You need to change your business model. This pay per month to play thing is simply bad. It was a shock when the game launched and still leaves a sour taste in the present day. Plenty of other games make do without this monthly daylight robbery. When you release new content SELL it to the customer. Right now the customer pays monthly to use something they already paid for once. They also pay monthly for the vague hope that you add something extra that they will want.

$15 a month is nothing. Most people pay more then that per month for only a couple of hours of entertainment. Pay to play is absolutely fine.

Shocked about a subscription fee? Well, maybe you were shocked. I wasn't shocked when it had a subscription at launch. Most MMOs I've played have had monthly subscription fees. I also don't have a problem paying a monthly fee to support a game I enjoy and $15 per month (or less if you subscribe for a longer period all at once) really isn't a huge amount to me so ... /shrug.

Well. Let's analyse this, SWTOR subscription already unlocks you all the expansions... even after your sub time runs out therefore not having to pay twice... what's this thread about again

You need to change your business model. This pay per month to play thing is simply bad. It was a shock when the game launched and still leaves a sour taste in the present day. Plenty of other games make do without this monthly daylight robbery. When you release new content SELL it to the customer. Right now the customer pays monthly to use something they already paid for once. They also pay monthly for the vague hope that you add something extra that they will want.

 

Your suggestion is that this game should be 100% F2P, but everytime they add new content, people have to pay for it?

 

In this business model, Swtor would be dead already, because - as you may or may not have noticed - making new content to play is not the biggest strength of the current BW Austin company. They would have gone bankrupt longtime ago with your approach.

OP, if you are going to post in a public forum then you have absolutely no right to say who a post is or is not for ... or even who may or may not reply. The forum is available to all subscribers (of which you are apparently one or at least have days off someone's referral link) to view and comment in. If you only wanted the devs to see your suggestions you should have PM'd Keith or Eric directly.

 

Something tells me if people had agreed with you, you would have been completely fine with their replies.

This pay per month to play thing is simply bad. It was a shock when the game launched and still leaves a sour taste in the present day.

 

Why would this have been a shock to you? When this game launched, buying the game and then subscribing was THE standard business model for MMOs. (Paying separately for expansions was also part of the standard business model at the time.) Alternate freemium models didn't gain traction in the MMO landscape until later.

IMHO:

1. There is no such thing as F2P.. Everyone PAYS one way or another.

2. Subscriptions are without question the most cost affective means of playing ANY MMO.

3. The current business model is just fine.

4. If the fee for monthly subs went to $18 - 20 a month (cost adjustments for increase in salaries over the last 15 years ) would not be the least bit surprising.

 

Before someone goes thermal please note:

That MANY companies have charged $15 a month subscriptions for well over a decade with additional charges for expansions. This is also a normal practice and totally within reason. If you look at the cost of living increases (including the recent increase of minimum wages in the US which also directly affects what everyone else gets paid ... then it is logical to conclued that a price increase in inevitiable.

 

SWTOR like any other business needs to turn a profit and answers to a board of directors. The staff of SWTOR is considerable in number and more responsibilities than just that of this game.

 

I support their overall business model. None of us know enough of ALL of the board members, staffing or investment stratagies to make criticism or judgements on too much more than the overall game and how the consumer view that product.

 

( This is just my personal opinion.) Now if you will excuse me I need to slip into my flame retardent suit !

Before someone goes thermal please note:

That MANY companies have charged $15 a month subscriptions for well over a decade with additional charges for expansions. This is also a normal practice and totally within reason. If you look at the cost of living increases (including the recent increase of minimum wages in the US which also directly affects what everyone else gets paid ... then it is logical to conclued that a price increase in inevitiable.

 

SWTOR like any other business needs to turn a profit and answers to a board of directors. The staff of SWTOR is considerable in number and more responsibilities than just that of this game.

 

 

( This is just my personal opinion.) Now if you will excuse me I need to slip into my flame retardent suit !

Over a decade ago, less games were competing for their share of the market. When the cost of living goes up, that doesn't necessarily mean the cost of non-necessities should follow. If anything, that means people may have less income to spend on entertainment after paying their bills. So, in this case, game companies have to find ways to cut costs without raising prices. I'm pretty sure that's what we have seen .

 

It makes sense for the current model to continue. But any price increase would probably signal the end for a game that is struggling to keep long-time subscribers. 10 years ago, this game engine might have made sense. Today, it's limiting people's MMO experience as most SWTOR players are limited by the game engine and not their PC's specs. You simply can't charge more, IMO, for this experience.

Suggestion for those left in Charge

 

I was just laughing -- what if whenever we didn't have a gold post in the forums from the project lead for 28 days the game project lead rolled over to someone else?

Edited March 18, 2019 by xordevoreaux

Over a decade ago, less games were competing for their share of the market. When the cost of living goes up, that doesn't necessarily mean the cost of non-necessities should follow. If anything, that means people may have less income to spend on entertainment after paying their bills. So, in this case, game companies have to find ways to cut costs without raising prices. I'm pretty sure that's what we have seen .

 

It makes sense for the current model to continue. But any price increase would probably signal the end for a game that is struggling to keep long-time subscribers. 10 years ago, this game engine might have made sense. Today, it's limiting people's MMO experience as most SWTOR players are limited by the game engine and not their PC's specs. You simply can't charge more, IMO, for this experience.

 

Could be some truth to this ... just one of those things where a really good study by folks who know the industry could and probably SHOULD look at closely. I don't take your response negativly at all. Discussing something like this always requires looking at ALL sides of the matter.

I wouldn't discontinue the F2P model that SWTOR is using right now ... just look at subs... and what changes (if any) might be in the future.

 

The bottom line should be less corners cut .. better quality and stories and a happier consumer. The rest will follow.

And if there is a slight price increase to get there .. so be it!

Edited March 19, 2019 by OlBuzzard

Nah ...too tired of F2P games. Eventually you pay literally thousands or can't play competitive.

Monthly required sub is pretty ok.

Actually, I don't play F2P any more at all, I just buy games in steam and play singles instead.

 

Basically we pay rent fee of servers + men power to make it work. F2P is game killer. It does initial spike, then... nobody wants to buy just new looks, then devs must force inconveniences, then it breaks balance, etc. etc.

LoL so 15 euro is much for u? So you want f2p? And 450 coins to be 20 euro as f2p?

 

This game deserve a sub, and maybe game engine upgrade. Dude get a job.

LoL so 15 euro is much for u? So you want f2p? And 450 coins to be 20 euro as f2p?

 

This game deserve a sub, and maybe game engine upgrade. Dude get a job.

 

agreed !