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Trials of Ascension gives pay model details... sort of
Trials of Ascension has announced some -- but not all -- of the details of its pay model, which will be primarily buy-to-play with an optional subscription. In a new post, Forged Chaos outlines some of the preliminary details of its pay model, although the developer allows for enough wiggle room in case of changed minds. As it stands, Trials of Ascension will be playable as a one-time purchase, although adding on a monthly subscription (30 days of which is included in the box) opens up more races, the discovery of innovations, and the ability to be a lord, lady, king, or queen. The team is also "considering" a skill cap for non-subbers. A loyalty program will reward faithful subscribers with fun goodies like a treasure map and t-shirt. There will be other ways for you to spend some dough in Trials of Ascension, including purchasing Writs of Time, acquiring permanent race access, and making a custom crest. [Thanks to Android for the tip!]
The Soapbox: No, 'we' don't hate the subscription model
If you're a casual reader of Massively and read a post or two from a few writers about business models, then you might get the impression that the Massively staff does not like the subscription model. While it's true that some of us praise some games for the choices their publishers have made regarding pricing models, others of us believe still other games have missed the mark. Lately, the subscription model has fallen under some hard scrutiny, but that doesn't mean that all of us dislike the subscription model completely, nor should a few writers' opinions be misconstrued as the opinion of the site as a whole, as if the site were some sentient thing to begin with. Economists have made extremely persuasive arguments in favor of the subscription model, citing its cost-effectiveness with hard numbers and statistics. We've also seen free-to-play and buy-to-play models allowing companies to revitalize their game, and most importantly for the people employed by the developer, doubling and sometimes tripling their revenue. So at what point does the subscription work?
Guild Wars 2's Nightmares Within release takes toxic cleanup seriously
The Nightmare tower will be assaulted head-on in the next Guild Wars 2 content release, and players get to disregard the lessons taught by every horror movie ever and step inside. What do you mean, Marjory Delaqua already sent a team in and they didn't come back? Pfft, they were probably amateurs. You can handle it. Players who storm the tower can unlock a nifty gas mask skin that can be applied to any head armor, as well as a version of the standard underwater breather to wear on dry land. Other rewards include a toxic spore backpack skin and two Toxic Krait miniatures, but you can only access them if you come back...alive. To top things off, ArenaNet is hosting a Rock the Nightmare music video contest. Break out your best editing skills to create a one-minute video for the song "The Nightmares Within," which can be found on ArenaNet's Soundcloud, and you could win a 3D-printed GW2 guitar or some SteelSeries gaming gear! Nightmares Within will go live on November 12th.
WildStar's Gaffney on why the game isn't free-to-play
It's not enough any longer to simply say that your game is launching with a subscription when one considers that the past several years have seen free-to-play rise like a rocket approaching escape velocity. WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney recently took the opportunity to explain a little more about why the upcoming game decided to go with a subscription-based model (with added wrinkles) by explaining that he doesn't see free-to-play as a "magic bullet" for all games. Gaffney explains that from the developer's standpoint, having a free-to-play model involves having a small number of players paying for most of the population, which makes the experience far more variable and unsteady. He also notes that free players have a very different experience from those who play, one that often removes the incentive to pay money in the first place. The game's stated business model requires a monthly subscription, which can be paid for via in-game money on an open marketplace.
Tamriel Infinium: Four alternative payment models for The Elder Scrolls Online
I don't blame fans for the backlash against the Elder Scrolls Online's proposed business model. But I still believe there is a place in the MMO industry for subscriptions. Traditional MMOs and even games like WildStar, which has less-than-traditional MMO mechanics but sports a more traditional MMO theme, can certainly support a monthly subscription. So why does a subscription feel so wrong for ESO? First, players are tired of subscriptions, and for most people, a sub means they can play only one or maybe two games in any given month. Many players prefer variety instead. Second, ESO developers have already suggested that the game is less an MMO and more a multiplayer Elder Scrolls game. This in and of itself suggests that the game will not fall under the traditional constraints of an MMORPG and will operate more like a single-player game even though the model feels like an MMORPG model to my wallet. In last week's Tamriel Inifinium, I talked a lot about why I thought the subscription model was completely wrong for this Elder Scrolls game, so I don't want to rehash that discussion this week. Instead, let's dream about alternative payment models that might have worked instead.
Hands-on: Infestation: Survivor Stories, aka War Z, is worse than actually being killed by zombies
If there's one thing we know about the games industry, it's that no success goes uncopied. World of Warcraft breaks a million subscribers, everyone starts building WoW-like MMOs. Minecraft showers its creator with enough money to buy his home country, voxel-based crafting games fall like rain. It's just how things go. It should come as no surprise, then, that some studio somewhere would attempt to piggyback on the success of DayZ, Dean Hall's ridiculously popular mod for Arma II. The title, which drops players into a dangerous, zombie-filled open world and challenges them to survive, resonated so immensely with gamers that a clone wasn't so much probable as it was inevitable. But Infestation: Survivor Stories, formerly known as The War Z, is more than just a clone of DayZ. It is a charmless, cynical, and craven rip-off packaged with one of the most sinister microtransaction models ever implemented into a game, and it's developed by a company that has on multiple occasions proven itself to be only shades away from a dedicated fraud factory.
Leaderboard: Which game's business model do you like best?
I was doing a little hard drive housecleaning yesterday, and I couldn't help but notice all of the different MMOs currently installed on my gaming machine. With few exceptions, the business models for all these titles are some form of free-to-play, freemium, or weird hybrid that requires a conversion matrix and an advanced STEM degree to decipher. As I was patching -- and, in some cases, uninstalling -- I couldn't help but compare and contrast all the different business model flavors, and I figured that such an exercise would make for a serviceable Leaderboard. So, head past the break to vote for your favorite MMO business model. If yours isn't listed, share it in the comments! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Lost Continent: ArcheAge needs a business model, too
Massively's Eliot Lefebvre recently speculated on what WildStar's business model might look like, and even if you're not a huge fan of the upcoming sci-fantasy opus, it's worth a read. It's also a column topic worth stealing, and I'm going to do just that this week and apply it to ArcheAge. Like WildStar, ArcheAge is largely an enigma when it comes to its western business model. Unlike Carbine, though, Trion Worlds -- AA's western publisher -- has plenty of experience with all three of the major MMO models currently in use.
The War Z now known as Infestation: Survivor Stories
Remember The War Z? Hammerpoint Interactive is hoping that you don't, at least when it comes to the game's checkered development and customer service history that includes being temporarily pulled from Steam and suffering a major security breach. At any rate, the firm is looking for a fresh start and has changed the zombie MMO's name to Infestation: Survivor Stories. The War Z's original URL now automatically redirects users to a rebranded website. [Thanks Paul!]
Catapult your friends and foes with Forge's new Tinker character
Are you looking for a new character to play in Dark Vale's Forge PvP title? Look no further than Tinker, who is the game's next piece of free DLC. Tinker is available in the live game starting today, and Dark Vale has posted some teaser info -- including three gameplay videos -- on Forge's official forums. You can also get a load of Tinker's cata pad, armored booth, barricade, buzz saw, turret, and more via the clips that we've embedded just past the break.
Get some Defiance DLC with a side of free updates
Now that Defiance is live and has gone through the usual slew of launch-day messes, it's time for the developers to start thinking about the future. That means DLC. The latest development blog explains both what the team is doing to address the game's issues and how DLC will be released in a tiered system, with every major DLC update containing upgrades to the cash shop, a paid DLC component, and a free update for everyone. The first DLC is already en route, and its $10 paid component allows players to make a Castithan character, access a unique storyline, and gain some special vehicles and outfits. Even if you don't pay for the DLC, you'll have access to new Castithan Blades, and a new open world game mode called Siege, and can earn new Charge Weapons. The game's store, meanwhile, will allow you to tint your Castithan Blades, buy new lockboxes or vehicles, and re-customize your character. There's a little something for everyone playing the game, and that's the ultimate goal.
First Impressions: Forge
When I first picked up Forge on Steam back in the day (when it first hit the Greenlight service), I was hesitant to say the least. The last time I played any sort of game billed as a class-based PvP arena, it was FURY (does anyone else remember that?) and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic before that. To say those games were less-than-stellar would be a bit of an understatement. Despite my trepidation, I still snagged the game since it was fairly cheap and I felt there was at least a good deal of potential for it to finally do justice to the concept. Unfortunately, Forge ended up being released far too early because of (as I understand it) a lack of funds, so many of the advertised features (such as a ranking system, matchmaking, and so forth) were conspicuously absent. So I figured I'd put it on the backburner and check it out once it had received some much-needed polish. So of course I was pretty pleased when Dark Vale Games announced that Forge had been "re-released" with many of the missing features in tow, but my initial worries about the game were far from assuaged, and I figured it would just be FURY 2: Electric Boogaloo. But man, do I love being proven wrong.
Chaos Theory: Top reasons to check out The Secret World today
A league of its own. No, I'm not talking about a 1992 baseball movie; I'm talking about Funcom's most recent addition to the MMO-verse, The Secret World (which ironically launched exactly 20 years and a day after the release of the movie. Coincidence? You never know when this game's involved!). In a landscape awash with clones, The Secret World brings something unique to the table. Instead of the standard fantasy or sci-fi flavored whack-a-mole themepark, TSW is a horror- and conspiracy-laden game set right in our own real world. It's not just that the game's mold-breaking gene that sets it apart, either. The fact is there are a number of reasons you should load in and experience this game if you haven't already, and there are plenty of reasons to come back if you have drifted away. From unique features to a distinctive level of immersion to an unprecedented update schedule, TSW is definitely a keeper. In short, it's well worth the time to check out. And now that it is possible for anyone to continue her adventures without a monthly commitment, what are you waiting for?
The Secret World officially abolishes subscriptions [Updated]
Joel Bylos' first End of Days video log hinted at it (if you call busting into a conference room hinting!), and now it is official: The Secret World is permanently removing subscriptions from the equation. Some of you are undoubtedly exclaiming, "I knew it!" but all of you may be wondering what that means for you. Here's the scoop. Funcom's new payment model for TSW is buy-to-play with three membership tiers: free, member, and grand master. After purchasing the game itself, folks can play indefinitely without any additional fees, or they can opt to purchase monthly memberships that provide special bonuses. Players who already have or purchase the grandmaster package maintain their lifetime membership and receive additional bonuses. Gamers will be glad to know that the conversion will not introduce any restrictions to the game's current content; free players will have full access to every aspect of issues #1 - 4, including weapons, dungeons, and missions. But what of future content? TSW will continue to receive regular patches of free content, just not at the volume of previous issues. More content will be also available periodically through downloadable content packs (DLCs) in the in-game store. Issue #5 DLC, coming soon, will be free to all accounts registered as of the end of December. Players opting to maintain a membership will get an XP bonus item, 1,200 bonus points monthly, a special monthly gift, and a 10% discount in the in-game store. Grand masters will receive all that plus another 10% off store purchases. Both members and grand masters can use their free monthly bonus points to purchase DLC. Folks who purchased the initiate pack previously will be reimbursed 1800 bonus points, and all remaining subscription time will be converted to membership time. For more information, you can check out the official FAQ. And catch the new trailer after the break! [Updated with Pay Once, Play Forever trailer] [Source: Funcom press release]
Star Citizen crowdsourcing moves to Kickstarter
Are you excited about Chris Roberts' Star Citizen project? Get in line, space jockey: Roberts said that "overwhelming response" to the proposed space sim ended up crashing the game's site. As a result, he launched a Kickstarter campaign to continue raising funds for the game. The good news for interested parties is that the game is already halfway to its fundraising goal, as one out of two million dollars has been raised through pledges. The Star Citizen Kickstarter is attempting to pull in $500,000 by November 19th. For his part, Roberts is bowled over: "It's a testament to the will power of our amazing fans. At a time when most would have given up, some dedicated fans kept trying to log on and eventually were able to get through and make a pledge. We appreciate all those efforts, and now with Kickstarter, we believe we have an answer for everyone." [Source: Cloud Imperium press release]
Ask Massively: Rules, sources, and buy-to-play MMOs
There are 4,001 words in the Massively style guide. The abbreviated version of the style guide. And that's without counting a few hundred emails detailing other rules that our writers must follow, plus English grammar and syntax, plus hand-me-downs from Captain Joystiq and peevish precepts imposed by a mean ol' editor-in-chief. Rules help us deliver a consistent product to you, the readership, and when we don't, you notice. Gamers follow a set of rules, too, when it comes to judging games. Indie games are judged less harshly than blockbuster developers. Overhyped games are held to a higher standard. Games with subs are cut less slack than freemium titles. You might not have codified all these little rules into a 4,001-word document, but they're rattling around your brain making decisions for you all the same. So let's talk about rules and how they apply to Massively's sources and buy-to-play MMOs like Guild Wars 2.
Star Citizen FAQ outlines modding, micropayments, hardware requirements
If you're looking forward to Chris Roberts' new Star Citizen title, you'd best be saving your pennies for a PC upgrade. Much like Roberts' 1990s-era Wing Commander series, the new game will push the limits of your hardware, this time courtesy of the CryEngine 3. The space combat sim's website has updated with a new FAQ that outlines the game's projected system requirements (it recommends an i7 CPU and a GTX 670 or better graphics card, but keep in mind that launch day is two years away). The FAQ also mentions Star Citizen's modding philosophy and its payment model. Modding is encouraged, as Roberts says that players are free to tweak the game however they wish on private servers. The devs also "hope to institute a mod approval process that will allow the best of the best player-created ships and other additions to be integrated into the central persistent world as well," according to the FAQ. In terms of payments, you'll need to buy the game initially and that's basically it. There will be no monthly fee, though "some in-game items may be available as microtransactions." Unlike most free-to-play titles, Star Citizen's cash shop "will never sell anything that can't be acquired through honest (and fun!) gameplay."
The Daily Grind: Would you be as excited for Guild Wars 2 if it were a subscription game?
At the risk of sounding like a heretic, I've never gotten into Guild Wars (or the hype surrounding its forthcoming sequel). That's not to say they're bad games at all; on the contrary, I've always been intrigued by some of the things they bring to the genre. In looking over the feature set for Guild Wars 2 and reading Massively's extensive coverage, I see a few interesting nuggets as well as some other stuff that sounds familiar. This doesn't jibe with the unabashed optimism and explosions of fan joy that accompany just about every ArenaNet reveal, though, and I'm left wondering what I'm missing. The elephant in the room would appear to be the game's business model, and the pay-once/play-forever system is appealing. Is it the main appeal, though, or is it a combination of the game's depth coupled with this business model? Put another way, would you be as excited for GW2 if you had to pay a monthly sub to play it? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Anvil of Crom: Would F2P solve the population problem?
Howdy folks, and welcome back to another installment of The Anvil of Crom. This week I'll be taking a short break from reporting on my CMA activities. I took a bit of an impromptu vacation last week and as a result didn't get to play Oakarm much at all. He's still hanging out in his mid-30s, looking for dungeon groups, and training me on those pesky melee combos, so look for more on that tangent in the weeks to come. Today I'd like to indulge in some speculation regarding a potentially free-to-play Age of Conan. I know, I know, I've talked about this on multiple occasions before, but a recent conversation I had with a buddy (and former AoC subscriber) got me to thinking seriously about the pros and cons. Hi-Rez Studios' recent announcement of its Global Agenda F2P re-configuration also factored into my choice of column topics this week since I made extensive use of GA as an example last time. Anyhow, hop over the cut and let's chat about it.
