MMOGs Branch Out

Via Kotaku, a Wall Street Journal article looking at ways the Massively Multiplayer genre are opening up to new players. Besides new game genres, the article discusses changes in revenue collection schemes. From the article: "The industry's traditional business model is to charge about $50 for the game software and a monthly subscription fee of about $15 for online play. That model has proved risky: When a game is highly popular, the monthly fees yield steady revenue streams for many years. Some of the industry's earliest hits, such as EverQuest, released in 1999, still have many users. But monthly fees have been "a significant barrier" to growing the market, said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment, based in San Diego."

Comments

I can't justify that sort of monthly expense

[denverradiosucks]

Personally, I would be more inclined to play a MMOG if I wasn't charged a monthly fee. When I already have to pay $50 a month for DSL/Cable connection, another $50 for my cell phone, $35 for my land phone line, $50 for Cable/Satellite television, how on earth can I justify paying $15+ a month to play a game I spend $50-60 for at the store? They aren't necessarily providing me a service in the sense that the previously mentioned items are. Or are they? World of Pirates is a fun one and it is only a one-time charge of $20 to play. Granted its not World of Warcraft, but its an enjoyable clone of the old Sid Meier's game, and its all online, and it plays on relatively old machines.

Re:I can't justify that sort of monthly expense

[Kazzahdrane]

The game you mentioned looks quite interesting, but the link was wrong.

http://worldofpirates.4players.de/wop/index.html is where yee should set sail!

Generate revenue another way

[TPJ-Basin]

ArenaNet (developers of Guild Wars) did away with monthly payments to play, but instead decided to generate their additional revenue by way of expansion modules. The first one should be on the shelves fairly soon. Included in the modules are things like additional playable races, more lands to discover, additional items and skills, etc. Instead of forcing the users to pay every month whether they play or not, it is up to the users themselves whether (and when!) to purchase the modules. As noted elsewhere here, being away from your computer for a few weeks doesn't feel like throwing money away!

Flagship Studios' forthcoming debut title Hellgate:London will likely follow a similar path.

I run a very sucessful online gaming community, but never have much time to play. Avoiding being locked into a monthly fee suits me just fine.