Originally Posted by headcrab13
I see where you're coming from, but I'm talking about post-launch continents becoming available after a few years. I can't imagine those long-time players wouldn't jump at the chance to fight on an additional massive continent in an entirely new environment.
As far as splitting the community, for the sliver of people who hadn't yet signed on the access to the new areas, following their outfit-mates into the new battlezone would be a great incentive.
And finally, when the population grows to multi-million player levels, even a small fraction of players who haven't opted for the new continent will poplock an entire continent, so they won't be hurting for action.
|
Even after a few years the game would still have new players on a regular basis.
Example:
1 continent gets released every 6 months. By year 4, there is 8 continents, two expansion packs and an extra character slot available. Each continent costs 5$, each expansion 10$ and the extra character slot is priced at 5$.
Total sum for the whole deal: 65$
The veteran player has been able to aquire these things over a period of four years. Doing some crude math, you can say he's spent 16$/year for playing Planetside 2.
A new player joins. To be able to get access to all of the content the game has to offer, along with gaining the benefits of the expansion pack and character slot, he would also have to chip in 65$. But for him, it would be the same as buying a completely new game off the shelves.
It's pretty simple psychology really, that's why microtransactions works so well for companies in general. 5$ is barely something you notice being withdrawn from your bank account, but 65$ is another thing entirely.
In a free to play game, everyone will eventually spend a few dollars.
"Being an incentive" is another way of saying "Get this or you wont be accepted into the outfit". This would cause PS2 to lose market shares at a very rapid pace, since the whole game is about teamwork.
Point: Paying for extra continents? Not now, not ever.