EU+US Blizzard News Theory. Opinions?

[Soryo]

So, I just read a news article from Blizzard mentioning their intent on making more content Free to Play. I've overheard some rumors from friends suggesting the possibility of raising the Free to Play level cap to 60 in order to try and bring more players in (or back) to the Game. Do you guys think this is even a possibility? Do you think Blizzard would ever do this, and if so, what would that mean for the bracket?

 

[Leek]

It means whatever BiS stuff (especially BiS GF'ed stuff) mostly becomes useless assuming they all have to level to 60 since f2p cant queue if xp is locked. Sure, it opens gear possibilities but also imagine trying to farm for EVEN more epic quest rewards.

 

[artonkn]

Yes, quite likely.

 

[Sin'dor]

...Blizzard mentioning their intent on making more content Free to Play. I've overheard some rumors from friends suggesting the possibility of raising the Free to Play level cap...

This is Blizzard™ we're talking about... if they did this they'd "raise" the level-cap to 40, and the very next patch implement a "squish" that halved all levels.

 

[Daltert Moropi]

even if they'll put us at 40 or 60, that's still around 11-13 years (give or take depending on content drought) worth of content that's probably going to be left in the dust just for leveling use only.

if they do that they'll probably peeve the remaining, "we don't want those <ftp/vet> getting their hands on our content".

even though that they are now competing with a couple of game ios games now, it's only a matter of time til the other pc games flow into the mobile market.

I might get some hate here, but it possibly that the pc master race is now being challenged by the mobile race for being #1 now.

 

[Sanit]

It means whatever BiS stuff (especially BiS GF'ed stuff) mostly becomes useless assuming they all have to level to 60 since f2p cant queue if xp is locked. Sure, it opens gear possibilities but also imagine trying to farm for EVEN more epic quest rewards.

99.9% of quest rewards at that level arent going to be an upgrade even as an epic. Would just make 60s the new go-to "f2p" bracket (aka rip vets)

 

[Gerrod]

Would seem to be an odd decision so close to releasing Classic; even if current wow lvl 60 isn't related really to the way Classic is anyway at all nowadays. TBH I'm quite attached to lvl 20 cap been playing on this bracket back when it was only a like week or so WOW Trial and you needed to make a bunch of Yahoo Accounts to keep playing. I would worry moving to lvl 60 would make PVP too close to endgame which I don't like nearly as much. Oh well Blizzard will do what Blizzard does.

 

[Chops]

Question.

Was it blizzard taking about making more stuff f2p? Or was it blizzard taking specifically about making more WoW stuff f2p?

Because blizzard has been talking alot about making more of their games on the f2p/micro transaction model. But I haven't seen anything about them expanding wow starter accounts.

I don't think we'll see them increase the starter account level cap and I REALLY don't think we'll see it go to 60. They don't need that to bring people back and I honestly think the higher the level cap, the more likely they'll see people drop off. Imagine getting to play through MC and AQ for free.

That said, I do think we'll see more WoW content inadvertently come available for starter accounts because I think zone scaling in vanilla zones will simplify and expand as levels also get squished.

I'm pretty confident that in another xpac or 2, starter accounts will have access to content that is currently level 40ish. But not because blizzard is consciously expanding free content, but rather as a side effect of trying to speed up their leveling process.

 

[Healium]

Finally

 

[Blinkdog]

This is Blizzard™ we're talking about... if they did this they'd "raise" the level-cap to 40, and the very next patch implement a "squish" that halved all levels.

funny you should say this. i was reading bliz wants to axe some levels as they want less "more meaningful" levels. i'm guessing they feel leveling to 130 next xpack is to intimidating for newcomers. if they do plan on axing levels 1-60 old world would be a prime target for rezoning. i mean you can do any zone at 40 so i'm thinking old world will drop 10-20 levels. if they will rais the f2p level i don't know but this would put a level 20 into level 30 content.

 

[Faerondil]

So, I just read a news article from Blizzard mentioning their intent on making more content Free to Play.

How about a link to that article so we can make a better judgement?

 

[Soryo]

Question.

Was it blizzard taking about making more stuff f2p? Or was it blizzard taking specifically about making more WoW stuff f2p?

Because blizzard has been talking alot about making more of their games on the f2p/micro transaction model. But I haven't seen anything about them expanding wow starter accounts.

I don't think we'll see them increase the starter account level cap and I REALLY don't think we'll see it go to 60. They don't need that to bring people back and I honestly think the higher the level cap, the more likely they'll see people drop off. Imagine getting to play through MC and AQ for free.

That said, I do think we'll see more WoW content inadvertently come available for starter accounts because I think zone scaling in vanilla zones will simplify and expand as levels also get squished.

I'm pretty confident that in another xpac or 2, starter accounts will have access to content that is currently level 40ish. But not because blizzard is consciously expanding free content, but rather as a side effect of trying to speed up their leveling process.

I agree. Being able to do MC or AQ for free doesn't seem like it would be something they would allow, and it would be dumb for them to allow Starter Accounts to get to level 60, just to buy the expansion to play the raids (i.e. level 60 cap, but raids and end game level 60 content behind a paywall).

I have been looking for the article. I know it's out there and I will link it when I find it. Blizzard did not specifically point to WoW or Starter accounts, they just mentioned as a company they would be able to start moving towards more free to play content for the player base to enjoy. That could mean anything. From any game. I was just curious as to if you think they would do something like this.
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even if they'll put us at 40 or 60, that's still around 11-13 years (give or take depending on content drought) worth of content that's probably going to be left in the dust just for leveling use only.

if they do that they'll probably peeve the remaining, "we don't want those <ftp/vet> getting their hands on our content".

even though that they are now competing with a couple of game ios games now, it's only a matter of time til the other pc games flow into the mobile market.

I might get some hate here, but it possibly that the pc master race is now being challenged by the mobile race for being #1 now.

It definitely is in competition with Mobile. Not in the US, necessarily, but the US is one of the only places in the world that doesn't have a huge fan base for the mobile platform. With Diablo Immortal coming out it's obvious that Blizzard is pushing away from focusing on what the immediate player base wants, and is trying to expand the market for those that may not play on console as often as they would like.

 

[Chops]

they just mentioned as a company they would be able to start moving towards more free to play content for the player base to enjoy.

Oh yeah, I think we read the same article. They feel like they messed up with overwatch and want to take it and future titles f2p with micro transactions because that's where the industry is headed.

Don't think it'll affect wow starter accounts at all

 

[Daltert Moropi]

sorry, ended up deleting that post earlier. but I still don't think it's mostly pc here in the u.s.a.

edit: I do have the link in the profile post if those are interested, though as I stated. it's not all quite updated, most of it is two years ago.