Confirmed: SWTOR to have micro-transactions/in-game purchases

[Tuscad]

If this is true then I find it hilarious at how little integrity Bioware has. I recall them saying before launch that they wouldn't include Micro-transactions, they just keep trying to push away their players.

[Leggomy]

If this is true then I find it hilarious at how little integrity Bioware has. I recall them saying before launch that they wouldn't include Micro-transactions, they just keep trying to push away their players.

 

Before launch they thought this game would hit 10+ mil subs like WoW.

[Jonoku]

This is going to turn into STO, looks like I'm out of here.

[Wolfninjajedi]

If this is true then I find it hilarious at how little integrity Bioware has. I recall them saying before launch that they wouldn't include Micro-transactions, they just keep trying to push away their players.

 

Still waiting on a BW employee, actually stating such. Don't trust articles for a minute!

[SithVeritas]

I respectfully disagree.

I think you underestimate the damage F2P and full on MT's would cause to this game.

It would no longer rank as AAA grade.

 

 

 

 

Not saying your wrong, but I can't really subscribe to the doomsay just yet it's still just over 6 months.

 

Pretty much this...

When I first heard of SWTOR and saw the response I figured low pops/subs, and now this would be the last of our concerns. Kind of sad considering this is the only Star Wars MMO out there, might just be the brand in general that's losing it's appeal.

 

Hoping I'm wrong ofcourse...

[Comstrike]

I respectfully disagree.

I think you underestimate the damage F2P and full on MT's would cause to this game.

It would no longer rank as AAA grade.

 

 

 

 

Not saying your wrong, but I can't really subscribe to the doomsay just yet it's still just over 6 months.

 

Indeed, we'll have to agree to disagree. I've heard that I, and others, underestimate the damage F2P can do, and it hasn't born out elsewhere. AAA grade is subjective, but again, we are exchanging opinions so there it is.

 

Anyway, these forums are not about to be a deciding factor. Which ever way this is going to go, we are going to get there in a big hurry it seems.

[StrykerOne]

They won't sell raid gear. None of the MMOs that are f2p sell end game gear.

 

Actually, City of Heroes does but only on a very limited basis. They sometimes feature store bought versions of a Very Rare enhancement set (the best type available) but only as weekly features rather than full time. In general I would assume that the real money items will be along the lines of:

 

- Vanity armors and weapons (like social items, but no social rank required)

- Special races / emotes / goofy items like the Party Bomb or Holodancer

- temporary XP, credit, and valor boosts

 

and possibly Legacy unlocks

[Zergnaut]

First of all I never said they were going free to play. They said the first 15 levels would be free to play. Every mmo has this even wow. As for microtransactions they will probably be mounts, race changes, character re customizations, page server transfers. All things it every mmo has. Did anyone else consider this our my the only rational person here?

 

No one ever said these microtransactions would be pay to win items. World of warcraft makes a killing off of character re customizations, race changes and paige server transfers. This is most likely what does microtransactions would consist of. I mean seriously be a bit logical and use your head people. Oh wait this is an mmo I think I am asking for a little too much there lol

Edited June 14, 2012 by Zergnaut

[LahLahSr]

Micro transactions are a good thing.

1. Those who care about such items have an outlet for their enthusiasm.

2. More revenue is generated, bringing more content to the rest of us and paying for a longer life of the game

 

Where's the downside?

Nothing changes in the game for those who do not want to spend more money on this game.

The fear-mongering about "drop in maturity level"..puh-leeze. Look at the forum...what's a few more penniless kids gonna do ?

 

As players we should all want to see good games be a commercial success. How else will investors see any reasons to invest in big budget titles?

 

I'm not done with this game yet and I want more content. MTs are going to help that along. I applaud it.

[Lt_Latency]

Pretty much this...

When I first heard of SWTOR and saw the response I figured low pops/subs, and now this would be the last of our concerns. Kind of sad considering this is the only Star Wars MMO out there, might just be the brand in general that's losing it's appeal.

 

Hoping I'm wrong ofcourse...

 

It's the game, There is nothing to do.

 

I like to PvP. The only content they have right now, is endlessly grinding 4 warzones. You have to be a hardcore starwars nut to stick with this over some other MMOs that are out unless you really really like the leveling experince.

[Shadezilla]

First of all I never said they were going free to play. They said the first 15 levels would be free to play. Every mmo has this even wow. As for microtransactions they will probably be mounts, race changes, character re customizations, page server transfers. All things it every mmo has. Did anyone else consider this our my the only rational person here?

 

No one ever said these microtransactions would be pay to win items. World of warcraft makes a killing off of character re customizations, race changes and paige server transfers. This is most likely what does microtransactions would consist of. I mean seriously be a bit logical and use your head people. Oh wait this is an mmo I think I am asking for a little too much there lol

 

Well said,

 

If the micro transactions include character slots I'm all in. Also I have no problem grabbing an in game pet like WoW if part of the proceeds go to great programs like Make A Wish as WoW has done in the past.

[Bewoulff]

It's not the F2P to lvl 15 that bothers me. It's the idea of them selling items that can only be attainable buy forking over more cash-even if it is cosmetic. For instance, different color ligtsabers, pets, exclusive gear, mounts, etc... the list goes on.

 

I have no problem if all that stuff is obtainable in the game. I play STO and most of the stuff in there is either obtainable by playing the game, or I don't really want it. Since the game is free to play, it doesn't bother me if I don't immediately by it. No advantages are given to other players who do buy. I think it's win-win.

[Hardwear]

Indeed, we'll have to agree to disagree. I've heard that I, and others, underestimate the damage F2P can do, and it hasn't born out elsewhere. AAA grade is subjective, but again, we are exchanging opinions so there it is.

 

Anyway, these forums are not about to be a deciding factor. Which ever way this is going to go, we are going to get there in a big hurry it seems.

 

Agreed time will tell.

 

Add me to your list if you like we'll continue this conversation some time when the smoke clears.

[Talarchy]

This will be a game breaker for sure.

[Shingara]

because wow has alot of content, in game items people want, and a game with a community that stands on its own

 

bioware has a new unproven game that is lacking content and features, bleeding subs, and has a large unhappy player base that bioware is trying to push over the edge.

 

combine that with so many people wanting to see this game fail and the bad press everywhere and microtranactions could kill the game. unless it goes free to play, then like I said gets filed away in mediocrity, loses its triple A status and becomes the biggest fail in mmos ever and could possibly kill quality story and voice overs in mmos along with the subscription model

 

Sorry but what, WOW has current content which isnt alot and anything old isnt touched.

 

SWTOR isnt bleeding subs anymore then wow is on % so that doesnt fly, its holding up alot stronger then other mmos, It doesnt have a large unhappy playerbase either, it has a very vocal very very minor minority on the forums made up mainly of blizzard and guildawars fans who since beta have charmed on about this game is going to die.

 

Microtransactions have never once been mentioned by Bioware, there is no signs of MTs and EA say alot of things of which most doesnt come to pass, speculators cant even tell whats going on in the markets there trained to watch so i wouldnt put much stock in what they say about the mmo market that is fluid even more then markets.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Shingara

[Zergnaut]

as I stated before they never said anything about going F2P. They said the first 15 levels would be not big game model. On top of that they're raising the level cap . So the first 15 levels will be meaningless anyway. I can almost guarantee you that these transactions will be nothing more than character recustomization s and whatnot. Back when I played world of warcraft I interacted with people that did recustomizations every few weeks. I mean seriously why should you care for someone switches they're tunes from male to female once a week ? Edited June 14, 2012 by Zergnaut

[Lt_Latency]

Sorry but what, WOW has current content which isnt alot and anything old isnt touched.

 

SWTOR isnt bleeding subs anymore then wow is on % so that doesnt fly, its holding up alot stronger then other mmos, It doesnt have a large unhappy playerbase either, it has a very vocal very very minor minority on the forums made up mainly of blizzard and guildawars fans who since beta have charmed on about this game is going to die.

 

Microtransactions have never once been mentioned by Bioware, there is no signs of MTs and EA say alot of things of which most doesnt come to pass, speculators cant even tell whats going on in the markets there trained to watch to i wouldnt put much stock in what they say about the mmo market that is fluid even more then markets.

 

WoW is 7 years old, this game is brand new. Bleeding at the same rate as a 7 year old game is not a good thing.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Lt_Latency

[Shingara]

WoW is 7 years old, this game is brand new. Bleeding at the same rate as a 7 year old game is not a good thing.

 

LoL, show me one mmo any mmo that didnt dip in subscriptions after launch, and i said on % 400k and close to 2 million subs lost are drastically different.

[Hardwear]

This is going to turn into STO, looks like I'm out of here.

 

Jonoku I played on Flurry also affiliated with <MeS> at the time through Zul aka Emp who lives around the block from me.

 

..and no not DH Hardware

 

Hardwear =/= Hardware

[Tuscad]

Before launch they thought this game would hit 10+ mil subs like WoW.

 

I will say though that from a business perspective, if they do use micro's, they would be morons to not make a purple crystal available for purchase. I want one and I have know a great number of people that want one, furthermore I have seen many posts on the forums asking how you can get purple crystals.

[Lt_Latency]

LoL, show me one mmo any mmo that didnt dip in subscriptions after launch, and i said on % 400k and close to 2 million subs lost are drastically different.

 

Going down the shoot into oblivion like every other MMO after wow is also not a good thing.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Lt_Latency

[Shingara]

Going to the shoot into oblivion like every other MMO after wow is also not a good thing.

 

So over 1 million subs is oblivion is it, who are you trying to convice exatcly, me or yourself.

 

Ow and lets look at the main reason people left for a bit, no group finder, wanting xfers due to dead servers. ow look group finder coming and xfers here.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Shingara

[Tuscad]

Micro transactions are a good thing.

1. Those who care about such items have an outlet for their enthusiasm.

2. More revenue is generated, bringing more content to the rest of us and paying for a longer life of the game

 

Where's the downside?

:

 

I feel like my sub is worth less.

Granted that this is just me beiing cynical but at what point does it stop?

 

Just a couple of reasons why I do not want Micro's.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Tuscad

[Lt_Latency]

So over 1 million subs is oblivion is it, who are you trying to convice exatcly, me or yourself.

 

This game doesn't have 1 million anymore. Everyone and there mother was trasnfering to fatman and our population was still dropping slowly even though every day we were getting re-rolls.

 

The game isn't going to die, But I doubt there is going to be block buster expantions like they were planning. This is one of the most expesive games ever and it's not in EAs top 5 prioity list and they laid off a ton of staff.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Lt_Latency

[Shingara]

This game doesn't have 1 million anymore. Everyone and there mother was trasnfering to fatman and our population was still dropping slowly even though every day we were getting re-rolls.

 

The game isn't going to die, But I doubt there is going to be block buster expantions. This is one of the most expesive games ever and it's not in EAs top 5 prioity list and they laid off a ton of staff.

 

So you have the official figures do you or are you guestimating, and fatman is the entire game is it. And this is a lucas arts EA game, if this ends up with 500k subscribers it will have an epic expantion, you just have to look at the stuff thats come from patchs to see that.

 

And EA is a bigger fish then just bioware, everyone has layed off staff including blizzard. And if you want to look for warning signs from anywhere look at no blizzcon and vivienda considering selling blizzard activision.