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[Men_in_Boxes]

...over the next 30 years, the following edict was given, and obeyed, by the games industry...

- All single player games must be F2P GAAS.
- All multiplayer games must be full price, no MTX.

What genres would suffer? What genres would flourish?

Would the people who complain about GAAS suddenly become MP gamers?

How would the trajectory of the industry differ from our current timeline?

Note: Thread was created because there is growing evidence to suggest the P2P (traditional) business model is the most harmful business model in games. Millenials had a hard time recognizing this because it's what they grew up with.

 

[TheDraconian]

Forcing games to be online (GAAS or whatever) in any form sucks.
Give me fully made SP games any day of the week without that crap.

 

[The Cockatrice]

I wont care because at that point I'll just stop and find a different hobby or replay old stuff only.

 

[Punished Miku]

Play my backlog and then die happy while the younger generation lives in hell.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

How I thought this thread was going to go...

How thread is actually going...

 

[Danjin44]

All single player games must be F2P GAAS.

 

[GymWolf]

It would fucking sucks.

 

[Vick]

I wont care because at that point I'll just stop and find a different hobby or replay old stuff only.

Only possible answer to this Thread.

On the bright side, retrogaming would shine like never before.. because modders would make it so.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

I guess people have a difficult time conceptualizing the impact business model has on design. That's ok.

 

[Punished Miku]

I guess people have a difficult time conceptualizing the impact business model has on design. That's ok.

f2p single player means people would be able to try demos on anything basically. And then they'd bail before getting roped into a scam monetization loop. No one would really finish games.

Full price multiplayer is not that big of a deal. We've had that in the past and it's fine.

 

[Topher]

 

[Dr. Claus]

...over the next 30 years, the following edict was given, and obeyed, by the games industry...

- All single player games must be F2P GAAS.
- All multiplayer games must be full price, no MTX.

What genres would suffer? What genres would flourish?

Would the people who complain about GAAS suddenly become MP gamers?

How would the traectory of the industry differ from our current timeline?

The game's industry would fucking die. Hard. There is a reason why GAAS titles lose money hand over fist and why most MP games tend to die, quickly.

Note: Thread was created because there is growing evidence to suggest the P2P (traditional) business model is the most harmful business model in games. Millenials had a hard time recognizing this because it's what they grew up with.

This is just your conspiracy theory based on personal preference and your desperate need to push/promote shitty GAAS and MP titles.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

f2p single player means people would be able to try demos on anything basically. And then they'd bail before getting roped into a scam monetization loop. No one would really finish games.

So basically you're telling me multiplayer can thrive under any business model while SP is the bubble boy of the games industry?

That's an interesting conclusion.

 

[Mr Hyde]

What an awful future. I would just abandon modern video gaming and go full retro. Seriously OP, you have the worst fucking takes on the entire forum.

 

[Punished Miku]

So basically you're telling me multiplayer can thrive under any business model while SP is the bubble boy of the games industry?

That's an interesting conclusion.

Yeah, I see your point. I do think single player is more vulnerable to decline since monetization would alter the whole path of the game. Repetition is what you need for f2p monetization so it fits with multiplayer well.

 

[SmokedMeat]

So let me get this straight; we’re talking single player campaigns that are FREE?!! And since they’re GaaS I’d get more added to them for free, or with a currency I earned by playing the game?

If these single player campaigns are at least of the same quality we have now, id say sign me up.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Kind of a weird hypothetical scenario but, to answer your questions:

How would the trajectory of the industry differ from our current timeline?

SP industry basically dies by becoming dominated by a selected few, as devs would have absolutely no freedom to monetize according to the experiences they're developing. They would either have to work for free or compete with giants.

MP industry drastically reduces in size, as again devs have no freedom to things the way they would see most fit.

>The whole problem with your question is that you're hypothesizing a completely unhealthy market enviroment. There's almost no place for anything to flourish properly here.

What genres would suffer? What genres would flourish?

None. It would wreck the industry. At the very least would be worse than what it is today.

Would the people who complain about GAAS suddenly become MP gamers?

They would most likely find another hobby, or reminisce online about the days there were no ridiculous edicts imposed onto games.

there is growing evidence to suggest the P2P (traditional) business model is the most harmful business model in games.

This is the kind of statement you need studies and sources to back things up. Otherwise its just le go'ol trust me bro.

 

[semiconscious]

'how would ice cream change if vanilla ice cream tasted like chocolate ice cream?'...

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

What an awful future. I would just abandon modern video gaming and go full retro. Seriously OP, you have the worst fucking takes on the entire forum.

It's not a take. I'm proposing a theoretical question that people are melting down over because...God knows what reason. If you can't defend a held belief in a friendly discussion then what does that actually say?

Imagine a teacher asking this question to his/her class. Do the responses in this thread feel like it's a college level course or are you picturing a 3rd grade classroom?

Let's hold (metaphorical) hands and do better!

 

[DeepEnigma]

I'd quit gaming.

 

[22:22:22]

I'm depressed enough as it is. I'd like to not entertain this hypothetical scenario.

 

[Danjin44]

I don’t know who even want this? it would literally turn gaming industry to dog shit.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

This is the kind of statement you need studies and sources to back things up. Otherwise its just le go'ol trust me bro.

True, but then so do the "F2P GAAS is bad for the industry" people as well.

I wonder if the conversation would be more interesting had I asked...

"What would happen to game design if everyone had an unlimited 3 month return period, no questions asked."

I feel like same people going ape **** over the original question would somehow be against a consumer friendly return policy.

 

[Drizzlehell]

The poll should have just have those two options. I can't be bothered to think about those options that you've put in there but I would rather have full priced multiplayer games because I assume that it would still mean we'd keep getting SP games (which I prefer) and microtransactions would stop to exist, so it's a win-win situation.

 

[Guilty_AI]

True, but then so do the "F2P GAAS is bad for the industry" people as well.

Not everyone says this, neither does it justifies coming up with your own random statements.

The most i would agree with are specific business practices that can be harmful, each for their own reasons, and they can be present both on paid and f2p games.

"What would happen to game design if everyone had an unlimited 3 month return period, no questions asked."

I feel like same people going ape **** over the original question would somehow be against a consumer friendly return policy.

GOG has something similar. 1 month return period. Not completely 'no questions asked' but still rather liberal as long as you don't make it obvious you're using it maliciously.

https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006129837-GOG-Voluntary-Refund-Policy?product=gog

 

[dorkimoe]

Preferred multiplayer when I was younger. Now I prefer single player. Multiplayer exists at this point for them to make money off mtx

 

[IDKFA]

If this insane idea ever really happened then I'd simply quit gaming.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Not everyone says this, neither does it justifies coming up with your own random statements.

It's certainly not random. I do believe it.

I have yet to hear someone adequately defend "Give me your money first, then I'll let you play. Good luck dealing with PlayStation, MS, and Steam if your unsatisfied."

It's a business model based on separating you from your money, not from you enjoying the game.

The traditional model works by getting people excited about the idea of playing a game. F2P GAAS works by getting people to have fun when playing. To me, that's objectively healthier. It's an interesting thought experiment to swap the two.

GOG has something similar. 1 month return period. Not completely 'no questions asked' but still rather liberal as long as you don't make it obvious you're using it maliciously.

http://[URL][URL][URL]https://suppo...29837-GOG-Voluntary-Refund-Policy?product=gog

[/URL][/URL][/URL]

What's malicious though?

Everyone complains about their backlog, which to me, is a sign of corruption in the traditional model.

"I have so many games to play in my backlog, but no time to play them...and these are the next 5 full priced games I'm excited for."

It's illogical. SP gaming would be soooooo much better if all the big platform holders were forced to provide a liberal, unlimited 6 - 12 month return policy on all games. The backlog inefficiency would largely be solved then. But again, they don't care about us finishing games. They care about taking our money.

 

[Games of Today]

Can we please just have $15 DLC's back!? Gamers are so cheap. I loved giving DICE my $15 or $50 extra dollars in one payment for the premium pass.
4 maps and new weapons with each release! It was amazing from BF3 to BF1.
Now BF and CoD are in the trash.

 

[Laptop1991]

I wouldn't be a gamer anymore if SP became F2P GAAS only, it won't happen anyway as Single player games still sell well if they are made well and F2P Gaas only do well in some cases if they are MP not SP.

 

[Guilty_AI]

It's certainly not random. I do believe it.

I have yet to hear someone adequately defend "Give me your money first, then I'll let you play. Good luck dealing with PlayStation, MS, and Steam if your unsatisfied."

It's a business model based on separating you from your money, not from you enjoying the game.

The traditional model works by getting people excited about the idea of playing a game. F2P GAAS works by getting people to have fun when playing. To me, that's objectively healthier. It's an interesting thought experiment to swap the two.


What's malicious though?

Everyone complains about their backlog, which to me, is a sign of corruption in the traditional model.

"I have so many games to play in my backlog, but no time to play them...and these are the next 5 full priced games I'm excited for."

It's illogical. SP gaming would be soooooo much better if all the big platform holders were forced to provide a liberal, unlimited 6 - 12 month return policy on all games. The backlog inefficiency would largely be solved then. But again, they don't care about us finishing games. They care about taking our money.

Then, i take you agree all these refund policies should also apply for people buying skins, emojis and DLCs in f2p games too?

I buy a spider-man skin in fortnite, then i realize that won't make me any more fullfilled in life or in the game. Its only fair for me to get my money back whenever i want right?

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Then, i take you agree all these refund policies should also apply for people buying skins, emojis and DLCs in f2p games too?

I buy a spider-man skin in fortnite, then i realize that won't make me any more fullfilled in life or in the game. Its only fair for me to get my money back whenever i want right?

Skins, emotes, dances, charms etc are all stupid. The sooner we move on from that stuff the better.

I don't rail against that stuff though because SP games have the potential to be interesting/great...but the business model is holding them back. Fortnite skins have no interesting future.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Skins, emotes, dances, charms etc are all stupid. The sooner we move on from that stuff the better.

I don't rail against that stuff though because SP games have the potential to be interesting/great...but the business model is holding them back. Fortnite skins have no interesting future.

Well good luck then, cause those skins, emojis and dlcs are the whole reason GAAS games make so much money. If people do move on from that, GAAS is as good as dead.

 

[Griffon]

 

[kyussman]

I've found it very difficult to get interested in the current gen.....zero interest in a gaming future like that.

 

[Fbh]

Single player games:
Become all about grinding/farming or some other similar mechanic that encourages you to play through the same content again and again as you slowly build up your character (or town, or army or whatever)
Less focus on games with a fixed linear story progression and more focus on games that can essentially be endlessly played: Stuff like Animal Crossing, City builders, roguelikes, Diablo-esque loot RPG's, survival crafting, strategy/sim stuff like Factorio, etc.

Best case scenario MTX are cosmetic only, worse case scenario they sell "time savers" (extra XP, better drop rates, etc), worst case scenario mtx are just Pay 2 Win as they argue everything can be "earned in game" and it's not giving you a competitive advantage since it's single player.

Multiplayer games:
Either more content and/or better production value at launch. The top games go back to annualized releases. Less risky creative ideas as everyone sticks to what has been proven to work. Most of the audience gets even more centralized into a handful of games as a lot of people don't want to pay $70 for something new that might not get an active user base (and then dies in a couple of months). There's still a battle pass system to unlock cosmetics but it doesn't cost extra and it's only supported until the next entry in the franchise (or next game from the studio) comes out in a year or two.

Cheat Code
Studios still make the great single player games we have now...they just all have optional co-op now so technically they count as multiplayer.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Well done Fbh

Dude hears a theoretical question and answers it like a Chad.

 

[Knightime_X]

Congratulations you reached the flag in super mario bros
Here is a gold flag for 8.99
Textured boots if you buy the 39.99 season pass.

No.
Fuck that future!

 

[DonF]

I don't like your hypothetical scenario, young man. I dont like it one bit.

 

[ReBurn]

That dystopia is the worst timeline

 

[SeraphJan]

I wouldn't mind MP became full price, however SP became service as suck as it might be that wouldn't change my preference for SP games

 

[FunkMiller]

I'd just make masturbation my full time hobby instead, OP.