While we’re on the topic of cost difference per region and how the dollar standard converts poorly in some situations, let’s not forget that even here in the US the cost of living/wage differences can be huge.
Here in Ohio the average pay for the small town I live in is ~$10/h, as most jobs are retail and even management gets the shaft and fits into those pay brackets. Rent for this location averages ~$600/m, blah blah blah.
But a McDouble from McDonalds costs $1.
When I lived in California the average pay for any random entry job was ~$15/h. Rent was upwards of $3000/m.
But a McDouble from McDonalds still costs only $1.
What we see here is a disparity in the cost of living, income, and disposable income of even local regions in the US. A flat subscription fee may only be ~1% of a households disposable after all their bills in one area but in others the cost may be ~10% depending on the circumstances the family may be facing. While this is also true of cash-shop purchases the big and all-important difference is that one purchase is forced and the other is an option.
A F2P model ensures that players pay for and support content that benefits them directly and they get the choice of using their disposable income (say, their entertainment budget) toward purchasing what they want, rather than being forced into paying just to access the game. Depending on their bills they may not buy anything in a F2P model for months, and then unload when their favorite skins etc come out.
I guess, to me, it’s important to realize that a B2P model may seem like chump change in some circumstances, but to others it will be a much larger required fee to play a game. i.e. a kid making minimum wage in a broke ass town with may be forced to spend a chunk of his disposable just to play the game whereas a kid making minimum in another state may not even blink twice.
I think in light of income and situation differences F2P is a better option for developers and players as a whole. Those who can support it do and those that may not be able to still enjoy the game.
The problem only arises when, as mentioned before, content is skewed to favor resell of material or service and players that contribute greatly (whales) end up being richer in game for it, which is P2W. A player supporting the title with whatever funds he has to spend on it shouldn’t be able to skip around in-game and have a much different experience than a player who hasn’t spent anything yet.
Time invested, and never money invested, should be the measurement of progress. If they can make content worth paying for then F2P will earn them more money than a flat subscription would for months and every user will still be given the option to play the game.
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