LOTRO: Free-To-Play In-game Store

Posted by Wolfen in LOTRO

The NDA has been lifted on the new Lord of the Rings Online free-to-play version of the game. One tidbit of information that I found interesting is a post made over on the official forums that lists everything for sale in the in-game store. It is a long list and contains some interesting items.

I was disappointed to see faction mounts on the list, but then, I won’t be one of those willing to pay for it. You can see the entire list here.

What do you think of the items for sale?

–Wolfen

Everquest 2 Adding Free-To-Play Option

Posted by Wolfen in Everquest 2

Well, well, I certainly did not see this coming. Sony Online Entertainment has announced today that Everquest 2 is adding a free-to-play option. This play option, named Everquest 2: Extended, will be on its own separate server and operate alongside the existing for-pay service. It will go live on August 27th.

Sony had recently said that they would not be switching Everquest 2 over to the free-to-play model. Things change, as they say, and it is fairly easy to figure out why: Money. Companies are discovering that they can make more money using the free model and allowing people to purchase add-ons via an in-game store. The “gotta have it now” syndrome really brings in the bucks.

Studies have shown that a large portion of people who play free games actually end up spending more per month than they would if they paid a standard monthly fee. Free Realms, which is Sony’s first big for-free title, is a huge cash cow for the company. The game has millions of subscribers that press the “get it now” button at an amazing rate.

Personally, I think this is a good move. I will certainly play Everquest 2 when it does go free-to-play. It is a game that I normally wouldn’t play because I can only afford so many monthly game fees.

This is a surprising development, and I look forward to seeing how it turns out. I will be there when it begins.

–Wolfen

LOTRO: Going Free-To-Play

Posted by Wolfen in LOTRO

The gaming community has been all a-buzz about the news that Lord of the Rings Online is going to a free-to-play model sometime this fall. This means that anyone will be able to download and play the game absolutely free. I am both worried and intrigued about what this means for the game. After thinking about it for awhile, I believe that it will be a long-term boon for the game.

I bought the Lifetime subscription when the game first launched, so the game going free-to-play does not affect me or my characters very much. I still get access to all parts of the game and no restrictions to gear or quests. Those who are paying a monthly fee also get similar access to the game.

The people playing the game for free have quite a few restrictions to deal with, such as less bag space, lower gold cap, no rest experience, and only one character slot per server. The free player can get these features if they purchase them via the Turbine Store.

I believe this change will help bring more players to the game. Free is free, after all. I really hope that this change to the game will bring in many new players so that the world becomes more alive. As I play the game now, I certainly notice that the newbie area populations are very low. To be fair, most MMO’s of LOTRO’s age have fewer low-level players, but the areas sure are quiet right now.

Big changes ahead, to be sure. Is this a desperate grab for a game that is barely hanging on? Or is it a shrewd move to bring in more revenue (Lifetime members like me earn them no money at all)?

If nothing else, I want to see more people playing the game. It would be fantastic to see all the zones filled with as many players as there were during the initial launch. That would be a great thing indeed.

The official press release is here. The informative FAQ and a great deal more information can be found here.

–Wolfen