The Elder Scrolls Online F2P

cookiecrook · January 2015

With games and time cards being returned to ZeniMax and many unconfirmed rumors that the game is going free to play. Will a free to play model boost interest in this title? I enjoyed the game as a beta tester but a lack of a lifetime subscription and a major economic bug that was allowed to go live kept me from continuing to play beyond the beta period. As long as the economy issues have been resolved and the free to play model isn't pure greediness, I could see myself returning to the game.

rattler2 · January 2015

If its a decent F2P model, I just might check it out.

starkaos · January 2015

Elder Scrolls is a very popular video game series so it becoming F2P will obviously increase interest in the game. However, if they are getting rid of subscriptions, then their entire budget would rely on microtransactions. So either additional content would suffer or they will introduce items like Lockboxes and P2W equipment.

senatorvreenak · January 2015

Why play ESO when theres Skyrim? :P

Seriously, Elder Scrolls lets you customize your gameplay experience in so many ways that an Online game could never dream of. And as such I honestly don't believe its an IP fit for MMO.

I do think it would be fun though with an Elder Scrolls game that has a "multiplayer module" that would allow a group of players to play together in the same world.

rattler2 · January 2015

I have Skyrim. PC version so there's a couple mods as well.

mimey2 · January 2015

Well, I'd gladly go and play ESO if it went F2P. As it stands now, I simply don't have a desire to put out both the cost of the game and a sub. I might even be ok with only a sub if that was an option, but it is what it is.

Anyone here play ESO? If so, what major issues are there with it atm? One big thing I heard about is that botting is a BIG problem, but that was awhile back when it was a lot newer.

jexsamx · January 2015

IF it goes F2P and the model isn't garbage I'll absolutely give it a look.

Unknown · January 2015

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hypl · January 2015

Might check it out, since I would if it ever went F2P. But I get the feeling like with other F2P games, the model will be TRIBBLE and non-subbers will be leashed to the neck with restrictions and limitations. To a point where there is no point in playing F2P because the developers purposely made the experience terrible so they can get you to sub. lol :P

cem3212 · January 2015

I've enjoyed the Elder Scrolls series over the years immensely.

I've still got my: Daggerfall, Battlespire, Morrowind, Oblivion, & still playing Skyrim.

If/when ESO exits the subscription-only model I hope it goes to buy-to-play instead of free-to-play.

I think that construct helps keep-out the spammers & exploiters a bit more, but then again it might hurt the number of players.

Most likely, & like other games, ESO will turn into a hybrid allowing a bit of all.

If B2P or F2P I'll check it out, but I'd prefer the B2P with extra perks for subscribers.

I don't mind giving financial offerings to a game if it is fun to play & isn't trying to TRIBBLE me over even if it's a F2P.

Wait & see I guess.

starswordc · January 2015

My heart bleeds.

No, seriously, TRIBBLE TESO. I'm saving my money for Elder Scrolls VI.

ambassadormolari · January 2015

Being the ES fanboy that I am, I can't help but be excited about this. The skeptical part of me, though, wonders if this means that players will have to deal with things like certain levels only being unlocked by paying for them, or other stupid things that I have to deal with in other games like TOR (and, occasionally, STO). Still, I'm cautiously optimistic about this.

starswordc wrote:

My heart bleeds.

No, seriously, TRIBBLE TESO. I'm saving my money for Elder Scrolls VI.

Please be set in Argonia, please be set in Argonia (also wouldn't mind Summerset Isle or Valenwood.

lonnehart · January 2015

I'm expecting it to follow SWTOR and the upcoming F2P model for WoW... Set up to "encourage" you to subscribe. Still, I'll wait and see what'll happen with this title...

jonsills · January 2015

lonnehart wrote: »

I'm expecting it to follow SWTOR and the upcoming F2P model for WoW... Set up to "encourage" you to subscribe. Still, I'll wait and see what'll happen with this title...

The upcoming "F2P" model for WoW is exactly as it has been, except now you can get in on it even if you have a lapsed account. Still limited to lvl 20, still can't join a guild (unless you already have a character in it), still limited in exactly the same way as the existing "free" accounts - basically, it makes SWTOR look generous, and makes STO look completely freaking insane.

rattler2 · January 2015

Which means any characters OVER lv 20 are locked out from the sound of it.
Nope. Not gonna bother with WoW then.

cbob312 · January 2015

I care too much about TES to play this game even for free.

alexmakepeace · January 2015

Why's everybody going on about The Elder Scrolls? The Younger Scrolls is much more fun. Come join us in drawing crayon landscapes all over the dungeon walls, running up and down the castle hallways squealing "wheeeeeeeeeeeee," banging shields and maces until our mothers send us to our room, and sticking one end of an elder scroll in the toilet and flushing.

One caveat, I suppose. There are no fantasy graphics--it looks exactly like your house. You have to use your imagination.

The Younger Scrolls: "Our dragons have polka dots!"

bioixi · January 2015

Ha! I knew it, from the very moment I read it would be subscription based instead of one time only payment with microtransactions, right now, it's almost impossible to make succesful subscription based game.

cbrjwrr · January 2015

starswordc wrote: »

My heart bleeds.

No, seriously, TRIBBLE TESO. I'm saving my money for Elder Scrolls VI.

That's 2018 at the earliest, you have a long time to save up...

xigbarg · January 2015

ambassadormolari wrote: »

Please be set in Argonia, please be set in Argonia (also wouldn't mind Summerset Isle or Valenwood.

Personally, I hope it takes place in High Rock. With the empire weakened, the city states would be free to have their own variant of the Peloponnesian War. Which would be an interesting thing to behold.

So I hope anyways.

Unknown · January 2015

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telbasta7386 · January 2015

I've been playing ESO since early access. I do not believe the 'rumors' about it going Free to play are true, as it's doing very well right now with the subscription model (not to mention I hope it doesnt go free to play so that we dont wind up with all the damn kids flocking to ruin the game, it has a fairly mature atmosphere right now and that's a good thing IMO).

askray · January 2015

mattjohnsonva wrote: »

Matt Firor has stated over and over that this game is never going F2P.

http://www.pcgamesn.com/elderscrolls/matt-firor-justifies-elder-scrolls-subscriptions-we-re-not-worried-about-getting-people-door

http://www.mcvpacific.com/news/read/elder-scrolls-stock-removal-just-part-of-normal-stock-recall/0143646?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

These rumours were started when some excess stock was was sent back from some American company, what the rumour mongers failed to state was that so were many other unsold games.

ESO is an amazing game to play, far superior in every sense to STO precisely because it is a sub game. If it went F2P I would probably pack it in. Honestly the joy of not having to pay out left right and centre for everything or face a mind numbing grind is like a breath of fresh air.

I was there at closed beta and the game had a rough launch for sure, I went back around September and I'm absolutely loving it, I am saving a huge amount of real life cash by no longer paying Cryptic for Zen. The quality of the zone chat is far higher than in STO too.

If you check out their forum you will see that about 90% of players DO NOT want F2P BS and I would pay triple what I pay now to keep it a sub only game.

F2P was useful for STO to get some much needed cash at a time when they looked almost as if they were going to close, PWE saved STO but ultimately they have F****d it up good and proper.

If you're still interested, watch this podcast from 48 min

http://youtu.be/H1gw4MJ5zaM?t=48m

Of course a lot of people wouldn't want a game to go F2P. And of course a CEO will say "we won't ever go f2p" but guess what? The F2P markets are exploding in the US. Most games going subscription based don't last because they aren't seeing the major returns in their investments as quickly as f2p games are.

Done right, f2p can be a major major success. Done wrong and you can annoy a good chunk of your player population while not gaining enough to make it worth it. I've figured this game was going to go F2P and nothing anything has shown has changed that outlook.

Subscription only mmo's are done for. B2p or f2p are probably the only options left.

markhawkman · January 2015

Enh, I'm pretty sure B2P died before F2P did.

Blizzard used to do that, then they switched to P2P.

cookiecrook · January 2015

More than just American stores are returning games and time cards and not just some. All of their inventory's are being returned. Excess stock is one thing but returning everyhing?

I agree with Askray on the CEO's side of things. Announcing too far ahead would prevent some possible sales to customers interested in trying the game now versus saving their cash and waiting.

I think TESO is a very good game but a lack of a pay one price and forget it is what ultimately kept me from playing beyond the beta. Free to play at least offers me a chance to play again without being forced into a monthly sub. If the model is decent for free to play, I could definitely see myself spending a lot more time over there.

bioixi · January 2015

markhawkman wrote: »

Enh, I'm pretty sure B2P died before F2P did.

Blizzard used to do that, then they switched to P2P.

And now blizzard is going F2P, Hearthstone, heroes of the storm and that new game they announced in the last blizzcon and that I call Team Fortress 3 because I can't remember the name.

rattler2 · January 2015

WoW's F2P still amounts to nothing but a trial version. Not even the vanilla game without Expansions.

bioixi · January 2015

rattler2 wrote: »

WoW's F2P still amounts to nothing but a trial version. Not even the vanilla game without Expansions.

WoW is supposed to go F2P after the last expansion, Project Titan was supposed to be its P2P replacement, but it got cancelled because subscriptions are decreasing in number every year, so now blizzard is favouring F2P business, they released a F2P game and they have 2 more on the way, I predict WoW will become F2P in 2 or 3 years top.

Unknown · January 2015

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jonsills · January 2015

bioixi wrote: »

WoW is supposed to go F2P after the last expansion, Project Titan was supposed to be its P2P replacement, but it got cancelled because subscriptions are decreasing in number every year, so now blizzard is favouring F2P business, they released a F2P game and they have 2 more on the way, I predict WoW will become F2P in 2 or 3 years top.

That rumor's already been debunked, Bioixi. The "Veteran's F2P" is just extending their broken version of F2P to lapsed accounts, with the sole addition that your new toon can join any guild you already have a toon in.

They show no sign of going F2P, now or at any time in the future. Their subscription numbers have fallen to levels that other games can only dream of reaching; they have no reason to cut off an entire revenue stream to try to lure in microtransaction players.

askray · January 2015

jonsills wrote: »

That rumor's already been debunked, Bioixi. The "Veteran's F2P" is just extending their broken version of F2P to lapsed accounts, with the sole addition that your new toon can join any guild you already have a toon in.

They show no sign of going F2P, now or at any time in the future. Their subscription numbers have fallen to levels that other games can only dream of reaching; they have no reason to cut off an entire revenue stream to try to lure in microtransaction players.

While true they have an enormous subscription base, they also have an enormous team both in country and overseas. That equals to millions of dollars just on staff alone, not talking about infrastructure.

I don't see them going f2p anytime in the short term that's for sure, but in 5 years? Possible.

The Elder Scrolls Online F2P

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