It almost doesn’t seem real that Star Wars: The Old Republic has shed its Beta baby teeth and is entering the world of MMO manhood (or at least is walking upright). Its release sparks a new uptick in subscription model games who have frankly taken a beating as of late. Today fellow TORWarriors, I discuss with you my thoughts on why the subscription or pay-to-play model is not only the right way to go, but also why it will not be going anywhere.

The Miraluka can’t see the day when The Old Republic goes free-to-play (I’ll be here all week folks!)

Early this week, I reported on an article by Eurogamer where the writer took the stand of The Old Republic possibly being the last of its kind when it comes to subscription-based MMO’s. The article claimed that free-to-play MMO’s are the future to the antiquated nature of having to pay a monthly fee to play a game. I respectfully disagree with the writers opinion and sources and I will tell you why free-to-play isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

There used to be a time when an MMO was almost exclusively built on the subscription model. If someone mentioned anything about an MMO, it was automatically assumed that they were paying something to play it. Slowly but surely this model starting twisting and mutating. First it was two free weeks without even having to purchase the game. Then came the ability to get up to a certain level before the game made you pay a subscription fee. Further down the line we bore witness to unlimited access to starter areas or select levels.

There was a pattern there, more and more MMO’s were giving it up before the dinner and/or movie were over. They were all competing to pull in those precious subscribers and in doing so, unwittingly set in motion a chain of events that has led us to the current MMO landscape.

I remember a time when free-to-play was a dirty word. The first FTP games that came out were mostly just awful. They were a punch line to why you needed to pay for an MMO. As time went on the lines blurred between the accepted and the expected. Soon even subscription-based powerhouses turned to a hybrid FTP model. Here is where we are today ladies and gentlemen, in a world where people have to actually ask if a high budget up-and-coming MMO is going to be free or not.

This is what will happen if TOR goes free-to-play. Behold…Hello Kitty Online (pic hellokittyonline.com)

So why is an FTP based MMO bad for all involved? On the surface it looks like win-win. First, there is little to no risk from the consumer. Most of the time, a person can simply download the client and be up and running within a few hours. If the game doesn’t appeal to them then it’s as simple as an uninstall. For the developer, there is far less expected in terms of content, customer service, and overall support. After all, the game is FTP so people shouldn’t be that pissed with how things are going (noticed I said “shouldn’t”).

On top of that, FTP’s generally have microtransactions to support them. Some may scoff at the notion of a microtransaction but there have been may instances where people will pay considerably more per month when they are buying a little bit of this and a little bit of that as opposed to a flat rate.

However, my theory follows the old adage, “You get what you pay for.” Now I may catch some flak for this but I assure you loyal readers that I am in nobody’s pocket. Look at quality of ingredients when it comes to cooking. Look at durability of toilet paper, time before breaking of a DVD player, or even Xbox Live over PSN. Yes that’s right – I went there.

I don’t care if you bleed Sony or dream Microsoft, having a paid service improved Xbox Live considerably over PSN. Now I don’t want to turn this into a debate about who has the better service. I just want to make the point that the money goes somewhere. Your $60 a year for Xbox Live or your $15 a month for TOR do not go into the pockets of Bill Gates and Stephen Reid respectively (I know Stephen Reid is not the head of BioWare but all the other developers there seem to fear him and that’s good enough in my book).

If TOR were a free-to-play MMO, Stephen Reid couldn’t afford expensive lattes and monogrammed polos

Your money is used to improve the game you love. Your money is used to release content, expand teams, improve performance, produce good customer service, and generally make a quality product. Sure microtransactions can keep a game afloat, but a subscription gets the game to the next port. A subscription is a guaranteed revenue stream based on the current member level. A person playing FTP might spend $25 one month on content, but then might not spend any money for the two following months.

The bottom line is nobody, especially in this economic climate, wants to spend money to play a game when they can simply play it for free. But look beyond the cash and focus on the result – a much more polished game that you can actually play. I have played many a free-to-play MMO in my day and with a few exceptions, found them all to be impossible to play for absolutely no money.

And there is the rub my friends. FTP MMO’s are like drug dealers. They pull you in for free with promises of what their game can be. Then they get you hooked and tell you that you need to spend a little money in order to really get full enjoyment out of your time. You tell yourself you will just tough it out, but the more you level, the more the game becomes increasingly difficult to manage. Finally, you cave. Once that first transaction goes through it no longer seems like that big of a deal. Soon you are looking back at your credit card bill thinking to yourself that an FTP MMO was supposed to save you money. Now you’ve spent more than a subscription would have taken from you and the game is still much less polished and reliable than an MMO that was pay-to-play.

Free-to-play – ruins – an MMO (with the notable exception of Guild Wars in my opinion). I am ecstatic that TOR was a subscription-based game and I for one wish that it never decides to cross over to the dark side of FTP gaming. An FTP MMO that comes from a subscription-based model is like a celebrity who lost their fame and is now appearing on reality shows in a desperate attempt to stay relevant – it’s just sad. Many thought that instead of shutting down, Star Wars: Galaxies should have gone free-to-play. I for one commend them for leaving with the dignity of still being a subscription based game. I would rather see that, than another year or so of crappy content strung along by microtransactions and subpar customer service.

Your typical Customer Service Rep at a free-to-play MMO (pic whatmmorpg.com)

In my humble opinion, subscription-based MMO’s will see a resurgence after that (relatively) new car smell of the FTP landscape dies down. People will hopefully see why there are many more benefits to paying a little each month to keep your game going strong. There always seems to be an ebb and flow when it comes to the gaming world and I fully believe that the MMO of old will have its day again. For all of you out there who love Star Wars and are excited for The Old Republic, know that your money is going to make your love into the best it can be. After all, given the choice between bologna and Kobe beef – money aside you would go for the quality every single time. And if not – Maker forgive you.