First let me be clear that this isn't a flame post, bait or whataver. Im just curious to hear part of the community.


Maybe, and i say maybe, some of you guys agree with me when i say the subscription-based model, althou capable of offering a better overall experience (security , content, etc), is not viable in these times anymore. Part because of bad economic times, and part because of player burnout.


Do you guys and girls see ES:O devs altering their base-model to acomodate todays' reality?

Could they after seeing the never ending strugle of the big dogs, going with a buy to play or free to play model?

I know everything is speculation, and by no means i want to pass the idea that im right on every claim.

Just some food for thought.


-Cheers.

Bioware was already commited to running a shop for DLC of its RPG games. I had said way back in development that I suspected stuff like that from them with swtor too. But there was a HUGE backlash from fans. There were leaks from top EA executives discussing item and service purchaces for swtor back before they even commited to a subscription model. I spent a couple of years over there on the pregame forums and participated in closed beta weekends and eventual guild beta prior to its acutal launch and I am not surprised by this at all. I think it may have been planned all along based on market trends.

Everyone should be considering hybrid payment models in todays market. Subs, time cards and item purchaces when limited FTP areas unlock after the hype dies off.

I just cancelled my sub to swtor and uninstalled the game due to this. So I'd rather not see it going that route.

And to beat a little more on this rotten corpse that once was a horse. Subscriptions aren't viable for standard and wow-like MMOs anymore. There's too many of them. But here's still hoping for TESO to break the mould a little and come up with something just different enough from the standard to seem and feel new. Then and only then, if it stands on it's own, it can and should be funded through a subscription model.

For a more in depth discussion of TESO's possible payment model, http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1398046-free-free-to-play-or-subscription/.