Tag Archives: free-to-play

Train2Game news: There will always be subscription based MMOs say Star Wars: The Old Republic devs Bioware

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Train2Game students may be aware that many MMO titles are switching to a free-to-play model, one wherein revenue is made by microtransactions rather than monthly subscription fees.

However, while many games in the genre are going free-to-play, the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic – scheduled for release in December – is going to stick to the traditional pay monthly model.

And while many developers are switching to free-to-play, SWTOR developers Bioware believe that gamers will always be willing to pay a subscription fee for a quality product.

“I think there will always be a place for premium content at a premium price and that’s one of the differences,” Bioware co-founder Greg Zeschuk told Industry Gamers.

“Free to play is very much about trial, about ‘Hey, I don’t know what this is, I don’t have confidence that it’s any good, but I’m willing to take a look at it,’ versus ‘I know this is good, from a trusted source, and it’s the biggest license in the world.’ So it’s a different value proposition,” he said.

Fellow Bioware co-founder Ray Muzyka believes that increased competition from free-to-play titles is good for the games industry.

“There’s more competition for entertainment dollars now than ever before from social and play for free, and all sorts of entertainment, which I think is actually really healthy from an entertainment industry perspective”

However, he agrees with Zeschuk in that the subscription model will remain popular, but the games have to be worth it.

“But I agree with Greg that there’s a space for a certain number of premium products that are subscription based or whatever the premium pricing model is. But they have to merit it, they have to earn that from a consumer trust perspective and delivering and exceeding expectations.” said Muzyka.

Of course, he believes that Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of these games.

“I think The Old Republic is definitely in that triple-A premium category. That’s the feedback reading from the players and data testing.”

Earlier this week, the Train2Game blog reported on the importance of playtesting in the development of Star Wars: The Old Republic.

For an in-depth look at the development of SWTOR, read the Train2Game interview with Associate Lead Game Designer Emmanuel Lusinchi

So Train2Game, do you believe the subscription model for MMO still has a future ahead of it? Or will free-to-play titles become the dominant force?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Industry Gamers]

Train2Game students take note – one third of UK population using smartphones

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One third of people in Great Britain own a smartphones, while gaming is the fastest growing online pastime.

That’s according to a report from Ofcom, which argue confirms something the Train2Game blog has reported on a number of times – that mobile gaming is becoming a huge phenomenon. It’s therefore an area that Train2Game students would be wise to think about pursuing a career in.

And while the Ofcom report states the iPhone, with its easy to use App store, is still the preferred choice of smartphone for many, the Train2Game blog previously reported that Android devices are increasing their share in the market.  Indeed, many Train2Game forum users own Android smartphones themselves.

Interesting, the Blackberry is the most popular smartphone among teenagers.

Meanwhile, the Ofcom report reveals that there’s been a 23% increase in online gaming over the last year, with smartphones likely to have contributed to this too. Online social media games are also becoming more and more popular, with the Train2Game blog reporting that more and more developers are using it as a platform to release games.

Indeed as reported by the Train2Game blog earlier this week, Civilization developer Sid Meier said games ‘will take over the world’ and social media gaming will play a part in this.

“I think now is one of the most exciting times to be a Game Designer” said Meier.

“With the rapid growth of social network games there are new opportunities for smaller indie developers to make and distribute games, so we’re seeing a wider variety of games on all kinds of cool devices than ever before. That’s great for the whole industry.”

And as previously reported by the Train2Game blog, both smartphone and social media gaming, free-to-play could provide a viable model for making revenue from games.

“The guys who are making more money are allowing people – if they like the game – to keep upgrading. And instead of the maximum amount of that money you can make from customer being 99c you can make $5, in some cases $30.” Industry analyst Nicholas Lovell previously told the Train2Game blog.

So with one third of Brits using a smartphone, that’s a huge potential audience for any iPhone games produced by Train2Game students; it could very much be your future.

So Train2Game, do you see developing games for smartphones as a good career path?  Is the potential audience just going to keep growing?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Develop]

Train2Game students have the opportunity to join Hellgate Open Beta

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Here’s something that may especially be of interest to Train2Game students on the Games QA Tester course, the Open Beta period for T3 Entertainment’s MMO Hellgate has begun.

As Train2Game students will know, a Beta period not only acts as a good source of promotion for a game, it also allows users to essentially become QA Testers and report any bugs or problems they encounter.

The Hellgate Open Beta could therefore provide a Train2Game QA Tester with an opportunity to test their bug testing skills, while having some fun with a new game at the same time.

Hellgate is described as “an online, action RPG that allows you to play in a first-person or third-person perspective.”

Set in a near future where the gates of Hell have opened and Demons roam the earth, the game is based in London! Perhaps some Train2Game students would be interested in testing Hellgate purely for that reason.

To sign up for the Hellgate Open Beta, visit the official website and follow the Hellgate logo.

Hellgate is a free-to-play MMO, and as reported by the Train2Game blog just yesterday, freemium games can become very profitable for developers and publishers.

Train2Game students who want an in-depth look at how developing a free-to-play title can bring success should see this previous post on the Train2Game blog

So Train2Game, will you be joining the open beta? Do you see it as a good opportunity to test your abilities as a QA Tester?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Gamasutra]

Freemium ‘As Profitable As A Console Game’ say EA

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As something that Train2Game students may get involved with in future, it’s interesting that Free-to-play games can be as profitable as regular console games. That’s according to EA Games label head Frank Gibeau

“We’re aggressively investing in things that are very low cost like free-to-play,” said. “The free-to-play group inside of EA Games is growing extremely fast – we’ve got 17 million users.” He told GamesIndustry.biz.

“Frankly when they get to scale, have huge audiences, are very profitable, they’re not cannibalizing the main games and they actually reach markets that we’re not currently serving. With Need for Speed World, Russia and Brazil are number one and two – the Ukraine is in there too. I can’t sell packaged goods in those territories.”

The free to play Need for Speed World now has over 5 million registered users, with Micro-transactions providing the game’s income.

“But I’m reaching an audience with Need for Speed content. It’s an engine that’s not as advanced as Frostbite 2 but it’s certainly got great production values and great game designs, and it’s free-to-play with micro-transactions. It’s a very exciting time from our perspective because it’s not all about consoles. It’s about smartphones, tablets, free-to-play, browser, social,” added Gibeau.

The free-to-play model has already established itself as a successful mode for social media titles, as reported by the Train2Game blog earlier this week.

Train2Game students who want an in-depth look at how developing a free-to-play title could bring them success should see this previous post on the Train2Game blog

So Train2Game, do you think it’s possible for free-to-play titles to become as profitable as console games? Is it a development model you’d consider pursuing?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: GamesIndustry.biz]

Free-to-play games ‘the future’ of PC gaming. Do you agree Train2Game?

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Age of Empires OnlineThe Train2Game blog has previously hailed the PC as the ideal platform for Train2Game students, but the future of the system is in free to play games. That’s according to Gas Powered Games, the game development studio behind the Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander series.

“When I have this experience, where I can get a ‘freemium’ game that’s incredible, huge with arguably hundreds of hours of free gameplay, why would I go to the store and spend $50 in the old model?”  Gas Powered Games boss Chris Taylor told Eurogamer.

“I’m so done with that. It’s fair to say I’m done dropping that kind of money. I want this in everything. Take any favourite game of mine”

“To me it’s the future. Absolutely it’s the future. If I had to make any prognostications about the gaming industry, that’s the easiest one I will have made in 10 years. This model is coming. It’s here to stay. It’s good on every level.”

Gas Powered Games are currently developing Age of Empire Online, which will be released both digitally and at retail later this year. Players will be able buy extra content in the form of civilizations, boosters and empire extras with the former including premium content.

Of course, Train2Game students may recognise the title as a change in direction for the classic Age of Empires series.

“This is what RTS gaming has become: Age of Empires Online,” said Taylor “It is online, it has community, friends, but that is the beginning. It means when the game goes out, you don’t get a hump and you go down. When the game comes out it goes up infinitely.

“It means every month or so you see cool new things, rather than six months, a year, or maybe never. It’s a continuous rhythm.” He added

Earlier this week, the Train2Game blog reported that Valve also see the benefits of a continuous development cycle, with Team Fortress 2 having received over 200 updates since its release in 2007.

“We have turned a very important corner for the way we think about and develop software and the value proposition we give our customers. It’s way up from where we were before.” Taylor concluded.

In March, the Train2Game blog examined how developing free-to-play game featuring microtransactions could potentially bring success to a Train2Game student.

So Train2Game, do you think free-to-play games are the future of PC gaming? Or are Taylor’s claims complete rubbish? What do you think the future of PC gaming is?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Eurogamer]