Putting an end to speculation that the massively multiplayer entry in Bethesda's award-winning role-playing franchise would be free-to-play, Zenimax Online's Matt Firor has confirmed The Elder Scrolls Online will follow a subscription-based business model.
The general manager of Zenimax online confirmed monthly subscriptions for the eagerly-anticipated game during a pre-Gamescom interview with German site Gamestar. Players will purchase the game, which comes with 30 days free, after which they'll pay a monthly fee of $14.99/€12.99/£8.99.
Pass.
My initial prediction of free-to-play has been vindicated! Although I think it will be like the Guild Wars 2 where you still have to buy the game there's just no subscription fees.
The Elder Scrolls Online going free-to-play in March on PC, June 9 on PS4 and Xbox One
F2P is the way to go for MMO's. I've spent a bunch of $$ on the f2p war games I've played and a decent amount here and there on MMORPGs. There are ways to make people, like me, (impatient) pay for the game while keeping it free for the rest without too many restrictions. Basically speeding up the grind without giving unfair advantages. I know in War Thunder, it's doesn't matter if you have the best plane or a jet if you haven't learned how to fly it. You'll get your ass kicked in the game so all you're paying for is speeding up the grind process, not the skill required to do well.
In a way, you help out the non paying players by providing a
'higher level" that they get more Experience points for shooting down.
The important part of F2P games is that the F2P part be exactly like the pay part but maybe take longer to achieve.
edited for clarity
Last edited by Winnow on January 21, 2015, 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Funkmasterr wrote:I'm completely against FTP/PTW in any way. Going FTP completely removes a game from my radar.
If you make a good game, people will pay after they try it. Setting up a $40-$60 barrier to entry prevents your game from getting potential on the fence players that might like it but won't pay up front to find out. Another key would be filters for kiddie trolls but you get those with pay games as well.
That sounds fine in theory, but in practice that isn't how it works. For most FTP games in my experience (aside from maybe Guild Wars), if you want to play it and have access/progression similar to a game with a monthly fee or just a disc based game even - you end up paying more in the FTP model by a long shot.
And I have a problem with pay to win/any enhanced progression. If I spend more time on/am better at the game than you, it should translate directly to the game. You take away a big part of the sense of achievement of actually working to get somewhere in the game when people basically can just pay to press an easy button.
No chance it's going to die, it's growing more and more popular. Also the properly setup f2p games are not pay to win, they are pay for convenience or less grind. Skill parts of the game remain equal whether you pay or not. Owning the best "tank" isn't the achievement, your death/kill ratio with that tank is the achievement. It's how well you use what you gain, not how you gain it, with a mixed in combination of items that can't be obtained through buying them. Earn a special doodad by killing 10 whatchamacallits. Dude that bought his tank can't kill 10 thingies to earn it. The skilled player can. Company makes $$ off the player that buys the tank even though they suck.
