LOTRO Goes Free To Play How Will This Affect The MMO World?

[Confucius]

A major MMO, Lord of Rings Online, announced that it will be switching to free to play this fall. What does this mean? Well you can play the game for free but with many limited features. Some examples of these limitations include not being able to do certain quests unless you unlock them using turbine (the game's creator) points, being limited to carrying 5g at a time (this is still a lot in lotro as 1000s = 1g), and having a limited number of character slots.

This MMO going to free to play could have a big affect on the MMO world for several reasons:

• There will be a huge increase of population for this mmorpg.
• Other games may soon switch to the free to play method in order to keep on top.
• With lotro going free to play there is the possibility that players from other popular MMOs may try lotro and like it more than their current game. Thus lotro may take some players from other MMOs.
• Other MMOs may try to do something special for their players in order to combat this and stay on top.

Great, but just what is free to play? Well I'll try to explain it. Free to play is an awesome little scheme that lets you play the game for free but in order to advance you either have to buy points to spend in order to unlock the new features or buy them directly. Sometimes a player of a free to play MMO can end up spending much more per month than they would on a subscription based MMO.

So what does this mean for people with a current subscription? Well nothing really, they can keep paying and playing the game all the same. The only thing that will change is an increase in new players asking them questions.

More information can be found in the direct quote below from turbine:

Today is an important day for LOTRO: we’ve announced that this fall, LOTRO will begin offering a Free-to-Play option! Players will be able to download the game and adventure in Middle-earth for free. With Free-to-Play comes the addition of the LOTRO Store, where players will have immediate in-game access to a wide variety of special items, account services, and convenience items.

The best part is – as existing subscribers you’re automatically enrolled in our VIP program! As a VIP you’ll continue to get unlimited access to the game and all of the content you already enjoy, in addition to some extra perks! We know you’re curious how all of this will work and what it all means for you personally, so here are some handy links to all of the details:

• Official LOTRO Free-to-Play Press Release
• A letter from Kate Paiz, Executive Producer LOTRO
• FAQ
• VIP Chart

Still have questions? Here’s a quick FAQ about the key points of LOTRO Free-to-Play:

Is this the same model you used with DDO?

It’s very similar in a large number of ways. The basic structure is the same with some changes made to support LOTRO’s different game world and wide-open environment. Customer levels, the LOTRO Store, and other aspects of LOTRO Free-to-Play are all very similar to those of Dungeons and Dragons Online®: Eberron Unlimited™.

I already subscribe to LOTRO. Is there any benefit to staying a subscriber?

Of course! Once the game goes live you’ll keep all your current privileges, and also accrue 500 free Turbine Points per month to spend as you wish. We also have a set of Loyalty Reward Special Offers just for our veteran players – as long as you maintain your subscription in good standing you may be eligible for up to 3,000 points. If you stay active over the summer you will also earn an additional bonus of 500 Turbine Points per month until launch! For more details see the Loyalty Reward Special Offer Terms & Conditions for full details.

I have a lifetime subscription to LOTRO. What will Free-to-Play mean for me?

As a lifetime subscriber to LOTRO, you will keep all of your membership privileges and are automatically upgraded to VIP status. You will receive 500 Free Turbine Points every month like the other VIPs, but you do not have to pay a monthly fee since you are a lifetime member. All you have to do is keep playing the game and visit the LOTRO Store to spend your free Turbine Points. Lifetime members may also qualify for a special one-time Loyalty Reward of 1,000 Turbine Points. See the Loyalty Reward Special Offer Terms & Conditions for full details.

I am a LOTRO Founder. What will Free-to-Play mean for me?

As a LOTRO Founder, you automatically become a VIP and will keep all of your membership privileges as long as you pay your monthly fee. You will automatically receive 500 Free Turbine Points every month and you can spend them at your leisure in the LOTRO Store. Founding members may also qualify for a special one-time Loyalty Reward of 500 Turbine Points. See the Loyalty Reward Special Offer Terms & Conditions for full details.

Will there be a Free-to-Play Beta and when will it start?

Yes! The Beta will start in the very near future. We’ll begin accepting signups immediately at LOTRO Goes Free to Play!!

I’m a new or returning player. How do I sign up for Beta?

Start by registering at www.lotro.com/betasignup. We’ll select entrants from that list once beta starts.

I’m an existing customer. How do I sign up for the Beta?

Existing subscribers do not need to register to apply for the beta – we’ll randomly invite subscribers who have been active in the last 30 days and have an account in good standing throughout the beta. If you wish to register at www.lotro.com/betasignup that will count as an extra entry and may increase your chance of being selected for participation.

Is there any way to increase my chance of getting into the beta?

Sure! Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook! We’ll give out special beta entry codes to our fans via social media - so give yourself the best chance of getting in and make sure to keep an eye on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

Are we under NDA during the beta?

Yes. What happens in beta stays in beta! Once you receive your invitation and apply your beta key to your account, you will have access to the private beta forums. This is the only place to discuss anything you see or do in beta. Remember, the first rule of beta is you do not talk about beta!

What can I still talk about on the public forums?

Our NDA specifies that no materials related to the beta (including updates, gameplay or user interface) may be discussed or posted without Turbine's express permission. The NDA remains in effect whether you remain in the program, or the program ends.

When does LOTRO F2P go live?

Free-to-Play will go live when Volume 3, Book 2 releases this fall.

Is Free-to-Play the only thing to look forward to for Volume 3, Book2?

No! Volume 3, Book 2 will continue the Volume 3 Epic Story as the Rangers head south. An all new area, Enedwaith, will be available as well as some exciting new features and many updates to the game including DX11 support! We’ll have more information about Volume 3, Book 2 as we approach launch. Keep an eye out for Developer Diaries and other information throughout the summer!

I still have questions. Where can I ask them?

If you still have questions after reading the full FAQ, please use the LOTRO Free-to-Play discussion forum for questions and comments!

We’re very excited about LOTRO’s move to Free-to-Play and we can’t wait for you to see all the incredible changes the team has already made to the game. Make sure you read Executive Producer Kate Paiz’s letter to the community for some great information on where LOTRO is going!

I believe this could lead to some big changes in the ways people pay for MMOs, while currently a subscription based system is the most popular I think we could see new systems become the norm, especially in an economy like today's. While free to play might not become the new system everyone uses, although it defiantly could be, a new one might replace the current subscription based system such as buying hours of play time instead of paying by the month.

I think this system could cause some MMOs to lower their monthly charges or maybe even get some more to switch to it as it has already proven a success with other games, like turbine's DDO (Dungeons & Dragons Online). Maybe we could even see WoW announcing this sometime. I also predict this will cause a huge increase of players in lotro and maybe decrease population in some other MMOs as more people try this game on free to play before actually buying it. While free to play sounds just like a free trial that lasts forever I think this system could rise above the others as a player can play what they want and just buy the features of the game they want. If they want to have all features but not end up paying a ton for them then they can just buy a $15 a month subscription from Turbine or a $15 60 day gamecard at Best Buy. I myself think this change is for the best, both for the MMO world and the lotro community.

Do you think this change would be for the best or worse to the MMO world? How do you think this will impact other games? What impact do you think this will have on the players and turbine's money?

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this article, please post your comments and thoughts below!

[Remus]

fyi blizzard already stated ages ago that they would eventually go F2P as well, so no late conclusions on copy cat.

[Confucius]

Yes Blizzard's new MMO will be free to play but they've said nothing about WoW being f2p yet.

[Remus]

mmhmm, they did to both.

[Jeremiah]

fyi blizzard already stated ages ago that they would eventually go F2P as well, so no late conclusions on copy cat.

Where is the source? I'd love to read that, actually.

[The Maffyx]

Yes Blizzard's new MMO will be free to play but they've said nothing about WoW being f2p yet.

It would really only make sense, WoW will be a dying cause once D3 and their new MMO comes out. People will move on to those and leave WoW in the dust. Therefore to keep people buying the game, they would probably lower the price on it again, and have it free to play.

[Confucius]

Hmm I don't think WoW will die once their new MMO is released, sure many people will try it but chances are the new MMO will be sci-fi or something rather than fantasy. However even if it is fantasy I'm sure people will still play WoW. A game with over 10 million players doesn't just die. Blizzard also stated that their new MMO will not compete with WoW.

[Remus]

can't quote something i read a year ago. happy hunting but it is out there.

[RyeRye]

It would really only make sense, WoW will be a dying cause once D3 and their new MMO comes out. People will move on to those and leave WoW in the dust. Therefore to keep people buying the game, they would probably lower the price on it again, and have it free to play.

I don't think so, because people that spent all that time on theres not just gonna leave it, unless of course they sell there account. But then again look at all the people that play WC3, but we can't compare that to WoW.

[The Maffyx]

Hmm I don't think WoW will die once their new MMO is released, sure many people will try it but chances are the new MMO will be sci-fi or something rather than fantasy. However even if it is fantasy I'm sure people will still play WoW. A game with over 10 million players doesn't just die. Blizzard also stated that their new MMO will not compete with WoW.

How will it not compete with WoW? Blizzard isn't dumb they have a good business plan also, there aren't currently 10 million subscribers, when the Chinese servers went down they lost a big chunk, also that's counting many accounts that are probably unsubscribed now. Their new game will compete with WoW there's no way for it not to.

I don't think so, because people that spent all that time on theres not just gonna leave it, unless of course they sell there account. But then again look at all the people that play WC3, but we can't compare that to WoW.

Obv you can't compare WC3 to WoW as WoW is based off of it and it is an RTS vs an MMORPG. I don't see people having a problem with picking up and leaving the game, I don't, I've done it plenty of times. Its part of experiencing new games, you give up stuff you work for to look at new stuff. WoW is getting old, and fast.

[Jeremiah]

WoW was propped up by a successful corporation, and is maintained by a behemothic corporation with motivations to keep their main source of revenue alive as long as possible. While they will move forward and develop new titles for the platform, Blizzard has already witnessed the massive holding power of WoW, and the propulsion of their company into a megacorp as a result of the years following WoW's inception, which were profoundly successful. WoW's model is worthy of academic study, and anyone with a mind for marketing and economics will tell you that Blizzard will find some way to keep the game interesting. With a measure of the company's tangible resources, they will undoubtedly be successful in doing so for a good half decade or more after endgame Cataclysm. Whether or not this will constitute an overhaul of the game's graphical system and engine is up to question, as they would have to measure how much money they would make from simply updating a game, when they could make new titles in the series.

[Confucius]

How will it not compete with WoW? Blizzard isn't dumb they have a good business plan also, there aren't currently 10 million subscribers, when the Chinese servers went down they lost a big chunk, also that's counting many accounts that are probably unsubscribed now. Their new game will compete with WoW there's no way for it not to.



Obv you can't compare WC3 to WoW as WoW is based off of it and it is an RTS vs an MMORPG. I don't see people having a problem with picking up and leaving the game, I don't, I've done it plenty of times. Its part of experiencing new games, you give up stuff you work for to look at new stuff. WoW is getting old, and fast.

I'm not sure how they're going to do it but it's just what blizzard said.

Chilton declined to comment on the subscription model for Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming top-secret MMOG. However, the WOW developer-publisher has said that the game will be an entirely new IP unique enough as to not compete with World of Warcraft.

[The Maffyx]

WoW was propped up by a successful corporation, and is maintained by a behemothic corporation with motivations to keep their main source of revenue alive as long as possible. While they will move forward and develop new titles for the platform, Blizzard has already witnessed the massive holding power of WoW, and the propulsion of their company into a megacorp as a result of the years following WoW's inception, which were profoundly successful. WoW's model is worthy of academic study, and anyone with a mind for marketing and economics will tell you that Blizzard will find some way to keep the game interesting. With a measure of the company's tangible resources, they will undoubtedly be successful in doing so for a good half decade or more after endgame Cataclysm. Whether or not this will constitute an overhaul of the game's graphical system and engine is up to question, as they would have to measure how much money they would make from simply updating a game, when they could make new titles in the series.

I guess you're not aware that Blizzard was already a big corporation before WoW came out. They simply caught on to a craze at the right moment and ran with it, thus what they have become today. Blizzard will keep the game interesting to the younger kids that don't mind, grinding out useless gear because their parents fund their addiction. It is boring, it will stay boring, any expansion after thus will be void of interesting stuff, but more or less going back to old world stuff and regurgitating it and saying its new. Sure they're adding 2 new races, but only saying a little about the lore. Imo they've gone past the storyline of WC3 and from what books I've read. I no longer have interest in playing for something I don't know what I'm playing for. However, their new game will most likely produce a new storyline which will give people something to research, something to be interested in, and maybe something to work for, hopefully they'll use a better engine and not cater to the people who have crappy PC's. So I don't know what they'll do to WoW to keep milking it, but it won't make it fun.

I'm not sure how they're going to do it but it's just what blizzard said.

Originally Posted by http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/world...ml?sid=6213042
Chilton declined to comment on the subscription model for Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming top-secret MMOG. However, the WOW developer-publisher has said that the game will be an entirely new IP unique enough as to not compete with World of Warcraft.

Basically all this is saying is, is that it won't be WoW based but a new storyline. As a game and business model, it will compete.

[Remus]

1) MOST players have 2+ subs, every game competes for time taking publishing places at their word is folly.
2) can't even compare WoW to most other MMO's due to other mmo's variance in gameplay into itself.
3) ~5.5million in US/EU/Aus/Russ/ are "subscribers" the remaining 6 million (users not subs as you stated) are asian regional- comprising of hourly.
4) Gamestop is not Blizzard. and WoW was setup on brand-name from blizzards rts series. They happened to become successful and then grew into a well rounded company. They have already stated in interviews WoW will become F2P in the future, you can see it happening already with the casualness increasing. along with the regurgitation of content, they are running out of solid "WOW" ideas for it and knew it.

[Jeremiah]

I guess you're not aware that Blizzard was already a big corporation before WoW came out.

WoW was propped up by a successful corporation, and is maintained by a behemothic corporation...

I never stated that I thought that Blizzard wasn't a big corporation before, I said the opposite. Starcraft was the best-selling PC title of all time. I was merely pointing out that Blizzard became even richer after the massive success that was WoW. They rose from successful developers to the sole and hegemonic developer of popular MMO titles, which says how good their next title will be.