It's no secret that things are changing across the genre, with a trend towards Free to Play (or free to play hybrids a'la DDO and LOTRO) seemingly inevitable. This has left many gamers wondering about the fate of their favorite games in this new world of MMO gaming. As far as EverQuest II fans are concerned, however, those dreading Free to Play can rest easy. EQ2 will not be going Free to Play according to EQ2 Senior Producer Dave Georgeson.

Georgeson on EQ2 going F2P:

"As I said in that interview, we will not be changing your subscription model. We've heard you folks loud and clear that you do not want items with stats introduced, you don't want players buying their way to power, etc. Your world will stay the way it has been and we will continue to support it with new content, items, etc."

Official EQ2 Forums [via Massively.]

[Thanks Cecropia for the tip!]

leave it to SOE to milk both models at the same time  P2P w/Cash Shop

Originally posted by TribeofOne

leave it to SOE to milk both models at the same time  P2P w/Cash Shop

I also suspect that. If people are crazy enough to pay 25 bucks for a glittering pony...they will fall for p2p and cash shop and whatever else they may come up with to milk the money out.

It's not different then Blizzard, when I played everything was just fluff based items and they are not that stupid to do anything drastic. SOE may have screwed up bad in the past but they have learned to listen to people in the community for the most part, and everyone has voiced their concern about item shops very loudly, its a non-issue. 

  MMO devs have every right to sell extra goodies if they wish, as long as they don't force something important to gameplay down your throat they are just trying to make cash like any sensible business.

If SOE noticed it will be more profitable they will change to an F2P model in an heart beat and do not care what they promised before. 

Originally posted by Coman

If SOE noticed it will be more profitable they will change to an F2P model in an heart beat and do not care what they promised before. 

EQ2 is pretty profitable the way it is now. They have a pretty good number of subs (maybe around 200-300K range). Changing EQ2 to F2P is like kicking the wasp nest and will just piss off all the long time players since the EQ2 community is a very enclosed community (kinda like a town house where everyone knows pretty much everybody else and everyone has a reputation at stake). If they introduce F2P dynamics into the game and community it will definitely change the landscape of the game and people will not be happy about it.

Originally posted by Sirr0

 

  MMO devs have every right to sell extra goodies if they wish, as long as they don't force something important to gameplay down your throat they are just trying to make cash like any sensible business.

Aren't they making cash from subscriptions? 

Oh, well, great. We all know once SOE gives us their word they stick to it. SOE is the very definition of honesty and integrity.

Originally posted by brostyn

Oh, well, great. We all know once SOE gives us their word they stick to it. SOE is the very definition of honesty and integrity.

 You forgot to add /sarcasm...I hope.  Only one thing matters to SOE, Money.  They'd sell thier grandmothers into prostitution if they could make money for it...too bad they're all too ugly ;P

I've given SOE more than enough chances to satisfy me, but what I've learned is that I'd be better off having a horse kick me in the mouth if I want to have fun.

Originally posted by brostyn

Oh, well, great. We all know once SOE gives us their word they stick to it. SOE is the very definition of honesty and integrity.

Maybe not but Smedley is hardly one of the F2P fans.

I doubt EQ2 will get F2P as long as he is the boss. If and I say if, they would consider it they would try with a small game first, most likely Vanguard.

As long as VG and SWG is P2P you can be sure that EQ2 isn't under any consideration. And yes, Freerealms is F2P but that is not the same as changing a current P2P game. That would be doing the NGE all over again and not even Smed is dumb enough to do that twice.

If they converted Vanguard, and if the players liked that and if they earned more money because of that things might be different but there are many ifs.

Originally posted by MikeB

It's no secret that things are changing across the genre, with a trend towards Free to Play (or free to play hybrids a'la DDO and LOTRO) seemingly inevitable. This has left many gamers wondering about the fate of their favorite games in this new world of MMO gaming. As far as EverQuest II fans are concerned, however, those dreading Free to Play can rest easy. EQ2 will not be going Free to Play according to EQ2 Senior Producer Dave Georgeson.

 

Georgeson on EQ2 going F2P:

"As I said in that interview, we will not be changing your subscription model. We've heard you folks loud and clear that you do not want items with stats introduced, you don't want players buying their way to power, etc. Your world will stay the way it has been and we will continue to support it with new content, items, etc."

Official EQ2 Forums [via Massively.]

[Thanks Cecropia for the tip!]

As we know, this is SOE speak for, "We'll do this in a few months or so".

edit: correction, they merely waited a month this time to do exactly what they said they would not do. My they're in a hurry these days.

With the current trend for EQ2 subs increasing, there is not need to go F2P.  Since EQ2 started spending some time on its pvp seems the subs are up almost double only a year ago.  Even the PvE servers populations are up.  The hybrid model they seem to be favoring doesnt both me.  Of course marketplace items on SoE's eq2 store are of little use outside of appearance.  The exp pots are almost useless for those of us who have older accounts.  The vet reward pots are more then enough to lvl a new toon fast. 

I do not understand the hate for hybrid models.  Unless of course its just hatred of capitalism.  Personally if a game/company/corporation offers something I want to buy and I have the money then I am more then happy to spend my capital.  We seem to think games are some holy service uncorruptable and damn anyone wanting to make a living off said holy service.  Seems to me that a dev works on a game to get paid, and then buys a product I may make.  Just simple economics.  Not that every MMO maker is out there making a truely worthy product...F2P comes to mind as being 90% unworthy. 

Originally posted by ashfallen

With the current trend for EQ2 subs increasing, there is not need to go F2P.  Since EQ2 started spending some time on its pvp seems the subs are up almost double only a year ago.  Even the PvE servers populations are up.  The hybrid model they seem to be favoring doesnt both me.  Of course marketplace items on SoE's eq2 store are of little use outside of appearance.  The exp pots are almost useless for those of us who have older accounts.  The vet reward pots are more then enough to lvl a new toon fast. 

I do not understand the hate for hybrid models.  Unless of course its just hatred of capitalism.  Personally if a game/company/corporation offers something I want to buy and I have the money then I am more then happy to spend my capital.  We seem to think games are some holy service uncorruptable and damn anyone wanting to make a living off said holy service.  Seems to me that a dev works on a game to get paid, and then buys a product I may make.  Just simple economics.  Not that every MMO maker is out there making a truely worthy product...F2P comes to mind as being 90% unworthy. 

Well, it might be because of PvP but there could be other reasons including Wow players bored out and trying other games or something else.

As for the hybrid model, I am not a fan. I rather have a higher monthly fee myself if they need the money. 

Lol

I guess they are happy to charge both for a subscription and for a cash shop.............only company that does that.

Of course they will go F2P when other games like RIFT will steal their last few paying customers.

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by ashfallen

With the current trend for EQ2 subs increasing, there is not need to go F2P.  Since EQ2 started spending some time on its pvp seems the subs are up almost double only a year ago.  Even the PvE servers populations are up.  The hybrid model they seem to be favoring doesnt both me.  Of course marketplace items on SoE's eq2 store are of little use outside of appearance.  The exp pots are almost useless for those of us who have older accounts.  The vet reward pots are more then enough to lvl a new toon fast. 

I do not understand the hate for hybrid models.  Unless of course its just hatred of capitalism.  Personally if a game/company/corporation offers something I want to buy and I have the money then I am more then happy to spend my capital.  We seem to think games are some holy service uncorruptable and damn anyone wanting to make a living off said holy service.  Seems to me that a dev works on a game to get paid, and then buys a product I may make.  Just simple economics.  Not that every MMO maker is out there making a truely worthy product...F2P comes to mind as being 90% unworthy. 

Well, it might be because of PvP but there could be other reasons including Wow players bored out and trying other games or something else.

As for the hybrid model, I am not a fan. I rather have a higher monthly fee myself if they need the money. 

Good points Loke666.

On a side not I did not go into the changes to EQ2 that made it much more new player friendly.  Honestly, there are so many it would require an alternative thread, and did not want to derail the topic as so often happens on these boards.

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by brostyn

Oh, well, great. We all know once SOE gives us their word they stick to it. SOE is the very definition of honesty and integrity.

Maybe not but Smedley is hardly one of the F2P fans.

I doubt EQ2 will get F2P as long as he is the boss. If and I say if, they would consider it they would try with a small game first, most likely Vanguard.

As long as VG and SWG is P2P you can be sure that EQ2 isn't under any consideration. And yes, Freerealms is F2P but that is not the same as changing a current P2P game. That would be doing the NGE all over again and not even Smed is dumb enough to do that twice.

If they converted Vanguard, and if the players liked that and if they earned more money because of that things might be different but there are many ifs.

 Heh funny thing is I believe that if SOE re-launched Vanguard to F2P AND started to add content and dev time Vanguard would prob make more money than any MMO ever released. Vanguard is already one of the best MMO's out there already, it's just most people have never heard of it or have and refuse to play it because of it's rocky release. Vanguard is one of two reasons I have not gave up entirely on MMO's. The other reason is LotRO wich after it goes F2P Vanguard just might be my ONLY reason to keep playing computer games period cause I damn sure ain't playing a single player game, and every other MMO is crap these days. Just my two cents worth...

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by brostyn

Oh, well, great. We all know once SOE gives us their word they stick to it. SOE is the very definition of honesty and integrity.

Maybe not but Smedley is hardly one of the F2P fans.

Hmm, how do you know this?

EDIT:

I apologize it was Raph Koster talking about Farmville being the wave of the future. No clue if he is still with SOE.

http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/272902/page/2

He may say Eq2 is not going f2p but I think their actions speak louder than their words. Just in the last week they indroduced a new Cash shop dungeon called the Tomb of Erudin plus a whole bunch of other junk. Not to mention that LoN is now on its tenth expansion and they pushing that card game like crazy. Yeah Eq2 is not going free to play. What he really means is we are not going to let anyone play for free but we are still going to ram a cash shop down your throat. The writing is on the wall Eq2 will be on a LotRO type hybrid model in year or so which should be called the free to pay more model.

Originally posted by Novusod

He may say Eq2 is not going f2p but I think their actions speak louder than their words. Just in the last week they indroduced a new Cash shop dungeon called the Tomb of Erudin plus a whole bunch of other junk. Not to mention that LoN is now on its tenth expansion and they pushing that card game like crazy. Yeah Eq2 is not going free to play. What he really means is we are not going to let anyone play for free but we are still going to ram a cash shop down your throat. The writing is on the wall Eq2 will be on a LotRO type hybrid model in year or so which should be called the free to pay more model.

 I can find no mention of this Tomb of Erudin.