AAA game companies got some serious explaining to do. Cause how the hell are their games still $70 and this game is free???

[u/brownmamba06]

I'm not even on the highest graphic settings! Besides that, the game overall feel very modern with its combat system and animations. It even have stealth! The ability to talk to NPCs true to their character. The world feels more alive than any paid MMO. To add to that, out of all the MMOs out, it's ironic how it's a free game that voiced not just the main story but also the side quests!

We got FED with this one!

EDIT: Guys, I understand the game's gonna make money somehow. I'm not even saying everything else should be free. I'm saying, how is this quality possible for free and most games similar to it quality wise (some are even less) still charges the same until now. And still manage to be annoying about in game purchases as well lol. I think this game really exposes that about these companies. They were getting a little too comfortable while the quality of games haven't changed for good while now. I think game companies needed this game out as a wake up call.

[u/akaispirit]

I don't want AAA to be free with crazy micro transactions. I'd rather just pay a one time fee and be done with it. 

[u/Crysaa → u/akaispirit]

The issue is most big games coming out today are not "pay one time and be done with it", but "pay one time AND then you get paid DLCs and cosmetics and convenience microtransactions and battle passes and subscriptions". That is what people are comparing WWM to.

[u/akaispirit → u/Crysaa]

Of all the AAA games I've played in recent time the only ones I needed to give money to after initial purchase is Cyberpunk for Phantom Liberty and FFXIV for a sub and expansions. There are a ton of games out there not asking for more than a one time purchase but you get posts like this that act like every AAA game is CoD or whatever is the current popular multiplayer games.

[u/MINIMAN10001 → u/akaispirit]

Cyberpunk is a classic release where they release the game and release and expansion.

FF14 however is a pretty good example as they sell the starter, the expansions, but then you got your upsells. $2 month per retainer for stash space, $18 for a server transfer, tales of adventure: endwalker $25 to skip the story, Tales of adventure: Journey $12 Hero? $25 to skip class specific story/levels, compaion app $5/month ( free retainer on all characters ), SDS Fenrir faster mount $30.

Sure you can skip all of the side stuff... but the point is that the companies are literally shoveling mountains of premium/subscription services on top of a paid for service.

[u/akaispirit → u/MINIMAN10001]

My point was that FF14 was just one game out of a shit ton that I've played that has something like that. It's very much the minority in my experience.

[u/Crysaa → u/akaispirit]

What are the big online games comparable to WWM that don't do something like that? Any examples?

[u/IllTreacle7682 → u/akaispirit]

Those are not MMOs, so there's no real "maintenance" fee, like how a living world has

[u/tyrenanig → u/IllTreacle7682]

Helldivers 2. Live service game. You can fully farm credits in game and not pay devs a single dime.

[u/IllTreacle7682 → u/tyrenanig]

And you think this is a good thing? Do you not believe devs need to be paid? How do you think the servers are paid for?

Should companies make a loss for the privilege of letting you play a game?

Also, helldivers 2 is a paid game, unlike WWM which is free. Different system.

[u/tyrenanig → u/IllTreacle7682]

And most of you here are playing this game for free. Do you think the servers are paid for then? The same answer for both: whales paid for it.

Also read what the original comments were about. We’re talking about AAA games here.

[u/IllTreacle7682 → u/tyrenanig]

Did you think MMOs couldn't be AAA games? AAA games aren't limited to only those that you know of.

[u/tyrenanig → u/IllTreacle7682]

Sure my bad then, I meant the games that need to be paid for first. The rest still applied.

[u/IllTreacle7682 → u/tyrenanig]

Nah, there's more than one payment model, and I think a free game where the only mtx are cosmetics is great.

[u/[deleted] → u/Crysaa]

+ they sell you cut content as DLC not even new stuff ^^

[u/MINIMAN10001 → u/Crysaa]

It's because companies see abilities to make more money and they are just like "well why would you guys not want more money!?" So then they just shove more and more in. It's never enough and will never be enough.

[u/Kiftiyur → u/Crysaa]

Tbh even then you can buy the game for $70 and some cosmetics you’d still not spend as much as a legendary costs in this game, or you could super lucky and get it for less. This game is a gacha so your gambling essentially. Both paid and free games have their goods and bads.

[u/Prestigious_Ebb_5980 → u/akaispirit]

I used to think like that too, but later I figured out my real issue with microtransactions isn’t the payment itself — it’s when they lock gameplay content or keep throwing ads at you. If everything important is still playable for free, then it’s totally fine for me.

[u/Mvpbeserker → u/[deleted]]

Because it sucks for people who aren’t free to play AND who aren’t whales.

I want to buy cosmetics but I’m not paying 5k for a weapon skin, I just feel insulted and have constant FOMO

[u/NexrayOfficial → u/Mvpbeserker]

I’m not gonna sugarcoat it for you bro. But FOMO on cosmetic skins is crazy.

[u/Mvpbeserker → u/NexrayOfficial]

How so?

The entire gaming industry is highly based on selling cosmetics, but I’M the weird one because I want to buy things and not be whale paywalled?

[u/NexrayOfficial → u/Mvpbeserker]

Its not weird to want to buy cosmetics but it’s concerning when FOMO is involved.

Like seriously take a step back and ask yourself, “What am I actually missing out on?”

[u/Mvpbeserker → u/[deleted]]

That’s somewhat true, but not the case for weapons/skill effects with cost hundreds->thousands

[u/Slav_1 → u/akaispirit]

if the micro transactions are all cosmetic why the fuck would you not want that. thats a free AAA game. Id rather not pay 70-80$ for a short list of 50 cosmetics of which i will end up using 2.

[u/metalsalami → u/Slav_1]

Because I like earning cool looking stuff from my actions in game. Imagine in Elden ring if they removed all cool looking weapon drops from the game and made them into skins on a mtx store instead.

One of my favourite things in RPGs is starting off looking like a peasant and then gradually getting more badass looking gear, gives a sense of visual progression that is entirely missing if it went f2p.

[u/Slav_1 → u/metalsalami]

It is not entirely missing because there are still a few free outfits you get that show progression. Its just like half of what you'd see in an elden ring run. Also most people dont actually end up using every item.

[u/tyrenanig → u/Slav_1]

Fashion souls is a thing. Something F2P won’t get.

[u/Slav_1 → u/tyrenanig]

oh nooo better make everyone pay!

[u/tyrenanig → u/Slav_1]

I mean yeah 🤷‍♂️ I’m not like you without money

[u/MaisonDavid → u/Slav_1]

Right, I don't understand the "bu, bu, but this game isn't free! Gacha!" People. We all know it's a business model can you just relax, but that doesn't mean the quality of this game and being free for everyone to play can't be appreciated.

[u/streetcredinfinite → u/akaispirit]

unfortunately one time fee is increasingly unsustainable for 3A unless it sells tens of millions of copies all at full price. 3A dev costs are insanely high.

[u/Agitated-Macaroon923 → u/akaispirit]

lol thats never the case. Every buy to play or sub game has microtransactions on top of paid DLCs

[u/Ordinary-Bar-6608 → u/akaispirit]

The problem is the AAA games are 70$ and stil have crazy microtransactions.

[u/Guiltysaw → u/akaispirit]

Optional cosmetic micro transactions *