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richardhutnik on 16 June 2012
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UnitSmiley said:
richardhutnik said:

Two factors are at work here (well more than two, but I will add this second to here).  There is the desire of companies to push people into a subscription model, so they get an ongoing regular revenue stream, and not the pay once after it gets out the door, and people then own a license for content where they can transfer it.  The other factor is the market reality of too much content, which is pushing PC gaming into a place, based on what you had with app costs, where it is hard to get anyone to pay for anything.  Between these two realities, you do see MMOs being pushed into a free model, where once they get you hooked, you then either get micropayment'd to death, or you then sign up for a subscription.  These two realities are at work.  In the case where the platform is controlled really tight, like with consoles, companies will be pushing a subscription model, to get regular revenue.  When faced with an open platform, like the Internet, they are forced to go micropayment, and have players play later.

In both cases, the subscription and FP2 now, the idea is to get players into a place where you keep extracting money from them on an ongoing basis so they keep paying to play, and you keep you developers funded.  Whatever they charge will be whatever they can get away with and what the market can bear.

Ah I see, so you are saying that the console market and pc markets are different. Which means that the method of exctacting money from the player may differ, but that the goal is still the same.

But even with the consoles. Nintendos online (however basic it is) is free. Sonys online is free (not REQUIRED to have PS+ to play games online) and only Microsofts online is requiring the player to pay to be able to play games online.

I agree that markets between PC and consoles may be slightly different, but most MMOs are going F2P (with the option of spending cash on microtransactions, it isn't required) and 2/3 consoles online services are also F2P. I'd say that the industry as a whole (games in general) are moving towards a F2P platform and any subscription fee added wouldn't be a necessity, but rather paying for "extra" services much like PS+

An industry is such they will push for as much as the market can bear, and get people to buy into it.  Market realities force them to do differently, and find end arounds.  You are going to see, for example, Microsoft very likely getting the XBox platform to be their platform for gaming on the PC and still try to get people to have to sign up for XBox LIve Gold to play. The makers of content want to get the ongoing coin, and revenues.  They will fight wherever they can to lock things down.  It all depends on hwo much or little control they have over the market.  F2P is what the market forces them into, not what they want.  Heck they certainly don't want it.  As a game designer, I don't want it either, but market dictates this.  And in light of the market, you try to make things work.

The original post goes back to where the industry wants to push things, and will, if they can get away with it.