ESO Subscription Model Announced

[David]

In a recent interview with German gaming website GameStar, Matt Firor provided new details on the payment model of Zenimax's upcoming MMORPG, The Elder Scrolls Online. The news confirmed that ESO will utilize a traditional monthly subscription fee, ending conjecture that the game will carry free-to-play or other payment models.

... We are very happy to finally announce our model. It's very simple - you pay once per month after the first 30 days and the entire game is available to you.

When asked if this older model could compete with recent free-to-play games that employ oft-despised "payment gateway" and "pay-to-win" systems, Firor responded that this was not in the spirit of the Elder Scrolls series.

We feel that putting pay gates between the player and content at any point in game ruins that feeling of freedom, and just having one small monthly fee for 100% access to the game fits the IP and the game much better than a system where you have to pay for features and access as you play.

Firor went on to explain specific details concerning the cost of the subscription system.

[*]Unlimited play for the first 30 days with the purchase of the game.

[*]Following the first month you'll pay a flat fee for continued, unlimited access to the game.

[*]Basic monthly charge will be $14.99/€12.99/£8.99.

[*]Expect discounts if you buy multiple months at a time.

Of course, there are also some additional interesting takeaways.

[*]New content available every four to six weeks.

[*]Graphics, engine, content, etc., are all the same between the PC and console versions.

[*]There will be an open beta exclusive to the PS4 for a limited time.

[*]Time frame for console betas will be discussed early next year; this probably pushes back our previous estimated release dates.

A special thanks to community member irons for bringing this interview to our attention.

Click here to view the article

[Blake]

 

... We are very happy to finally announce our model. It's very simple - you pay once per month after the first 30 days and the entire game is available to you.

So the first 30 days are free then you pay the monthly free? Or...? The wording confused me a bit.

 

Well if it's good I wouldn't mind the monthly fee, especially if you consider the updates.

[David]

So the first 30 days are free then you pay the monthly free? Or...? The wording confused me a bit.

 

Yeah, you first buy the actual game and get an automatic 30 days with it. Following your first month you then pay a monthly $15 subscription to maintain access to it.

[Musclemagic]

Fucking awesome.

[Thousandcats]

Well, won't this be interesting?

[ghost5689]

if they do this then they should lower down the overall price 

[Musclemagic]

if they do this then they should lower down the overall price 

 

I think on PC they probably will, I was thinking that earlier. On console I doubt they'll lower it from $60, but it is really nice that it includes a 1-month subscription with purchase price no matter what.

[Guest Schizoid]

Once again, the damn Germans got the news first... haha.

 

Thanks, David. Always up to date. This site is gonna be my new periodic ESO check-up site.

I'll create an account soon. Busy right now.

[irons]

They just said that 3 million signed up for Beta.

[Eric the Bard]

Well, I think that monthly fee is alright if they add free new content. Expansion packs to make people pay extra on top of what they already pay is just rude.

[Fergal]

That's a tad bit too much, especially if you have to pay to buy the game in the first place. I think I'll play quite a lot during my first month, and then try out F2P, see if paying is worth it that much, and let that determine how frequently I get subscription.

I'll be damned if I'm paying over €150 a year.

[Musclemagic]

That's a tad bit too much, especially if you have to pay to buy the game in the first place. I think I'll play quite a lot during my first month, and then try out F2P, see if paying is worth it that much, and let that determine how frequently I get subscription.

I'll be damned if I'm paying over €150 a year.

 

 

Hopefully the 3/6mo//yearly subs bring the total down a noticeable amount. If it's 10-12$ for a year then I'll be paying yearly, otherwise I'll just pay month/month because I tend to take months off of MMOs.

[Blake]

I mean it is only $15. That is like 2 hours of work under minimumd wage (in America).

 

Then again, those Premium Elder Souls accounts don't buy themselves.

[David]

I mean it is only $15. That is like 2 hours of work under minimumd wage (in America).

 

$15 adds up fast though when people are used to buying games for $20-$60 and having unlimited access for life. Especially when there's going to be the normal one-time cost on top of it. I could see some console players who haven't done MMOs being turned off by it.

 

Then again, those Premium Elder Souls accounts don't buy themselves.

 

Premium accounts are only $10 a year and it's like they're being sold by a leper.

[Guest Zafire]

I spend $60 at applebee's probably 3-4 times a year. That's more than ESO is going to be yearly.

[Musclemagic]

I spend $60 at applebee's probably 3-4 times a year. That's more than ESO is going to be yearly.

 

A little more then that, but the loot is hopefully better. XD

[Guest Shoeguy]

$15 adds up fast though when people are used to buying games for $20-$60 and having unlimited access for life. Especially when there's going to be the normal one-time cost on top of it. I could see some console players who haven't done MMOs being turned off by it.

 

 

Premium accounts are only $10 a year and it's like they're being sold by a leper.

 

People are not used to buying MMOs for $60 bucks and getting unlimited access for life.  Guild Wars 2 is the only premium MMO to offer this right now and believe me, you'll still be dishing them $10 here and there, so it's hardly free.  WoW is still $15 a month and that game is eight years old.

 

People have amazingly short memories apparently.

[David]

People are not used to buying MMOs for $60 bucks and getting unlimited access for life.  Guild Wars 2 is the only premium MMO to offer this right now and believe me, you'll still be dishing them $10 here and there, so it's hardly free.  WoW is still $15 a month and that game is eight years old.

 

People have amazingly short memories apparently.

 

I was talking about console users specifically.

[ghost5689]

yes, i will get annoying paying 15 dollars a month for updates which i honestly dont think they will be able to keep up with, so after the first year they'll probly drop the subscription model and end up with f2p because know one will keep paying after they are way past cap.

[Musclemagic]

yes, i will get annoying paying 15 dollars a month for updates which i honestly dont think they will be able to keep up with, so after the first year they'll probly drop the subscription model and end up with f2p because know one will keep paying after they are way past cap.

 

If this game is even DECENT then I'll be playing it for years, I guarantee it. $15 isn't much. Go to one movie, alone, and get popcorn.. $17 here. Or, play a competitive game with my friends for a month.. $15 (less with yearly renewal)?

 

I mean, there might be better games out there by the end of next year--that's always a possibility, but I'm someone who likes to stick to one game for a long time so I don't even think that would phase me.

 

Again though, this assumes ESO is decent. I'm sure it'll be more than decent, but who knows?  I'm just saying that you're getting a lot for $15 a month. Even if it costs $60 up front.

 

Hell, I'd pay $100 a month for a good game. You guys are all assessing it "versus" other game prices like LOL/GW2 rather than assessing if the money is worth the amount of fun you get. I think if you'd rather play a different game, that's your choice, but paying 100$/mo for entertainment is worth it -- considering I've gone out drinking or to the casino and spent several times that amount in one night.

 

$15? Not worried about it.... I AM worried however about the PvP balance of this game and how fun using the siege crap is. I've always hated externally controlled objects in fantasy games.. Hell, even in shooters they annoy me a bit.

[ghost5689]

I am with this guy.

[HypeRNT]

To people saying 15$ isn't much that's just full of crap, that's a huge amount to pay every month for (1) game and then take the dev's words for it that what they give us at the end of the month will be enough for our 15$ value. This of course not counting you are paying 60$ for 1 month trial.... Which is just fucking crazy. 

 

Now is just 15$ a ton of money? For some maybe, for most probably not, but is 15$ over time add up to a lot of money? YES absolutely it does, you will spend 240 dollars in 1 year just for 1 game... and then 180 for every year that you continue to play and to do all this with a ton of other MMORPg's out there that offer very similar stuff in terms of content.

 

Everyone who is not retarded/has downz knows that they are only doing this to pay their dev costs and that in about 8-12 months this game will be F2P or have a reduced membership cost at least by half.

 

They already told us they will have a cash shop, and this cash shop will only get bigger and more expensive as time goes on to cover themselves for when they drop the P2P and go F2P, the signs are there, the knowledge from previous games is there, some folks have gotten the clue, others continue to argue and ignore the simple yet enormous facts in front of them.

[irons]

They already told us they will have a cash shop, and this cash shop will only get bigger and more expensive as time goes on to cover themselves for when they drop the P2P and go F2P, the signs are there, the knowledge from previous games is there, some folks have gotten the clue, others continue to argue and ignore the simple yet enormous facts in front of them.

They said that the Cash Shop is not what you would expect, it might not even be ingame and currently the only thing in it is name change.They said it has been missunderstood but I think they might wanted to go with it and now just moved back. The thing with 15$ is it's a lot of money but if the game is good and I therefore have 20+ hours/month fun than that's a cheap price for my entertainment.

[Huygens]

Monthly fees? Guess I wont be playing this game.

[Musclemagic]

 

To people saying 15$ isn't much that's just full of crap, that's a huge amount to pay every month for (1) game and then take the dev's words for it that what they give us at the end of the month will be enough for our 15$ value. This of course not counting you are paying 60$ for 1 month trial.... Which is just fucking crazy. 

 

Now is just 15$ a ton of money? For some maybe, for most probably not, but is 15$ over time add up to a lot of money? YES absolutely it does, you will spend 240 dollars in 1 year just for 1 game... and then 180 for every year that you continue to play and to do all this with a ton of other MMORPg's out there that offer very similar stuff in terms of content.

 

Everyone who is not retarded/has downz knows that they are only doing this to pay their dev costs and that in about 8-12 months this game will be F2P or have a reduced membership cost at least by half.

 

They already told us they will have a cash shop, and this cash shop will only get bigger and more expensive as time goes on to cover themselves for when they drop the P2P and go F2P, the signs are there, the knowledge from previous games is there, some folks have gotten the clue, others continue to argue and ignore the simple yet enormous facts in front of them.

 

If they can operate off the Cash Shop then that'd be great, yes. But, no matter how you look at it, paying $15 a month for anything that you will spend hours upon hours on, every week, is well worth it. Get some perspective before you go calling people retarded. Go Ice Skate for 2 hours, one time a month.. $15. Go see a movie.. $15. Drive 30 miles.. $15. Buy dog food for 2 weeks.. $15.

 

How is $15 not worth hours and hours of awesome time? If you don't want to pay to play the game, play a F2P game. If you want to play THIS game... Pay $15 and consider yourself lucky because it's an awesome game (hopefully) that you get to play any time you want for only $15/mo!