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From F2P To Play2Pay

Whatarewordsworth
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Whatarewordsworth

Whatarewordsworth

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Posted (edited)

EDIT: To clarify, I know there is a megathread, but the purpose of this post is not to discuss the merger itself, but rather the possibility of considering a new business model for the game, which is a subject brought on by, but separate from, the issue of PWE's potential purchase of DE shares. I think it's worth exploring.

 

Firstly, let's get some essential information out on the table, most cogent of which would be this statement from Sunpo Food Holdings Ltd, PWE's investment partner and primary purchaser of the shares in question:

 

The board of directors of the Company is pleased to announce that on 30th June 2014, the Company, Perfect Online Holding Limited and the shareholders of Digital Extremes Ltd.entered into a non-binding term sheet, pursuant to which the Purchasers intend to purchase, and Vendors intend to sell, all the outstanding shares of Digital Extremes, subject to due diligence and execution of definitive agreements between the parties.

 

That said, lets move on to my main point. Amid rumors about Perfect World Co., Ltd.'s possible acquisition of a portion of DE's company shares, one cannot help but feel that DE has fallen on some kind of financial hardship. Though whether or not this is the case, we will never know nor is it the point of this post.

 

It’s a commonplace sentiment in this day and age to say that the paid subscription model of MMO gaming is dying. Longtime giants like Activision/Blizzard’s World of Warcraft are seeing their subscriber numbers drop by the millions, and new ventures attempting to use the monthly payment model like EA’s The Old Republic almost always are forced to switch over to free to play once they find they lack the required subscriptions to pay the bills,  but I know of no game that has ever done the opposite - moved from a F2P model to a monthly subscription, or better yet, a Play2Pay model like the kind Wildstar or EVE online have and do very well on. Wildstar is new, but EVE has NEVER struggled and still thrives.

 

I would most assuredly prefer that DE move to such a model, obtain a reliable source of income for the AAA work that they do, and be able to avoid this trouble with PWE. I think a $15 for 30 days of game time seems quite fair for this game, and I'm willing to bet a Play2Win model would also mean shorter development time.

 

Logistically speaking, it is in DE's interest to expand as a studio, and this simply is either impossible or much too difficult on a F2P model. Steam says that at peak hours Warframe is being played by some 7 MILLION users. http://store.steampowered.com/stats. Why doesn't DE take advantage of that huge player base to bring some cash in, expand the developer team, and churn out more content more quickly? 

 

I think there is a different kind of developer mindset between when a studio sets out to make a F2P game, even if it's their little pride and joy like DE's Warframe, and when a studio sets out to make a good game. In the former case, the developer simply wants to prove that their crazy ninja-space brainchild can indeed be a good game that attracts people, while in the latter case the developer has to do both this and think to him/herself " Is this something I and others would pay for?" 

 

In short, I feel I shouldn't be seeing a big ad at the front of such a great game's website telling me to hurry up and buy Ultimate Game Card. Go with a Play2Pay model and fill up that big window at the front page with something cooler like a dev blog post or a gallery (let the game sell itself).

 

Of course, I could be an idiot who knows nothing, in which case, enlighten me.

Edited by Whatarewordsworth
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(PSN)MoriartyHaaaiii

(PSN)MoriartyHaaaiii

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Warframe is just perfectly situated in a place where it is highly profitable, but doesnt feel like a pay to win game. Its a "Pay-because-we-like-you-and-what-you-stand-for" game.

 

Even if nothing changes with the PW deal in that regard, I will still completely quit the game, as will many others, based solely on how much I vehemently disagree with the Pay to Win models that PW abuses.

 

Perfect World -> PW -> P[2]W -> Pay2Win -> Pay to Win

Edited by (PS4)MoriartyHaaaiii
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Ruby_Rose_

Ruby_Rose_

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There's a megathread for a reason.

 

It'd be advised to just use it. It saves everyone time.

Mods won't have to merge or lock the thread,

Your opinion is stated,

and people sick of seeing these threads won't have to see it.

 

No offence, but please.. Common Sense.

 

(In case of thread merge, this post was made before merge.)

Edited by Ruby_Rose_
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KentReeves

KentReeves

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EVE did struggle. And its not exactly a large player base, relatively speaking, so when 5k of us unsubbed CCP felt it and laid off something like 15% of their workers.

 

OT: Knowing the direction the game is moving I've long decided to stop spending money on it. If Warframe moves into a subscription model the playerbase will nose-dive, myself included.

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Awazx

Awazx

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the Company, Perfect Online Holding Limited and the shareholders of Digital Extremes Ltd.entered into a non-binding term sheet, pursuant to which the Purchasers intend to purchase, and Vendors intend to sell, all the outstanding shares of Digital Extremes

This is truly disturbing.

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Xelorx

Xelorx

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Warframe is the 3rd most popular F2P title on steam, behind Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2. And as you said, 7mil+ people registered. This game is nowhere close to dying. If there are people, they're likely making purchases, one way or another.

They are doing fine as a F2P, more fine than most.

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Seqan

Seqan

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Logistically speaking, it is in DE's interest to expand as a studio, and this simply is either impossible or much too difficult on a F2P model. Steam says that at peak hours Warframe is being played by some 7 MILLION users. http://store.steampowered.com/stats. Why doesn't DE take advantage of that huge player base to bring some cash in, expand the developer team, and churn out more content more quickly? 

 

I think this is the most important point I can answer here. If I understand you correctly, you're suggesting that instead of being F2P, DE should, at least temporarily, make WF like EVE where you can ONLY play if you're a subscriber. My problem with that is as follows.

 

First off, there is no way that >7,000,000 player base will hold if the game goes subscriber exclusive. I'm a GM founder who's invested about $400 in this game and I will NOT pay a monthly subscription to it, and I am far from the only one.

 

Second, DE has ALWAYS advertised this game as free to play. Nothing more, nothing less. I would even go so far as to argue it is the best model for a F2P game. If they were to go back on that, they'd lose more players that way as they would become an untrustworthy company. 

 

Third, if I'm not mistaken, the game is still in beta. Since when is a beta game played on a subscription basis?

 

I've got other issues with that idea, but my main point is that you are mistaken. Going subscription exclusive will DESTROY this game on an economic level for DE. It will never happen and it wouldn't work.

 

Actually. If they did that, PWE might lose interest, then after PWE has backed off, DE can come back with the Vor face and say "Sorry, players! It was necessary! Ninjas play free again!" Strikes me as something they might do....

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