LOTRO revenue up 100% since going F2P?

[Bateluer]

Spotted this over at Firingsquad and Joystiq.

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/lord-of-the-rings-online-doubles-revenue-since-going-free-to-pla/

Here are the stats from the first month of this new business model:

* Revenue has doubled
* Over a million new accounts have been created
* 20% of former LOTR:O players have returned
* Peak concurrent player count increased by 300%
* Online player count at any other time increased by 200%
* Overall active player count (what other MMOs would call subscribers) increased by 400%
* 53% of all players have used the in-game micro-transaction store
* Paid subscriptions have increased (by how much is unknown)

Good for Turbine. Not so good for the game of LOTRO in the long term, IMO. The type of players that are attracted to free MMOs are usually dicks and can ruin a good community within an MMO. Also, I have a VERY strong dislike for MMOs where players are allowed to purchase in game items for real money. This brings serious balance issues to an MMO, where a new player can start playing and simply purchase stacks of top of the line gear. I'm not sure how LOTRO handles this aspect, but this feature in a PvP MMO would be a lousy idea.

We'll see how LOTRO's subscriber count goes over the next few months, after the initial spike from it becoming free fades. They'd better use the revenue boost to implement content that will keep players interested and in the game.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

well, if lotro is anything like turbine's other free game, ddo, then there will be next to nothing worth buying in the game store. i bought blue hair and some xp bonus potions.

 

[coloumb]

Awesome.

Other MMO companies should take note as well - F2P opens up a market of people who don't want to deal with limited account trials [level caps, area restrictions, etc].

LOTRO was fun back in its day...might have to see if my characters are still active. Healer in that game was very weird - playing tunes in a certain order to heal/buff. Had fun running around as a Loremaster too.

DDO - Played that a few years ago when it was a subscription game. The problem you run into is getting a good group who are smart and will level up together. And it was a pain in the ass at times if you played the healer role - having to carry around wands or conserve heals between rest stations. However, the loot system was freaking awesome - everyone would have a chance at some really cool stuff and the raid runs were extremely fast and fun.

 

[Jumpem]

I'm all for in game micro-transactions.

Some of us make plenty of money, but have limited time to play due to work and families.

 

[crownjules]

Good for Turbine. Not so good for the game of LOTRO in the long term, IMO. The type of players that are attracted to free MMOs are usually dicks and can ruin a good community within an MMO. Also, I have a VERY strong dislike for MMOs where players are allowed to purchase in game items for real money. This brings serious balance issues to an MMO, where a new player can start playing and simply purchase stacks of top of the line gear. I'm not sure how LOTRO handles this aspect, but this feature in a PvP MMO would be a lousy idea.

We'll see how LOTRO's subscriber count goes over the next few months, after the initial spike from it becoming free fades. They'd better use the revenue boost to implement content that will keep players interested and in the game.

I think your concerns are not so valid when it comes to an MMO like LOTRO where the content is mostly focused towards PVE. If there was a significant amount of PvP with consequence, like say in EVE Online, then I'd agree; allowing players to purchase items with real money can mean "unworthy" players gain an equipment/item advantage. But that's not the case here. And so far, you can only purchase things like small stat boosts, increased XP/farming game, mounts, etc.

But I agree with you about the community.

 

[thujone]

f2p players can't access any pvp... it's only for subscribers. so that's at least something.

 

[Looney]

I don't mind people using real money to buy ingame items. What bothers me more are people with no life or job that spend so much time in game, THEY'RE the ones that unbalance the game.

 

[soccerballtux]

Spotted this over at Firingsquad and Joystiq.

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/lord-of-the-rings-online-doubles-revenue-since-going-free-to-pla/



Good for Turbine. Not so good for the game of LOTRO in the long term, IMO. The type of players that are attracted to free MMOs are usually dicks and can ruin a good community within an MMO. Also, I have a VERY strong dislike for MMOs where players are allowed to purchase in game items for real money. This brings serious balance issues to an MMO, where a new player can start playing and simply purchase stacks of top of the line gear. I'm not sure how LOTRO handles this aspect, but this feature in a PvP MMO would be a lousy idea.

We'll see how LOTRO's subscriber count goes over the next few months, after the initial spike from it becoming free fades. They'd better use the revenue boost to implement content that will keep players interested and in the game.

as opposed to, you know, the sort of players attracted to WoW, which are usually dicks and youngsters.

 

[soccerballtux]

I don't mind people using real money to buy ingame items. What bothers me more are people with no life or job that spend so much time in game, THEY'RE the ones that unbalance the game.

this way those of us with jobs can pay to balance it back and stomp their noob asses!

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Is there a bulletted summary somewhere of the differences between playing for free and paying for a subscription? I'd like to know what a subscription really gets me.

 

[SunnyD]

Is there a bulletted summary somewhere of the differences between playing for free and paying for a subscription? I'd like to know what a subscription really gets me.

Here ya go.

 

[lupi]

Two things I'm waiting on: how will the population/money be doing a couple more months down the road. Rate of future expansion releases and whether they will still be available for in the store pickup.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Here ya go.

Cool, thanks. I patched it up last night and logged in, so maybe I will start playing it a little and if I get back into it, I'll subscribe.

A lack of a good MMO right now is KILLING me.

 

[Nik]

well, if lotro is anything like turbine's other free game, ddo, then there will be next to nothing worth buying in the game store. i bought blue hair and some xp bonus potions.

Lotro isn't anything like ddo.

 

[lupi]

Buying your mount riding skill is like 1.5 gold or something, I believe it's on sale right now from an email I just got for just a couple dozen turbine points. Since I've got about 6000 points with little to buy right now (only real interested item is some of the storage stuff but will wait till it goes on a 50% off sale) may purchase for the alts to save in game money.

 

[Feneant2]

I agree with the boatload of dicks suscribing. I have the majority of channels off now since all I saw was constant bickering, arguing and the usual e-penis bragging.

The market gives 0 advantages to this point. It sells so few items of worth you could easily ignore it completely. The one required purchase is the riding skill which was 48 points this weekend, amounting to a couple of bucks, if even that much. Personnally, I'd like to see them add actual equipment to it, items and armor for those who won't be raiding but that's just wishful thinking.

 

[slag]

What's a good age limit for the younger folks to start playing this game? I have a 9 yr old who would like to adventure in a game like this with me, but am not sure if I can remove enough channels and keep it clean enough for him... Well, for his mom actually. He remembers when I played WoW a couple years back and wants to do the same.

What's the rating on this game? Most links I try to go to here from work are blocked... I did download the high res game last night and will try it out tonight, but was curious as to y'alls opinions on the game. The price seems right, I just hope the content isn't too much..

 

[lupi]

Ignoring other player added interactions in game, I'd call it fairly mild for the pre-teen crowd, understanding that the object is generally to kill other things including humans.

 

[EvilManagedCare]

What's a good age limit for the younger folks to start playing this game? I have a 9 yr old who would like to adventure in a game like this with me, but am not sure if I can remove enough channels and keep it clean enough for him... Well, for his mom actually. He remembers when I played WoW a couple years back and wants to do the same.

What's the rating on this game? Most links I try to go to here from work are blocked... I did download the high res game last night and will try it out tonight, but was curious as to y'alls opinions on the game. The price seems right, I just hope the content isn't too much..

I believe it's a T rating as there is not much gore IIRC. But like any MMO, the actual rating while online can be XXX. There's probably a chat filter. It's been a long time since I've played so I don't remember. It's fun, but I seem to remember the crafting system was especially high maintenance. ALso, it was getting tough to find balanced groups. But this was well before it went F2P. If you're looking for a more unique experience in an MMORPG this one delivers I think.

But don't let some of the other posters here fool you, there are plenty of dicks in LOTRO too. As though those players are limited to WoW.

 

[Merad]

What's a good age limit for the younger folks to start playing this game? I have a 9 yr old who would like to adventure in a game like this with me, but am not sure if I can remove enough channels and keep it clean enough for him... Well, for his mom actually. He remembers when I played WoW a couple years back and wants to do the same.

If you're ok with the fantasy violence in the game (killing evil humans and animals in addition to orcs/monsters) then it should be fine. Other than a few areas which are kind of gruesome looking with dead bodies and so on sitting around I don't really remember any content in the game that would be a problem for a 9yo.

I believe you can actually turn off all of the chat channels if you want to, just right click on the chat tab and uncheck them. If you turned all of them off, turned on the setting to only allow tells from friends and set him to be anonymous, you'd basically cut him off from contact with other players.