Curse

nugzta · Jul 24, 2011, 02:12 PM // 14:12

What do you guys think if Guild Wars should be made F2P few months before the release of GW2? Since the majority of players will move on to GW2, this will leave Guild Wars deserted. Anet could still make money by selling in-game items/upgrades like they do now (like the business model Valve running for TF2). This would bring new blood to this old game as well as free advertisement for GW2.

Missing HB · Jul 24, 2011, 02:34 PM // 14:34

If people play Guild wars because it's F2P, then i would hardly believe that they would pay for something such as a costume which doesn't provide any advantage....

Although it's, unfortunately, a team game, some things in PvP that could be done easily( and not requiring 16 players) should come so that it's still possible to play when it will be totally desert.... Polymock arena for PvE or allowing full heroes for scrimmages could be an option....

nugzta · Jul 24, 2011, 02:51 PM // 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Missing HB

If people play Guild wars because it's F2P, then i would hardly believe that they would pay for something such as a costume which doesn't provide any advantage....

It works for TF2, I have seen people fork out lots money to buy useless hats. Anet could put some in-game weapons with nice skins for $0.99 - 1.99 each, it all adds up.

Quaker · Jul 24, 2011, 03:06 PM // 15:06

What incentive would ANet have for making GW1 F2P - or more specifically, more F2P than it already is? After all, it's very cheap to buy, and it's free after that.
In spite of what some whiners would suggest, there's not enough stuff for sale in the in-game store to generate enough revenue to sustain the game.
So, basically, once ANet goes live with GW2, GW1 will be a drain on resources. They should be able to maintain the expected GW1 userbase easily enough, but there would be no reason to expand that user base.

Also, keep in mind that most F2P MMORPGs make money off of micro-transactions in the store. They need that revenue to offset the cost of the server farms they run on. GW1 would have to add more stuff to the store, and make it more desirable, so people would buy it.

F2P FPS games like TF2, TFC, etc., don't rely on the maker to maintain anything more than a server/contact list. The actual computers that the games are played on are provided by individuals (and may cost money to rent). They are not F2P in the same sense that GW would need to be.

Spiritz · Jul 24, 2011, 03:21 PM // 15:21

There will probably be an influx of new gw players a few months after gw2 release - there are some players who like to try the original games also.
Quite a few f2p games ive seen in the past are very bad - the only real gd items are only bought from shop , i think it had mounts which lasted a set time and you had to repurchase it from shop again.Gw you pay the game purchase cost and within the game itself are loads of items that are free and yes loads of us used to cope with only 3 slots for storage.All the stuff from shop can be said - its upto the player to purchase and only the merc slots have a real impact in the game and im sure theres many players without extra slots/costumes/mercs that cope just as good.

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There will probably be an influx of new gw players a few months after gw2 release - there are some players who like to try the original games also.
Quite a few f2p games ive seen in the past are very bad - the only real gd items are only bought from shop , i think it had mounts which lasted a set time and you had to repurchase it from shop again.Gw you pay the game purchase cost and within the game itself are loads of items that are free and yes loads of us used to cope with only 3 slots for storage.All the stuff from shop can be said - its upto the player to purchase and only the merc slots have a real impact in the game and im sure theres many players without extra slots/costumes/mercs that cope just as good.

King Size · Jul 24, 2011, 03:38 PM // 15:38

f2p will bring a lot cheaters , since you can make another acc you don't care about being banned. at least for me gw will become hardly enjoyable. Anet knows it and i dont think it will happen

Jul 24, 2011, 03:39 PM // 15:39

Agreed with Quaker and Spiritz.

Once GW2 is released, Arena Net have no need to make GW1 free2play. It's already cheap, people may want to try the first to get a feel for the second and they will have absolutely no incentive to pay for costumes and such.

Arena net will not sell items that give an advantage to other players. TF2 was an example and even then it's not exactly an advantage, that's giving them a choice in weapon selection and ways to actually play the game (demo man and his incredibly melee orientated new set.)

My 2 cents.

Xsiriss · Jul 24, 2011, 04:10 PM // 16:10

GW has always been free to play in a classic sense. It's one of the best MMO's out there,if you're too much of a cheapskate to actually pay and support it then you're the kind of player that doesn't help the community thrive. You're basically a parasite. There's no reason why they would and should release it as completely free, especially seeing as the sheer amoun tof content there is.

Bandwagon · Jul 24, 2011, 05:21 PM // 17:21

Games that are F2P usually attract large crowds of potential gamers.

If these crowds stick with the game they are more likely to spend money through micro transactions.

A large crowd of new blood also makes sure that the game doesn't feel dead.

LoL did it with success.

beerelf · Jul 24, 2011, 06:27 PM // 18:27

I'd love to see it happen. I have all campaigns already but I would really love to see some life in the game, I'm tired of looking around empty outposts.

Skyy High · Jul 24, 2011, 08:23 PM // 20:23

No way will it happen. If GW2 is a hit, they'll undoubtedly see a spike in sales from people buying GW1 to get HoM items / see the backstory of the world / experience more GW goodness. Maybe after GW2's been out a year or two, maybe.

gremlin · Jul 24, 2011, 08:46 PM // 20:46

I thought Guild wars was so cheap now it practically is free

Curo · Jul 24, 2011, 09:04 PM // 21:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyy High

No way will it happen. If GW2 is a hit, they'll undoubtedly see a spike in sales from people buying GW1 to get HoM items / see the backstory of the world / experience more GW goodness. Maybe after GW2's been out a year or two, maybe.

I thought I heard that you can only get the HoM things before GW2, so what you're saying wouldn't work.

afya · Jul 24, 2011, 09:33 PM // 21:33

/Unsigned
From my experience of every f2p mmo I played, F2P = overpriced costumes/weapons.
And GW is already cheap enough, it's like 2 months of subscription of WOW/any other MMO. So, play it 2 months and it's f2p.

Amy Awien · Jul 24, 2011, 09:40 PM // 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by nugzta

... make money by selling in-game items/upgrades like they do now ...

In so called F2P MMO there is a strong social / peer pressure to buy power-items that improve character power. Having such items is usually key to getting into groups. Guildwars completely lacks any such pressure model.

mathiastemplar · Jul 24, 2011, 09:58 PM // 21:58

First thing.. It's already free to play + it's REALLY CHEAP to buy.. (almost free already).

Making the game entirely free wouldn't increase the player base since it's practically free already.
All it would do is to ruin the concept of paying for storage slots, and literally make GW a huge playground for botters.

It would also be a huge disadvantage for Anet because some of the people who will pick up GW2, might also get interested in GW1.
At that time it just won't work the other way round as you seem to think.

akelarumi · Jul 24, 2011, 10:01 PM // 22:01

This won't work.

The main and first reason is that almost all F2P games are designed to be so. It is attrective enough to play the first part for free, but when your addicted, you are going to buy stuff.

The way they are designed is:
1: Business model
2: depending on 1 a game structure
3: depending on 1 and 2 a design

GW is made from a different business model. So to change it in a profitable F2P game it needs to be changed on basic lvl's. like adding a lvl cap of 120. removing now free to use items like consets, etc etc.

There are two possible scenario's for GW1 imo:
a: GW 2 comes, and after a few years GW1 is a dead game nobody wants to play anymore.
b: GW 2 comes, and after a few years, Anet gives the code open so the few dedicated players can play on privately hosted servers.

Bilgato · Aug 21, 2011, 05:20 AM // 05:20

Many people won't move to GW2, many who do will come back.

EverQuest was not replaced by EverQuest2, EverQuest's fanbase is more loyal and solid than EverQuest2's can or ever will be.

EverQuest and UltimaOnline are bolth verry old and outdated games, but bolth are still alive with loyal communitys, and neither game has gone F2P or has ever said anything about it happening in the future.

GuildWars is going to be the same as EverQuest and UltimaOnline, a solid classic with a solid fanbase.

FoxBat · Aug 21, 2011, 07:03 AM // 07:03

I think "endless trial" would suit GW. They could make access to Istan free for example, but you'd have to buy a campaign to proceed to the sun docks. Or they could give away the whole prophecies campaign, then players that get invested may go and buy expansions. That's the kind of "f2p" approach that would give them revenue.