Blizzard has a small stable of online games that all have a means of supporting themselves. World of Warcraft has a subscription fee and many micro-transaction fees; Starcraft2 is licensed out to many different tournaments for e-sports; so where does that leave the Diablo franchise?
Now I've heard Blizzard only intends to break even on the operating costs of the RMAH with transaction fees, so what's left? Basically expansion sales, which both other franchises also bring in. People scoffing at Blizzard for taking a piece of online transactions, and getting indignant over the idea that Blizzard could dare consider a subscription fee, should take some time to consider what a sink this franchise actually is.
I would hate to see waning interest from Blizzard after the first couple years, but it's a definite possibility.|||I really just can't understand this mentality. Why do you people keep bringing this stuff up? Do you really want to pay a monthly fee that bad? You can send me $15 a month if it will make you feel better.
They aren't charging a monthly fee. Be thankful.|||Quote:
I really just can't understand this mentality. Why do you people keep bringing this stuff up? Do you really want to pay a monthly fee that bad? You can send me $15 a month if it will make you feel better.
They aren't charging a monthly fee. Be thankful.
It's not like a Blizzard rep is going to read this and go "oh crap, we didn't think of that! Better add a subscription fee!"
I'm just trying to understand the other side of this. There are people who are very quick to call out Blizzard for trying to make money on the RMAH, who DON'T appreciate the fact that this game is free. People who act like a subscription fee would just be Blizzard frivolously gouging us. There are things those people need to understand.
I'd also like to hear what people think will sustain this game over the years, or if they all think it'll just fade away.|||All I know is that I still play D2 from time to time and that game hasn't made Blizzard a cent in a long time. If D3 is anywhere close (and I expect it is), I think it will be around for quite a while.|||Quote:
All I know is that I still play D2 from time to time and that game hasn't made Blizzard a cent in a long time. If D3 is anywhere close (and I expect it is), I think it will be around for quite a while.
The state that D2 has been left in isn't something I would particularly enjoy in D3. I'll take a subscription fee over that.|||Some things to consider. There's a lot of "free" to play games out there, they get microtransactions for odds and ends. Penny-arcade recently made fun of one for spending all their money on it and saying they can't afford any free games. Diablo III is still going to be $60 up front, RMAH or no. They are still going to make a killing on the expacs.
And an interesting note on the free to play games again, DDO and LOTRO both became MORE profitable for their company after becoming free to play.|||Quote:
Some things to consider. There's a lot of "free" to play games out there, they get microtransactions for odds and ends. Penny-arcade recently made fun of one for spending all their money on it and saying they can't afford any free games. Diablo III is still going to be $60 up front, RMAH or no. They are still going to make a killing on the expacs.
And an interesting note on the free to play games again, DDO and LOTRO both became MORE profitable for their company after becoming free to play.
Let me be sure I get what you're inferring before I decide if I want to jump in this grinder.
Are you saying D3 should not cost anything up front and go with a purely microtrans model? And are you naming LOTRO and the like as a model for D3 to emulate? Are you saying that if they have RMAH and they should not charge anything up front?
I ask this in a strictly neutral and informational spirit.|||The reason blizzard will be fine is because they make 60 dollar games that are worth $500, while other companies make f2p games that are worth about the same as they cost.|||The box is going to be RRP $60/�40 for at least the first 12 months of it's lifespan - that's normally enough for most games.|||Quote:
Let me be sure I get what you're inferring before I decide if I want to jump in this grinder.
Are you saying D3 should not cost anything up front and go with a purely microtrans model? And are you naming LOTRO and the like as a model for D3 to emulate? Are you saying that if they have RMAH and they should not charge anything up front?
I ask this in a strictly neutral and informational spirit.
Not really saying that at all. I'm just saying that games don't need a monthly fee to be profitable. I'd think that D3 would be fine with the Borderlands model too, no xpac, but smaller $10 download packs released a little more frequently than xpacs. Not saying that's how it should be, but saying that Diablo III would work with it.
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