U.S. MMORPG publishers may need to offer more free-to-play titles - not games with subscriptions models - to attract new players and grow the market, according to Electronic Gaming in the Digital Home II, a recent consumer study conducted by market research firm Parks Associates.
Of the 2,000+ online gamers polled, only hardcore gamers were found to be interested in subscribing to an MMORPG service, whereas "social, dormant, and leisure gamers all show significant interest in a free-to-play, microtransaction-based model."
The study's numbers show that 14% of gamers currently not playing MMORPGs would be interested in playing them if they could for free, while only 2% of gamers from the same group were interested in playing an MMORPG requiring subscriptions.
According to Parks Associate's director of broadband and gaming, Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, the barriers to entry with subscription-based MMORPGs, such as time and money, are too high for potential customers. Free-to-play models, however, offer flexibility and enable players to choose how much they want to invest based on interest level and play patterns. Thus, the firm believes that microtransaction models have the best potential to grow the U.S. MMORPG audience.
Said Cai, "World of Warcraft, with over 10 million players, exceeded expectations for subscription-based MMORPGs, but it's unlikely any other publishers will achieve the same in the near term using a subscription model."
Comments (4)
My experience with free games is that they're inevitably filled with morons. One has to work to get out of the noise of the public areas to try and find the people who are genuinely pleasant to spend time with. It's generally not been as bad in the subscription-based games I've played.
I guess that World of Warcraft provides a counter-argument - there's plenty of mouthbreathers even with the subscription fee.
Posted by Merus | July 23, 2008 9:00 PM
Posted on July 23, 2008 21:00
Personally, I wouldn't want to play 'free games' with people who are too cheap/poor to pay for the game. They obviously don't have a job. Probably kids.
Free Games are meant to be a 'trial' or 'sample/demo' of the real game. Like the previous poster (Merus) said. Free Games are inevitably filled with morons.
Posted by FreeGame | July 24, 2008 1:47 AM
Posted on July 24, 2008 01:47
"14% of gamers currently not playing MMORPGs would be interested in playing them if they could for free"
There are plenty of free MMOs so obviously those in the 14% aren't interested in playing them at all, so the fact that they're not prepared to pay for them goes without saying.
I've been paying subscriptions for my MMOs since 1999 and if they all ended up free or with micropayments, I'd just stop playing them.
Posted by Daysy | July 24, 2008 7:00 AM
Posted on July 24, 2008 07:00
I also wouldn't be interested in microtransaction games. I like the subscription model because it creates a relatively even playing field. Everyone who pays their monthly fee has the same access to the same items, dungeons, whatever. With microtransactions, your ability to excel at the game seems only to be limited by the size of your wallet.
I like MMO subscription models because I can justify spending a small amount of money for a game I can play for a month, it almost seems frugal. I can't see playing a game where spending more cash advances you more than actually playing the game.
Posted by Anesthesia | July 24, 2008 9:44 AM
Posted on July 24, 2008 09:44