This Daily Grind was technically inspired by Diablo IV, but it could really apply to lots of online games. Blizzard just finished up with a four-day free trial period for Diablo IV, clearly an attempt to boost player numbers ahead of the launch of its Vessel of Hatred expansion. I don’t necessarily see it as nefarious, though Reddit chewed it up for having a level 20 cap on the trial (around two hours of play, meaning it’s more like a demo, but whatever). It just seems like smart, even obvious marketing for a game that has made plenty of money and wants to get people thinking about spending more.
However, with some games that I suspect aren’t doing so hot, a trial or demo makes my eyebrows shoot up. When Skull & Bones and The Crew Motorfest slash prices to nothing and offer free-play weekends, it somehow just smells more like desperation than like juicing the playerbase.
Do you worry more or less about an MMO when it runs a sale or free trial?
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!
