Ishigum Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 (edited) It seems as though Bioware/EA are really making a push for subs with the latest changes and the ad blitz. I don't mind them giving Makeb away for free if it brings more people into the fold, but such a bold and potentially desperate move makes me worry about their financial prospects. With GTA5 on the horizon and FFXIV pulling subs from every MMO, I believe my concerns are reasonably founded. Then again maybe I'm just paranoid. Edited September 12, 2013 by Ishigum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlaricSevGirl Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 My thought is that they are trying to get new subs and retain the old ones because if they only gave the stuff to new subscribers, there would be a backlash way worse than the cartel coins for the xpac. Giving away digital items cost them nothing but people love free stuff so I'm sure it will bring more people in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpactHound Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 It's more likely preparatory for the console launches in 2 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordArtemis Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 There is nothing wrong with being concerned IMO. I would keep in mind, however, that the business model in place in different with respect to performance results. The bar is set much lower in a hybrid system. They could lose every sub they have and still retain a certain level of profit from the market side of the game. If they continue to load the market with desirable items (as it appears they are doing) I think they are on the right track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VitalityPrime Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I would be more worried if a MMO company wasn't actively trying to get more people to sub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimG Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Minor expansion and DLC stuff is usually eventually given away to subs. Can't imagine there's that many subs who don't yet have ROTHC. Not being able to play anything past level 50 would suck as pretty much all the new stuff has been for level 55. If someone hasn't bought ROTHC by now, they probably weren't going to buy it anyway. So they are just looking to make a new sub more appealing and to solidify recent subs who are still trying out of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TUXs Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 It's more likely preparatory for the console launches in 2 months. A bit premature don't you think? Makeb will take players a whole week or less to fully complete casually... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
branmakmuffin Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I could not care less. If TOR dies (which it will eventually) I'll do something else with my leisure time and money. Worrying about the fate of a computer game strikes me as the ultimate first world problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpactHound Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 A bit premature don't you think? Makeb will take players a whole week or less to fully complete casually... But at least they got the sub for one month rather than none. They're probably expecting a drop in PC MMO activity with the excitement of consoles taking up player's leisure time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gorstram Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 It's more likely preparatory for the console launches in 2 months. You shut your filthy Mon-Calmari mouth. Just imagine the horror of millions of console kiddies running around filling general chat with poop jokes and calling each other homosexual derogatory terms... oh wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TUXs Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I could not care less. If TOR dies (which it will eventually) I'll do something else with my leisure time and money. Worrying about the fate of a computer game strikes me as the ultimate first world problem. Yet here you are, posting on that games forums. Glad to know you don't care one way or the other about the future of this game...that actually explains a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicKat Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Worried? No. Optimistic? Yes. The best thing that could happen to this game is for the bottom to fall out of the CM and force them to re-focus on providing value to subscribers. I'm optimistic because they've likely made back their investment by now and no longer need to worry about turning losses into profits. This would allow them to focus on the long term instead of the short. The absolute best thing they could do with this game is to turn it into an actual MMO and not the pseudo MMO, pseudo console RPG, pseudo shooter mash-up that it is. That failed. Time to try something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dewayne Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 i believe rift was doing this same thing last month so no not worried at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeterno Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Yesterday we were worried game was too f2p oriented. Today we apparently worry cos of the push to get more subs. I'm thinking we worry too much around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
branmakmuffin Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Yet here you are, posting on that games forums. And your point is ...? Glad to know you don't care one way or the other about the future of this game...that actually explains a lot. It's just a game, dude. Deal with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icebergy Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Why WOULDN'T they try to push for more subs? Isn't making money the whole point of a business? QUICK EVERYONE PANIC A COMPANY IS TRYING TO MAKE MONEY SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicKat Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 But at least they got the sub for one month rather than none. They're probably expecting a drop in PC MMO activity with the excitement of consoles taking up player's leisure time. I know lots of people who play PC games and lots who play console games. None of them play both. Two entirely different markets with entirely different wants and expectations. Some games are able to bridge the gap, notably Bethesda games that allow the PC users to modify and tailor their game to pretty much anything they want. Without the modding tools, the ES and Fallout series would have been pretty bleh PC games. With the mods, you could make Fallout 3 and NV as hardcore as you wanted. Most can't bridge the gap. Look at X-Com. It was a PC game that was neutered to be able to be released on consoles. It sold better on PC's than it did on consoles and their developers came out saying how that was a big mistake and that they would have been better off to focus solely on the PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuixupu Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I would be more worried if a MMO company wasn't actively trying to get more people to sub. ^This. Everything about a company advertising their product is a good sign, it's never bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordArtemis Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I personally think they need to concentrate on the CM MORE, and perhaps subs less. In fact, if I was in charge I would do away with sub focus all together, but probably keep it in place as one option. Eventually I would look to get it removed as an option though and go completely free to play with market support. Just my slant. This game should have launched with the hybrid model in place and without the draconian design decisions like visual progression and space on rails that really hurt the game's rep from the get go. The more they concentrate on the CM and the casual/QoL side of the game the better IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicKat Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 ... The more they concentrate on the CM and the casual/QoL side of the game the better IMO. They could not have concentrated on the casual market more than they did, and that blew up in their face. Of the 1.5-2 million who left in the first few months, I am guessing those citing "it's too hardcore" as the reason numbered about 62. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
branmakmuffin Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 They could not have concentrated on the casual market more than they did, and that blew up in their face. Of the 1.5-2 million who left in the first few months, I am guessing those citing "it's too hardcore" as the reason numbered about 62. Didn't you say you were unsubscribing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master-Nala Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 It seems as though Bioware/EA are really making a push for subs with the latest changes and the ad blitz. I don't mind them giving Makeb away for free if it brings more people into the fold, but such a bold and potentially desperate move makes me worry about their financial prospects. With GTA5 on the horizon and FFXIV pulling subs from every MMO, I believe my concerns are reasonably founded. Then again maybe I'm just paranoid. Marketing the game does not mean that they are desperate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joesixxpack Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 It seems as though Bioware/EA are really making a push for subs with the latest changes and the ad blitz. I don't mind them giving Makeb away for free if it brings more people into the fold, but such a bold and potentially desperate move makes me worry about their financial prospects. With GTA5 on the horizon and FFXIV pulling subs from every MMO, I believe my concerns are reasonably founded. Then again maybe I'm just paranoid. Might be desperate but I don't see anything pointing to that. Looks to me like typical biz development and marketing initiatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlaricSevGirl Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 None of them play both. Two entirely different markets with entirely different wants and expectations. So totally wrong there. I have lots of games on PC and can't wait to get my hands on the Playstation. My son owns a PC and an Xbox and he plays both. In fact, I know so many people who have both and play both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nethgilne Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 People throw around the word "worried" a lot on these forums and I always think its a bit dramatic for a video game. But no, I would not be worried. Someone on reddit mentioned, and I tend to agree, that making the Makeb expansion free is probably BW's way of paving the way for the next series of expansions they're planning to push out, getting as many players up to 55 before that time comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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