Study: Gamers not interested in MMO subscriptions
by Ross Miller 
{ Jul 24th 2008 at 9:44AM }
Another part of the study found that, of the non-MMO players polled, 14% would be interested to play if they could play for free, whereas only 2% of that group was interested in subscription-based MMOs. As we always caution, studies generally aren't worth more than the pixels they're displayed on (unless it's a nice monitor, then they're probably worth less). In a recent polling at Joystiq HQ, games that are "free to play" were also seven times more likely to grab our attention than games that weren't free.
Said Director of Broadband and Gaming Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai: "World of Warcraft, with over 10 million players, exceeded expectations for subscription-based MMORPGs, but it's unlikely any other publishers will achieve the same in the near term using a subscription model." Of course, that's kind of a no-brainer even for WoW's competitors.
[Via Eurogamer]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
McWeen @ Jul 24th 2008 9:52AM
Isn't paying for extra/faster loot the Korean model for MMO's and other online games? I used to play Gunbound (a MMO Worms clone) and you played for free but could pay for better items if you wanted.
It really only works if they are real micro-transactions, 25 cents to a dollar per item, not pay $10 and get more crap a month.
sinai @ Jul 24th 2008 12:02PM
^^ and that is why gaming culture is so prevalent in korea.
most "casual players" aren't interested in spending $15/mo. that $15/mo is what separates us normal people from those daylight-hating, /pizza-ordering virgins.
BananaBoat @ Jul 24th 2008 1:39PM
The Korean MMO model differs depending on which game you look at. Personally I love the model where EVERYTHING is free BUT shiny clothes/mounts/equipment etc. You don't get any gameplay advantage for paying, but you do get shiny crap that makes you feel important (I have no idea why). Gunbound doesn't really fit, because I used to play and I got all the devil wings, burning wings, bazookas and samurai outfits that the game had to offer, without ever paying a dime.
On the flip side is the model where you pay for weapon upgrades, things that help you in battle, etc. The worst offended I can think of is probably the game Mabinogi. You can play for free, but if you want to do the main story, you've got to pay. To level your character, you've got to pay. Basically if you want to do anything but stand around and use the game as a chat room, you've got to pay. It's a horrible model that could only possibly work in Korea. (It's probably working in the US as we speak. They don't release numbers, so I have no idea)
I'm not an MMORPG player, but I'm absolutely into the subscription model. I like paying Microsoft 50 bucks a year, and knowing that it gets me Demos, Online Play, Netflix (soon baby...soon), the best online experience on a console, etc. I'd gladly pay Sony and Nintendo, if only they'd start similar services (or in Nintendo's case, actually put out some decent online games). I'm fine with paying for nice things, and I absolutely hate getting horrible, yet free things (I'm looking at you, friend codes)
Ben @ Jul 24th 2008 9:55AM
Hold up, is this article trying to say people prefer free stuff rather than stuff they have to pay for? Poppycock!
FOXHOUND @ Jul 24th 2008 9:58AM
Hmm... pay for expensive gasoline to fuel my car for the drive to work to pay for the MMO subscriptions... or use that money toward the SWORD OF AWESOMENESS with +10 damage modifier?
Decisions, decisions. :d
mr mobius @ Jul 24th 2008 11:22AM
That's really a no-brainer.
The sword of awesomeness every time. Lets face it you'll be more environmentally friendly and you'll not have time for a job anyway once you get the sword of awesomeness because you'll want to play the MMO so much.
j.howlett @ Jul 24th 2008 12:51PM
no, someone who post here said they'd happily pay 4 times what they pay for live now when i or someone else tried to explain that the pc has done the same for free
RanWitScissorz @ Jul 24th 2008 9:57AM
Honestly, if the game can hold my attention as much as certain MMORPGs have done in the past, for months at a time for several hours a day, $15 a month is a pennance compared to paying $60 for a 12 hour one time run through on another game. The only people that would complain about it in the same situation are those who find $15 to be the equivilant of their monthly allowance.
Jamesonite @ Jul 24th 2008 10:08AM
I disagree, while most MMO's lose me to boredom I often feel subscription is an obligation to play (and I don't always have the time to commit). I Beta tested WoW and was bored, I did last about 18 months with Guild Wars though. Anyhow I was under the impression many MMO's required a $50 retail box plus subscription fees that is about $215 a year for one game.
Jacksons @ Jul 24th 2008 10:59AM
-Jamesonite
That sense of obligation is why I'll never play a subscription game again.
RanWitScissorz @ Jul 24th 2008 11:20AM
$15 is chump change. If the game is good and continues entertainment, to me, $15 is a well made purchase.
mr mobius @ Jul 24th 2008 11:25AM
Runescape had the model of having f2p and then having a huge p2p as well. It was a great model because it meant it was accessable with no decision making at the time and then if, after any length of time, I wanted to get p2p, I could subscribe on a monthly basis. It was a game with terrible graphics but it wasn't terrible for a browser based MMORPG of four years ago.
Farseer (GDI) @ Jul 24th 2008 12:27PM
So is the $15 your penance for neglecting other duties while playing the MMO?
Or were you thinking more along the lines of a pittance... ;)
Nadril @ Jul 24th 2008 9:57AM
This just in: people would rather play something for free.
Seriously, a study was needed for this?
Solid Chief @ Jul 24th 2008 10:06AM
http://uploads.ungrounded.net/357000/357557_acci.swf
=p
Duke @ Jul 24th 2008 9:58AM
Shocking. I always figured people enjoyd paying a fee to play a game that they also had to buy. This study has blown my entire view of reality. Next you will say people don't like late fees when they rent movies.
Wait, they don't? I call shenanigans!
Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Jul 24th 2008 9:58AM
Yeah but at the same time, it often comes down to this:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/5/11/disparities/
Blazur @ Jul 24th 2008 10:07AM
Nope, not one bit. I don't care how great a game is, if it incurs a monthly fee I'm not interested (I'm looking at you, unannounced Blizzard MMO).
Let's let Hellgate:London be the martyr for communicating this message.
Kevin @ Jul 24th 2008 10:26AM
MMOs I am/was interested in:
Shattered Galaxy
Earth and Beyond
Auto Assault
Guild Wars
Eve Online
World of Warcraft
Dungeon Runners
Tabula Rasa
Hellgate: London
Age of Conan
Warhammer Online
Mythos
Guild Wars 2
Of those, I have played Shattered Galaxy and Guild Wars. I intend (or was going) play Guild Wars 2 and Mythos. Notice that they're the only games on that list that are actually free to play. I can't get motivated to play DR or HG:L because if you actually want the full experience you have to pay.
This is one of the reasons I refuse to buy a 360 until XBL is free.
Ian @ Jul 24th 2008 10:45AM
Do you refuse to watch any TV until HBO and Showtime are Free?
XBox Live IS FREE. For a silver account. The only thing you can't do with a silver account is multi-player.
Marty @ Jul 24th 2008 11:02AM
Xbox Live = $4.17 a month / $50 a year
World of Warcraft = $14 a month / $168 a year
You can have XBL for the cost of one game per year. WoW costs more than 3. Neither are that much, but really - if you can't afford to shell out $50 a year for a great service, why are you blowing $4-500 on a console?
WiiFTW @ Jul 24th 2008 11:04AM
I'm sort of in the same boat.
I tried DR and it felt so biased to subscriptions (suppose they want to make lots of money)
I played Guild Wars, and I plan on getting GW2 as well.
On a related note, is Mythos screwed over because Flagship is in trouble? I kept hearing conflicting stories of them either living or dying as well as the Mythos IP going to a Korean company or staying with Flagship.
Kevin @ Jul 24th 2008 1:14PM
Ian: I live in Canada, HBO and Showtime are aired on Bravo and Showcase at later dates. The only reason I actually have cable is that my wife watches about 12 different TV series. I download Doctor Who, because it's not airing right now...
What the hell kind of argument is multiplayer is the only thing you're missing? It's the only worthwhile function of the service.
Marty: $50 and $168 are still more than $0. And, if you'll note, I did not spend $4-500 on a console, because of the tacked on $50/year to play multiplayer.
I'm at the point where I have to pick and choose which games I want to play due to lack of time. I don't want something that costs money which I'd feel guilty about not taking advantage of.
Marty @ Jul 24th 2008 3:10PM
Well... Guild Wars is fun then. I've played it, and while it isn't as in-depth as for-pay MMO's, it gets the job done.
Hope you can find a good free PC to play it on. :D
Kevin @ Jul 24th 2008 6:48PM
my pc cost $1700 to upgrade it about a month ago :P
Marty @ Jul 24th 2008 10:40AM
Gee, hardcore players don't mind fees, while casual gamers do? Who would have thought?
Seriously though - MMO games are not made for casual players, so the point seems moot, to me.
Durinthal @ Jul 24th 2008 10:46AM
I dislike microtransactions because they inevitably give an advantage to the people that are willing to spend more money, as opposed to subscription MMOGs where everyone is on an equal ground once they're in the game.
Maverick Saturn @ Jul 24th 2008 3:24PM
Its not that you don't work hard, but while I buy games as a way to destress, it doesnt mean I play them all the time, the Stereotype behind MMOs is there because it DOES consume a lot of your time, if you were paying £9 a month for WoW, I doubt you would play it rarely, otherwise you wouldn't spend that kind of money, its silly. You would be paying for something you don't play of a regular basis, and within 5 or so months you would have spent the equivalent of saving up to buy Gears of war, and what did that money get you? Level 20? A journey to Higanzan with your guild? A travel pet? A fight with boss monster number 32? ¬_¬
Maverick Saturn @ Jul 24th 2008 11:08AM
Took me a while to decide whether to buy XBL back at the purchase of my 360, but I eventually went with it and was rewarded with the options.
But who the hell wants to buy a game for $40+ and expansions, AND, AND WAIT FOR IT....PAY A RIDICULOUS PRICE EACH MONTH.
Heck for all that price, I could buy webhosting, a proffesional coder and probably even rent out a server, then I could start my own network website like Gamespot and become rich ¬_¬
I pity people who have cash to spend, I may have been able to afford PSP, 360, PS3 and a new laptop (I have a Wii but I didn't buy it), but I worked my ass off to get these, and now that I've bought them, apart from accessories and XBL I have nothing else to pay for except games, but all those extra expences for me or even a gamer with less cash to splash out then me is plain ridiculous, and what do you get from it?
Nine + months of your life wasted, cash wasted, no friends, nobody to talk to, no girlfriend and you have become a complete pilock who hates light.
Duke @ Jul 24th 2008 11:32AM
Beyond you listing your electronics, I am totally lost with this paragraph:
"I pity people who have cash to spend, I may have been able to afford PSP, 360, PS3 and a new laptop (I have a Wii but I didn't buy it), but I worked my ass off to get these, and now that I've bought them, apart from accessories and XBL I have nothing else to pay for except games, but all those extra expences for me or even a gamer with less cash to splash out then me is plain ridiculous, and what do you get from it?"
BTW - You aren't the only person working your ass off to buy electronics. The rest of us don't just get a lot of presents. We work too.
Maverick Saturn @ Jul 24th 2008 11:37AM
Who said you didn't? I'm just talking about why I haven't bothered with subscription MMOs and why its a waste of money, I never said anything about me being the only one working my ass off, but I think thats a bit obvious seeing as how consoles don't fall off of trees :S
BananaBoat @ Jul 24th 2008 2:40PM
I study my ass off for my electronics, does that make me a bad banana?
Anyway, why don't you try SAVING that money, like, in a bank. You'll have lots of girlfriends now that the evil girl-repulsing electronics are out of your life, and the sunlight will no longer hurt (Yes I'm being sarcastic. I don't play MMO's, but the stereotype that everyone who does is a big fat virgin, wears on you after many years of hearing it).
Banana's life lesson for the day: Working for things truly doesn't make them sweeter when you finally get them. Enjoy your youth while you can...before those dollars that used to be spent on electronics, get converted to paying the bills. (I fear the day this occurs...very...very much indeed)
Maverick Saturn @ Jul 24th 2008 3:19PM
Yeah, but MMOs require your attention and time, you HAVE to journey to get stronger, and if we are talking WoW here, thats months before you reach level 40/50 alone depending on how addicted you are.
Thats no comparison to a quick multiplayer of Halo 3 or Coop in resistance is it, lol
Maverick Saturn @ Jul 24th 2008 3:24PM
Its not that you don't work hard, but while I buy games as a way to destress, it doesnt mean I play them all the time, the Stereotype behind MMOs is there because it DOES consume a lot of your time, if you were paying £9 a month for WoW, I doubt you would play it rarely, otherwise you wouldn't spend that kind of money, its silly. You would be paying for something you don't play of a regular basis, and within 5 or so months you would have spent the equivalent of saving up to buy Gears of war, and what did that money get you? Level 20? A journey to Higanzan with your guild? A travel pet? A fight with boss monster number 32? ¬_¬
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Maverick Saturn
Maverick Saturn
Jul 24th 2008
11:08AM
Took me a while to decide whether to buy XBL back at the purchase of my 360, but I eventually went with it and was rewarded with the options.
But who the hell wants to buy a game for $40+ and expansions, AND, AND WAIT FOR IT....PAY A RIDICULOUS PRICE EACH MONTH.
Heck for all that price, I could buy webhosting, a proffesional coder and probably even rent out a server, then I could start my own network website like Gamespot and become rich ¬_¬
I pity people who have cash to spend, I may have been able to afford PSP, 360, PS3 and a new laptop (I have a Wii but I didn't buy it), but I worked my ass off to get these, and now that I've bought them, apart from accessories and XBL I have nothing else to pay for except games, but all those extra expences for me or even a gamer with less cash to splash out then me is plain ridiculous, and what do you get from it?
Nine + months of your life wasted, cash wasted, no friends, nobody to talk to, no girlfriend and you have become a complete pilock who hates light.
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Reply
Ydenyse Sosa @ Jul 24th 2008 11:28AM
Shaiya is the best free MMO I have ever played. I'm one of those casual gamers that found WoW too expensive, and Guild Wars too boring.
Ydenyse Sosa @ May 26th 2009 4:05PM
Scratch that. Runes of Magic
Josh @ Jul 24th 2008 11:32AM
This is the way to go in my opinion. I don't play MMOs because I don't want to pay a subscription price to play a game.
mocax @ Jul 24th 2008 11:42AM
When your dad pays the bills, everything was nice and fun. When it's your turn to pay the bills, the story sours swiftly.
If given a choice, I'd just get a pirated version of a MMO.
Alas, they've this online key thing that I can't crackz.
So the next best thing is Guild Wars.
Shagittarius @ Jul 24th 2008 3:46PM
It is possible to get a job and live a lifestyle that allows you to buy electronics, have a girlfriend, and pay for MMO subscriptions.
WorMzy @ Jul 24th 2008 12:00PM
I guess this means that I'm a casual gamer, just because I don't believe in paying to play games that I've already bought. :O
Shignami @ Jul 24th 2008 12:18PM
I just hate the idea of paying for a game I already bought.
Of course, the clever gamer will get everything for free.
yarr
jynxycat @ Jul 24th 2008 12:19PM
The people polled were told that Blizzard adds in game events, new content, and everything in between for that current expansion, for that $14.99/mo, right ?
Right ?
Honestly. I'd rather pay the $180 a year versus buying 3 xbox 360 games which would be sitting on my shelf 15 hours after I complete it :P
Kai Wong @ Jul 24th 2008 12:39PM
http://www.danwei.org/electronic_games/gambling_your_life_away_in_zt.php
That's what happens when you have a micro transaction-based MMO -_-. Subscription-based might seem like a chore, but a full-fledged MMO based off of micro transactions turns into something nightmarish.
343 Guilty Fart @ Jul 24th 2008 12:45PM
"As we always caution, studies generally aren't worth more than the pixels they're displayed on"
So you're saying that the entire world of academia isn't worth much? So much for science. Creatonism FTW!
random @ Jul 24th 2008 12:50PM
Did we need a study to prove people like free stuff?
I wasn't able to find out what information was actually presented to the two different groups, what choices they were given. Were they given two scenarios for online play that were identical and asked if they'd prefer it to be free or subscription based?
How come the source article lacks the very information that prompts a discussion beyond the obvious 'people like free stuff' conclusion?
JimeneX @ Jul 24th 2008 1:28PM
So this "Research" says that people prefer to play Non-subscription based MMO's....except for the 10 million already in Warcraft...
Good job
coplice @ Jul 24th 2008 8:46PM
hmmm, free sucky/generic/clone mmo or $15/month that will help pay the servers/devs to improve the mmo am paying to play for?
Gonz @ Jul 24th 2008 4:06PM
That's a crap comparison. Not only are there TONS of MMOs with monthly fees that aren't worth the disk they're printed on, but there have been solid MMOs that have survived almost solely on the actual sales of the games.
The comparison that has to be made here is an exclusionary gameplay experience with gamers who are obsessed enough to pay a monthly subscription vs an MMO that costs more upfront in exchange for free monthly play. Any other choice involves companies that want to milk more and more residual funds from gamers (regarding microtransactions and ridiculous monthly fees).
ReplicantX @ Jul 24th 2008 5:39PM
This is why and how Wow has screwed MMO's loot crack is a horrible model for mmo's .
....so yeah here it comes
...DAOC didn't have loot issues! Balance issues yes but never stemming from loot. The hampster wheel was pvp not raiding and loot whoring. I truly hope warhammer does not follow wow's loot model.
modified @ Jul 24th 2008 6:00PM
I wish MMOs would copy the way Guild Wars does things.