To many game creators are 'stuck' in the mindset that if they're not making 15 a month from you every month they're making nothing, even if you spend twice that much. They seem to treat the 'Premium' players as a nuisance.
I don't think I'd ever really spend more than 5 dollars on ST:TOR because the game is steeped in treating the 'Preferred' player as baggage.
The way the F2P model works and generates revenue isn't by being a stealth subscription model with an extended demo. It works by treating both the subscriber and the 'Premium' player as paid customers and giving them relatively equal value for their dollar.
CoH soooorta kiiiinda understood that with the Reward Tokens and Reward Tiers, at least for a bit. The price to unlock some of the later tiers was retarded for most people. I had most of mine unlocked instantly just from vets. So maybe I'm a bit biased on it. But I didn't feel like the game was actively trying to drive me away unless I subscribed.
Star Wars seems like a fun enough game, but the game does seem like it's trying its
hardest to drive away the Preferred or Free players. Some of the stupidest crap is locked behind paywalls. You have to BUY the ability to modify the GUI and put down quickbars for skills? Come the heck on.
This problem is MOSTLY present in games that are 'forced' to turn F2P. It's like the developers in it only sorta begrudgingly allow it, rather than embrace it, and embrace the idea of making money off the 'Premium' players and treating them like valued customers, and not just the VIP.
It should be about player payment choice, not trying to force them into subscribing. Otherwise just stick to the subscription only model and give out trial demo accounts.
That's my opinion on it anyways.
I assume they wanted to keep some people subscribing. What's the incentive to subscribe if it doesn't provide access to some exclusive stuff? I think it has to be more than just a cost-savings option to access all the same content -- that could just be a "sale package" on the market.
Thing was, aside from when I couldn't, I ended up subscribing any time I could, with 2 accounts. Though, as I said, I probably spent more dollar amount on Premium things per month than the subscription, due to sometimes I'd have a good amount of cash to spend, then sometimes I'd have jack nothing, and sometimes my consistent group would just flat up not have time to play. I really did like the premium options, even if I ended up spending more, for the convenience.
I think CoH could had done the F2P a LOT better, but some companies are just HORRIBLE at it, where Premium or F2P is basically just there to try to convince you to subscribe.
But a lot of players in CoH were really snobbish and acted like if you spend 30 dollars a month on the game you aren't a 'real' customer compared to their 11.99/month but spent all up front. That bothered me a lot.
Also they're repeating the NCSoft and Nexon trying to buy valve thing when owner of valve flatout said he'd destroy the company before he'd let that happen if I recall correct
Monitary wise, Valve would be in the better position to buy Nexon and NCSoft, so that's just kinda stupid anyways.
Not saying either's likely.
