I’ve seen many designers and players over the years say that a game going free-to-play will attract more players, but I’ve always wondered about that. The logic seems clear enough, of course; removing the price tag from Tree of Savior means that more people can jump in without feeling like they’ve made big investments first. But most of the people I know seem to be motivated to play a game by the game itself and what it promises, not by the presence or lack of a pricetag. Black Desert managed to win quite a few people over just by virtue of its systems, and that still costs money.
But are mechanics really what makes it happen? Some people try out games based on the company publishing those games, some try out games based upon the current buzz from an update, and some try out games based entirely on whether or not the designers like the right football team. So what about you, dear readers? What motivates you to try out an MMORPG? And for extra credit, what do you see offered as an enticement that actually makes you less interested in the game?
Every morning, the Massively Overpowered writers team up with mascot Mo to ask MMORPG players pointed questions about the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre. Grab a mug of your preferred beverage and take a stab at answering the question posed in today’s Daily Grind!
