EverQuest II jumps on the F2P bandwagon
by Jef Reahard 
Jul 27th 2010 at 2:05PM
Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Business models, MMO industry, News items
"The very nature of an MMO is change, and the decision to create Extended was fueled by evolution of the industry landscape," says EQII lead producer Dave Georgeson. "By offering two services side by side we have given the power to our players to determine the program that best fits their game play style."
Extended will allow access to all zones through The Shadow Odyssey, sans subscription, credit card info, or software purchases. Players will be able to purchase additional perks (such as races, levels 80 - 90, statistical gear, and potions) through the marketplace. Existing EQII subscribers will also be able to transfer their characters to the F2P servers, albeit without their gold. Bags, no-trade items, and attuned items will be transferred. Extended also offers a yearly subscription priced at $200 USD, which equals out to $16.66 per month. SOE is chipping in 60 Station Cash to make up the difference.
Check out the membership matrix for all the details on the new service, and stay with Massively for our interview with Dave Georgeson later today.
[Update: That interview can be found here.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Dril said on 2:09PM 7-27-2010
Great. I always liked EQ2 but never quite loved it enough to stick with it. This is good. Me gusta. I can play it now.
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Tempes Magus said on 4:24PM 7-27-2010
I've always wanted to try it and this is great incentive.
This is awesome news.
I guess some of the big companies are realizing what consumers want.
I can't wait to see what happens next.
Tempes Magus said on 4:26PM 7-27-2010
Although, I don't like that it seems they will be selling game changing items.
I could see selling access to some things, but not selling gear.
This is a good start though.
Tempes Magus said on 4:46PM 7-27-2010
I take back my 2 comments above after reading the membership benefits picture.
SOE can drop off the face of the Earth for all I care.
They're adopting the model every illogically discriminating elitist asshole has been asking for despite the fact that F2P communities tend to be much better.
They're treating them like they are less than worth it and not offering support until they pay monthly or yearly.
How can you offer a product and not offer customer support?
They don't even offer it if they spend money on the cash shop, only with subscriptions
Greedy morons.
Khorrax said on 2:16PM 7-27-2010
It's a bit funny considering the previous statements, but it's hardly surprising. I find it very interesting, and inspired at the same time, that they chose to open a new server for the F2P people, while existing subscribers can play on their characters on the current servers. I might as well give this a try when the server goes live.
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Celestial Lord said on 2:17PM 7-27-2010
At least the free players will be on a separate server...
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Tempes Magus said on 4:31PM 7-27-2010
At least most of them are a hell of a lot better people than those who pay.
Seriously, the entitlement that comes with a subscription brings out the worst in people and changes many to be just as horrible.
It's all because of the stress of "time is money". F2P doesn't have to deal with time at all so there is no hurry to get people angry over waiting.
I would rather play with the F2P people than the "holier than thou" subscription crazies.
By the way, this doesn't seem to be an issue on City of Heroes which is a subscription game I play. The people don't even mind the micro-transactions on that game either.
sadres said on 2:18PM 7-27-2010
Seriously? Seriously. Seriously?
Big Announcement: We were just messin' with you earlier in the month, haha.
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BaronJuJu said on 2:21PM 7-27-2010
Interesting plans for the Extended server. But how is it that long time sub players don't get free SC but Platinum players do? Don't even try to cop out with the LON crap either, because that is bogus. How about letting Station Access folks decide whether they want LON packs or SC.
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Tempes Magus said on 4:49PM 7-27-2010
They're obviously just trying to get more money per player now.
This isn't even as good as the LOTRO or DDO F2P models.
SOE isn't even offer customer service for anybody who doesn't pay the full subscription and seems to be taking away access to things subscribers used to have.
Will the greed and stupidity of the P2P companies never end?
kyusswren said on 2:24PM 7-27-2010
But seriously... didn't they just announce that they will not be going f2p like... last week or something?
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tiki said on 2:29PM 7-27-2010
well at least it's a different server.
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Keven said on 2:31PM 7-27-2010
Oh....
I guess this F2P thing is more successful then I thought.
Huh. I still think the whole idea of F2P is flawed, all it does is turn the game in to an extended demo, but with the added bonus of "Gratz! You just ding'd 20! Now just give us your credit card and you can start gaining experience again!"
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Tempes Magus said on 4:54PM 7-27-2010
No, that's the greedy "milk you dry" model of F2T that SOE is converting Everquest 2 to right now.
Guild Wars and most other F2P games are not that way.
This move is just more of a ripoff since the ones who don't pay subscriptions specifically are not going to even get customer service.
They aren't even going to offer them the support they deserve as if their money they spend on the cash shop, which is now directly required instead of indirectly through a sub, isn't as good as the same amount, or less, of subscriptions.
This bastardized F2P model is not F2P. This is only done by greedy companies used to subscriptions.
If they want to know what consumers want they should look at Guild Wars 1, and soon to be Guild Wars 2 as well.
Celestian said on 2:31PM 7-27-2010
I'd rather it be all servers. More players is more grouping is more fun. Not going to change anything on the server I play. It'd been nice to have an alt on my same server as well.
Why do they always have to put a twist that just makes it "meh" like the 5 dollar 3 day play a month accounts.
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Tempes Magus said on 4:59PM 7-27-2010
It's because P2P companies almost always bastardize the F2P model to make it seem like F2P, but it really isn't.
They're cutting out so much necessary stuff like customer support which real F2P games never do.
I would gladly give Guild Wars 1 and 2 my money in cash shop purchases rather than greedy SOE because at least I get the important things with GW.
mttgamer said on 2:35PM 7-27-2010
All I gotta say is Finally! Gonna put this on my to play list!
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bobfish said on 2:37PM 7-27-2010
Stuff this, where is my VANGUARD free to play server?
Come on SOE, sort it out, I want VG to go free to play, it is your best game.
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Heart1lly said on 2:39PM 7-27-2010
Yay! I'm excited for this because I was just playing the EQ II trial and I liked what I saw. Unfortunately...what I didn't see was many players around :\ I'm hoping that the F2P server gets more people interested since the lowbie zones were so lonely. Good game though, and I'll definitely check it out once it goes F2P.
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Pyreneus said on 2:39PM 7-27-2010
question: It says in the FAQ that beta will follow alpha stage (duh) in august, and that beta servers and characters will not be wiped.
It also says on the FAQ header logo that it is in beta, but that seems unlikely due to the first comment, beta=august.
To the point: is this in open beta, and will we get to keep our characters from beta-to-live?
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