A Question I have been asking myself quiet often in the past days is, if the F2P model by itself has an effect on the community playing the game. What do you guys think?
I have noticed a lot of so called “toxic” behavior in mobas, as well as in F2P MMOS. Games you have to buy, or even pay a subscription fee for seemed a lot of more enjoyable in that aspect. This experience can have many different reasons - but maybe F2P really is one of those.
I mean it makes sense that people are more likely to go “full retard” when there is nothing they can loose. Even if they get banned, all they need to do, is to create another account.
Another reason for this “toxicity” may be the increased amount of smurfs you finde in F2P. I know that you can find those alternative accounts in many games… but they are much more rare if you have to actually pay money for the game.
So I am wondering… if going for a pure F2P model really is the best way. I mean it´s not only the effects the F2P model may have on it´s community, but also the way the game and gameplay has to be changed in order to fit the F2P market. I honestly would prefer an approach more similar to CS:GO. That would be to not “shape” the game arround possible F2P requirements (what is going to be a bad thing in every case), sell the game for a “budget” price and on top of that sell cosmetic stuff in the game to gain more revenue. That - in theory - could not only make the game better, by giving more freedom to the game designers, who then wouldn´t have to worry as much about the moneymaking in there game but also improve the games community.
I know this may be too late and stuff, I am just curious what you boys think :).
Maybe the next SD-release after DB will be a AAA title again, who knows…