Will WoW ever be F2P?

[Lisaara]

I have played several f2p titles before comming to WoW and I don't think I'll ever go back to them. The most vivid memory common to them all are the equivalents of "Giv monnies nao!" signs on every corner (which, of course, wouldn't go away no matter how much monnies you'd throw at them) and complete lack of any customer support. Damn, entire features were rendered unplayable due to heavy bugs or straightward turned off!
And then add a "community" of kiddos who won't pay for a thing they can have for free, no matter how much they loose on quality (wat iz dat?)

Did you play Runescape? *giggles* Cause that sounds identical to that!

[Nick]

I have played several f2p titles before comming to WoW and I don't think I'll ever go back to them. The most vivid memory common to them all are the equivalents of "Giv monnies nao!" signs on every corner (which, of course, wouldn't go away no matter how much monnies you'd throw at them) and complete lack of any customer support. Damn, entire features were rendered unplayable due to heavy bugs or straightward turned off!
And then add a "community" of kiddos who won't pay for a thing they can have for free, no matter how much they loose on quality (wat iz dat?) :P

Did you play Runescape? *giggles* Cause that sounds identical to that!

Aaaah, Runescape.
The slew of good and bad memories of that game come crashing back.

[Lisaara]

I have played several f2p titles before comming to WoW and I don't think I'll ever go back to them. The most vivid memory common to them all are the equivalents of "Giv monnies nao!" signs on every corner (which, of course, wouldn't go away no matter how much monnies you'd throw at them) and complete lack of any customer support. Damn, entire features were rendered unplayable due to heavy bugs or straightward turned off!
And then add a "community" of kiddos who won't pay for a thing they can have for free, no matter how much they loose on quality (wat iz dat?)

Did you play Runescape? *giggles* Cause that sounds identical to that!

Aaaah, Runescape.
The slew of good and bad memories of that game come crashing back.

And your Jareth picture said it all....*snicker* I was WiccaKitten back in those days.

[Gimlion]

I'm going to leave this thread with one name: Zezima.

That is all.

[Danielfboone]

I have played several f2p titles before comming to WoW and I don't think I'll ever go back to them. The most vivid memory common to them all are the equivalents of "Giv monnies nao!" signs on every corner (which, of course, wouldn't go away no matter how much monnies you'd throw at them) and complete lack of any customer support. Damn, entire features were rendered unplayable due to heavy bugs or straightward turned off!
And then add a "community" of kiddos who won't pay for a thing they can have for free, no matter how much they loose on quality (wat iz dat?)

Did you play Runescape? *giggles* Cause that sounds identical to that!

NOOOOO! not Runescape. That was the first MMO I ever played before coming to WoW in late 2005, and I have nothing but bad memories of that game. I still remember dying and having almost all my gear drop in a pile that anyone could loot if they got to it before I was able to get back. I had to regear so many times in that game, I just gave up. I can't believe it's still around and I still get emails warning me of attempted hacks of my Runescape account when I don't even have one.

[Zhinru]

While I agree it won't die in like a year or 2, I don't see it lasting another 10 yrs without going f2p esp when theres quality games like GW2 which are just as good (imo anyway) that don't lock you into $14 a month to play. By then Blizz next gen mmo will be out and I think they will put their efforts into that and let wow slide abit down the priority list.

We are already seeing the frame work for this with CRZ (less servers, less maintanence) and making the game more available to the casual player with Raid Finder, Dungeon Finder etc. As much as I love this game too I don't see it being as content packed 10yrs from now Just my 2 coppers.

The thing with MMOs that are free to play right from the start is that exactly because of that, their players won't feel as obliged to play them, and thus feel less of a bond. GW2 has some great features, but I don't see it still being relevant in two years. WoW? People will keep coming back to it. Subscriber numbers will keep dropping, but I expect it to stabilise around 2-3 millions, and by then Blizzard will just keep WoW online for the revenue, while concentrating on whatever Titan ends up being called.

[Danielfboone]

We are already seeing the frame work for this with CRZ (less servers, less maintanence)

This is very inaccurate. CRZ in no way results in fewer servers and less maintenance. It fact it perpetuates the same number of servers and the same amount of needed maintenance. The only way you get a reduction in those things is by merger realms and eliminating the servers formerly needed for one or more of the now merged worlds.

[Novikova]

I honestly don't get why CRZ is apparently preferable to server merges. Now I have all the node competition (Rare and quest competition) and none of the awesome AH action of a more active server. Awesome.

I suspect as long as there are enough subscribers that Blizzard CAN charge and turn a profit, they most likely will keep it as such.

[Myrrmi]

I think that with CRZ it was primally a PR move - look, we're not dying. The game that's dying merges servers. We, instead, are introducing a completely brand new super bumper extra exclusive top-notch tech (insert more simmilar let the hype go up) feature~!!

That doesn't change that CRZ basically sucks, and badly. I'd rather have some serv merges, free migrations to low-pops or just leaving the things as it were - let peeps decide if they want to play on high-pop or low-pop.