Everquest II Going Free-to-Play

Widgetcraft · 11-10-2011, 08:45 PM

Sony has another MMO going free-to-play, this time it is the sequel to one of the most successful MMOs of the 90's: Everquest II. Sony had already begun experimenting with taking the game to a F2P business model last year with Everquest II Extended, a completely separate version of the game just for F2P users, while their normal service remained intact. Now these services will be rolled into one, sometime in early December.

The F2P model that Everquest II will be adopting is very much in line with Sony's newest F2P offering: DC Universe Online. Users will be broken into three tiers: Free, Silver and Gold. Free users are the most restricted of the bunch, but can be attained without spending any money. Silver users, much like in DC Universe Online, are users who have spent at least $5.00 on the game, likely including money spent on the boxed copy of the game (if they follow the model they used in DCUO). Gold users have the most features unlocked, and can be attained with a monthly fee of $14.99

All users will have access to the base game, all expansions and three adventure packs. Major restrictions on the Silver and Free users include access to only a limited number of races and classes, as well as caps on the equipment grades and spell tiers.

Sources: Gamasutra; Everquest II Official Website

AversionFX · 11-10-2011, 10:27 PM

I hate this new trend of "Free to play" MMOs. $15 a month to not have a gimped copy != free.

If I were to play a free MMO, I certainly wouldn't play one that locks me out of a number of features unless I pay money.

Don't call it free to play if it's not free to play. Call it an infinite trial or some other bullshit. But locking away features to "free" tier players is bogus.

Widgetcraft · 11-10-2011, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AversionFX

I hate this new trend of "Free to play" MMOs. $15 a month to not have a gimped copy != free.

If I were to play a free MMO, I certainly wouldn't play one that locks me out of a number of features unless I pay money.

Don't call it free to play if it's not free to play. Call it an infinite trial or some other bullshit. But locking away features to "free" tier players is bogus.

There really aren't that many things that you're locked out of, and most things that you are locked out of can be bought for a one-time fee. Want to play one of the races that Free/Silver players don't get by default? Buy it. You basically have the choice of paying for features piece by piece, or just plunking down $15/month as usual for all of it.

Superman's Dead · 11-11-2011, 01:02 AM

I just looked up Everquest 2's screenshots. Fifteen a month? For that? When you could be playing any of a host of other F2P MMOs?

torrefaction · 11-11-2011, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superman's Dead

I just looked up Everquest 2's screenshots. Fifteen a month? For that? When you could be playing any of a host of other F2P MMOs?

Like DDO? Easily one of the best and most overlooked RPG's around.

I always get disappointed that there's not more people who realize how awesome the mechanics in DDO are.

Wilkz07 · 11-11-2011, 05:40 AM

finally i can try this thing called crack.

Narradisall · 11-11-2011, 05:53 AM

I've not really followed F2P models, but this makes sense.

Gold players are effectively what is going now, silvers can tailor their play and free's get to try it, and hopefully get suckered into becoming silvers/golds.

I enjoyed EQ, but could never quite get into EQ2. It just seemed like they lost some element of what made the first.

MagGnome · 11-11-2011, 09:41 AM

I really need to get around to trying some of these F2P MMOs. I've been wanting to give LOTR and DDO a try for ages now, as well as Star Trek and now this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krispy

It sounds stupid at first, but you have to realize that the only reason anyone would be still playing a game like EverQuest is because they are buried in a niche that has no room to grow with an inbred community that enjoy each other's company out of habit. Hell, CoG should start charging $15 a month.

This place would become a ghost town.

Karak · 11-11-2011, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagGnome

I really need to get around to trying some of these F2P MMOs. I've been wanting to give LOTR and DDO a try for ages now, as well as Star Trek and now this.

This place would become a ghost town.

I am biased for many reasons but STO is so fucking fun. Such a great time.

AyeEmBored · 11-11-2011, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krispy

It sounds stupid at first, but you have to realize that the only reason anyone would be still playing a game like EverQuest is because they are buried in a niche that has no room to grow with an inbred community that enjoy each other's company out of habit. Hell, CoG should start charging $15 a month.

No, make it free to play, but charge $.05 a smiley. And make exclusive smileys for those who pay the monthly fee!

Vandabo · 11-11-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krispy

Free to play, but if you pay you get colored user titles. In fact, you'll get a different color depending on how much your subscription is worth. It'll be genius.

Well, I lost.

AyeEmBored · 11-11-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krispy

Free to play, but if you pay you get colored user titles. In fact, you'll get a different color depending on how much your subscription is worth. It'll be genius.

And Krispy hits it out of the park.

11-10-2011, 08:45 PM	#1
Widgetcraft A *** in the machine. Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 11,911 Blog Entries: 2	Everquest II Going Free-to-Play Sony has another MMO going free-to-play, this time it is the sequel to one of the most successful MMOs of the 90's: Everquest II. Sony had already begun experimenting with taking the game to a F2P business model last year with Everquest II Extended, a completely separate version of the game just for F2P users, while their normal service remained intact. Now these services will be rolled into one, sometime in early December. The F2P model that Everquest II will be adopting is very much in line with Sony's newest F2P offering: DC Universe Online. Users will be broken into three tiers: Free, Silver and Gold. Free users are the most restricted of the bunch, but can be attained without spending any money. Silver users, much like in DC Universe Online, are users who have spent at least $5.00 on the game, likely including money spent on the boxed copy of the game (if they follow the model they used in DCUO). Gold users have the most features unlocked, and can be attained with a monthly fee of $14.99 All users will have access to the base game, all expansions and three adventure packs. Major restrictions on the Silver and Free users include access to only a limited number of races and classes, as well as caps on the equipment grades and spell tiers. Sources: Gamasutra; Everquest II Official Website

11-11-2011, 05:40 AM	#6
Wilkz07 blarg? Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 4,282 Blog Entries: 3	finally i can try this thing called crack. __________________ LIVE: Wilkz07 PSN: Wilks08 Now Playing: Random Games

11-11-2011, 05:53 AM	#7
Narradisall Colonist Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: London, England Posts: 15,811	I've not really followed F2P models, but this makes sense. Gold players are effectively what is going now, silvers can tailor their play and free's get to try it, and hopefully get suckered into becoming silvers/golds. I enjoyed EQ, but could never quite get into EQ2. It just seemed like they lost some element of what made the first. __________________ Gamertag: Narradisall Steam ID: Narradisall

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11-10-2011, 10:27 PM	#2
AversionFX Gaming Masochist Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 708	I hate this new trend of "Free to play" MMOs. $15 a month to not have a gimped copy != free. If I were to play a free MMO, I certainly wouldn't play one that locks me out of a number of features unless I pay money. Don't call it free to play if it's not free to play. Call it an infinite trial or some other bullshit. But locking away features to "free" tier players is bogus.