Are new MMO's missing a trick in regards to trials?

[Eurhetemec]

49.99 and 79.99.

You mean WoW's prices? Nah. Was definitely 39.99 where I bought it (Target). The CE might have been $79.99.

SWTOR is $59.99 (plus extra for pre-ordering!) at the cheapest I can find it, and the CE was $149.99, now going for twice that.

[Kelathos]

Isn't WoW's current trial entirely free to play until level 20, and includes Burning Crusade?

Tough to beat that method.

[Eurhetemec]

Isn't WoW's current trial entirely free to play until level 20, and includes Burning Crusade?

Tough to beat that method.

It is, yet Blizzard are still finding that the vast majority of people who do trials, something like 75% or more, don't even reach level 10, and almost none of them actually buy the full game.

[fourpointthreestillsux]

If I wanted to steal players from WoW and released a new MMO, I think what I would do is offer a trial from day 1. The trial would cost a one off fee of say, $5 - you would download the client and gain access to a couple of trial servers. That way the main servers populated by the player base aren't hindered. The trial accounts would be full and have access to all features up to a certain level, say 10. However they would last 7 days. After that point you can either upgrade for full price, or not. You only get one trial per credit card.

That way players thinking 'Hmm what's this new game' can throw $5 at it and see what it's like. Take a punt on it. If they don't like it, they're only $5 worse off. If they like it, they upgrade.

However, I suspect the thinking is that the 'hmm I want to try that' will be so strong that people go out and buy the full version just to try it out.. and the profits are bigger from that carrot on a stick. But they could still bring in some income from $5 trials too.

Just my 2c worth. No real point to this thread other than thinking out loud.

Hm... if only Bioware had the intelligence to do like an Early-Access or beta thing...

OH SHI-!

[Flope]

Not for launch i think they would loose money. But certainly 2 or 3 months down the line.

[gibbie99]

The OP doesn't "want to trial SWTOR", read his post again.

He thinks SWTOR would make more money in the long run if it offered free trials from day 1. These are different things.

It's completely unrealistic to have free trial at day one. Give it six months so the casual population dies off like every othe mmo. Also, there was a free trial, it was called beta.