Want to hear a rumor? According to an unnamed source from Develop, Blizzard is working on a free-to-play game of some sort. There is no other information, but it's interesting that the kings of the pay-to-play model of games could be working on the opposite kind of title. The industry is changing in some interesting ways, no?
If anyone could make an interesting free-to-play game, Blizzard would be the ones. They know everything there is to know about creating compelling online content for a mass audience, so I'll be in line to try out this hypothetical game, but something about free-to-play as a concept rubs me the wrong way. Whenever I play a game like that, I feel like it's trying to trick me into spending money somehow, where I prefer the above-the-board nature of subscriptions.
I also like the exclusivity of the subscription model. The necessity of plonking down 15 dollars a month means everyone you encounter in-game is there with a purpose, where free-to-play games can be full of yahoos running around to check things out. I'm open to having my mind changed by a free-to-play game, of course. It just hasn't happened for me yet.
What about you? What do you think of free-to-play vs subscription gaming?
Source: Develop
Comments
Displaying 1–15 of 15
Shade_Chylde
You guys REALLY just deleted that post? WTF? You guys taking cues from China and censoring opinions? i kept it clean. BOO!
Shade_Chylde
*submit for your review... UGH!
Shade_Chylde
I would submit an f.t.p.m.m.o. for your submission. Check out "Allods" and you have the perfect model for a free to play game. The community in Allods is nearly as tight as WoW or any other subscription, and graphically, it KILLS WoW. Literally.
As far as f.t.p. games go though, I agree. I find it very unnerving when i spend the time downloading a client and getting stoked for a free game, only to find that players who are willing to invest real-world money can obtain better/faster/stronger gear than is made available to a player willing to invest time and energy versus their routing number or CVC code...
That is not balance, and unbalanced games are almost always failures.
I submit the "Turbine" games (Namely D&D Online) as prime examples of absolutely unbalanced gameplay and trickery like you mentioned in your article. Free to play, until something you need requires your C.C. Number. The problem is, these people have no idea how to market, and thusly believe the only way they can profit is through player "Donations" or "V.I.P. Status".
It would be a refreshing thing to see a company figure out their advertising/pay-per-click/etc. .. strategy, so that they could generate enough to keep their servers running, handle maintenance, and pay their employees, without relying on subversive trickery of their players...
I'm just sayin'! I agree with you wholeheartedly, and judging Blizzard based on WoW, I don't believe for a second they will EVER release something completely free to play.
Blizzard may be the kings of online content and the structured M.M.O.
But Blizzard is also notoriously greedy and VERY deaf to the submissions of even their oldest and most active paying players...
mdanby
I whole heartedly agree. Free to play essentially uses the crack dealer model. Give them a free taste of something that they will love and then make them pay through the nose ever after. And let's face it, Blizzard has been dealing dopamine for years...
Lunar122
im pretty sure its blizzard dota, which comes out for starcraft 2, and by what they mean free to play is that it will be available in the "free starter sc2 edition" where anyone can just download it.
DarkestPhoenix
I think opinions on Free-To-Play go to far, a lot of the time. I'll go ahead and admit that most free-to-play games work on the "hey, you can grind for this gear, or you can pay us a nominal fee to get it now." But, there are noticeable leaders of the pack that aren't working that way. Take Riot's approach. Free to play game, you can get any and all of the champions via working your butt off for the ingame currency. The only strictly "pay-to-get" stuff is the skins. The showoff bling that doesn't affect one's ingame skill. A team full of skinned champions is very likely to lose to one that isn't.
Either way, I can't say I am super excited for this. Nor am I disappointed. More indifferent.
Queezy
Did noone pay attention to the investor conference call? It's Blizzard DOTA
inferno959
Diablo and Starcraft aren't free to play. I distinctly remember not having enough money to BUY them from the game store.
Bassglass
FtP prints money with micro transactions. So it only makes sense that Blizzard is at least looking into a FtP game. WoW will never be FtP as they do have a solid sub base.
vaajtswv
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DarkSausage
lol are you talking about Diablo 3?
Vastid
What's new about Blizzard making a free-to-play game? They've been making those since Diablo. Then there's StarCraft as well.
FuzzofPekinopolis
Does Activision know about this yet!?
Ayster_the_merk
free-to-play, pay-to-win
Ayster_the_merk
free-to-play, pay-to-win.
Displaying 1–15 of 15
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