Anthem: Bioware's next Mass Effect-like IP

[kaid]

Its basically what D3 did. They were tinkering to no avail with the loot system upon release until during a 'double drop' event the community all shouted 'Give us this as normal'. And so they did and D3 was fine for a while.

It would at least buy them some time. Right now I am hitting the wall in that getting any legendary is so infrequent I am effectively maxed out. Even though some of the legendaries I have clearly are badly rolled they are still head and shoulders above the masterworks power wise so I am stuck using the few I have for powers I am less fond of. They should have it that once you hit masterwork gear level then just flip legendaries for masterworks in the drop table and masterworks for purples. Purple and blue drops with the gear I have are worse than useless. They are literally there to waste my time in deconstructing them.

[quras]

I wonder if we will see bioware try to pull a SWTOR move and go F2P.
Like that game or not and it's overpriced MTX options, it was a successful move for bioware turning swtor F2P and it did save that game.

When SWTOR went F2P, bioware also went radio silent for long periods of time as they transitioned things internally and got ready to make the big announcement of it's transition.

I could see bioware pitching that same idea to save anthem. Leaning heavily on more MTX, pushing back most content thats being worked on for a new launch (so to speak) as a F2P game just as they did with SWTOR. Releasing all the stored up content in a big new relaunch.

I can see the sales pitch of how they successfully made It work once for them so why not twice. The whole scenario sounds so familiar to SWTOR launch with engine issues, lack of content, massive bugs etc.... I could see bioware trying to go that route.

[Makabreska]

Its basically what D3 did. They were tinkering to no avail with the loot system upon release until during a 'double drop' event the community all shouted 'Give us this as normal'. And so they did and D3 was fine for a while.

Tinkering my ass. They made drops not class specific to incentivise players to use RMAH so they can get a cut.

[Dhrizzle]

It is still good, just maybe not as played as much anymore, but I recently did a season build and the game is still fun, loot is still fun, at least until you get your bis at the base level. Then it starts to slow/gets repetitive, but that is why seasons and multiple classes exist.

That's what turned me off about the loot 2.0 in D3. In it's original form (well, after they merged Inferno and put in monster power) I felt I could make a build I liked and gradually tweak it as I built up power with incrementally better yellows. Then with the new loot system you got showered with Legendaries and at some point they pigeon-hole you into particular abilities and builds with the bonuses.

[LazarusLong]

Had friends on XB1 saying it's all but dead right now.

- - - Updated - - -



Considering they said it would take months to fix a loot issue I wouldn't count on it.

See, I don't expect them to fix everything soon - I want them to announce something soon. This way people at least will check out the game in 6 months or so.

Currently, people have nothing to look forward too.

- - - Updated - - -

I wonder if we will see bioware try to pull a SWTOR move and go F2P.
Like that game or not and it's overpriced MTX options, it was a successful move for bioware turning swtor F2P and it did save that game.

When SWTOR went F2P, bioware also went radio silent for long periods of time as they transitioned things internally and got ready to make the big announcement of it's transition.

I could see bioware pitching that same idea to save anthem. Leaning heavily on more MTX, pushing back most content thats being worked on for a new launch (so to speak) as a F2P game just as they did with SWTOR. Releasing all the stored up content in a big new relaunch.

I can see the sales pitch of how they successfully made It work once for them so why not twice. The whole scenario sounds so familiar to SWTOR launch with engine issues, lack of content, massive bugs etc.... I could see bioware trying to go that route.

F2P doesn't magically fix things. Just like at Wildstar.

[dope_danny]

The fact that the reddit is now trying to organise games because matchmakings that dead made me think how beat for beat this is Battleborn all over again thus far.

[Baconeggcheese]

Game was content light in the first place and they haven't delivered on any new content besides a single stronghold, nor have they addressed by far the biggest issue which is loot.

Its not really surprising considering even really solid games numbers plummet shortly after new content comes out until the next bit of new content. They still have a long way to go.

[Eleccybubb]

The fact that the reddit is now trying to organise games because matchmakings that dead made me think how beat for beat this is Battleborn all over again thus far.

The only game I can remember being this bad with matchmaking was Wildstar well into it's f2p days. Where you would either never get a queue pop or the matchmaking itself broke.

I dread to think what the player numbers are for Anthem are right now.

[dope_danny]

The only game I can remember being this bad with matchmaking was Wildstar well into it's f2p days. Where you would either never get a queue pop or the matchmaking itself broke.

I dread to think what the player numbers are for Anthem are right now.

Its not just the matchmaking. Randy didn't allow people to talk about Overwatch in the studio. Developers had to take stress leave, though working with ole' "Magic Man" would probably do that to anyone, they went silent and dark right after the problems started and the reddit had to resort to group finding after the match making died.

But it took Battleborn much longer.

[quras]

SNIP..

F2P doesn't magically fix things. Just like at Wildstar.

While true, I could sure see bioware pitching it that it could really turn things around just like it did for SWTOR when it was done there. So many similar things happening all over again especially bioware being so out of sorts internally that I wouldn't be shocked if in the next while we hear that is the direction they are going.

[Baconeggcheese]

While true, I could sure see bioware pitching it that it could really turn things around just like it did for SWTOR when it was done there. So many similar things happening all over again especially bioware being so out of sorts internally that I wouldn't be shocked if in the next while we hear that is the direction they are going.

Did it really help Swtor? I honestly didn't keep up, as soon as they announced F2P my guild instantly dissolved and that was after I went through the excruciating process of finding a good guild on a new MMO at which point I bailed. I miss that game, was genuinely fun for the story if nothing.

My understanding was Swtor ended up being very much still a sub based game but you could basically free trial it for as long as you wanted as their "F2P" model.

[zealo]

F2P doesn't magically fix things. Just like at Wildstar.

It can however cause a new influx of players to check the game out that otherwise would not have, if they relaunch as F2P after spending some time hunkering down reworking issues, fixing bugs, and adding more content.

The question is more whether EA will keep funding development for that to happen, or whether they'll decide to just cut their loses and shut it down entirely, if player numbers drop so low the matchmaking feature doesn't work at all.

[SirCowdog]

Did it really help Swtor? I honestly didn't keep up, as soon as they announced F2P my guild instantly dissolved and that was after I went through the excruciating process of finding a good guild on a new MMO at which point I bailed. I miss that game, was genuinely fun for the story if nothing.

My understanding was Swtor ended up being very much still a sub based game but you could basically free trial it for as long as you wanted as their "F2P" model.

Yes....and no.

You could play the entire story of SWTOR as though it was a single player game and have a pretty enjoyable experience, assuming you could handle the idiotic levels of restrictions on a F2P account. And considering how the story was the best part of that game, it was a decent option.

But the moment you wanted to group up, use mail, play dungeons, PVP, or use any other MMO feature...total and complete garbage unless yoi had a subscription.

Bit apparently it worked, because SWTOR is still around, amd it's released several expansions, with a new one releasing soon.

[Fkiolaris]

Yes....and no.

You could play the entire story of SWTOR as though it was a single player game and have a pretty enjoyable experience, assuming you could handle the idiotic levels of restrictions on a F2P account. And considering how the story was the best part of that game, it was a decent option.

But the moment you wanted to group up, use mail, play dungeons, PVP, or use any other MMO feature...total and complete garbage unless yoi had a subscription.

Bit apparently it worked, because SWTOR is still around, amd it's released several expansions, with a new one releasing soon.

Let's just be honest here and call things by their name: SWTOR survived because it's Star Wars and that franchise has the biggest by far whales following it. Last time I played it a bit seriously, about 3-4 years ago, in both my Rep and Imp guilds I had multiple people having discussions about what to buy for the SECOND time from the shop because they literally bought everything. Now I never bothered with the shop and I don't don't if that can be true (I was under the impression that some drops were RNG from crates, but I might be wrong), but even buying everything once was a ton of money and they were going for a second round!

So yes, going F2P technically saved SWTOR, but in reality what saved it was opening a shop for the whales to endlessly throw money at the game. Otherwise, their F2P model is pretty dire and has not helped them at all in terms of retaining gamers rather than whales (hence now we are at 1 server only per region)

[SirCowdog]

Let's just be honest here and call things by their name: SWTOR survived because it's Star Wars and that franchise has the biggest by far whales following it. Last time I played it a bit seriously, about 3-4 years ago, in both my Rep and Imp guilds I had multiple people having discussions about what to buy for the SECOND time from the shop because they literally bought everything. Now I never bothered with the shop and I don't don't if that can be true (I was under the impression that some drops were RNG from crates, but I might be wrong), but even buying everything once was a ton of money and they were going for a second round!

So yes, going F2P technically saved SWTOR, but in reality what saved it was opening a shop for the whales to endlessly throw money at the game. Otherwise, their F2P model is pretty dire and has not helped them at all in terms of retaining gamers rather than whales (hence now we are at 1 server only per region)

I don't necessarily know how true that is. While SWTORs F2P model is the worst in the industry, all it took was a single month of sub or buying a single expansion to mitigate a lot of the F2P drawbacks. And as I said: The game had the best single player story of any MMO, and beat many singleplayer titles too.

Anthem doesn't have that. Amthem doesn't have anything to offer, really. So going F2P won't do anything for it.

[Yriel]

The fact that the reddit is now trying to organise games because matchmakings that dead made me think how beat for beat this is Battleborn all over again thus far.

I wouldn't really trust reddit. You could see that with the forbes article. A guy on reddit writes that he has problems finding gm3 groups, the forbes hack reads thats, writes an "article" out of that thread and now the same guys on reddit cite the forbes "article" as proof that they are right. It's a circlejerk.

Atleast in my experience on PC i find instant full groups all time of day for all activities on (mainly) gm1 and gm2. I wouldn't be surprised if there are problems with gm3. Since legendaries don't drop noticably more often on gm2 and gm3 than on gm1 and gm1 is much faster and much more fun i can't imagine why people would even play gm2 and gm3.
Enemies become horribly bullet-spongey, weapons and abilites are almost useless, everything has to be done with combos and if you don't have a good combo setup in your group you are screwed. Plus you die Division-Level fast. It's just unfun for no noticeable benefit.

Plus the load-in system is not really well done in Anthem (what surprise, i know), you sometimes start alone in a group and the rest of the people is only shown a few seconds later when they (i guess) finished the loading screen. But every group i was alone or with only one other filled up in seconds. So you shouldn't insta-quit if you find yourself alone.

[Fkiolaris]

I don't necessarily know how true that is. While SWTORs F2P model is the worst in the industry, all it took was a single month of sub or buying a single expansion to mitigate a lot of the F2P drawbacks. And as I said: The game had the best single player story of any MMO, and beat many singleplayer titles too.

Anthem doesn't have that. Amthem doesn't have anything to offer, really. So going F2P won't do anything for it.

I wouldn't know about that because I don't play Anthem. My comment was all about SWTOR, their F2P transition and whether it saved them and why.

I accept what you say about people coming back to sub for a month to get the expansion, but a) I really don't believe that it's much money in the grand scheme of things and b) there is uncertainty it will be the case with the new expansion, as it seems you will only have access with an active sub (it is NOT confirmed yet).

Finally, I would argue that other MMOs have laid a very robust challenge on the"best single player story" aspect, notably TSW (or SWL) and ESO.

[SirCowdog]

I wouldn't know about that because I don't play Anthem. My comment was all about SWTOR, their F2P transition and whether it saved them and why.

I accept what you say about people coming back to sub for a month to get the expansion, but a) I really don't believe that it's much money in the grand scheme of things and b) there is uncertainty it will be the case with the new expansion, as it seems you will only have access with an active sub (it is NOT confirmed yet).

Finally, I would argue that other MMOs have laid a very robust challenge on the"best single player story" aspect, notably TSW (or SWL) and ESO.

I brought up Anthem because that's the thread topic.

And I've played both the Secret World and ESO. Both have....ok stories. But neither is presented as well or with as high quality as SWTOR. Granted, that's talking about the base game and maybe the expansion about Revan. The rest is meh.

[Fkiolaris]

I brought up Anthem because that's the thread topic.

And I've played both the Secret World and ESO. Both have....ok stories. But neither is presented as well or with as high quality as SWTOR. Granted, that's talking about the base game and maybe the expansion about Revan. The rest is meh.

I appreciate that and I wasn't trying to antagonise, more to present my view on SWTOR and its F2P so that people don't get their hopes too high up that "bioware did it before (save a game with a F2P re-launch) so they can/should do it again". That's all.

On the story aspect we can agree to disagree, that's just our own personal and subjective opinion.

[quras]

Did it really help Swtor? I honestly didn't keep up, as soon as they announced F2P my guild instantly dissolved and that was after I went through the excruciating process of finding a good guild on a new MMO at which point I bailed. I miss that game, was genuinely fun for the story if nothing.

My understanding was Swtor ended up being very much still a sub based game but you could basically free trial it for as long as you wanted as their "F2P" model.

Honestly it did. It was the singular move that actually saved SWTOr from very likely being shutdown. It's crazy as I ook back at swtor and it's problems and how similar they are to anthem. Bad game engine, a multitude of bugs, poor management, so little content and bioware at the end of all that without a damn clue at just how fast MMO gamers (or any gamer really) can consume content.

All that was going on and swtor was dying so fast it went F2P faser than any other game I can think of save one. Their F2P move saved swtor and thats not a streatch to put so much weight on that phrase.

SWTOR still a sub based game at its heart and that of course is how bioware pushes you with credit limits and what-not. However, I've done the whole F2P thing to see how good or bad it is and you can play the best part of swtor and never pay a dime and the restrictions that are their don't really hinder you all that much leveling as long as you realize it's not designed to support you anywhere near end game. If you strayedto far outside of the 8 class stories, you felt the pinch of the restrictions and it got worse the higher level you got as you wanted to do more and more. F2P is for those 8 class stories only. More than that and the restrictions really start to show themselves.

But, F2P really did save swtor.

Just thinking about it, I wouldn't be shocked at all to find out bioware is now pitching that idea as a way to save anthem and get it back on track to something thats more profitable. So much damage has been done at this point that I'm sold on the idea that something big will have to happen to turn things around. A FF14 relaunch isn't going to happen but a F2P move with a branded relaunch might be enough if they can fix their major issues before that re-branded launch.

It's a bit of a crazy guess but at this point I'm not sure bioware has much to lose if they went that route.