1. #1

    [Survey] "Freemium Games"

    Greetings,

    This time last year I posted a Survey into the "Social Implications of Online Gaming" and got an overwhelming response that allowed me to pass my University unit with distinction. Now, my friend is taking the same unit and I'd like to help them, and seeing how helpful the MMO-Champion community was last time, I wanted to post their survey here.

    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ux4...93972136505371

    If you have any issues or comments, please let me know and I'll pass them onto my friend to be fixed. Thanks!

  2. #2
    I took a quick look and immediately disagreed with their view that micro-transactions make an otherwise free game "freemium".
    Free to Play is how I describe a game with all the playable content available without cost, but cosmetics/conveniences as transactions.
    Freemium I would describe as paying for content or core functionality that isn't available otherwise.

    Very subjective opinion I understand, but I have strong views on what makes "free to play", and I feel that many are abusing that model with things which aren't even close to it, despite using that description.
    Quote Originally Posted by DeadmanWalking View Post
    Your forgot to include the part where we blame casuals for everything because blizzard is catering to casuals when casuals got jack squat for new content the entire expansion, like new dungeons and scenarios.
    Quote Originally Posted by Reinaerd View Post
    T'is good to see there are still people valiantly putting the "Ass" in assumption.

  3. #3
    The Insane Revi's Avatar
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    Quick feedback: The "which device was the game played on" should be multiple choice. Most people have played more than one, usually pc + phone games.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by ComputerNerd View Post
    I took a quick look and immediately disagreed with their view that micro-transactions make an otherwise free game "freemium".
    Free to Play is how I describe a game with all the playable content available without cost, but cosmetics/conveniences as transactions.
    Freemium I would describe as paying for content or core functionality that isn't available otherwise.
    Also this.

    Freemium to me implies content that is not available through free play (like collecting currency). He does explain what he means in the description, but still.

    Edit: the "Do you still play the game in which you made a purchase?" has some very confusing options. Middle 4 can all mean pretty much the same thing.

  4. #4
    Deleted
    Wow is paymium at this point.

  5. #5
    Partying in Valhalla
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    There's a host of questions that stop working after a bit. Do I just not answer them if I've played a freemium game but never made an IAP or microtransaction purchase in one?

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Revi View Post
    Quick feedback: The "which device was the game played on" should be multiple choice. Most people have played more than one, usually pc + phone games.
    Done and ^^^

  7. #7
    I agree with ComputerNerd. Although I guess the distinction between free-to-play (plus micro-transactions) and freemium are a bit different concerning iOS games, and that tends to be where most freemium games are. From what little experience I have had with freemium games where I actually spent money in-game, I could only say mostly positive, since I spent so little and what I bought was permanent, helpful and cool.

    But there is a huge distinctive difference between games like the new Star Wars Battlefront where you basically have to buy the game twice just to get the full game, and some random iOS town simulator where you spend 99 cents on a bunch of gemstones (usually for the purpose of just removing ads).

    Guess I should have been thinking more about Hearthstone and Fire Emblem: Awakening though, because I spent money in game in both of those and am still satisfied what the games and what I got.
    “Humanism means that the man is the measure of all things...But it is not only that man must start from himself in the area of knowledge and learning, but any value system must come arbitrarily from man himself by arbitrary choice.” - Francis A. Schaeffer

  8. #8
    Okay, spoken to him about some of the concerns;

    1) Multiple Choices: He's worded the question in a rather odd way, but meant which platform do you mostly play these type of games on. He's reluctant to change it due to the responses so far, and it could skew the overall results.

    2) Clarification: His overall intention is to study games that are totally free to play, but have a "Premium" option to them, hence Freemium. He's thinking of games such as Clash of Clans for example, where you can play without ever having to pay for anything, but the option is there.

    Had 35+ replies so far, so it's looking good for the survey. He'd like to hit around 50 responses before Wednesday. I'll update the thread with any progress as it goes.

    Thanks everyone so far.

  9. #9
    There is a somewhat gray area. What about games where you theorically can do everything for free, but doing so would take so much time no one would consider it?

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