Thanks to Grimwell, I read an article on CNET about Sony Online Entertainment. Although there were a lot of notable facts within the article and it’s definitely worth the read – I wanted to talk a little bit about the unannounced game that SOE has hinted at several times now.
The game is entitled Free Realms, and it’s a free to play MMO geared towards a younger audience and women. The game will require a membership fee in order to access special zones and things to do. The following quote hints at a one-time fee:
“Right now our revenue is almost all subscriptions,” John Smedley, the unit’s president, said in an interview. “In two years, we would like to see no more than 50 percent of our revenue coming from subscriptions, and five years from now we think less than 10 percent of our revenue will come from subscription sources.”
The game is also going to involve microtransactions such us purchasing small things within the game like pets and clothing. They are also considering having advertising in the game. Finally, they’ve hired more women for their team to try to add the flair that will draw girls into the game.
I think this is a great move for SOE, and a natural move. As evidenced by many other successful ventures in virtual worlds, this is where the money is. If you are a company that is well versed in providing a gameplay experience with digital delivery to a mass audience – what is more logical for you to do to increase revenue? And if you want to appeal to young girls (which Raph has shown is a HUGE group of potential ‘gamers’) what better way than to make something light and fun with cute avatars, ponies, puppies, kitties, and CLOTHES?
My hopes? Free Realms is highly successful, bringing tons of revenue for relatively inexpensive overhead and maintenance and that SOE will put some of that phat cash towards EQ2. I can dream, right? I’ll probably be watching this one very closely, because I’m into this sort of thing. Puppies + Kitties + Horses + Cutsey Graphics + Elves + Free? It’s guaranteed a try by this female gamer. =)
Tami Baribeau is the Associate Producer for Metaplace, Inc, currently working on Island Life. She is also the Lead Editor of feminist gaming blog The Border House, and the National Facebook Games Examiner for Examiner.com. She can be reached on Twitter or by email.
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Sounds like an intersting move by Sony, I guess they figure all the boys are hiding out in Wow so lets target a younger femaile audience.
Its intersting to see they are going to use micro transactions as well, whose credit card it the audience going to use there mothers ? or am I miss reading the younger audience bit.
Sounds like a bold experiment for sure, personally I hate micro transactions but who am I to stand in the way of progress, guess I would vote with my money and go else where. But then I’m not the target audience so who knows.
Funny though i just posted something i found about Turbine prediciting in 2 – 5 year a secondary market such as auction houses, micor transactions will be the norm
(damn forgot how to link – just click my name instead sorry brain fart)
Pixey – there is a quote in the article:
“We want to get our average age lower, probably into the low 20s”
So it looks like “young” female might not be preteens necessarily.
This will also bring a whole new type of mangina to the MMO world.
I always have a weird ideology than most people on things. I really don’t like this new vision I’m seeing from SoE. I completely understand, which I’ve said a couple of times today that you have to adapt to change, or get left behind. And I can understand their mentality in the market. But this is not groundbreaking and innovative. It’s the same basic concept as some of the other “G” rated MMOS out there.
Example:
http://play.toontown.com/webHome.php?r=144433&r=581583&r=189298&r=250993
I’m probably wrong with their interpretation of what they are planning. I don’t want to play the My Little Pony MMO, or dress up with Rainbow Brite, while paying in game money to buy some clothes and lampshades. They have a following in Fantasy-based MMOs and a strong one at that. Taking your current following, which we will assume has been following for close to 10 yrs now, and do this, is potential for backfire.
Do what you do best….
Thanks cuppy missed that bit, i guess if they aiming at the 20’s my point about credit cards is mute he eh.
However still not sure how this is going to be a big success, bare in mind its going on ps3 … er how many people let alone women own this console and the Pc.
Do many 20 yr old women own a pc at home they game on … is gaming something the average 20 yr women does. Or are they hoping to steal them from exciting female gaming audience.
Alex-
SOE has a huge following for Fantasy MMO’s, but as long as this doesn’t interfere with the SOE MMO’s that I play, I’m fine with that. I don’t want to see microtransactions in EQ2/VG/SWG type games – but in games like Free Realms, sure!
I doubt you are the audience that SOE are targetting with this game. But individual teams, well allocated resources, and separated targetted advertising allows one company to branch in many different directions targetting different potential subscriber bases. This is only a good thing for SOE IMO, and its not supposed to appeal to people like you (unless you’re young and female?) Hehe.
Pixey – I think you’re getting the two games confused. As far as I know, Free Realms is PC only. The Agency (spy MMO) is what will be released on PS3 and PC.
I’m not young and female
But I want to be marketed to! LOL Especially from someone who I’ve been so loyal to.
per smed
“In general, Smedley wants to replace subscriptions with a combination of microtransactions, advertising and what he calls the “velvet rope” approach. All three concepts may come to bear in Free Realms, which the company hopes to release on PCs this coming winter and on the PlayStation 3 next summer.”
So I guess it is going to the ps3 as well, which does confuse me, hence the original question ….
“bare in mind its going on ps3 … er how many people let alone women own this console “
I don’t own a ps3, yet. But I plan on it simply because FFXIII lets you play a girl and I’ve been waiting FOR-EV-ER to do so (no I don’t count X-2).
As for the Free Realm idea, I dunno. I guess I would have to read into a bit more. I love playing around and dressing up but as I did in SWG that only holds maybe a month of interest for me before I’m bored. Not that I’m the target market being that I’m now a high 20s