Will the free-to-play business model eventually collapse and bring a return to traditional gaming business models?

[Mega Man II Intro - GB]

buy a box, game's in the box, play the game, that's it, there's nothing else

"haha grandpa you tell such funny stories"

 

[Shringlecrink]

god I hope so, but in reality no they are too retarded to care about the consumer

 

[ProfDongs]

Things only get worse, it'll be back to the Pay-to-Rent model that was really popular with early Asian mmo's before that ever happens.

 

[From The Uncanny Valley]

I can see the western model dying, but the Asian model still has some life in it

 

[Megaroad 2012]

god I hope so, but in reality no they are too retarded to care about the consumer

I don't think they're the retards but the pay pigs who cough up money for digital assets are the zombies who keep this shit going.

 

[TFT-A9]

Not without the industry imploding first.

This is an acceptable prospect, however.

 

[No Exit]

Not on mobile but if more people finally start waiting for the "definitive edition" there will be a decrease in microtransactions and stupid DLC.

Still blows my mind people will buy a game then rebuy the second half in chunks. I actually don't understand how piracy isn't more prevalent, getting the game, the $100 DLC plus exclusive preorder shit for free is just too good to pass up.

 

[Mega Man II Intro - GB]

I actually don't understand how piracy isn't more prevalent

Steam makes people too lazy to pirate. It's the simple "click button it's in my library" interface vs going through five minutes of effort. That's it, that's all there is to it. If Steam didn't exist the industry would look very different. But probably worse in many ways since digital storefronts were inevitable. You'd end up with the Netflix and Disney+ of gaming.

 

[KittyGremlin]

I haven't played a video game in almost a year, so I don't care anymore.

 

[Testacles Maximus]

Disney+ of gaming.

Playing as a five hundred pound boba fett would be about the only thing worse than watching one.

 

[GreenJacket]

TBH, the subscription and microtransaction model is what works for modern multiplayer. If you want to return to the days of single pay games, then services like matchmaking need to be nixed.

 

[incelistan]

It could happen, if China was nuked.

 

[Jason Wynn]

I’m honestly surprised some ancient 20+ year old MMOs like Everquest and Dark Age of Camelot are still going due to the free to play model.