Free-to-Play Relaunch of DDO Unlimited a Big Hit

Dungeons & Dragons Online Executive Producer Fernando Paiz says the decision to switch the game to a free-to-play model is working out well and that Turbine is "very happy" with the decision.

Turbine announced in June that its D&D-based MMOG would switch to a free-to-play model later this year. Known as Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited, the game would do away with subscription requirements and instead focus on user-controlled micropayments for everything ranging from inventory items to "adventure packs," character customization and more. The revamped game opened to the public in early September and according to Paiz, things are going swimmingly.

"We're hitting and exceeding our internal targets, so far we're very happy," he said in an interview with Ars Technica. "All aspects of our business are growing. Hundreds of thousands of new players in the world are playing for free, with a very high percentage using the store."

Interestingly, subscriptions for the game (which remain available for fans who wanted unrestricted access to every part of the game) have apparently gone up 40 percent since it went free. It's obviously counter-intuitive but Paiz explained that gamers are more likely to spend their money when they're allowed to do so on their own terms.

"They get to try the game, not be constrained by a one-week trial, and then decide when they've made the commitment that they're engaged enough that they're ready to spend money," he said. "As you advance, more of the content is for purchase more than it's free. Not that there won't be free content in the higher levels... but still, if you're into the game and you're playing past level five or six, you're going to really start thinking about buying content packs, or saving up Turbine points to buy content packs."

Giving players that degree of control has other benefits for Turbine as well; because the game is free, it's easier for players to entice their friends into joining them online, while the elimination of the monthly subscription opens the door for players to actually spend more on the game. "We have a good chunk of the population that is spending more than $15 a month. The traditional subscription model can only make X dollars off a player. This kind of removes that cap," Paiz said.

Micropayments appear to be growing increasingly attractive to MMOG developers in North America and a successful rebirth of DDO Unlimited will almost certainly result in more studios considering a similar option for their own games. I don't know how it will hold up in the long term, especially as the free-to-play field becomes more and more crowded, but I do know this: I'll be trying it for myself in very short order.

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I may go back to DDO. I stopped playing a while back because it was such a pain to find a group for quests (and you need a group to do quests), but with a bigger player count, that might not be a problem anymore.

UltimatheChosen:
I may go back to DDO. I stopped playing a while back because it was such a pain to find a group for quests (and you need a group to do quests), but with a bigger player count, that might not be a problem anymore.

Quite a few Escapist play it now _{me included}, so finding a group might be easier now. And it is a really good game, coming from someone who usually doesn't like MMO's.

I started playing this recently(because its advertised here) and its pretty fun.

UltimatheChosen:
I may go back to DDO. I stopped playing a while back because it was such a pain to find a group for quests (and you need a group to do quests), but with a bigger player count, that might not be a problem anymore.

You do not, there is a solo option on all the ones I have done so far.

I'd love to play, but I get a bloody error code every time I try to make an account.

As soon as I get my new computer I'm gonna play this. I know a lot of people who I talk to on The Escapist play this game. It shall be fun.

Article:
"We have a good chunk of the population that is spending more than $15 a month. The traditional subscription model can only make X dollars off a player. This kind of removes that cap," Paiz said.

Micropayments appear to be growing increasingly attractive to MMOG developers in North America and a successful rebirth of DDO Unlimited will almost certainly result in more studios considering a similar option for their own games.

I.E. Companies figure out how to make more money off gamers.

CosmicCommander:
I'd love to play, but I get a bloody error code every time I try to make an account.

Hi there! Can you tell me what the error code is that you are getting?

Grouping is quite easy for sure now days. Also if you need the help, buy a henchman.

Frelorn:
Hi there! Can you tell me what the error code is that you are getting?

Sure buddy, it begins with the code, or the error message is composed entirely of #FTx, and the rest of the message some/may not have a seemingly random series of numbers on the end.

I have been an on-again-off-again DDOer for a long time, mostly because I'ma 28 year veteran of paper and pencil D&D, but I'm a terrible MMOer because I don't usually have the long blocks of time necessary to group (or the patience to deal with people once I have grouped!) so DDO was an awful fit for me, even though I prefer it over all the others.

Anyway, I went back and checked it out with the free option, and was sucked back in, mostly because they have, at last, made the game much more fun to solo or for small groups (i.e. my wife and myself with a couple henchmen). The henchmen work well, there are more solo options, and a lot more content has apparently been added since I last check it out. I mean...holy cow....I finally got my level 5 to level 7!!!!! (That's a huge accomplishment for me; keeping in mind it's taken me since Feb. 2005 to get one....ONE....character in WoW to level 76 and I've seen maybe 20% of the actual instance/end game stuff in that MMO).

So I don't know for sure if solo/small group activities are still supported at higher levels, but people tell me soloing these days gets easier at higher levels. Anyway, we'll see....

And yes, those bastards fgot me to resub as VIP and I STILL spent another $15 or so on top of that for damned extra Turbine Points. Insidious!

Delmar Wynn:
Grouping is quite easy for sure now days. Also if you need the help, buy a henchman.

Seems i cant :(, and i just find the henchmen lifeless, like the dog wizards can summon.
Trying to convince my mates to play though as it is very good when you do get a group

CosmicCommander:

Frelorn:
Hi there! Can you tell me what the error code is that you are getting?

Sure buddy, it begins with the code, or the error message is composed entirely of #FTx, and the rest of the message some/may not have a seemingly random series of numbers on the end.

Can you post a screenshot or copy/paste all the text? The more specific the information, the better. Thanks

Iæm gonna start playing this game as soon as i get my internet back.

Frelorn:
Can you post a screenshot or copy/paste all the text? The more specific the information, the better. Thanks

I'd be happy to, I have a code here, it seems to change slightly every time I attempt to sign up, however:

#FTxOQQUO8OT

CosmicCommander:

Frelorn:
Can you post a screenshot or copy/paste all the text? The more specific the information, the better. Thanks

I'd be happy to, I have a code here, it seems to change slightly every time I attempt to sign up, however:

#FTxOQQUO8OT

Hmmm, that sounds like it could be an error related to your ISP. Can you tell me what ISP you are using?

Frelorn:
Hmmm, that sounds like it could be an error related to your ISP. Can you tell me what ISP you are using?

I am with Virgin Media.

wow help from Turbine representatives right in the Escapist. now thats customer support!

Woohoo, so the Americans are slowly losing their fear of microtransactions :D

Welcome, you guys.

Skizle:
Wow, help from Turbine representatives right in the Escapist. Now that is customer support!

Tell me about it! These guys sure are helpful.

I dont know whats worse the fact this company is boasting about its ability to get more money out of people or the fact that people are stupid enough to actually pay more money per month for this than a superior (most are) MMORPG.

I think it's a great idea to rekindle the flame that helps an MMO grow and thrive - players. WoW is only popular because it's popular. It's impossible to go play an MMO without friends, without people to group with, with quests that you can't do because they need 5 people and you're only 1...

Hopefully this will help alleviate those problems that DDO had in its earlier levels. :)

CosmicCommander:

Frelorn:
Hmmm, that sounds like it could be an error related to your ISP. Can you tell me what ISP you are using?

I am with Virgin Media.

We are currently investigating some issues related to players trying to create an account from that ISP. If you have access to a computer on a different ISP, you can create an account there, and be able to play from your your normal home pc once the account has been created. We apologize for the inconvenience and we are trying to get the matter resolved.

LimaBravo:
Thats so awesome I wonder if they will ever do it in Europe ¬.¬

DObs:
I dont know whats worse the fact this company is boasting about its ability to get more money out of people or the fact that people are stupid enough to actually pay more money per month for this than a superior (most are) MMORPG.

In your opinion.

DDO is a fantastic game only limited by its instances but the design elements (Solo dungeons, looting & awesome combat mechanics.) are ahead of its time. Whats amazing is it was out years before Age of Conan & yet AoC sucks so much more.

Erm... I am sorry can I just say something... "Thats so awesome I wonder if they will ever do it in Europe"... as in the game? Available in Europe?

It is, I play it and I am British... I am not the only Brit who plays either... In fact, I am going to go play it now. :D

Malygris:

Interestingly, subscriptions for the game (which remain available for fans who wanted unrestricted access to every part of the game) have apparently gone up 40 percent since it went free. It's obviously counter-intuitive but Paiz explained that gamers are more likely to spend their money when they're allowed to do so on their own terms.

This only made me made because I say this everytime a piracy thread pops up or a thread on game sales and folks call me retarded.

A good product at a reasonable price will always, always, garner more sales than that same product at an unreasonable price. In this case they are providing a free service and once their customers feel happy and served they remind them that there are other wonderful options for a fee.

People unzip their pants, whip out their wallets, and enjoy the experience as opposed to feeling forced and rushed into enjoying every last bit.

Valiance:
I think it's a great idea to rekindle the flame that helps an MMO grow and thrive - players. WoW is only popular because it's popular. It's impossible to go play an MMO without friends, without people to group with, with quests that you can't do because they need 5 people and you're only 1...

Hopefully this will help alleviate those problems that DDO had in its earlier levels. :)

Yep games that are big, regardless of the initial reason for getting big, will continue to get bigger regardless of quality.

Learned that one back when I scanned around the Ragnarok Communities. The only servers that got bigger were servers that were big.

It's a weird gaming mob mentality, people assume if a game has a large following that it must be good and thus they join and overlook any of the mediocrity that may be there. I'm not pointing fingers at wow, I really do think it is a good game (played around Beta and recently as well) but there are some FPS's and various other titles that aren't exceptional in any manner besides their following.

This system has worked for things like Second Life and Habbo Hotel. So why not give it a shot. Quite frankly I don't like DDO though.

Lost interest in DDO after two days. Just not as much fun as WoW in my opinion. I tried it because it's free but realized I'd rather pay the WoW subscription if I decided to get back into an MMO. Here's hoping SW:TOR is as awesome as it has the potential to be.

Man I need to play this game.

iam playing this game its actually very fun! compared to other mmo's especially the ones with a monthly fee . what i hate about these monthly fee mmo's is that you have to pay to do anything so if you played for a while then stopped all your progress is for nothing. the whole play at a certain time thing sucks the whole fun part from a game forcing you to play to feel that your not wasting your money.

micro payments are well worth it you can spend your money when ever you feel like it and not forced to spend it.

I have been playing this since September 25th. I've been having a lot of fun. Don't worry too much about finding a party to quest with. With my "main" character, I not only have no issues finding one, I regularly get tells or even blind invites from strangers to join them. (It might help that I'm a cleric I suppose.)

BTW, even though I haven't paid the $15 monthly fee, I probably spent $15 getting turbine points to spend on Adventure Packs when they were on sale.

Dark Templar:

UltimatheChosen:
I may go back to DDO. I stopped playing a while back because it was such a pain to find a group for quests (and you need a group to do quests), but with a bigger player count, that might not be a problem anymore.

You do not, there is a solo option on all the ones I have done so far.

I was a level 11 rogue. On the solo difficulty, a level 6 quests would end up with me burning through about 500-1k gold worth of healing potions.

Sure, solo works fine at low levels, but once you get past the harbor (and a few marketplace quests) it ceases to be a viable option.

DDO has got a new lease of life with F2P, unfortunately for the vets it has not got better, as the focus changed to the store and new players (low level content).

Most of the new high lvl features don't work yet or are still to be released (PrEs, capstones, item sets).

EU:Mod1 is up for preview but these bugs with high lvl content have not been fixed.

Hopefully Turbine will address these issues before too long, but it is still a huge disappointment because we waited 12 months for content that is still non functional (and not yet acknowledged as a known issue, let alone fixed).

UltimatheChosen:
I was a level 11 rogue. On the solo difficulty, a level 6 quests would end up with me burning through about 500-1k gold worth of healing potions.

Try a hireling cleric, much cheaper than pots. Your rogue should also be able to have a high enough UMD to use the much cheaper cure wands.

UltimatheChosen:
solo works fine at low levels, but once you get past the harbor (and a few marketplace quests) it ceases to be a viable option.

I have been soloing the lvl 19 quests with my 17 paladin and a hireling cleric. Sure I occassionally fail, but that just makes the successes better.

DDO became free? I have to try this, now to find a computer that can actually run it...and I'm kinda screwed on that one.

Time to upgrade methinks.

What that guy said. Letting me try the game first makes a BIG difference.