Players will have to adapt. Yes, this is a significant moment, but it’s about time. Past due, in my book.

I think you’re confusing getting older with getting more mature. The two are not identical.

On a personal level, I’m quite pleased this has happened. It’s woken a lot of people up that the flat-rate subscription model won’t last forever. Even the biggest game is seeking revenues outside of expansions and subscriptions, so the smaller guys are going to be able to do the same without some of the derision.

I think for a lot of the people bitching about not playing MMOs anymore if games have any sort of microtransactions won’t really quit playing. They will likely keep playing with their friends, but will rage anew every time something else comes out to try to earn a bit more money.

But, I think it is important to note that this is a huge moment, and not everyone will quietly accept it. The unwritten rules was “subscription = all I can eat!” It’s important to understand what players believe, if if the times will change around them.

“If you like a game, play it. If you like it enough, pay the devs for it. If you don’t like it, leave it alone or vent about it to the world. Whatever the case, stop letting the Joneses dictate whether or not you’re having fun.”

<3 !

… I'm having ever so much more fun exploring now that I'm not playing WoW anymore. XD

Not that WoW is a bad game… just not the kind of game I want to play anymore. =)

(This seems tangentially related to the 'wah if everyone can kill the dragon then my killing the dragon is meaningless!')

Yeah well, and everyone can read that book you just bought. Is the book now worthless? Everyone who bought Baldur's Gate (and finished it), did follow the same branching path of the storyline, whatever branch they DID follow, does that make BG worthless?

…I've never *quite* understood the 'this is meaningless because other people can do it too' argument in a virtual environment, when it comes to storyline and mobs.

Or, if you are a pure entertainment gamer, be willing to spend the money and really get into it. Sounds logical.

You’re right, though; the EA troubles may prove to be… interesting… for the Bioware projects.

Elleiras, thanks for stopping by! I make no promises to always be sane (at least, from the majority view’s standpoint), but I do always try to make sense.

I’ve blathered more than my fair share over at the PPInn, but really, it’s not because I want to argue with the lovely hostesses. No, I’ve found that while I don’t agree with them all the time, they are articulate and interesting. It’s unfortunate to see people I respect get worked up over trivialities, so I try to offer a voice of stabilization. Perhaps that makes me a nosy sermonizing jerk… but I take solace in the fact that I’m trying to be helpful, not hurtful. There’s always a balance there, and I’m not sure I’ve struck it properly.