Massive Multiplayer Online Games advised to drop monthly subscription

Posted by Arutha

July 25, 2008

Parks Associates analyst has advised that developers creating new Massive Multiplayer Online Games(MMOs) should drop the modern trend of charging monthly subscriptions, these subscriptions cost the user around £10 a month and with a one off charge of around £30 to buy the game itself.

In place of the subscription charges a ‘microtransaction model’ should be taken instead, this can be used on many of the free MMOs on the market at the moment and while it allows users to play these MMOs for free they can purchase additional or ’special’ items for a small change.

These items consist of such effects as double exp or even 10x exp gained while playing or special items for their avatars to wear such as capes or armor.

None of these items can be found in-game or even traded while in game, so if people want the benefits they have to cough up the dough.

The likes of WOW might not see this as the way forward, with its user base expanding daily. But it’s nice to see many games now coming out on the market that use this model.

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