Free trial up to level 20

Good evening.

I don't know if this is the right place for my thread but I hope this upcoming MMORPG will have a free trial up to level 20 like World of Warcraft. I was excited when I saw the graphics but I didn't like it when I found out that the game is not for everyone. I don't know why we're in 2020 and there are no new free to play MMORPGs in North America but I don't blame the developers this is their game.

Find more posts tagged with

Staff

Comments

Fiastos

Free trial sounds interesting, but level 20 is a bit too much considering the max level is supposed to be 50. A trial maybe up to level 5 sounds fine?

Lalli

Nagash wrote: »

All I can say is thank goodness for life time sub

I know right! If only I had as much time to play Ashes like I did when I was playing Runescape growing up lol

Nagash

Lalli wrote: »

Nagash wrote: »

All I can say is thank goodness for life time sub

I know right! If only I had as much time to play Ashes like I did when I was playing Runescape growing up lol

spending hours killing cows and chopping wood to sell on the grand exchange good memories

Ventharien

The only form of a free server i think would be fine is a separate server that gives you say level 15 characters of an archtype, and lets you play around with their combat abilities. Really that's all i think you should need to 'test'. Anything else could be changed in game, or needs so many other systems to fit into it's rightful place in the world, that it isn't feasible to have as a trial section.

Plateau

I think there should definitely be some kind of onboarding program after launch. MMOs need a source of fresh victims recruits in order to thrive long-term.

As others have said though, there's needs to be some serious restrictions for a free-trial to be possible, for several reasons related to business, security, and node gameplay. Probably something like a level cap of 10 or 15, and prohibiting player-to-player trade.

A different option is to just have occasional sales for new players. Like $5 for your first month, or buy your first month (for $15) and get the second month free.
__________

The thing is, most new players primarily come from 3 places in the MMO genre: Friends asking their friends to join them, variety streamers/youtubers who introduce their viewers to new games, and bored people looking for cheap, time-killing games to try out (specifically because they don't buy full-priced games, so they don't have a lot of fun options).

All of those groups are served by having a slightly lower (but time-limited) financial barrier-to-entry.

Of course, there are also two groups that you don't have to worry about paying full-price for the game: veteran MMO players who will probably hear about and try the game before anyone else, and rich people with a lot of free time. Those people are only going to care how good/popular the game is (and if they can get their friends to join them). But if you want veterans and whales to stick around, it helps to have lots of other players in the game, creating a larger, more active community.

Thus, every single player benefits somewhat from a good free-trial or other on-boarding program, even the people who don't use it themselves. It's a necessary feature for any large-scale MMO, regardless of potential problems.

(Btw, I'm not going to pretend to understand all the nuances to regional pricing. But I wouldn't expect a brand-new NA company to be able self-publish around the world, and provide every region with sustainable pricing and good customer support. At least, it will probably take a few years for them to accomplish. They have to make sure the product is viable in their native market (NA/EU) first, right?)

WarlockofCode

I'd have to agree with not having a trial version. I feel like having an early "free weekend" or allowing anyone to level up characters up to 20 would just add to competition for land and resources--and let's not forget potential popular character names!

Noaani

leonerdo wrote: »

All of those groups are served by having a slightly lower (but time-limited) financial barrier-to-entry.

I personally don't think $15 is too much of a financial barrier to try an MMO - especially when that MMO doesn't have a free-to-play option if you do like it.

But I agree that friends and family are the way Ashes will gain the most additional subs post launch. Maybe they should have some form of referral program to facilitate this... oh wait.

StevenSharif

All very good points 👌

Plateau

noaani wrote: »

leonerdo wrote: »

All of those groups are served by having a slightly lower (but time-limited) financial barrier-to-entry.

I personally don't think $15 is too much of a financial barrier to try an MMO - especially when that MMO doesn't have a free-to-play option if you do like it.

But I agree that friends and family are the way Ashes will gain the most additional subs post launch. Maybe they should have some form of referral program to facilitate this... oh wait.

For sure, $15 a month for an MMO sub isn't that much to me either. I've always thought MMOs are way more expensive in terms of time rather than money. But that's only because of both my personal interest in MMOs and my middle-class circumstances.

But if someone's not a fan of the MMO genre already and they just wanna just try one out for 10 hours, then the $15 starts to matter more. That's the price of a whole indie game, or an old AAA game on-sale. And although $15 is just the cost of a nice meal in urban areas of the US, it can matter a lot more in rural areas and other countries.

For people who don't have both the privilege and inclination to play MMOs every day and chat on internet forums about un-released games, one month of MMO game-time might not be very valuable and $15 might be a lot.

And the referral program only helps people who already play the game, and encourages them to badger their friends for selfish benefits. It doesn't make the game any better or easier to try for new players. It just does the same job as advertising: putting the product in view of more people (even those who would never want to buy it).

Noaani

leonerdo wrote: »

noaani wrote: »

leonerdo wrote: »

All of those groups are served by having a slightly lower (but time-limited) financial barrier-to-entry.

I personally don't think $15 is too much of a financial barrier to try an MMO - especially when that MMO doesn't have a free-to-play option if you do like it.

But I agree that friends and family are the way Ashes will gain the most additional subs post launch. Maybe they should have some form of referral program to facilitate this... oh wait.

For sure, $15 a month for an MMO sub isn't that much to me either. I've always thought MMOs are way more expensive in terms of time rather than money. But that's only because of both my personal interest in MMOs and my middle-class circumstances.

But if someone's not a fan of the MMO genre already and they just wanna just try one out for 10 hours, then the $15 starts to matter more. That's the price of a whole indie game, or an old AAA game on-sale. And although $15 is just the cost of a nice meal in urban areas of the US, it can matter a lot more in rural areas and other countries.

For people who don't have both the privilege and inclination to play MMOs every day and chat on internet forums about un-released games, one month of MMO game-time might not be very valuable and $15 might be a lot.

And the referral program only helps people who already play the game, and encourages them to badger their friends for selfish benefits. It doesn't make the game any better or easier to try for new players. It just does the same job as advertising: putting the product in view of more people (even those who would never want to buy it).

I don't disagree with you, for some people, $15 is a lot of money. Thing is, I would suggest that such people wouldn't be able to afford the sub if they did enjoy the game.

Any scheme designed to get new players in to Ashes should be focused on getting somewhat long term players in, people to whom $15 a month isn't going to mean they or their children miss out on dinner a few times that month (speaking from first hand knowledge here).

Basically, if that $15 a month isn't discretionary income, then Intrepid probably shouldn't be targeting their player recruitment drive towards them. If it is discretionary income to the point they can spare it every month, then $15 to try the game is fine.

Undead Canuck

Yes, $15 would be a lot of money for some people. If you can afford high speed internet and / or have a computer capable of running an MMORPG, that amount should be doable.
If you cannot afford $15, what are the chances you would have a computer / connection able to run a game like this anyways?

Jude

codewarlock wrote: »

I'd have to agree with not having a trial version. I feel like having an early "free weekend" or allowing anyone to level up characters up to 20 would just add to competition for land and resources--and let's not forget potential popular character names!

If the staff are going to do a "free weekend", they should announce that one month before they do it

because some players have very very very very very slow download speed that drives them crazy.

Nagash

Undead Canuck wrote: »

Yes, $15 would be a lot of money for some people. If you can afford high speed internet and / or have a computer capable of running an MMORPG, that amount should be doable.
If you cannot afford $15, what are the chances you would have a computer / connection able to run a game like this anyways?

Most people here are MMO vets anyway so they know what to expect

darthaden

There's zero point in a free trial at launch since servers will already be packed, a year or two down the line when players start moving onto other games then it would 100% make sense.

Undead Canuck

Nagash wrote: »

Undead Canuck wrote: »

Yes, $15 would be a lot of money for some people. If you can afford high speed internet and / or have a computer capable of running an MMORPG, that amount should be doable.
If you cannot afford $15, what are the chances you would have a computer / connection able to run a game like this anyways?

Most people here are MMO vets anyway so they know what to expect

Yup, that is my point. If you are a player, you probably wouldn't have an issue. If you are so strapped for cash that $15 makes a difference, you shouldn't be playing these games...

BlackBrony

I'm against free trial or anything free.
Nowadays you have youtube and 1000 billions videos on how the game plays. The information is out there. If people try the game just for the lolz, it will create unnecessary expenses for Intrepid, possible scams, spammers and impact the world without any real consequences.
Low levels can still do quest and contribute to node, this will create imbalance.

Also, if you put 15 dollars in, you're at least going to try the game seriously, because you have a monetary commitment to it, if something is free, people either don't value it enough or just trash it for no reason.

insomnia

Just pay 1 month of sub. If you don't like it, that is it. What does a movie ticket cost. I'm certain 1 month of sub for this game, costs less than what it costs to go to the cinema in country. If you are low on money. Maybe a game with a monthly sub, isn't for you.

edit. Oh, i see i wrote something similar to what noaani wrote

Ravudha

Not sure about a fee trial. I want to be playing alongside people who are more invested in the game and are willing to throw down 1 month sub rather than anyone potentially just looking for something free to pass time.

Agree with @BlackBrony that some YouTube research usually gives you a good enough idea of whether to try a game.

Nagash

Who knows in a few years they may add a free trial but I highly doubt it in the first year or two

flameh0t

Jude wrote: »

Good evening.

I don't know if this is the right place for my thread but I hope this upcoming MMORPG will have a free trial up to level 20 like World of Warcraft. I was excited when I saw the graphics but I didn't like it when I found out that the game is not for everyone. I don't know why we're in 2020 and there are no new free to play MMORPGs in North America but I don't blame the developers this is their game.

Free trial? You got your bots selling AoC gold already??

Child Item