Crytek to make free-to-play games only

[Thrik]

Crytek transitioning to fully free-to-play company

Considering that most people associate Crytek with pretty much defining high-budget AAA games with obscene levels of visual beauty, this is a bit unexpected. I know Crytek have been dabbling with Warface for some time, but I always assumed it'd just be a fun side-project that wouldn't ever become a particularly prominent part of the company's focus.

Of course the article emphasises that the studio won't be lowering the quality of its technology or games and will be producing them to the same high standard as always, and while that's probably what everyone says I do think Crytek's resources focused on the F2P market could stir things up significantly — and of course Crytek will find ways of making money through other means.

My F2P experience isn't too broad, but I did play PlanetSide and Tribes: Ascend which have both been really good examples of F2P IMO because they're totally free to play, but the incentive to buy in is always there because it means you get access to stuff faster. Tribes is particularly good at giving you plenty to toy around with, but it keeps things out of reach for just long enough to tempt you to buy the fucker instead. It's done the community good too as I don't think the game would be as thriving as it is if you had to buy it to try it.

Going to be interesting, anyway. Hope this doesn't mean Crytek goes purely MP though, which is where most of us have probably experienced the F2P model. Maybe Crytek will seriously mix up the single-player market by finding a way to make it work with as F2P?

[Puddy]

Seems a bit... rushed? Warface isn't even out yet and to commit 100% of your future to that business model seems a bit drastic.

But hell, I wish 'em all the best.

[Psy]

Pretty bold move, tbh. Should be interesting to see how this turns out.

[Sentura]

Pretty bold move, tbh. Should be interesting to see how this turns out.

[sarge mat]

I would hope they plan to continue with single player stuff. Surely they company has too many studios now anyway to just make the "free to play shooter", I would guess they have plans for some cool stuff.

[kleinluka]

I wonder how you can make a single player game free to play though... im not sure this was a wise move... hmmm

[Izuno]

I wonder how you can make a single player game free to play though... im not sure this was a wise move... hmmm

+1

Though maybe they have a plan.

[Puddy]

Chapter 5 - The shootening

Please insert coin?

[insta]

Good for them! Now they have completely free hands to create what they want (as long as they fund it themselves), and no more required "good ideas" from the publisher side. Hope it works out for them!

[Skjalg]

Yeah I'm also wondering what they are going to do about single player games. Crytek isnt really renowned for their multiplayer experiences and thats where the f2p money is, right?

Anyways, this is super exciting

[kleinluka]

Chapter 5 - The shootening

Please insert coin?

Lol yeah, I was thinking about that. Pay per chapter? But then, it's still a super risky move because if you sell a game in one package you have a guaranteed sale of $60. If you release a game for free and then HOPE that people will buy enough shit in the game .... I don't know, I just can't see a lot of people spending $60 or more while already inside the game. Also, and I may be wrong about this but, in my opinion people are more likely to do a one time $60 purchase than many $5 purchases. Like if I had to pay every time I started a new chapter I would probably just quit playing and go outside and ride my bicycle or something.

[Puddy]

Like if I had to pay every time I started a new chapter I would probably just quit playing and go outside and ride my bicycle or something.

lol

The risks I see is that the F2P market will shortly become saturated and profits will be more hard won and that Crytek's high quality, high fidelity approach to games might not be the best fit for the average F2P-consumer who, I'm guessing, isn't sitting on a monster rig.

But I'm a bit skeptical by nature.

[Jetsetlemming]

Yeah I'm also wondering what they are going to do about single player games. Crytek isnt really renowned for their multiplayer experiences and thats where the f2p money is, right?

Anyways, this is super exciting

There are "MMO" f2p games with a heavy single player/small party focus. As long as the game has an multiplayer/communal side, I think that could support SP content. Spiral Knights on Steam is kinda like that. You're with everyone when you're in town, but when you go questing/grinding, you're alone, or matched up with at most three other people.

[cincinnati]

on that note, would be cool to see the crossing work as another game. my number one aversion to sp is ai, and i would love facing humans in typically sp level design.

l4d vs. comes the closest, but it's obviously still too multiplayer in feel.

[Sentura]

"you have 20 game minutes left, pay to get more"