APB developer cryptic about subscription model

by Griffin McElroy { Jul 19th 2009 at 4:00PM }

Despite the fact that we've known about Realtime Worlds' MMO APB for almost four years now, details surrounding the game are slim. One important piece of non-existent info: What's the subscription plan going to look like? Registration fees that are too steep (or too shallow, for that matter) have been known to sink MMOs in the past. We already knew the game would have an "untraditional" payment model -- but we aren't much closer to knowing any specifics.

In a recent interview with VG247, Realtime's Dave Jones explained the game (which has cost $30 million to develop and provide server support for) will be a "traditional game that you buy," but that players won't need to "subscribe to play the game every month." He also claimed the subscription plan will be "unique" and "flexible," and will allow players to "get" why they're paying. Our guess? Realtime's going to set up a jar which players will be forced to drop nickels into whenever they curse.

Tags: apb, mmo, pc, realtime-worlds, subscription

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

vidGuy @ Jul 19th 2009 4:04PM

I always thought MMOs should have usage fees instead of monthly fees. I never got into them because I don't often play one game at a time - and definitely not enough in a month to justify the up-front cost. But if I could pay an hourly fee I'd definitely try them. Play a little, pay a little; play a lot, pay more.

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Jul 19th 2009 4:27PM

Yeah, it won't be that. Ancient MMO's did that (mainly text based MMO's) and it sucked complete balls for both the player and the developer.

Chances are, they'll be taking the Korean MMO approach.

vidGuy @ Jul 19th 2009 4:33PM

I don't know why it would suck, at least for everyone except the most die-hard. You could even set up time ranges to prevent an hourly charge from climbing too high. Say something like

0-20 hours = $4.99
20-50 hours = $9.99
50+ hours = $14.99

For me, it's not worth the $10 up front for a game that I /might/ play for only a few hours in any given month.

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Jul 19th 2009 5:08PM

It sucked because the prices you listed aren't even close to what they offered.

There's a difference between saying "This is acceptable for the consumer" and "We can still make money off of this."

Companies make most of their money from MMO's by people like you ~ those who don't play that much. They lose money, or break even on, those who play a lot. While you only hear about those who play a lot, they generally only make up 5% of a games population. They make up even less in WoW.

Snowblind @ Jul 19th 2009 5:13PM

This is pretty much my problem with MMO's as well. It's not so much that I think that the subscription is unreasonable, but that I probably wouldn't be able to play it all that often. I can only play games so much, and I don't want to devote all the time I do have to just one.

So a subscription is a massive waste, I'd much rather see alternate payment methods brought in. I'd even prefer the Korean model, assuming they balance it right and it's not just a case of "pay more for better equipment".

[tre] [blogs at trespeak.tumblr.com] @ Jul 19th 2009 4:07PM

Now I think my interest in this spiked a bit.

MystileArmor @ Jul 19th 2009 4:28PM

Maybe I'm oldschool, when I say I expect everything to be included with the initial purchase. I'll make an exception for XBox Live, since that's alot more then just playing games.

I can understand the cost to operate and maintain servers etc. There are alot of games that offer good ways of micro-transactions. Just make sure they're worth purchasing. I'm not going to dish out 2 bucks just to be able to wear a different coat.

I'd elaborate more, but It's too hot and I'm fuckin' lazy.

Sly @ Jul 19th 2009 4:50PM

yeah, i'm cool with DLC, but games that you have to pay for up front, and pay to actually play is just messed up.

Anticrawl @ Jul 19th 2009 5:07PM

"I can understand the cost to operate and maintain servers etc."

As a network administrator I can honestly say you have no idea what the fuck you are talking about. The cost to operate and maintain servers for massive networks like biomedical research centers, college campus's or the local EA Big where I live is little to nothing. The cost doesn’t reach past paying the salary of the 2-3 people watching over them and on call 24/7, the electricity to power the massive freezer style rooms the servers are stored in/the servers themselves and the occasional time when some fucktard pinches a piece of fiber and you have to replace it. Quite literally all the cost associated with servers is the setup.

A game with monthly fees should have constant in-game updates and free expansions. Otherwise it should have no monthly fee and charge for expansions. Hopefully one day gamers will wise up and draw the line somewhere.

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Jul 19th 2009 5:16PM

@Both MystileArmor and Anticrawl

You don't pay for much related to servers. You pay for the constant and frequent updates, the free content that gets released, and the customer support.

Now, whether or not any of that is actually worth how much you pay is generally up to the person and game. Not all MMO's offer the kind of support that is worth $15 for me, but I still play them. Not all of them, but most.

Mainly, I'll play them if a game has an interesting combat system. Like AoC. While the support isn't up to par, the incredible melee combat is. If they put that combat in an action-rpg I'd simply play that instead. But no one has.

MystileArmor @ Jul 19th 2009 5:36PM

That's what I meant with "operating and maintaining servers" the admins, the time to do events, enforce policies and get rid of abusers/cheaters.

Don't be such an assumptive dick, Anticrawl.

devilsei @ Jul 19th 2009 4:30PM

"Our guess? Realtime's going to set up a jar which players will be forced to drop nickels into whenever they curse."

Heh, considering this game, they might as well charge 10-15$ a month!

DBuck_Eye @ Jul 19th 2009 4:53PM

If they did that nickel jar trick on Call of Duty, Halo, and Gears of War, we could pull ourselves out of this depression!

Geoff900 @ Jul 19th 2009 5:16PM

I think it would be a good idea, just to pay alittle amount of money, but only if you want to, and every so often when they need the money, just do a fund type thing, E.g. We need $1,000,000 to keep our servers going. If ABP is good, people will go for it, I certainly would pay some money towards APB if it was good, so if people pay whatever they can they would be able to continue, and the people who cannot afford it, just yet still can play.

Advertising, extra content (adding alittle bit of the cost in servers $2-3) , extra content packs not small stupid ones, but ones which would make sense, like loads of new weapons, cars, clothes etc for $2. Cheap but effective.

ABP, is looking to be a good game, so I don't think people will mind so much that people, will pay.

It's not forcing them, and the content they give, is good not stupid.

Shiaoran @ Jul 19th 2009 5:23PM

My guess is that it'll be like PSO/PSU, where you can play offline for free(your right anyway, as you paid for the game), but to play online you'll pay for the hour, which is somewhat uncommon, and IMO the best way, since you can take long breaks without technically wasting money.

gamedude420 @ Jul 19th 2009 5:59PM

they should do a more guild wars approach. no monthly fee, you just need to buy new expansions

Clinton @ Jul 19th 2009 6:03PM

so is this game not coming ot for 360 and other consoles anymore

Einhanderkiller @ Jul 19th 2009 8:06PM

PC-only at the moment, but if the PC version does well then they'll bring the game to consoles. But since it's an MMO-type game, it'd be best to just get the game on PC.

Davey @ Jul 20th 2009 12:59AM

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/19833/All-Points-Bulletin-Coming-to-PC-and-Xbox-360/

D0RC @ Jul 19th 2009 6:28PM

I hope it's free to play online especially for Xbox 360.

hannibal222 @ Jul 19th 2009 6:45PM

"Get why you're paying" sounds like they're going to charge for mission strands and the like.

The Dark Wayne @ Jul 19th 2009 8:34PM

four years? I thought it was announced at GDC last year?

UK31337 @ Jul 20th 2009 2:59PM

I've got a PC magazine from October 2005 that mentions APB and that it's "coming soon". There you have it. Also, Crackdown was designed for the original Xbox but missed the boat and ended up on the 360.