Tera Goes Free-to-Play

Guess it was only a matter of time, huh, Tera? En Masse Entertainment's online fantasy game joins Star Wars: The Old Republic and DC Universe Online on the roster of big-deal MMO titles that are ditching subscriptions. Starting in February, subscriptions will no longer be required to play Tera.

[Vladplaya]

Called it... Although I am sure devs knew it would go free to play before it even came out, they just made some money off suckers who were willing to pay subscription for few months.

[Spenok]

I agree and disagree at the same time (so no vote from me lol)

But yeah, every MMO is going free to play these day. Or every NEW MMO anyways. I figured it as well. It was only a matter of time. But this statement "they just made some money off suckers who were willing to pay subscription for few months" isn't true.

If you look at the history of MMO's going F2P then you will have noticed EVERY single one has gone UP in profit, usually 100's of percents more. So why would they charge, if they could make more in a F2P model?

This was because, imo anyways, making a game exclusive by having to pay for it, creates demand. Some aren't willing, or can't even, play a game that requires a sub. So they are told by others how awesome it is, and when it goes F2P, they can finally jump on and enjoy it for themselves. Amongst being able to bring old player back with the F2P model as well. With some other reasons as well.

[Vladplaya]

Because that way its instant income the second your game goes out of the door. Even though F2P subscription is better in long run, you actually giving people a trial of your game before they will pay, IF they will even pay, and if they will, they might do it god knows when.

P2P is instant income on day 1, and then you know people will have to stick with the game because they already payed, and that increases the chance that they will stick with the game and pay again next months and so on. So P2P for at least few months is pretty good way to make some money, and then once people gonna start leaving go F2P and squeeze what's left in the game that way.

[Spenok]

Actually, every MMO ever has a free 1 month sub. So it's not money day one. Only once the game has become 31 days old do they start making money off subs. So the people who don't like it will just deactivate their accounts before the month is up, and not get charged.

So sorry, but your argument is invalid.

[Vladplaya]

I am sure a lot of people might disactivate their account, but majority don't, because they either want to keep playing or too lazy or what not. Its still smarter tactics to go P2P at the beginning, people will pay at the end of the month, and when time comes company can know exactly how many people will pay and exactly how much. In F2P model, you never know who will pay, when and how much. That's my entire argument, P2P model is much more effective at making money in first few months, F2P is more effective in long run once your game is out there and people know more about it.

[Noami]

i played tera never saw it as a p2p mmorpg that it shoulda been f2p wile i played it reason why i quited the month after i bought it

[ATi_Elite]

I love playing Tera Online!

I saw the Subscription model as a way for En Masse Entertainment to get their money back cause Tera Online was a HUGE investment for a small company.

I actually haven't paid real money in a long time cause I've been farming gold and Chronoscrolls but I think the F2P model will attract more players as the MMORPG genre has some really great competition!

Now just improve the enemy A.I. to make the real time targeting more challenging!