Idea about how to make wow more stable.

[Chickat]

If the Asian market truly is failing for wow, and the stated reason is ftp games, why doesn't blizzard make wow ftp over there? They would probably end up making more money in the long run, as they could charge for mounts bags xp boosts etc. That would of course most likely drop wows subs below 5m, but I don't think investors would care if profits skyrocketed. Why hasn't blizzard done this yet?

[Seranthor]

If the Asian market truly is failing for wow, and the stated reason is ftp games, why doesn't blizzard make wow ftp over there? They would probably end up making more money in the long run, as they could charge for mounts bags xp boosts etc. That would of course most likely drop wows subs below 5m, but I don't think investors would care if profits skyrocketed. Why hasn't blizzard done this yet?

Why you ask? I would venture to say that if Blizzard thought they could increase their revenue stream by producing a F2P game that they would. Simply bcause you and others on the outside think they should doesn't mean that Blizzard agrees with. I think that is sufficient an answer... and of course.. you probably should have put this in one of the cadre of threads already discussing the subscription loss and how to address it.

[jadenprince]

If the Asian market truly is failing for wow, and the stated reason is ftp games, why doesn't blizzard make wow ftp over there? They would probably end up making more money in the long run, as they could charge for mounts bags xp boosts etc. That would of course most likely drop wows subs below 5m, but I don't think investors would care if profits skyrocketed. Why hasn't blizzard done this yet?

Because they dont just want money, they want a good game that players enjoy. Whats the point in making a game if no one plays it. all the effort goes to waste :P

[bleh bleh 420 bleh]

Because blizzard is one of the few remaining companies that, i feel, actually care about their customers. Maybe a few other game studios but none that make MMOs.

[Deleted]

Why should we pay the full price so that the Asian market get to see all the content for free, just because they lost a couple subscribers?

[Chickat]

You can have a sub game still be about customers. Look at lotro dnd or gw2.

---------- Post added 2013-05-14 at 08:28 AM ----------

Why should we pay the full price so that the Asian market get to see all the content for free, just because they lost a couple subscribers?

They practically play for free anyways.

[Seranthor]

You can have a sub game still be about customers. Look at lotro dnd or gw2.

---------- Post added 2013-05-14 at 08:28 AM ----------



They practically play for free anyways.

Don't they pay per hour? Think about that... $15/month is $0.50 a day... or... are you ready for this... $0.021 per hour.. So, tell me... how much do they pay in China per hour or day for Wow?

[bleh bleh 420 bleh]

Don't they pay per hour? Think about that... $15/month is $0.50 a day... or... are you ready for this... $0.021 per hour.. So, tell me... how much do they pay in China per hour or day for Wow?

Wait, d they pay regardless if they play or not? Because if they only get charged whilst playing thats bull. But if its like our system then its the same.

[MOEEEE]

Interesting.... but less $$$ for Blizzard.. soooo

[Chickat]

Interesting.... but less $$$ for Blizzard.. soooo

It woudlnt be less money for blizzard at all....

They pay for time cards. something like 10 cents an hour. http://mmodata.blogspot.com/2009/10/...y-less-so.html I dont know how accurate that is, but they wouldnt lose money i dont think.

[Freeaze]

For the points sake I want to say if WoW would go FTP I would stop playing it, in my eyes WoW would be "dead".
Yes from a companys point of view it would not, but for me, as one gamer, it would be.
I hope there are others out there with the same thought.

Europe, Sweden btw.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Why you ask? I would venture to say that if Blizzard thought they could increase their revenue stream by producing a F2P game that they would. Simply bcause you and others on the outside think they should doesn't mean that Blizzard agrees with. I think that is sufficient an answer... and of course.. you probably should have put this in one of the cadre of threads already discussing the subscription loss and how to address it.

Exactly. Also, domino effect. Going F2P there would make people here want F2P.

[TaurenNinja]

"Free To Play" is in my opinion a bad thing, unless it's 100% free to play, but this won't happen when the company has to account for server/bandwidth costs and development costs (MMO development never stops).
"Free To Play" in the MMO market means "Pay To Win". Because you can't get the best or even the required items/talents/abilities unless you pay a lot. And often, you'll pay more in a F2P game than for a monthly subscription fee.

Also, WoW being sub-based but still having more players than any other MMO tells a lot about WoW's quality and appeal.
And as long as WoW remains as popular as it is, there is zero reason for Blizzard to change this model. Losing 1.3m subs is bad, but I'd imagine that WoW currently still has WAY more subs than Blizzard hoped for when they originally developed the game.
And so I doubt that the game is in any real danger unless subs drop so low that it reaches the sub numbers of what other MMOs have which are considered a REAL failure.

People are just sensationalist, a drop in subscribers = sky is falling, game is dead etc., but I don't buy sensationalism so easily. No one should.