Is Free-to-Play the Future of Console Gaming? | Total Revue

Total Revue: The gaming industry is in a period of transition as console systems embrace the digital world through such platforms like Xbox LIVE and the Sony Entertainment Network. Over the years, so have gamers' behaviour into purchasing titles as day one patches became the norm and retail prices tailed off quickly.

[KrisButtar]

Nice read, I believe free to play has arrived and is here to stay, how far it goes will depend on the gamers voting with their wallets. I don't believe it's going to take over but it will stay as a part of gaming not the whole.

[PhoenixRoar]

I'm glad to know you enjoyed reading it.

The slow shift towards free-to-play is both a concerning one but also an opportunity. How it evolves and breaks down the 'pay to win' stigma is one of the biggest hurdles however.

[KrisButtar]

as annoying as "pay to win" is, it is here to stay, and how it evolves is pretty simple in my eyes, they are going to start making games where the "grinding" is so brutal, that you will feel like you have no choice but to pay. because publishers are greedy. i think that the microtransactions for levels,xp,weapon slots, are just the start of it, those "cheats" over time are going to get bigger and bigger, which will encourage people to "pay"

like you saying about multiplayer games(uncharted3), i believe all online multiplayer games are going to go that way, and its why publishers tack on multiplayer for even single player games(tomb raider), and they want to keep the "pay to win" stigma because with that in place, new players will have to pay after joining just to stand a chance. i have only played splitscreen multiplayer(no internet @ home) and i have noticed that even splitscreen multiplayer games are getting less common, but increasing online multiplayer only, which can enforce a "pay to win" stigma, and again its all about the money.

thats how far i see it going. i see it as an always online multiplayer game, where it becomes a problem.

[helghast102]

Please no.

[BuffMordecai]

I think you mean Pay-to-Win.

[FAT MAN GO BOOM]

No such thing as free to play... it is pay to win...

this is such a scam... a get rich BS scam...

I am done buying EA games I will buy no games with Micro transactions... That is nothing what free to play is ....

One giant micro transactions pay to win... game..

[cyril sneer]

@FAT MAN

Not all free to play games are pay to win.Path of exile being one of them.