http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117933-BioWare-Considers-Free-to-Play-For-The-Old-Republic

Time for Creslin to dig up that thread with the collective predictions of the forumites at launch.

You do know it is still just a prediction...

Originally posted by kuuujo

You do know it is still just a prediction...

Its not a prediction, because the article isnt predicting anything.

They are reporting and citing an interview from joystiq.

And i just want to know where our predictions from before launch stand, we do have some sub numbers now, so we can see how well the community predicted those for example.

Originally posted by kuuujo

You do know it is still just a prediction...

This is interesting:

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/ea-boss-swtor-absolutely-going-to-embrace-free-model/

First article says they only discussed the possibility.

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/ea-boss-swtor-absolutely-going-to-embrace-free-model/

In this one, it's title

EA boss: SWTOR 'absolutely going to embrace' free model

is pretty much a sentence put out of context for dramatization.

If you read entire thing:

"We're going to be in the business from a long-term standpoint so absolutely we're going to embrace free access, free trial, ultimately some day we can move in and embrace that model," he tells the website. Gibeau also stresses that EA is "really proud of Star Wars" and "really excited about the launch."

In the end it is still "some day". Many of you here don't believe in most of statements EA gives, yet you are so easy to believe in this promise. And I don't understand how "free access and free trial" can go together in this quote.

He also says :

"I don't think subscriptions ever go away, but when you have an IP as broad as Star Wars, we're definitely going to look at opportunities to grow that business and look at different ways of bringing customers in and serving them," 

"I don't think subscriptions ever go away

This is just your typical "unique reader" grab story for a silly blog. Massively is as bad about misleading headlines as Yahoo! news

Eh, give the "free gamers" what they want. Just keep them held up in this game please. Don't let the lot of them infect my TSW. >.>

"I don't think subscriptions ever go away, but when you have an IP as broad as Star Wars, we're definitely going to look at opportunities to grow that business and look at different ways of bringing customers in and serving them,"

Probably going to end up with a hybrid model.

Originally posted by kuuujo

First article says they only discussed the possibility.

 

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/ea-boss-swtor-absolutely-going-to-embrace-free-model/

 

In this one, it's title

EA boss: SWTOR 'absolutely going to embrace' free model

is pretty much a sentence put out of context for dramatization.

 

If you read entire thing:

"We're going to be in the business from a long-term standpoint so absolutely we're going to embrace free access, free trial, ultimately some day we can move in and embrace that model," he tells the website. Gibeau also stresses that EA is "really proud of Star Wars" and "really excited about the launch."

In the end it is still "some day". Many of you here don't believe in most of statements EA gives, yet you are so easy to believe in this promise. And I don't understand how "free access and free trial" can go together in this quote.

Given the fact that EA has denied any F2P models for SWTOR in the past/pre-launch this is like 180 turn...

A hybrid model like EQ2 would be horrible. Putting restrictions and crap so it's impossible to play at max level without a paying sub.

I hope a company figures out a model that works better than any we have right now. I do always feel a little upset that I'm paying to sub to a game I already bought (I've felt that way since paying my first sub fee for 9 bucks to UO, and I remember being livid when EQ when up to 12 bucks a month..)

I like GW2's idea of buy to play..and then pay for xpacs. But their cash shop worries me.

Funny how quickly somebody reads the title of an article and makes the jump... Thanks for nothing , OP.

Originally posted by evianwater

A hybrid model like EQ2 would be horrible. Putting restrictions and crap so it's impossible to play at max level without a paying sub.

 

I hope a company figures out a model that works better than any we have right now. I do always feel a little upset that I'm paying to sub to a game I already bought (I've felt that way since paying my first sub fee for 9 bucks to UO, and I remember being livid when EQ when up to 12 bucks a month..)

 

I like GW2's idea of buy to play..and then pay for xpacs. But their cash shop worries me.

Probably something close to Age of Conan's model. In the end their main goal would be to increase the number of subbed users, than having free to play users.

Originally posted by Searias

Originally posted by evianwater

A hybrid model like EQ2 would be horrible. Putting restrictions and crap so it's impossible to play at max level without a paying sub.

 

I hope a company figures out a model that works better than any we have right now. I do always feel a little upset that I'm paying to sub to a game I already bought (I've felt that way since paying my first sub fee for 9 bucks to UO, and I remember being livid when EQ when up to 12 bucks a month..)

 

I like GW2's idea of buy to play..and then pay for xpacs. But their cash shop worries me.

Probably something close to Age of Conan's model. In the end their main goal would be to increase the number of subbed users, than having free to play users.

That was EQ2's goal as well. It's worked for them, and for EQ. I just think it's such a slap in the face to put gear restirctions, and then call it f2p. Basically it means "Extended trial, to almost max level" 

Especially in later stage games that have gear saturation, so the tiers don't mean nearly as much as they once did. 

Originally posted by evianwater

A hybrid model like EQ2 would be horrible. Putting restrictions and crap so it's impossible to play at max level without a paying sub.

 

I hope a company figures out a model that works better than any we have right now. I do always feel a little upset that I'm paying to sub to a game I already bought (I've felt that way since paying my first sub fee for 9 bucks to UO, and I remember being livid when EQ when up to 12 bucks a month..)

 

I like GW2's idea of buy to play..and then pay for xpacs. But their cash shop worries me.

I actually like EQ2's format of pay.

It ensures there's 0 free loaders.

http://i.imgur.com/eKDGQ.png

"If it was just free-to-play games and they weren't very good it wouldn't even be a question but there are definitely good games out there and good games coming out, so of course all of this competition impacts your plan with what you want to do,"

"So we are looking at free-to-play but I can't tell you in much detail. We have to be flexible and adapt to what is going on."

Who is this "competition?" And why is all this talk happening the week after GW2 BWE2?

Just kidding! Funny to picture though.

escapist magazine

i wonder if that dude who trashes every game he reviews still reviews stuff.like anyone really cares about escapist magazine

"Gibeau also stresses that EA is "really proud of Star Wars" and "really excited about the launch.""

"The Old Republic is in EA’s top 10 franchises in terms of profitability, “but it’s not in our top five”. “So it’s a business contributor, while important, is not as important as Medal of Honor or Battlefield or FIFA or Madden or The Sims or SimCity, but it’s more important than Tiger Woods PGA Golf.” “So while I understand there’s an enormous amount of interest, I don’t know that it warrants as much as what we’re seeing right now. But we love the franchise, we’re going to grow the franchise and just like we want to see Tiger Woods Golf grow or SSX grow, or Madden for that matter, we’re going to drive this one for growth.”"

yeah,there really proud of star wars alright

Well, I personally think all MMOs will eventually evolve to a free to play model of some sort. From a company's viewpoint it's all about profit. From a gamer/customer view it's all about content. I think the only subscription based games will be games that will have a huge degree of success like WoW.

if they go F2P i "might" play it in wait for GW2

but paying for this game is kidna waste of money

Originally posted by BlueCameo

 

I actually like EQ2's format of pay. 

It ensures there's 0 free loaders.

That is a very misguided and rather elitist view. 

F2P model is dominating P2P for revenue which is one of the reasons P2P is becoming extinct. When you consider the indirect benefits of truly free players (of which they are the minority) they still generate revenue in a F2P model. I am sorry you do not have the ability to see that and instead try to denigrate "free" players.  There is much more revenue upside in the f2p model... Once you figure that out those "free loaders" become part of the revenue mechanism and very important.