'Free' MMO's

[kenzo1010]

with Free MMO games becoming popular and with new games being released constantly it's beginning to make me wonder "What exactly is free about it?" I mean yeah, it's free to play but if you want to actually progress and stand a chance overall you have to use the games cash shop to buy items that a truly free player can only wish for. Is this false advertising or is there another way around this that hasn't been used yet?

 

[kenzo1010]

....in-game money is not real money.
You do not use in-game money to buy the game.

I know that. What I'm saying is that games have in game money and they include a 'cash shop' where if you want certain items you have to use real money to buy them.

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

it's not that if you buy "cash shop items" that you're the best player in an instant, i never pay for items in free mmo's and it's still fairly easy to own people who do buy those items

 

[Avaholic03]

Paying for those games may increase your chance at success, but it doesn't really give you a greater game experience. It's a pretty good model IMO, let everyone play and only the people who get really into it will pay. If you make an addicting enough game, more people will pay in order to have success. The real trick is making the free part of the game fun enough where people get to the point of wanting to pay.

 

[Cherry Cola]

How is that false advertisement? The game is still free, it's just that some things aren't accessible to everyone. That's how they earn money. All that grants are certain perks that you can live without. It's the same with DLC, not everyone will buy it, but those who do buy it because they want more of the game they're playing.

 

[Marine Mike]

I really like the idea behind a game called Entropia Universe... Unfortunately my computer is too old to run said game. Its a MMORPG that is completely free to download and play, and like most "free" MMO's you can purchase in-game currency using real money. The catch to this is that it works both ways, if you happen to strike it rich in-game then you can turn your in-game currency back into real money. Like I said though, I haven't actually gotten to play yet so if anyone has/currently play(ed) this game or one similar please let me know if its any good.

 

[kenzo1010]

I understand it's a way to make money as every company does and I do agree it is successful. I myself would much rather pay for items than pay for a subscription game but it makes me wonder, is there anything else company's could do like this?

 

[brunothepig]

That's not entirely true. You have games like Dungeons And Dragons Online. Buying weapons can give you an edge, you aren't necessarily the best instantly. In DDO, you can find store credits (exceedingly difficult though) or just go searching for items. Turbine have said that the most powerful items are in fact in game. I don't know if many other free MMO's work like that, I do know DDO does. They reward play over pay.