Old Republic could have non-sub payment model

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 8th September 2009
Comments (20) Stumble
Old Republic could have non-sub payment model

LucasArts says it hasn't yet decided on what payment model Star War: The Old Republic will be using just yet.

LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez has revealed that BioWare and LucasArts haven't yet settled on a specific plan for how upcoming MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic will actually be priced.

He also implies that it's possible a number of different options will be provided for players, with both subscription and micro-transaction models integrated into the game to allow LucasArts to target the largest areas of the market.

Micro-transactions are often a good way to make money in the short term, but rely on the game having a long-lasting appeal that'll continue to bring funds in as players pay for new items. Speaking to GI.biz though, Rodriguez said he was confident that The Old Republic would for at least as long as Star Wars Galaxies - which lasted seven years.

"So it's a 30 year old IP and we anticipate that the IP and the quality game that we're making here is going to continue on for a very long time," said Rodriguez.

"We talk about the business curves of subscriptions, interest and investment it takes to make these games, but at the end of the day it's about making a compelling offering for our consumers."

"You start looking at how different communities, territories such as Asia, actually play games, and we start to consider it all - especially if we want it to be a worldwide phenomenon."

No mention was made of the rumoured Sony MMO that's being built around the Star Wars franchise.

Are you interested in The Old Republic? How would you like it to be priced? Let us know in the forums.
Quote Veles 8th September 2009, 12:56
I don't think I'm bothered either way really, so long as the game is good it doesn't really matter.
Quote Denis_iii 8th September 2009, 13:04
if there is a pay as you go option, ie buy 10hours game time, i'd give it a go otherwise nah
Quote Skiddywinks 8th September 2009, 13:27
Micro-transactions as in all those free MMOs? Where the more money you pay, the bigger the advantage you have over those who haven't paid any?

Sack that.
Quote l3v1ck 8th September 2009, 13:47
No monthly payment would be better for people like me who don't have a lot of spare time. I don't think I'd play for too long if I had to pay for just a few hours online a month. Without a monthly fee I could pick it up when ever I have a spare hour or two.
Quote Tyrmot 8th September 2009, 14:32
Quote:
Originally Posted by l3v1ck
No monthly payment would be better for people like me who don't have a lot of spare time. I don't think I'd play for too long if I had to pay for just a few hours online a month. Without a monthly fee I could pick it up when ever I have a spare hour or two.

what he said - I don't feel I have enough free time to get my monies worth out of a monthly sub, so would rather see some other options for the more casual player
Quote Skiddywinks 8th September 2009, 14:59
I think a PAYG setup would be a great addition. Obviously keep monthly fees aswel, for those that would get the use out of them.

I definitely won't be getting this if there are microtransactions, and I am unlikely to get it if it has a monthly fee. PAYG is the way forward.
Quote ChaosDefinesOrder 8th September 2009, 15:01
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrmot
Quote:
Originally Posted by l3v1ck
No monthly payment would be better for people like me who don't have a lot of spare time. I don't think I'd play for too long if I had to pay for just a few hours online a month. Without a monthly fee I could pick it up when ever I have a spare hour or two.

what he said - I don't feel I have enough free time to get my monies worth out of a monthly sub, so would rather see some other options for the more casual player

and precisely why I am fully against subscriptions for online games.

If it was done in a pre-pay "hour credit" type system where you pay per hour played then fine, but per month is punitive for those who don't have the time but still want to play...
Quote TurtlePerson2 8th September 2009, 15:08
I might buy the game if it were microtransaction based.
Quote yakyb 8th September 2009, 15:38
i will not buy the game if Money allows for better goods if the game is good enough i will spend £15 a month max
Quote Bursar 8th September 2009, 16:19
But where do you draw the pricing line with PAYG MMOs? I must have spent about 20 hours playing Champions Online over the weekend, and at 50p an hour, that's a tenner. A monthly sub is only £9!
Quote Tyrmot 8th September 2009, 17:20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bursar
But where do you draw the pricing line with PAYG MMOs? I must have spent about 20 hours playing Champions Online over the weekend, and at 50p an hour, that's a tenner. A monthly sub is only £9!

presumably a PAYG rate with optional monthly sub/maximum spend. So you could either take out the £9/month or pay 50p/hour depending on your needs. Or you could have a maximum limit like on oyster cards - so if your PAYG payments reach £9 it maxes out and you can play as much as you want for the remainder of the month with no more fee, would make sense no?
Quote dextro 8th September 2009, 17:35
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrmot
presumably a PAYG rate with optional monthly sub/maximum spend. So you could either take out the £9/month or pay 50p/hour depending on your needs. Or you could have a maximum limit like on oyster cards - so if your PAYG payments reach £9 it maxes out and you can play as much as you want for the remainder of the month with no more fee, would make sense no?

Or even pre-paid hour credits where the more you buy the cheaper it gets. Like buy 1 hour for 50p but if you buy 5h you only have to pay 1.8£ or something like that.
Quote Grinch123456 8th September 2009, 20:20
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChaosDefinesOrder
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrmot
Quote:
Originally Posted by l3v1ck
No monthly payment would be better for people like me who don't have a lot of spare time. I don't think I'd play for too long if I had to pay for just a few hours online a month. Without a monthly fee I could pick it up when ever I have a spare hour or two.

what he said - I don't feel I have enough free time to get my monies worth out of a monthly sub, so would rather see some other options for the more casual player

and precisely why I am fully against subscriptions for online games.

If it was done in a pre-pay "hour credit" type system where you pay per hour played then fine, but per month is punitive for those who don't have the time but still want to play...

Per-hour is also unfair to those college (uni, in the UK) students who dutifully plan their schedules. Perhaps a per-hour or monthly fee, but just a per-hour payment system is a massive hassle or turn-off to those that don't want to use credit cards, like high-school students who don't ask parents (i.e. most everyone of my high school friends and associates) for credit cards and instead purchase game time cards at the local gamestop/EB games/british equivalent/etc. There has to be a choice or a way to continue the status quo- the status quo that already works so well for so many.
Quote enzolt 8th September 2009, 22:09
Quote:
Originally Posted by l3v1ck
No monthly payment would be better for people like me who don't have a lot of spare time. I don't think I'd play for too long if I had to pay for just a few hours online a month. Without a monthly fee I could pick it up when ever I have a spare hour or two.

would definitely work for me too. i dont have that much online time so this is perfect.
Quote Skiddywinks 9th September 2009, 01:23
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bursar
But where do you draw the pricing line with PAYG MMOs? I must have spent about 20 hours playing Champions Online over the weekend, and at 50p an hour, that's a tenner. A monthly sub is only £9!

But do you spend 20 hours every weekend?

The PAYG system, eventually maxing out as a monthly subscription if you hit the same cost, sounds like an excellent plan for an MMO. Frankly, 20 hours in one weekend is a bit excessive for the average person.
Quote l3v1ck 9th September 2009, 08:34
There's no reason why you can't have both systems.
£5.00 per month, no usage limit or £0.20 per hour.
People who play over 25 hours a month would be better off on the flat rate, while the rest of us could just pay for what we use.
Quote GrahamC 9th September 2009, 08:49
Turn money into credits (used in the SW universe). An hour of online access costs say 1 credit, a credit costs 1p say bingo monthly or per hour access. In game items cost credits so you buy them, best of all worlds with an easy system.
Quote rollo 9th September 2009, 13:23
Would prefer subscription £9 ish is decent enough. Micro transactions suck due to having to buy gear and stuff. I'd probably refrain from purchase on that sort of system
Quote vinfromuk 9th September 2009, 22:55
Another nod in favour of a flat monthly sub here. To be honest if you don't feel you can play enough for a £9 a month sub then MMOs are simply not for you - 10 hours a month and you could easily never even see max level in quite a few games out there.
Quote DraigUK 10th September 2009, 10:36
Monthly sub please. If it is not good enough to pay £10 a month for (or 33p a day) it is not good enough to play in the first place.

Don't care if they implement a pay per hour thing or pay as you go system alongside it, but to me that would be a total pain the backside havign to keep track of hours left, getting booted out half way through a session due to running out of time, having to "top up" often....bleh.

The micro management thing where the more you pay the better your char gets is horrible and I would not even try the game if they had that system.
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