Pay for the game, pay per month, pay for ‘services’
The German website ESOHUB had a chance to interview Matt Firor, lead developer for the upcoming subscription-based MMO Elder Scrolls Onlineand uncovered some interesting and even startling news: Elder Scrolls Onlinewill have a cash shop. When asked if the game had anything “extra” beyond a subscription, Mr. Firor said:
“There won’t be anything like ‘bonus points’ but we’ll have a shop to buy kinda fun stuff and services too, like name changes and things like that. But it’s not part of the core game, anything in the core game is included in the subscription price.”
What “fun stuff” means was not detailed, but I would imagine it would be things like aesthetic changes or maybe even goofy dances. Regardless, this means that each player must buy the game, pay monthly, andface an optional cash shop when playing the game. Most people already can’t stand the subscription model, so I can’t imagine that they are winning any hearts by asking for even more money, even if it is for “fun stuff.”
ESO-Interview:Abomodell, Itemshop & Entwicklung [ESOHUB.de] (video interview is in English)