A recent GIbiz interview on Ubisoft’s monetization reveals that studios, at least the type making online shooters, have come full circle again to the idea of making content like maps and quests free while charging for cosmetics and customization. The company’s VP of live operations, Anne Blondel-Jouin, likened Rainbow Six: Siege’s model to a themepark’s:
Not mentioned in this analogy? Two things that also affect the balance of the modern MMO business model: pay-to-win and gambling lockboxes. But even setting those aside, I’m annoyed by the constant willingness of studios to let cosmetic whales shoulder the costs of upkeep for “content” consumers. Not only is it obnoxious to minimize the importance of customization content as fluff, it’s unsustainable for way too many titles and dissociates high-quality consumable, participatory content from the revenue stream.
How about you? What’s the most bothersome part of MMORPG monetization to you?
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!
