If SW:TOR is successful at F2P, do you think WoW will go F2P?

[alturic]

Server's cost too much to go f2p. They'd need a cash shop on crack to compete with their current income.

I don't know if you realize this, but the servers have been paid for. Outside of upgrading servers, which usually doesn't happen in F2P games, the only cost is bandwidth in the "infrastructure" of a online business/game. Bandwidth that is dirt cheap.

[septor]

Why would they? They still have over 9 million subscribers. Going F2P would do them more harm than good.

I don't see WoW ever going F2P.

[Pyrolight]

Entirely untrue, and ignores the main reason subscription MMO's are going F2P. Its more profitable.

It CAN be more profitable depending on the game and sub numbers.

200K P2P subs > 200k F2P subs in terms of profit.

What you see is a game that only can attract 200k people sub wise might attract 2 million F2P players.

Had SWTOR kept its initial 2 million subs it would have never even considered F2P as an option. Not in their wildest dreams would they expect to make more then 30million a month from F2P.

People are just far more likely to put up with a piece of crap if it is free.

P.S. I am not saying all F2P games are crap some are damn good but SWTOR is hoping that people will ignore the massive flaws (and get hooked on the "story") if it is free. I really don't see how this will honestly work as SWTOR is in many ways a play till you beat the game (story) then quit type of game.

---------- Post added 2012-08-13 at 11:03 PM ----------

QFT,
if MoP turns out to be a ball buster like cata in the final patches was they might see this massive drop. but if MoP delivers they dnt need to go F2P for atleast 2 expac's

I don't see WoW going F2P until after the last expansion is done and there is nothing much to do.

[Kangodo]

I'd wager its more likely they lose an additional 3 million than gain 3 million.

So people are going to like MoP less than sitting around in a patch where they cleared everything and where there's nothing to do?

[Shoukyaku]

I am already expecting WoW to go F2P before MOP is over. There is too much money made in microtransactions and value added service. The infrastructure is there for 12-15 million players worldwide and I am expecting subscriptions to continue to fall especially when the annual pass ends. F2P doesn't mean they are desperate, or not profitable. It just means they expect to make more with a F2P option than a subscription only option. There would still be plenty of people paying a normal subscription price to access all content. And it would attract a ton of ex-customers who would probably come back and buy transfers. Look at what happened when other MMOs went F2P. Tons of old players at least checked it out. WoW could turn a big profit on that market.

Mr. Snarebusta, what youve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things Ive ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this forum is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[Shiirow]

Mr. Snarebusta, what youve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things Ive ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this forum is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Where have I heard something similar to that before... I know Ive heard it but cant place where.

[Shoukyaku]

Where have I heard something similar to that before... I know Ive heard it but cant place where.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcjIestFVOc

[gabrield]

I voted no because there is no chance that they will do it but I sure wish they did.

There are times I have missed playing Warcraft but everytime I log in I realise how little I like the game and would only play if it were free to muck around in. SWTOR whilst everyone moans and complains as MMO players do has really ruined Warcraft for me, it is just leagues beyond what this game is.

I do think F2P is the future of MMOs though, the time for subscription based games should end.

[Zaelsino]

Certainly not. What better way to deal with a self-professed competitor than to change nothing at all as it falls on hard times?

[Snarebusta]

So people are going to like MoP less than sitting around in a patch where they cleared everything and where there's nothing to do?

2 of those 3 million subscriptions were lost when there was plenty of new content in Cataclysm. At least compared to what the fans have come to expect. MOP will have a 10-12 month content drought just like every expansion. MOP doesn't bring enough to the table to bring back lost subscribers long term.

[Exoblade]

F2p is a last resort for mmo's to create new interest in their game and maybe try get past players / new players to give the mmo another try. WoW is still at 9 million or so subs they are doing fine, with mists coming shortly i would expect a jump to 10-11 mill again.

Also main stream news and even worse american news never have any clue when it comes to the games industry. They still treat games as a kids thing when its more successful than any form of entertainment.

[Osmeric]

I would be interested in reading your source for this information.

It comes from Netease earnings statements, and how much they are sending Blizzard. Deficineiron would have the details.

---------- Post added 2012-08-14 at 12:43 AM ----------

When you're making approximately $150 million a month in subscription fees

Wow has NEVER made $150 M/month from subscription fees. In Q2 2012, the total net revenue for WoW (from all sources, not just subs) was less than half that.

[gabrield]

With how many people bought those mounts and pets from the store I think this game would still make a huge profit if it went F2P following SWTOR's model.

[Raar]

Why are people always asking such stupid questions trying to compare WoW to games that are dying? It's really annoying

Let me fix your thread title to show how dumb it really sounds...

Your Title
"Thread: If SW:TOR is successful at F2P, do you think WoW will go F2P?"

Your Title with game names replaced
"Thread: If [a dying MMO barely breaking even] is successful at F2P, do you think [the number 1 MMO that makes a huge profit] will go F2P?"