Announcing a Free-to-Play Option

[Darth_Tratis]

If the subscription price is decreased, I might subscribe again. It's dumb for people to pay the original 15 dollars if 50% of the game is going to be free

[DoctorBeckett]

Ok. So, Playing F2P to level 50 means that for us subscribers there's a higher level to play to? If not, what's the point of going f2p? Also if the game isn't going downhill, why consolidate servers and introduce a f2p plan less than a year after launch? Don't get me wrong, i love the game.... But I just want to know WHY? Edited August 4, 2012 by DoctorBeckett

[Lazzer]

I don't like F2P games, but I am willing to give them a chance. One thing that I stipulate to keep me subscribing though is that everything that can be bought with the new "Cartel coins" or other micro-transaction currency needs to be available to unlock either with credits or an unlock option (like the legacy system has) for those of us that have subscriptions, I am not willing to play a game that has items that can only be bought with a currency that requires cash transactions (or can be earned based on time played in a limited amount) on top of my subscription.

[Astetic]

well, as long as they don't let the game die and shut all the servers down... I've still got so many of the games stories to experience... if it ever came to the point where they wanted to do that, I'd kinda hope they'd go on a major overhaul and reformat the whole thing into a single player experience with unlimited character slots, it's not as if it doesn't feel like that already every so often, and it'd take a lot of work, but I'd rather see this get a major expansion pack that turns it into a single player game and adds more content than watch the servers die before I had a chance to see every story in full in every possible race/gender/class/allignment combo that I want (as it stands with some servers shut down, it's already impossible to do that without deleting characters your finished with) heck, the main thing that keeps me from playing this game more often is the legacy system, finding that my legacy name was taken after the server transfers really didn't help. I really want to enjoy this game more, I pay my $15 every month on the off chance I get the urge to give it another go, and yes you can turn off the legacy name display, but it sits there, haunting me, unable to be changed, and certainly not the one(s) that I want.

[Luney]

Bravo Zulu Bioware. I believe this is a good move on your part and I will gladly continue my subscription to support new updates and add-ons. Now my family can play along with me, and I (a star wars fanboy not a MMO fanboy) can enjoy this game for many years to come. Keep up the good work.

[Asacledhae]

Or remove F2P Ability to use general chat.... now that would help alot.

That would definitely help a lot, especially for new accounts..

----

I've seen some good games going F2P in my time, and lots of weird players appeared after the F2P feature.. As for haters? There are good examples of players ranting about "Subscribers having it all, cancel subscriptions and give us the whole game", and sadly, they're too many..

 

The result? Those people "rage quit" as they don't get what they ask for, subscribers "rage quit" cause the freebies are ruining their fun, decent F2P players "rage quit" cause they can't stand the rant, and at some occasions, the community gets divided in half.. About a 1/3 of the community who either sub or play for free and actually wants to play the game, against a 2/3 of a <@#$!?>load of morons who will try to take over the game for themselves..

 

It's true, the quantity of players will grow, but it's an honest to God temporary feature.. The player database will increase for a couple of months, and then it will drop to the 1/3 of the players we have now in the game.. Trust me..

 

I am too extreme you may think? Do the math, and when the game goes F2P, you'll find out that i was right.. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely good and sincere players amongst the F2P community, but sadly they are very FEW...

Edited August 5, 2012 by Asacledhae

[Magathemis]

I've had two digital deluxe accounts since Early Access. If this is EA's decision, then so be it -- it's their business and nobody's making me play their game or continue my subscription.

 

I probably will continue it, at least for a while, until I see the real effect this F2P change has on gameplay. Frankly, I'm too damned old to deal with half of the juvenile crap on General anyway...if it gets worse, I'll pull back to casual solo play. With chat turned off completely.

 

But honestly, EA/BW, if you don't want a mass exodus of paying subscribers, you'd do well to elucidate early and thoroughly exactly what benefits there are to keeping a subscription. I mean, aside from the ability to purchase in-game vanity items, which as far as I'm concerned isn't anything like incentive enough for me to keep shelling out $30/month. I read on IGN it's to include being able to buy bank slots, unlimited warzone play, and unspecified "high level content." It would be helpful if you guys were a whole lot more clear with the incentives and benefits.

 

I did read the page with the table listing subscriber vs free. Unfortunately, 'Limited' isn't what I'd call very descriptive for those various categories. e.g., GTN access is limited how? Same with travel. And character creation choices. And so on.

 

Thanks.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Magathemis

[CalebStarkiller]

Just because it is free to play now, is not gonna change the story. all it is doing is allowing more people to finally join who have it financially hard. I couldn't preorder this game, and couldn't purchase or subscribe until this past July 6th because I was financially broke as far as having money to spend on myself went. I feel this will allow more people to experience this game and allow bioware to create some very unique things for us subscribers to encourage the free to play members to subscribe to this game. All I can see right now Are positives for this option.

[MySecretWeapon]

I personally think it's a great marketing strategy. My only concern is these "boosts" they're talking about. So long as they don't provide any advantage in combat, especially PvP, then I'm all for the new system. And this is coming from a First day Early Launch, full subscriber since day one, CE member who'd going to be banking on points to spend.

 

Just keep MT's away from combat enhancing boosts, and we're good.

[Harleyquincey]

Alright..alright... I feel inclined to post. This usually happens for one of three reasons, this time it is "being too mad at something". But this is not about the decision to go f2p. It is about how the community handles it - as if it was some "last resort" measure.

 

True enough the subscriptions went from 1.7 to 1.3 millions from what we last know for certain - no big deal, since a game like this is profitable enough around that number for quite a while. Even EA, who are really picky about this kind of stuff, consider SW:TOR to be a success. This is essential all that matters for the dev-based continuation of the game. The publisher is satisfied and therefore there is enough reason to go on financially.

 

Now comes tackling the community and to make them "stay" and "expand" so the success continues. Only a complete and utter moron would ever have thought SW:TOR "kills" the "Big Bad MMO Out There", that is neither needed nor would I appreciate it (I like my community less whiny, you know..)

 

For this reason Free-To-Play is a very valid option, one I expected from the beginning on. I was awaiting the day when milking the subscriptions wouldn`t work much longer for good and you know what? I still paid happily. And I will even continue to do so. Because I do not mind "paying the pot" if the results are as fine as they are. I do not mind being taken advantage of slightly here and then if that means this project endures.

 

The only really important question to answer next will now be "How to handle this" - and I trust in BioWare`s decisions since so far they have been solid and luckily usually ignoring what whiners want. Whiners gonna whine.

Yet they did listen to the needs of the community.. and I would not think they stray from this here. So do make yourself et heard but please.. cut the emo drama crap and get down to facts and if you don`t know much about game economics please just don`t jump to weird assumptions. 1 million subscribers = 13.000.000 euros a month. That is a lot of money to be spent on server costs, customer support and development.

 

What has to be avoided at all costs is to provide stuff for Cartel Coins which in any way imbalance the game (no faster allocation of credits, no stat increases e.g.). However providing "alternative looks" for weapons and armors for Cartel Coins would be valid for me to spend mine on (since subscribing earns you Cartel Coins anyways). There is one game that did this quite well (even if it did almost nothing else very well) being "Champions Online", that game had one of the best F2P and item-shop systems I saw and it strongly resembles the one we are going to see. You could buy "additional expansions" with the currency there, subscribers got them unlocked for free, but if you wanted some extra-neat outfits or some extra-convenience features (exp boosts e.g.) you could buy them with the currency as well and you also received some of that currency upon a subscription.

 

To sum it up: My spouse and the rest of our guild will stay subscribed. Enough said.

 

- Order of the Grey Wolves, Progenitor

Edited August 5, 2012 by Harleyquincey

[Maerdyn]

hm, f2p is nice idea but ... I think a lot of goldsellers will come and use /General to sell their gold. I think people with lvl 1-10 should not be able to use general on the imp. fleet station. On starting planet they can but it must be limited with some time between every message. Otherwise, we will need some addon to block spammers :-x

[Kustodial]

OK that was funny.

 

That did make me laugh. As a Sith Assasin robes are hard to find. War Hero gear makes me look like a swamp creature with sticks poking out of me.

[Choib]

I don't understand why bioware is giving away 90% of the game for free and charging end level loyal players the "privilege" to raid in ops for a few hours a week then be locked out of what they are paying for. doesn't it make more sense to sub for level 1-49 and F2 P 50+ with additional cash shop items? (cosmetic only ofc! never play to win or this game will die instantly).

 

-watches the servers dwindle in numbers during what was once peak time to less and less everyday with F2P announced- .. sigh. so much artistic and creative dreams crushed under finance mongering from EA.

[Drackkor]

Reason this game died is when you get to lvl 50 the game is over for your character. Then the game becomes like every other MMO group & raid for better loot. Same old thing different game. What ever happened to the phrase "Story driven MMO"? The majority of people would of been a lot happier with KOTOR 3 at least there could of brought Revan and Exile together to join the Mandlorians and HK 47's army of secret HK's to fight the Sith Empire.

[poisun]

F2P till level 50?.

 

Congrats you've just killed swtor.

 

i dont think so i have played alot of games that have went F2P and it is nice to play to end level but you find players that pay always have better stuff and you start wanting it to More so in pvp and thats good new for me even more players to world pvp / warzones . also what is killing SWTOR is the lack of content level 50 is so short so im sure a expation to level 75 or 80 and some new races,worlds,classes would boost the game 100% and what i can see the game will add more as time goes on so sit back and enjoy the ride. im sure a man of your skill can kill a undergeared level 50

[goochballs]

i think its a great idea, more swtor players means more fun for everyone:D:D

i will continue to be a subscribed player..

[goochballs]

i dont think so i have played alot of games that have went F2P and it is nice to play to end level but you find players that pay always have better stuff and you start wanting it to More so in pvp and thats good new for me even more players to world pvp / warzones . also what is killing SWTOR is the lack of content level 50 is so short so im sure a expation to level 75 or 80 and some new races,worlds,classes would boost the game 100% and what i can see the game will add more as time goes on so sit back and enjoy the ride. im sure a man of your skill can kill a undergeared level 50

 

couldnt have said it better!!

[DarthRixius]

If you didn't make so many servers to choose from in the beginning you probably wouldn't be in this mess in the first place!!

 

I've paid since the start and now ppl are getting it for free and you still expect me to pay! Seriously!

 

I have a Guild so am I supposed to start recruiting paying members only because F2P players only have limited content and wont be able to join in?

[OsunTris]

Bioware you are new in the MMO business. But let me tell you a few things.

 

Announcing a FP2 option will be a bullet in your head. First of all EA was not a good choice as a publisher.

You have announced an unfinished game on Christmas, but okay I thought you fixed it after lunch. This never happens. Have enough of this. Yeah i canceled my account 2 months ago.

The game was "unfinished" it has a lack of pvp and balance, and the "legacy" system is waste of resources. Story is cool but sorry how much I can see story when the game has lack of other things.

The game was unfinished you should working on it 6 more months and not just release an unfinshed game. A writer does not publish an unfinished book to say it clearly.

 

Moreover one of your biggest mistakes was to think that everything is working fine when you have 2 Mio. subscribers. Sorry to say that but thats fanatic to think thats enough. You have to work hard every day for it. Every day to finish the game that is unfinished in my perspective and add things that are missing. Support is one of the things that are missing too, I mean get to work and not sit down and think money will work for you. Where are the addons, where are the own interface (not your interface, just my). I don't like your interface, I like to change it myself with addons.

Sometimes I thing when you annouced the cool Interface with 1.2 is that your code is so bad, that you aware of showing it to the software community to made it working.

Not including addons is one of the biggest mistakes. See blizzard they are improving the game every day and working hard for it, and what they get? The biggest community. No I am not playing WoW and will never play again, it is just an example. Yeah I compare, why I do it, because everyone do it.

When you release an MMO you have to get everything that the others have (especially WoW), so the game has to have everything that WoW has at the beginning, when you lunch the game, but it hasn't.

Second you lack of information and ignorance to the community is one of the mistakes you have done in the past.

I think you searching for an financial model to keep the game and not for ideas to fix it, thats why you fail, because you ignore the community. Playing on the Mac and waiting still waiting for a native client, but I know this will never happen. Just playing on bootcamp and everything is fine, but will be nicer to get a native client.

So when playing on my PC the game crashes as well, with the newest hardware. I mean what the **** yeah you point it out.

 

One thing to say at last, they are fail decisions that have been made. And someone is responsible for that, when I would be a senior manager I would fire that person, because the fail decisions made the things complicated to now.

I would fire that person long time ago, because they are lack of information from the beginning and the management decisions that are made are terrible.

EA as a publisher have some knowledge of putting a MMO on the market, see WAR and a few other. I really thought that EA have learned to mange this, but when I see now what happened with SWTOR I can say "nope" they haven't learned. The person that is responsible for that at EA should be fired, but this not happen. The person will keep doing until he or she will be replaced by someone competent, that have his or her eyes open wide.

Thats what you need in that business today.

 

Just2cents.

Edited August 5, 2012 by OsunTris

[Arekaine]

All I know is they said there were going to be items of convenience, which is a huge grey area. I mean, Having a stim that gives +1000 expertise, that pretty convenient if you ask me.

 

They also said there will be new customizable gear. Well I hope you enjoyed being a synth-weaver, armormech, armstech and artifce. Cause all those orange schematics just became worthless. Don't plan on getting any new ones any time soon either. Why would they give you the ability to make free gear when the cool orange gear can be bought in the cash shop?

[CommanderSlayer]

Its as if 1000000 subscription have suddenly cried out in terror, and where suddenly silenced.....RIP SWTOR Edited August 5, 2012 by CommanderSlayer

[stigkristian]

I like this idea. I really like the new type of market with all the new equipment, boosts, etc. Still, I had hoped for some more focus on the Legacy system as well. I think I will continue subscribing though. I still want full access to everything in the game.

[xxCJ]

There should be Chat Filters and maybe Sub-only Servers for this kinda F2P thing, I mean, I don't want a bunch of F2Pers running around the Imp Fleet spamming the crap out of the Station. And there is griefing. Other than that, when do I get my Cartel Coins???

[boxfetish]

But you can level for free to 50...so you willing to sub for operations and a few more fashpoints?

 

And also (most likely) full access to the GTN and access to fleet passes and quick travel to bind points, plus X dollars worth of cartel coins each month.

[idnewton]

Just curious, have the mentioned what the new level cap will be or when the expansion will be released?