not be considering it? With subscription-based games dropping like flies, it's only a matter of time before every game on the market is engaging in Sony-style double dipping (yes Cryptic and now Icarus do it too, but frankly the alliteration just wasn't there).

Hit the jump to learn why F2T isn't as great as you think.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Completionism and avoiding the F2P plague

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Completionism and avoiding the F2P plague originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-crombudgetf2pf2p-do-not-wantfeaturedfinancial-modelfree-to-playfree-to-play-is-really-free-to-tryfuncomopinionsubscription-modelthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 13 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: LotRO will only go down in flames if you let it]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/10/anti-aliased-lotro-will-only-go-down-in-flames-if-you-let-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/10/anti-aliased-lotro-will-only-go-down-in-flames-if-you-let-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/10/anti-aliased-lotro-will-only-go-down-in-flames-if-you-let-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Damn my column being on Thursdays. It makes me a week late to the "Lord of the Rings Online going free-to-play" discussion, and that makes me sad. Still, a short passage of time isn't going to stop me from sinking my teeth into this subject, so be prepared for an onslaught of opinion!

So, I read a lot of opinions last week. I read the opinions here, I read the opinions on the blogosphere, and I listened to the chat room, Facebook, and Twitter. I was all over the place. While there was a lot of criticism and praise being flung around for Lord of the Rings Online making this absolutely crazy move, it's the criticism that I want to tackle in today's column.

Specifically, there's one piece of criticism that I feel needs to have bull called on it -- the concept that the Lord of the Rings Online community will fall apart the second the free-to-play crowd is mixed in.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: LotRO will only go down in flames if you let it

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: LotRO will only go down in flames if you let it originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessbusiness-modelcommunityf2pfreefree-to-playkeenkeen-and-graevlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionroflpwnnoobsubscription-modelthe-lord-of-the-rings-onlineturbinewarner-brosThu, 10 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Online gamers are logging more hours, but spending less money]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/online-gamers-are-logging-more-hours-but-spending-less-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/online-gamers-are-logging-more-hours-but-spending-less-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/online-gamers-are-logging-more-hours-but-spending-less-money/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Interactive marketing firm Future Ads revealed a very telling survey from Gamevance today, showing that casual gamers were playing games for longer, yet were spending less money on them overall. Other notable sections of the survey showed a declining gender gap in the gaming population, a melding of the "casual" and "hardcore" gamer markets, and a decline in purchases made for video game consoles.

Gamevance's survey revealed that 61% of the 8,000 "casual" gamers who responded said they were playing games for longer periods of time than they were a year ago. However, 80% of those same gamers reported that they were cutting back on console game purchases while 77% of the 8,000 stated that the biggest drawback to console gaming was that it was too expensive.

Pair this with the rising Free Realms, Wizard 101, and FusionFall populations, as well as the proliferation of free online gaming sites, and you have a very noticable switch to cheaper gaming alternatives. Will this recession be the rise of the free to play gaming model in America, or will this die off once the economy stabilizes?

[Via GigaOm]

MassivelyOnline gamers are logging more hours, but spending less money originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cartoon-networkcasualfree-realmsfree-to-playfusionfallgamevancegendergender-gaphardcorekingsisle-entertainmentmarketingmicrotransactionsonline-gamingsoesony-online-entertainmentsubscriptionsubscription-modelsurveywizard-101Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft's rules for RMT]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/world-of-warcrafts-rules-for-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/world-of-warcrafts-rules-for-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/world-of-warcrafts-rules-for-rmt/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


There's been a discussion going on at our sister-site WoW Insider regarding RMT (real-money trading) and their favorite MMO, World of Warcraft. Now wait a minute, you might say, WoW doesn't have RMT! While it's true that you can't just cough up real money to get that epic piece of loot you've been dreaming about, Blizzard has its own version of RMT with name changes, server transfers, and the new character re-customizations. They aren't alone in the industry with these for-cash perks -- plenty of other subscription-model MMOs do exactly the same.

The main reason that this has been brought up now is due to a recent thread on the official WoW forums, where a Blizzard poster actually detailed some of the company's rules (over a number of different pages) for adding the existing and any future premium services. They won't start charging for something that used to be free, and the pay features should be superficial conveniences and not 'integral to the game', ruling out item sales. Another very simple reason that they charge for certain things is to stop players from doing them too often -- no quickie gender-changes to beg on the Orgrimmar mailbox for a half-hour.

This seems to be the right way to go about things for a subscription-based MMO, or at least it has been so far. Leaving aside the debate about the future of the subscription model, would you pay monthly for a game that offered gameplay advantages to those that paid just that little bit more?

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft's rules for RMT originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardcharacter-customizationcharacter-re-customizationmicrotransactionspremium-servicesreal-money-tradingrmtsubscription-modelworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderSun, 14 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST