The lights are on
When we think of subscription-based games, we typically look toward MMOs. As we grow closer to the release of The Elder Scrolls Online, which will carry a subscription, and EverQuest Next, which will be free-to-play, it’s time to look at the shifting landscape.
EverQuest II, Star Wars: The Old Republic, DC Universe Online, Tera, Lord of the Rings Online, and Rift are some triple-A MMOs that shed their subscription fees in favor of a free model. Those that transition (and most titles that begin their lives as “free”) include content that’s partitioned off behind a paywall. If you want to play long-term, chances are that you’ll be paying, just not on a “use it or lose it” schedule and not in any way that is easily budgeted.
Now that most MMOs are adopting the free-to-play model, is there still a place in your budget for subscription-based play? Did you ever play games with a monthly fee? If so, can you still schedule your gaming for months at a time to take advantage of cost-saving bundles, or are you a spur of the moment gamer that can’t afford the time or money to be locked in?
I'm personally a fan of the early F2P with a subscription mid-to-end-game. That way I can ease my level up into the mid 20s or so, then probably get bored with the game and not have to spend a dime. If I don't get bored, I'll pony up for the subscription and keep going. However, never in any MMO that I've played (other than Runescape in gradeschool) have I got up much farther than, say, the first third of the level cap (20-30). If a game can hold my attention I'd be glad to pay the sub, but so far nothing has made me want it that bad.
MMOs definitely require some time and dedication. Pay to play MMOs need to be backed with content or it isn't really worth it and games that go F2P tend to lose content updates, not always. Defiance is an example but many factors were involved there.
It's hard to say, but with ESO's world being several times larger than Skyrim and laid out to expand I can't see it surviving as F2P. If it could sell like Skyrim it could go F2P but with a subscription those salse won't happen. It's a double-edged sword really.
I think ESO could get away with a similar model to maybe SWTOR. I mean it is an excellent franchise already that people will be willing to buy just because it is an Elder Scrolls game. That being said, there are tons of people who subscribe and pay for SWTOR because it enhances your experience.
I would argue that ESO would be very successful if they let you play free at the expense of having certain features available to you or you receive certain things late. I've done both the free to play and subscription for SWTOR and I definitely agree it's worth paying the money but if I didn't have that money I would be so sad to not have to opportunity to play it. Hearing that ESO has a subscription made me think twice about buying it.
I don't mind it as I understand the cost associated with it, in fact I prefer the pay model over the free to play model. I plan on getting ESO at some point, but I don't look at it as having to pay 15 month every month to have to play it. I'm going to play it for one month, the time included in the base purchase, then I'm going to move one to something else. If I decide to come back to it, I'll pay for another month.
I pretty much agree with the majority, if its a good game, its worth the cash.
I have only stuck with one subscription based game and that was SWG, I tried a few others such as WoW,Matrix Online,DCU,STO and TOR but none of them felt as engaging. F2P games I have tried where all worse including P2P that went F2P. I think there is just too much money grubbing in these games and not enough care or dedication to quality of product.
I hate subscriptions because I end up paying at times when I am not playing the game regularly. That just equates to me throwing money away.
Having said that, I am going to give Elder Scrolls Online a try once it comes out for Xbox One. I have a hard time devoting all of my gaming to one MMO, but that's what I feel like I need to do to get my moneys worth.
Free-to-play is a terrible model for the player and the developer. It ultimately doesn't benefit either in the end.
Why it doesn't benefit the player is because of the fact that the entire experience of the game is centered around buying items from the game shop or purchasing access to content. What players don't realize is they generally end up spending more money with a F2P game than they would a monthly fee, with lesser-quality to no content.
Ever since SWTOR went F2P, the flow of content has been slower, the quality has been worse, and the only feature that consistently gets updates is the Cartel Market (microtransactions), of which adds worthless fluff to the game. It's a money sink for those gullible enough to buy it with none of that money being funneled into the game to make it better.
Why F2P doesn't work for developers either is because the model isn't sustainable. It has been proven time and time again that the model is initially extremely successful, but will die off after a few months. With no quality content being added and a lesser community, as many who play F2P games are not committed and do not care as much as those who pay monthly fees, the entire experience is watered down and worse.
As a person who has played every model from Free-to-play, Freemium, Buy-to-play, Pay-to-play, etc. I've always enjoyed the MMOs with a monthly fee the most. MMORPGs are not a one-time purchase. MMORPGs are a service, and this is something many do not understand. Especially if you are new to the MMORPG genre, these games never end. They are always adding updates, patches, and new content, of which requires an investment of money, one way or another.
So my question is simple. Would you rather pay a simple and affordable monthly fee, of which is cheaper than going to see a two hour movie in IMAX? Or would you rather spend money on a worthless game shop, or others doing so, on a stagnant game that will never improve? Both models require money, and in the interest of the player, a monthly fee is a better investment and a more long-term experience.
I used to not mind paying for subscriptions (having played Everquest back when it was sub-based as well as WoW off and on for seven years) but these days I just can't see myself doing it. Whenever I pay for a month of sub time, I feel this constant pressure to play the game as much as I can (even when I'm not really in the mood to) during that month so that I don't feel I've wasted my money.
I'm also a bit burned out on MMO's at the moment which, again, doesn't make me that eager to devote even more money to them on top of their initial box price.
I simply won't play a subscription based game, it's too much of an investment considering MMO's aren't my favorite genre. However I do play a few free to play MMO's, so it would appear that the FTP model is better for attracting players who don't traditionally participate in the genre.
Unfortunately for me time is not on my side. It can take me a couple months to finish a 15 hour long game now with a kid in the house. I just don't have the time to warrant spending $15/month on one game when I can only do a couple of hours a week or so to play. If not for that I would jump at ESO or FFXIV but I just don't have the time so I will wait until TES 6/FF XV, or Fallout 4.
Problem I have with subscription based gaming is that I like to play a lot of games. When I do pay for subscription based games, then I'll try and play the game as much as I can. Then there are those moments where I feel like I should play since I paid but really want to play something else. I do enjoy MMO's but I need to really be in the mood to play them which I am not always in. I like shooters. I like regular RPG's. Plus there are aspects of MMO's that I hate. Grinding, to be specific. I can't grind for long before I get sick of it.
I prefer subscription based games. I know that if I have a subscription I will be able to access all of the games content without a surprise fee popping up. Also, it does make budgeting that money much easier. I take my sub fees right off the top of my entertainment budget each month.
Also, it is harder to go crazy with spending on a subscription based game. If you are into a game enough to pay a sub, you would probably be willing to throw money at it for cool stuff or exclusive access to certain areas. I don't trust myself not to buy all the things on a free to play AAA game.