LucasArts Considering Multiple Payment Options for The Old Republic

[Tom Goldman]

LucasArts Considering Multiple Payment Options for The Old Republic

Could Star Wars: The Old Republic have multiple payment options? Maybe, on a worldwide scale.

Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez laid out the company's plans to make Star Wars: The Old Republic a success. In particular, he acknowledged that different payment options in different areas of the world may be necessary. When asked about The Old Republic's possible future payment options he said: "Yeah, we're considering it all, absolutely. You start looking at how different communities, territories such as Asia, actually play games, and we start to consider it all - especially if we want it to be a worldwide phenomenon."

Despite not being available to the public yet Dungeons & Dragons Online's success as a free-to-play MMORPG a (mis?)statement made by EA CEO John Riccitiello [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/94527-Dungeons-Dragons-Online-Relaunches-to-Success] back in December could add some old fuel to this fire.

Luckily, it's not all about money to Rodriguez, as he states: "We talk about the business curves of subscriptions, interest and investment it takes to make these games, but at the end of the day it's about making a compelling offering for our consumers." If The Old Republic infuses story into the MMORPG like it is hyped to, it could definitely reinvigorate my interest in the genre.

Oh, and one last thing, when asked about futher expansions to the Monkey Island franchise such as a retail console version or a MMOG, Rodriguez replied with: "There's always that opportunity." Threepwood MMOG with spitting puzzles confirmed!

Source: GamesIndustry.biz [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/lucasarts-darrell-rodriguez-interview?page=1]

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[scnj]

As long as the price is reasonable for what we're getting, I'll be on board.

That said, while I probably have the wrong idea, I don't think it should cost different prices in different places. Although I'd assume they're intelligent enough to not do that.

 

[RedPandaMan]

Yeah, I expected these guys just to go with the good ol' subscription model, but we can always hope for the free model.

But, an MMO Monkey Island? Move over WoW, here comes the new king.

 

[CoverYourHead]

All I want to know is if I'll be able to play this on a Mac, if I can then I'll pay whatever it takes.

 

[scarab7]

I'm betting $15 a month like every other MMO out there. It's like the standard now.

 

[JaredXE]

Oh dear lord, don't let LucasArts have anything to do with this game other than signing off on licensing use.

I like and somewhat respect LA, but since the Monkey Island dev team jumped ship years ago......they have sucked. Only when outside agencies like Bioware have taken the property in hand, has there been a good Star Wars game.


Oh yeah, and I have no problem with the standard $15 a month subscription, I know it'll be worth it.

 

[AceDiamond]

This is pretty much the only MMO i'd consider paying money for, so they better not cock it up.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Can we just pay for them to fix SW:G by deleting the NGE?

 

[luckshot]

Oh dear lord, don't let LucasArts have anything to do with this game other than signing off on licensing use.

I like and somewhat respect LA, but since the Monkey Island dev team jumped ship years ago......they have sucked. Only when outside agencies like Bioware have taken the property in hand, has there been a good Star Wars game.


Oh yeah, and I have no problem with the standard $15 a month subscription, I know it'll be worth it.

george getting his hands on this and micro transactions are what scare me about this game

 

[SirSchmoopy]

The best reason to make a game free to play is that you have more users in your game and thus makes it feel more like an MMO.

 

[Ben Legend]

Even if their R&D department acknowledged that it would be a huge success if it was free, i'm assuming they will ignore it and go for a subscription based payment option.

But, all in all, as long as its bang for my buck, so to speak, i'm happy paying for it.

 

[Crimsane]

I hope they don't for with a free/micro-transaction model. I don't like those. I'd prefer a subscrition model.

Pretty much. I despise microtransaction games, especially ones with a definitive advantage over non-paying players. I'd pay $15/mo gladly to be on equal footing with everyone else, but won't ever fork over hundreds of bucks a month to keep up with the top p(l)ayers in a microtransaction model (who have too much money and/or too little common sense.)

I believe it's most likely it'll end up using the traditional subscription model, with options for payment (besides the obvious credit cards) like time cards and whatnot. The wisest path'd be to cater to each area's preferred payment systems for subscription-based games.

 

[hansari]

Someone else said it, but I'll say it now as well...there are just too many MMORPG's to choose from...I'm sure a handful of them are good, but really, you can only play like one!

 

[Phenakist]

I prefer a subscription free experience, it doesn't feel like you're playing to get your money's worth, you play because it's something you enjoy to do, and you don't feel like you "need" to play it because of that, and therefore enjoy the whole experience more.

I think a "cheap" subscription would be sensible for any MMO(if they want to have one), like £2.50 a month as apposed to £10 a month, I'm sure you'd find far far more people willing to subscribe, including myself.

 

[YurdleTheTurtle]

Someone else said it, but I'll say it now as well...there are just too many MMORPG's to choose from...I'm sure a handful of them are good, but really, you can only play like one!

Well, that's the point. They need to make this an MMO that YOU will play because you like it more than the other MMOs. It's competition.

At any rate, multiple payment options are good, but I highly recommend they don't make it regional-based. As in, there should be multiple options regardless of where you live. For example, people who want a limited but free model can do that, and people who want the full deal through subscriptions can also do that, no matter the location.

The best option: Completely free, the entire game. Not possible? Okay, fine, what about treating it like a normal game and simply make people pay once for each copy? Yeah, that's also not going to happen, but I can always dream.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

they'll find a way and i'm sure it will be more like wow with one subscription, the other odd ways don't really work that well

 

[Pinstar]

Free to play normally
A monthly subscription to play as a Jedi.

Discuss

 

[funksobeefy]

I know how to make the game a success! Making a third Kotor and not a fucking MMO!

I would pay a monthly fee though if it could play on my computer.

 

[Cryo84R]

Free to play normally
A monthly subscription to play as a Jedi.

Discuss

Promote this man.