Why pay full price for this game? I mean really.

[tayseth]

Pirates of the Caribbean Online has been out for almost 4 years now. I know a lot of you guys know this, but heres some information.

1. Lord of the Rings Online became free to play last fall.
2. Pirates of the Burning Sea became free to play a year ago.
3. Recently, Team Fortress 2 has become free to play.

Those are just a few example of games that have more depth, more effort, better gameplay, graphics, sound, and controls than Potco that have become f2p. On another plus side, they actually update their games more than twice a year!

Potco doesn't even have a trial period for membership, besides the random F2p to P2p events that happen every so often.

Why should we continue to support and pay 20$ (at least) for a shovelware title that never gets updated? Honestly, what ARE we paying for? Unless the Potco team can step up, I don't believe this game should have a price tag on it. Thoughts?

[Ofury/ Tom]

No game is ever going to not have a price tag on it... They are gonna wanna make money. VMK didn't last because it was free.

[CaptainKiowa]

Well you have to remember that if the game went f2p, it might not be completely free. Games that are f2p like Pirates of the Burning Sea or Perfect World International require players to purchase in game credit or optional memberships to get most of the more interesting and powerful content. So its a question of how would POTCO work as a f2p game, would it have an option for premium membership that offers more than now, or would you have to buy credits to use certain clothing, items, ships etc. Also remember that some f2p games are much more expensive in the long run depending on how you play, so this could be bad for game play in POTCO for gamers who would not wanna go broke playing the game. I admit that POTCO does not get updates as frequent as other mmos which is a little sad considering its part of a massive franchise, but remember that Disney may not have a massive department of game development like other companies that make f2p games like Sony or Perfect World.

[Captain Del]

Trust me, I have heard this before.

I have accounts on both LOTRO and POTBS, my Rings character in the 30s and my Pirate at 23. Both of them are pretty good games, though I haven't played LOTRO in a while (I'm taking a stronger liking to the Burning Sea nowadays.) It's a good thing to get involved in whenever I'm having a slow day or the game is down - but I don't see myself playing them.

Why? Because it just doesn't appeal to me as POTCO does.

Call me irrational or unthoughtful, but we all have our preferences. Whether it's the community, the difficultly, or just plain how the game is run, I don't know. And although the main reason I'm still here in because of my guild, it's not the only reason - I just prefer this game.

And in the end, we, as gamers, all have to respect what we all prefer.

[WitchdoctorDan]

I play POTBS every once in a while, and used to play LOTRO, but I quit because it's just not my style of MMO. But. just like Del, I don't play them all the time. Now, granted, I don't play POTCO constantly like I used to, but I have been on a lot lately in an effort to master my main and get some Legendaries.

I do like this game more than the others, mostly because of it's lack of seriousness. POTBS is a very serious game, with a lot of PvP. Basically, the economy is almost reliant on being good at PvP, which I am not. :P As for LOTRO, it's just not me.

And, as Del said, everyone has their own preferences and can choose what they want. And most of the people on POF have a preference to POTCO.

[Lady Freckles]

It really comes down to whether you think the price is worth it and that goes for any game, including those with the F2P option.

If you think your money is well spent on something you enjoy, play frequently, and are happy with, then great. If you are not happy with the price, the game, or any other part of it, it's time to decide whether to stay or go.

Personally, I loved Pirates for the time I played, which was quite a while and I felt the cost was worth it ... at that time. I have since moved on to other things for entertainment, when I have the time or inclination, and if you were to ask me today if I'd resubscribe to POTCO, the answer would be a very decisive NO.

I really don't see Disney going with an F2P version of Pirates or their other games. Although Toontown does offer an unlimited free trial basis of the game, with restrictions on how much you can do of course. And even a game that has F2P options, is still not totally 'free' - you either earn credits ingame or have to buy credits for certain things.

[MacIronhawk]

Personally, when I look at online games, I see them as pay to play, no matter what.

Games that aren't pay to play need to survive off of ads, which can happen if there are enough companies which will profit because of the game but POTCO doesn't look like a game you'd play for free.

To be honest, I'm disappointed at the lack of updates just as much as you. When I look at Toontown and POTCO I see huge potential. And I mean HUGE potential. These are Disney run games, games which SHOULD prosper and be the basis that other online games shoot for.

Disney is a billion dollar company and should invest in this game. The problem is the amount of content they push out isn't enough to keep us entertained for years. We get bored within months of releases and then we have to wait more months for more content to come out. If Disney would just hire some more developers and put more money into this game, it would be great. I fear they look at these games as side attractions so the company can claim to be big in online gaming. Truth is, these two games are very creative and have great potential but Disney doesn't care enough about them.

POTCO and Toontown both should be pay to play, but I agree that they just don't get updated enough to be pay to play. this game is a few years old and we still haven't seen things like the Kraken(promised by developers to come out near the end of 2009!)

I don't think these games will be around much longer if Disney continues on this lazy track. The only way they're going to make millions off of these games is if they invest millions into it. We'll see what happens over the next decade, though.

[CaptainKiowa]

Originally Posted by MacIronhawk

Personally, when I look at online games, I see them as pay to play, no matter what.

Games that aren't pay to play need to survive off of ads, which can happen if there are enough companies which will profit because of the game but POTCO doesn't look like a game you'd play for free.

To be honest, I'm disappointed at the lack of updates just as much as you. When I look at Toontown and POTCO I see huge potential. And I mean HUGE potential. These are Disney run games, games which SHOULD prosper and be the basis that other online games shoot for.

Disney is a billion dollar company and should invest in this game. The problem is the amount of content they push out isn't enough to keep us entertained for years. We get bored within months of releases and then we have to wait more months for more content to come out. If Disney would just hire some more developers and put more money into this game, it would be great. I fear they look at these games as side attractions so the company can claim to be big in online gaming. Truth is, these two games are very creative and have great potential but Disney doesn't care enough about them.

POTCO and Toontown both should be pay to play, but I agree that they just don't get updated enough to be pay to play. this game is a few years old and we still haven't seen things like the Kraken(promised by developers to come out near the end of 2009!)

I don't think these games will be around much longer if Disney continues on this lazy track. The only way they're going to make millions off of these games is if they invest millions into it. We'll see what happens over the next decade, though.

Very good observation, Disney could make a great profit if they put more effort into their online games. The MMO market is a huge one which draws in a large amount of money each year, Disney seems to be focusing on other things more so than it which is rather sad. I believe the reason they do not want to put more effort into the game is that it would of course mean more money would be spent in development. Though more money would be spent they would be able to build the game up much more, and appeal to an even broader player base which is missed because of the lack of updates.

[leo]

POTCO is the only MMO game i have played and continue playing(paying). I fully understand this case however I do not believe POTCO should be completely F2P. But, the basic restrictions could be changed a little so that basics may enjoy and get interested in the game more for them to pay to play.

I don't think that the amount of updates is that much of a problem for me personally. I find the reason that there are so many bugs, glitches and the ability of some to easily cheat whether by manipulating game files or using programs very negative towards the case that this is POTCO, This is a Disney game, and We Pay To Play. Another thing that causes a lot of disturbance in this game, is the reason that this is POTCO, a Disney game, We pay to play but I have tested(not played) other games and the amount of lag in POTCO is far off limits that any P2P should have. Their servers Should be modernized(upgraded/updated for modern PCs) or make the game a software game instead of a streaming game. The Developers/owners need to understand that they will not get an economical growth unless this game rises up to the 8, 9 or 10 ratings(official game ratings, Potco is at a 7 out of 10 based on numerous game reviews)) with the 8 being generous considering that this is a P2P 'hidden' as a F2P.

I could write more exposing the problems that this game has always considering who makes the games and that it is a P2P game but are ignored but i think i'll stop here...

And mates "It's Just good Business"

[pieisbetter2]

Originally Posted by MacIronhawk

Personally, when I look at online games, I see them as pay to play, no matter what.

Games that aren't pay to play need to survive off of ads, which can happen if there are enough companies which will profit because of the game but POTCO doesn't look like a game you'd play for free.

To be honest, I'm disappointed at the lack of updates just as much as you. When I look at Toontown and POTCO I see huge potential. And I mean HUGE potential. These are Disney run games, games which SHOULD prosper and be the basis that other online games shoot for.

Disney is a billion dollar company and should invest in this game. The problem is the amount of content they push out isn't enough to keep us entertained for years. We get bored within months of releases and then we have to wait more months for more content to come out. If Disney would just hire some more developers and put more money into this game, it would be great. I fear they look at these games as side attractions so the company can claim to be big in online gaming. Truth is, these two games are very creative and have great potential but Disney doesn't care enough about them.

POTCO and Toontown both should be pay to play, but I agree that they just don't get updated enough to be pay to play. this game is a few years old and we still haven't seen things like the Kraken(promised by developers to come out near the end of 2009!)

I don't think these games will be around much longer if Disney continues on this lazy track. The only way they're going to make millions off of these games is if they invest millions into it. We'll see what happens over the next decade, though.

I honestly don't know how many times this has had to be explained.

The game isn't necessarily RUN by Disney as much as it is OWNED by Disney. The Pirates developer team is its own separate thing. I'm pretty sure they can't just go ask Disney for money. Disney has SO many other things going on. Don't you think they would much rather gather money from the box office than from people subscribed to a game? Movies are the basis of Disney. Movies are what makes Disney so successful. Yes, the smart thing would be to invest in this game, as it could possibly generate as much revenue as films. But then what would happen to their films? They would flatten out, and people would lose interest. Movies have a wider audience than games. Think about it, a single movie probably makes more money than this game does in a year, let alone a franchise like the POTC films.

What I'm trying to get at is that the POTCO team can't just hire more developers and be throwing out the updates. Finding someone that can make the game the way it has been isn't as easy as plucking them from a crowd. And even if they did start pumping the updates out, they would eventually have nothing else to give to us. They'd be fresh out of ideas and then the game would collapse. Sooner than if they take their time like they are now.

Updates take money, so they have to collect the money they've earned from paying players to do these sort of things. When they hit a really big update is when more money usually starts coming in, and they can either use this to hire more developers, or have another big update. More developers = faster updates, but not necessarily big updates every time. More big updates = more cash flow and even more big updates.

Basically it's whatever road they choose. If I missed anything, I'm sure someone will point it out.

[Slasher]

Well. Its just like Disneyland and Disney World. Sure, if you are a total roller coaster freak, you look to Disneyland as a pushover and go to Six Flags. But, if you don't have that in you, (Such as myself xD) it seems that Disneyland is great, even though everything is expensive inside the place. (But THATS another story... I could talk for a bit about that.) Its the exact same with gaming. Some people are total graphics, updates, better weapons and such, who think POTCO is a waste of money. Then there is others who don't care about graphics, (At times) enjoy seeing movie spots, (Was I the only one somewhat excited when I met Jack Sparrow in the beginning?..) and aren't serious SERIOUS gamers on a computer. Now, to get to my point, as that was a comparison. Sure, Pirates Online may not get to many updates, or not be like POTBS, but is it just me, or do you always feel that adventure when you are doing Pirates Online? It just feels adventurous, like when your running away from skeletons or getting on the Black Pearl like the Pirates in Pirates of The Caribbean movies. I don't know if I had that in POTBS, (More likely because it didn't load) but I feel it here. And I'm not being a repeater but people are right! Its all on preference. Sure, I want some new updates, but who knows whats in store. Anybody remember the huge update when we got new Padres, Port Royal, and Tortuga? Then we got new weapons. Then we got SOTL and QAR (Later..) Now, they may be creating more! So, the final say from me is, if you don't like the game besides you have to pay, don't play. If you do like the game otherwise paying, then maybe play for a bit. I know what helps me here is to make a Pro's and Con's list. Yeah, old right? It actually works. Anyways, I think I have written too much.

[The Skirata Clan]

Originally Posted by pieisbetter2

I honestly don't know how many times this has had to be explained.

The game isn't necessarily RUN by Disney as much as it is OWNED by Disney....The game is managed by Disney Interactive which is just another branch of the Walt Disney Co..... I'm pretty sure they can't just go ask Disney for money. I am pretty sure they can.... Don't you think they would much rather gather money from the box office than from people subscribed to a game? True but they sure can piggy back of the success of the films to create revenue for their area.Movies are the basis of Disney. Family entertainment is the basis of Disney. Movies are what makes Disney so successful. Good marketing, excellent quality, and the creating the perfect experience is what makes the the best. Yes, the smart thing would be to invest in this game, as it could possibly generate as much revenue as films. But then what would happen to their films?Nothing would change if they do invest in their own products. A Disney film (Pixar or other included) are made with 50+ Millions Dollars and they generate twice as much or more. And that is just in the opening weekend. I highly doubt that POTCO would require 1 Million to greatly improve. They would flatten out, and people would lose interest. Not True. Movies have a wider audience than games. True. But what is the point of having a game based on a movie based on a ride?Think about it, a single movie probably makes more money than this game does in a year, let alone a franchise like the POTC films. Then why not make it free, better yet why did they made the game if not to generate profit out of it.

What I'm trying to get at is that the POTCO team can't just hire more developers and be throwing out the updates. Finding someone that can make the game the way it has been isn't as easy as plucking them from a crowd. Currently they are hiring, but who would want to work for Disney Interactive if they can work at Valve or Bungie for more prestige and probably better money. And even if they did start pumping the updates out, they would eventually have nothing else to give to us. Because they have given us a lot to do. They'd be fresh out of ideas and then the game would collapse. Sooner than if they take their time like they are now.

Updates take money, so they have to collect the money they've earned from paying players to do these sort of things. I am sure than 1% of the latest movie's revenue would get a lot done. When they hit a really big update is when more money usually starts coming in, and they can either use this to hire more developers, or have another big update. More developers = faster updates, but not necessarily big updates every time. More big updates = more cash flow and even more big updates.

Basically it's whatever road they choose. If I missed anything, I'm sure someone will point it out.

The problem is that none of us really know what goes on out there or what is really going to happen with the game. We often try to romanticize the way any business works Disney included. I keep saying money will generate more money. And the Walt Disney Co. is an expert if not the master of this. POTCO will never go to F2P.

[Achilles]

pieisbetter2
The game isn't necessarily RUN by Disney as much as it is OWNED by Disney. The Pirates developer team is its own separate thing. I'm pretty sure they can't just go ask Disney for money.....

ahoy pieisbetter2,
I must ask... where are you getting this perspective from Mate?
for the record... This absolutely is full blooded Disney, as much as the attraction of Pirates is, so is this MMO.
The Pirates developer team located at DIMG Lankershim, 500 S. Buena Vista Street to be exact, IS 100% Disney and are all Cast Members. The Moderation Team who oversees the in game chat may be located two states above the Mouse house, but final resting and judgment resides with a Cast member located at DIMG Lankershim. Many, perhaps most of the people who work (or worked) at Disney do so for more than just money, although payment is a factor, there is a heritage or prestige that goes with employment with Disney esteemed by many.
Respectively “pieisbetter”, your perspectives on the game management were not accurate my friend. But, your certainly right in that the lead Overseer cannot just hire developers without justification for the request, and seeing the state our MMO (and many others) is in, Staff additions are not likely any time soon.

[WitchdoctorDan]

Originally Posted by CaptainKiowa

Well you have to remember that if the game went f2p, it might not be completely free. Games that are f2p like Pirates of the Burning Sea...

Actually, in POTBS you can get just about everything you need. You never need to buy anything you don't want. You can get all the ships you want and any building you want. And frankly, what you get is enough. The subscriptions and Treasure Aisle stuff are for people who want to specialize as sailors or traders. Just pointing out that it isn't absolutely necessary to have to pay for anything in POTBS. :P

[MacIronhawk]

Originally Posted by pieisbetter2

Disney has SO many other things going on. Don't you think they would much rather gather money from the box office than from people subscribed to a game? Movies are the basis of Disney. Movies are what makes Disney so successful. Yes, the smart thing would be to invest in this game, as it could possibly generate as much revenue as films. But then what would happen to their films? They would flatten out, and people would lose interest. Movies have a wider audience than games. Think about it, a single movie probably makes more money than this game does in a year, let alone a franchise like the POTC films.

You seem to be defending the fact that this game can go under any year now. Disney makes millions of dollars a day at the parks and attractions alone, not to mention the movies also bring in more money.

You're telling me that if Disney gives the developers, say, ten million more dollars to work on the game and update it, along with hiring new developers, that things would flatten out?

You really don't understand the amount of money Disney makes if you think spending a few million dollars on their online games would flatten the company out. Nothing would flatten out. They would still have billions of dollars left over for the theme parks and the movies. I don't understand why you think things would flatten out just because their online games would be boosted.

Disney has no excuse for giving up on these games. They own these games and right now they're just bragging rights. They can say they produce video games and MMO's, but that doesn't mean they produce good MMO's.

I'm completely disappointed by whoever is in charge of making these games survive. They have SO much potential, more than any other MMO out there, possibly even more than WOW. The problem is, Disney looks as these games as show cases, not profit.

EDIT: I love Toontown and POTCO both and that's why I'm being harsh on Disney. These two games are amazing to play and they're simply beautiful to look at.(for MMO's, that is) Playing Toontown since 2004 and POTCO since Beta in 2007, I've been a fan of the two games since the beginning. Each year I see these games decline, the majority of the decline being since 2008 to 2011. Toontown hasn't seen a major update(such as a new Cog HQ) since 2008 and we haven't seen a new story quest(involving the Kraken) since the beginning of POTCO.

Something is telling me these games are slowly getting cut out of the Disney equation. Whoever wanted to put these games out on the market must have thought they could spend a little amount of money and make an even greater amount. It just doesn't work that way and I fear within the next ten years these games will be out of the MMO contest. With each year other games soar and these get left in the dust. Disney needs to open their eyes and realize they're sitting on a diamond mine.