Why you should make broker avail to f2p

I hope my argument to the community and Daybreak games as to why this will be a win/win/win policy, is convincing. For starters before you bring up that I am a f2p, that is logically fallacious to my arguments, that stand or fall on their own merits. I have my reasons, they are also irrelevant but I can answer those later if desired.


1. The f2p players win for obvious reasons, this would make f2p more enticing, especially since the TLE servers are bringing people back to the game, and perhaps peaking interest of those who have never played. Brokers typically are a fundamental aspect of MMO's now. Friends are talking to friends spreading word about the TLE servers and how awesome the game is in general. This is the perfect time to evolve the f2p model.

2. Daybreak games win. The demand for krono will go up. Why will it go up? because people can suddenly afford the money to buy kronos. At the moment krono on the standard servers ranges between 20-30K plat. This is nearly unobtainable by anyone hoping to get into the game, especially so for newbies. More players and more buyers = more demand. Additionally krono's USD trade value is higher than that of a standard subscription model, delivering more money per person than standard subscriptions. It doesn't take an economist to see the winning solution to this (though as someone who trades forex, ES, oil, and gold, I do have some expertise in this area). This also drives more people to become standard players who then go on to buy expansions.

3. The purchasers of krono, win, because as demand goes up (just look at the TLE servers increasing demand) so does the the krono/plat. They thus get more bang for their buck. I might suggest they should have more things to do with their plat. The more you give people things to do with their plat to strengthen themselves the more you are going to drive the circle of plat.


When EQ2 went f2p, it was still a roughly new territory. I would ask that they consider analysing the f2p model of the game ArcheAge [not here to compare the gameplay], and why it is so successful ($$$ and population), despite having tons of game design flaws.At the core is a fundamental strategy : Get people to try the game, give people a route to pay for the game, give players a reason to sell these routes to other players, give them many reasons to STAY subscribed to either the monthly or krono based system.

If people are getting less plat for their krono, why would they spend more real money for krono?

There are so many holes in that logic my sieve is getting jealous . . .

can't you just buy broker tokens with DBG cash?

Broker tokens are dirt-cheap at the DBG store. Not quite sure why the OP thinks DBG would eliminate something that is probably making them money. Also not at all sure what the price of Kronos has to do with anything.

Bad argument is bad.

people would get more plat for their krono

why is it bad

and for the price of putting up enough items to get 30K plat you can probably buy at least 1 mo subscription

How can prices go DOWN for the in game buyer at the same time the in game seller gets MORE plat for their krono?

I'm struggling to figure out why DBG would do *anything* to make F2P even more enticing than it already is. Perhaps the OP could explain that, as well as why he/she doesn't simply buy dirt-cheap broker tokens.

FWIW, I'm a F2P player.

I explained why in my post.

I have to say that this is a really terrible idea. Being able to use the broker should only be used by members. Why would a company that is trying to make money make FTP more enticing? TBH, If you look back in history, you will see that FTP has gotten A TON OF SLACK with restriction lifts. Just be happy where FTP is now and stop asking for membership benefits.

all that matters is the company pulling in more money and more people , if that means making f2p more enticing then yes?

how many broker tokens does it take to get 25K plat? how much would that cost?

My enjoyment of the game comes from having more people playing the game and the dev's having more money to put into the game. Why not follow proven methods to do this?

Since when does more people = more money? (given, we are talking F2P here)

No. The point you're missing is that DBG needs to make F2P less enticing, while simultaneously making it MORE enticing to subscribe. Your idea does the opposite of that. That's why it's bad.

I can't answer either of those questions -- as I suspect you well know -- because "it depends" on exactly how lucky you get with drops & how good you are at pricing.

You seem to be basing all of this on the notion that DBG should, for some reason, want to make it easier for players to obtain full monthly subscriptions without paying real money. I can't think of any reason DBG would do such a thing, & you've done nothing to explain the rationale.

I've easily made that during AoM from selling 10 pieces of Visionary and other crafted gear. Takes some patience because it doesn't sell fast, but it does sell.

People wouldn't get more plat for krono, because the demand for krono would drop. The broker is a huge incentive to subscribe. If it's available to F2P...why bother subscribing at all? Mail and broker everywhere, or double tokens?

more f2p buying krono, becoming , lets call them kronoaccounts (f2p subsisting on krono)

Is the incentive of having the broker > the loss of players who would play if they had a more viable method of obtaining krono?
I agree you should adjust the %'s to make paid accounts for the most part , mandatory for end game character proliferation. However chocking out F2P from shifting into kronos accounts would only reduce the consumption and thus the demand for krono?

Anecdotally I have so many friends (and family) that might want to play, but they can't really farm that first krono so they meh out before really giving the game a try- instead they play games where they can farm their playtime to the token of another man/woman's USD. Ergo I can't really play. This is just my perspective mixed with how I think markets work with my observations about other successful lucrative f2p mmo's.

I suggested the following :

1. F2p is made more enticing
2. Subscription is made even more enticing
3. The overall gap of benefits between f2p and subscription INCREASES
4. HOWEVER f2p are given a very important route become krono accounts - and again, it doesn't matter who buys it, krono accounts are mathematically more money for daybreak. The idea here is to increase the liquidity of krono by increasing its demand.

Why would they even want to buy a krono? You certainly don't need a subscription to play to L100. I was still playing free when my first character hit 90 back during DoV.

There are virtually no roadblocks to playing by not having a subscription.