Originally posted by Elikal

Meh, I always though monthly fee where a sort of filter to sort out freeloaders and kids. But maybe thats just an illusion. Call me old fashioned, but it makes me suspicious. When something is good you demand some payment. Only trash is free.

That would also include your opinion.

"Most importantly, we made sure to check in and see whether or not the title will be subscription-based or free to play like so many seem to be doing lately. In his response we were given a very strong impression that they are leaning towards the expansion-pack business model, as opposed to the traditional subscription fee although such matters hadn’t been solidified at that point over at Sony Online Entertainment. "

This basically states they dont know yet whether its going to be f2p or not. This sounds more like they are deciding whether to charge a sub fee and open all content or charge no sub fee but charge to open up content(IE zones, dungeons etc). Either way you will be paying to play the full extent of this game. At best you will probably get a small area to play in free of charge.

More than likely it will have a cash shop. I mean they have to make money some how. 

vote console game style. vote guild wars style. vote fps style.

vote buy2play. vote one-time-fee.

....and no curruption, no spin real money to get advantage but spinning real money to get an exclusive costume or particular clothing with no stat raise, damage raise, def raise would be ok. just for fasion no stats.

paying real money to have advantage is like playing monopoly and pay real money to have your hotels all over the board like someone mention before about cashshop in this site. who would freaking play with those kind of people? and dont hate the people.... blame the game. some games even sell their own ingame money themselves! competing with black market.

I dont mind the whole sub/cash shop/no cash shop issue as much as I wonder if they can pull off cross platform compatibility.  I have a freind that would be into this, who owns a ps3. i just have my lappy, and even though i'll consider getting a ps3 next year (i have a new job starting next week, after almost a year on the dole! woot!) =-) it would be nice if i could play him on my lappy without having to definitely but a ps3.

Correct me if i'm wrong on this one, but since when you buy a ps3 you get the online subscription deal thing they have paid for in the purchase price, wouldn't sony have to do some kind of f2p set up if they can do cross platform? 

i'm guardedly interested at this point...we'll see how it develops...

The game isnt FREE. Just no monthly sub.

Originally posted by jfk35824

Correct me if i'm wrong on this one, but since when you buy a ps3 you get the online subscription deal thing they have paid for in the purchase price, wouldn't sony have to do some kind of f2p set up if they can do cross platform? 

I'm not sure what subscription deal thing you are talking about.

As long as you provide your own internet access, going online, access to the PS store and some of the other online content is free. Items in the store may or may not cost you cash (some are freebies, such as Pulse, demos, some videos, etc). There is no "standard vs. premium" membership like the Xbox, where the extra money for online access unlocks more content (that you have to pay for).

Example here would be Netflix. (At my last check), you could stream Netflix watch instantly content on Xbox, provided that you had the 5$ a month sub to the premium membership. PS3 recently added this feature to the PS3 (requires a free DVD shipped to you via Netflix upon request, no cost for shipping), and since there is no membership fees, it's free.

Since you are already paying a monthly fee for internet, and a montly fee for Netflix, seems kinda like nickle and diming your customers to charge for the privilage to do something on their system that you can do for free on a rival system (PS3) or on your Windows PC.

As for "having" to setup f2p, no they wouldn't. You would have to purchase your sub from the SOE to allow you access to the servers used for DCUO. With no confirmed paid subscription attached to your username, or email, or PSN nickname (or however they plan on doing it), no access to the server. It's no different then using a PC: you buy the PC(PS3), you setup your own connection to the internet, and start surfing. Anything "free" on the web is available, but you need to pay money for access to game servers and such.

Nah the games going to be Pay 2 Play.

Originally posted by KanjibacK

Nah the games going to be Pay 2 Play.

as the Op said...

no subscription fee

www.sonyinsider.com/2009/09/08/dc-universe-online-no-subscription-fee/

Originally posted by prototypo

I know im necro-ing but i have this real gut feeling that DCUO will not be free to play, but a P2P with a cash shop like in CO

Even the president of the company said they are not ruling out subs for it

tentonhammer.com/node/62571

[quote]The question is still open about how we’ll handle subscription in DCUO and The Agency. We’re going to see how FreeRealms goes and see how that business model works for us. We may very well end up with subs in DCUO and The Agency. If we can make enough revenue, though, we may consider going goods only.[/quote]

Yes i was right lol (I knew i was going to quote myself) , i knew they weren't going to give this game a F2P chance considering they are using one of comic's biggest license's and the money people are going to shell out just to get a taste.

http://dcuosource.com/index.php/component/content/article/1-latest-news/397-dcuocom

Originally posted by stine96

Wow that surprises me no sub. Maybe they realize they cannot compete with sub numbers anymore, with WoW having the most and competition from CoX and Champions.

 I doubt this is the reason at all, it's just that I think more and more companies are trying this out anyway and for SOE this is the game I think they decided long before they would try that pricing model with.  DC is by far the most marketable of either of the games you named both Champions or COX, I've played champions long before there were mmo's ir even mud's I'd say but I still felt a twinge of disappointment playing both of those games simply because neither was the DC or Marvel universe I am so familiar with and I'm sure there will be more sentiments like that once the game releases.

On the topic of the subject this for me is pretty exciting news, I've never really felt pressured to spend money in cash shops so I don't think that would be a problem here either especially as others mentioned there not being a monthly sub, if you are an mmo player anyway that pretty much leaves you fifteen bucks a month to spend if you chose to which is much better than as som e people have pointed out Cryptics decision to have both a cash shop and a monthly sub fee.

I had basically written SOE off after the entire SWG fiasco and playing and being unimpressed by EQ2 but with Jim Lee having a hand in the games stylings coupled with the ps3 release and no sub fee I'm eagerly anticipating playing this game, though I'm not too sure on how good of a long term mmo it could be.

As this is a console release as well, thats probably one reason to cut the sub price out.  People are willing to pay bits an pieces off consoles.. XBOX Live has proven that with their avatar shop.  This could be a potential gold mine for SOE and the worst part is, I'm totally going to play it on my PS3.  No monthly sub really seals the deal for me.. I'm very happy with this decision.

The game will probably follow the Free Realms/DDO F2P model.  They'll give us acces to 70% of the content for free after purchase of main game but hold off the best raids, items and extra zones outside main story for those who wish to sub or buy them a-la-carte.  This works out in favor of the developer if they create the game right...I'm sure Cryptic wishes they could get $40 in items sales from 50% of the people that purchased their game instead of the meager cash they are pulling in from the monthly subs.

The monthly sub model is dying slowly.  It works for older games because of the massive amounts of content.  But no one wants to drop $15 a month anymore.  I like EQ2 but I'm not going to pay $15 anymore and wait a year and a half for the game to develop.  The money just isn't there.

Originally posted by gt4980b

The game will probably follow the Free Realms/DDO F2P model.  They'll give us acces to 70% of the content for free after purchase of main game but hold off the best raids, items and extra zones outside main story for those who wish to sub or buy them a-la-carte.  This works out in favor of the developer if they create the game right...I'm sure Cryptic wishes they could get $40 in items sales from 50% of the people that purchased their game instead of the meager cash they are pulling in from the monthly subs.

The monthly sub model is dying slowly.  It works for older games because of the massive amounts of content.  But no one wants to drop $15 a month anymore.  I like EQ2 but I'm not going to pay $15 anymore and wait a year and a half for the game to develop.  The money just isn't there.

I think the model still lives, but not as it once did.  Now people are equating 15 dollars a month with content.. and the games that lack content don't deserve the sub.  I think this will create a more competitive market in terms of how developers will be pricing and focusing their games in the future.  I think a game like SWTOR that relies on a vast amount of content that could literally take months to complete would do well with a monthly subscription, whereas games like champions and STO should never have launched with a monthly subscription model.  

DCUO will trump CO without batting an eyelash, and it will have little to do with the gameplay and everything to do with the accessibility and competence of the development team and publisher.

I agree, they don't spend $ not to make $.  The model is not to make cash one time by selling the software, and only making future cash with expansions.  That does not justify the maintenance and ongoing development.

What I wish these companies would do is offer options.  I have yet to see a F2P model that appeals to me, including what Allods was boasting would be "a F2P model that would put paying and non-paying customers on the same bar without any advantage in PvP for those who choose to spend $".

How about a dual choice model?  Make it F2P, with a cash shop for optional add ons (additional content, etc.).  This would appeal to people who do not want to commit to a sub model until they play the game for a while, as well as those who have very limited play time and cannot justify the monthly $. 

The 2nd choice would of course be a monthly sub option.  This is for those players who have more time to spend in-game, have decided they want to play for at least a while, and have the financial means.  

Benefits of the monthly sub would include:  access to the stuff that they offer to the F2P people as cash-ship or pay options, but include it for free to those with monthly subs (ex:  DDO's expansion content). 

One or the other is not going to appeal to all, ever, period.  A game where the more $ you spend = an advantage is not going to make for long-term happy players, ever, period.  Offering a selection of fair options will however increase your potential player base, as well as satisfy a range of player types.

That was at least 3 cents.

Originally posted by MalikyeMoon

I agree, they don't spend $ not to make $.  The model is not to make cash one time by selling the software, and only making future cash with expansions.  That does not justify the maintenance and ongoing development.

What I wish these companies would do is offer options.  I have yet to see a F2P model that appeals to me, including what Allods was boasting would be "a F2P model that would put paying and non-paying customers on the same bar without any advantage in PvP for those who choose to spend $".

How about a dual choice model?  Make it F2P, with a cash shop for optional add ons (additional content, etc.).  This would appeal to people who do not want to commit to a sub model until they play the game for a while, as well as those who have very limited play time and cannot justify the monthly $. 

The 2nd choice would of course be a monthly sub option.  This is for those players who have more time to spend in-game, have decided they want to play for at least a while, and have the financial means.  

Benefits of the monthly sub would include:  access to the stuff that they offer to the F2P people as cash-ship or pay options, but include it for free to those with monthly subs (ex:  DDO's expansion content). 

One or the other is not going to appeal to all, ever, period.  A game where the more $ you spend = an advantage is not going to make for long-term happy players, ever, period.  Offering a selection of fair options will however increase your potential player base, as well as satisfy a range of player types.

That was at least 3 cents.

You just described DDOs model....which is why DDO is taking off and making Turbine tons of money.

Well, thats the kiss of death for this game as far as i'm concerned. Incoming cash shop items such as "power ups" or "power perfumes" that cost 3-4$ + each to be competitive, by the time its all said and done anyone who wants to raid or pvp with any frequency will end up paying WAY over 15 bucks a month on cash shop ripoff items. 

Way to go SOE, it takes a special kind of greed to screw up an mmo featuring Superman.

Originally posted by alexanys1982

Well, thats the kiss of death for this game as far as i'm concerned. Incoming cash shop items such as "power ups" or "power perfumes" that cost 3-4$ + each to be competitive, by the time its all said and done anyone who wants to raid or pvp with any frequency will end up paying WAY over 15 bucks a month on cash shop ripoff items. 

Way to go SOE, it takes a special kind of greed to screw up an mmo featuring Superman.

 As long as it isn't like CO where there's a monthly fee and a cash shop I will be ok with it. DCUO being a f2p after the CO debacle was about the best move SOE could have made.

Most importantly, we made sure to check in and see whether or not the title will be subscription-based or free to play like so many seem to be doing lately.  In his response we were given a very strong impression that they are leaning towards the expansion-pack business model, as opposed to the traditional subscription fee although such matters hadn’t been solidified at that point over at Sony Online Entertainment.

It's "unconfirmed" and only an indication of what they're "leaning towards" but it sounds like the GW model. The big question is will they also have an MT shopping mall? Previously they've indicated they most likely would but they also very specifically said they'd be watching how that worked for CO.

massively.com recently took some concept art showing a free trial as an indication of a subscription model but I don't think it necessarily is. A no-subscription GW model could still have a free trial - and if you want to keep playing you need to cough up money to buy the "box".

If there's an MT shopping mall I'm not interested. I'm happy to pay a subscription but also don't mind the GW model, depending on how frequently they release expansion packs.

Originally posted by green13

Most importantly, we made sure to check in and see whether or not the title will be subscription-based or free to play like so many seem to be doing lately.  In his response we were given a very strong impression that they are leaning towards the expansion-pack business model, as opposed to the traditional subscription fee although such matters hadn’t been solidified at that point over at Sony Online Entertainment.

It's "unconfirmed" and only an indication of what they're "leaning towards" but it sounds like the GW model. The big question is will they also have an MT shopping mall? Previously they've indicated they most likely would but they also very specifically said they'd be watching how that worked for CO.

massively.com recently took some concept art showing a free trial as an indication of a subscription model but I don't think it necessarily is. A no-subscription GW model could still have a free trial - and if you want to keep playing you need to cough up money to buy the "box".

If there's an MT shopping mall I'm not interested. I'm happy to pay a subscription but also don't mind the GW model, depending on how frequently they release expansion packs.

 I think the GW model would  be the most ideal but if the MT shop simply had esthetics like more costume options, different forms of already existing travel powers (Like adding in something like a board similar to silver surfer or something to use in place of flight) etc. etc. etc. fluff stuff that had no impact on the game then having a GW business model with an item mall wouldn't bother me at all.

Mainly what I do not want to see on an item mall are retcon's, power sets, content etc.  Hopefully SOE saw how well things went over in CO when they tried to charge for vibra bay and how loved the retcons are. Anything that has an impact on game play needs to be in game and not on an item mall. Fluff and inconsequential items can be in any abundance they desire on an item mall.