Kotick wants CoD subscription service 'tomorrow'

Seems like this is rearing it's ugly head again.

Analyst - Activision Must Begin Multiplayer Fees

If the videogame industry is going to rebound from its decline in software sales, publishers will need to look at monetizing online multiplayer, said Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter in his latest investor report.

Pachter believes one of the main reasons software sales for PS3 and Xbox 360 are down year-over-year is due to gamers continuing to log substantial hours into a handful of online games and not picking up new titles regularly.

"We estimate that a total of 12 million consumers are playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 for an average of 10 hours per week on the two platforms' respective networks, and the continued enjoyment of this game (along with an estimated 6 million Halo online players, 3 million EA Sports players, and 5 million players playing other games, such as Battlefield, Red Dead Redemption, Left 4 Dead and Grand Theft Auto) has sucked the available time away from what otherwise would be spent playing newly purchased games," he said.

Pachter also noted that Activision needs to make the first move with multiplayer charges, and expects we could see something with Call of Duty: Black Ops, set for release this November.

"We think that it is incumbent upon Activision, with the most popular multiplayer game, to take the first step to address monetization of multiplayer," said Pachter. "It is too early to tell whether that will be a monthly subscription, tournament entry fees, microtransaction fees, or a combination of all three, but we expect to see the company take some action by year-end, when Call of Duty Black Ops launches."

Pachter says he expects the publisher will apply a World of Warcraft-like business model to its Call of Duty franchise. Activision will likely continue to offer some form a free multiplayer for awhile, he says, but notes that it's imperative the company capitalizes on the estimated 4 billion hours of time spent online since the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.

"We are quick to point out that the average single player game has an expected play time of under 30 hours, suggesting that a staggering 133 million units of equivalent game play have been spent (so far) playing Call of Duty online, with Activision only seeing revenues from the original 20 million units sold, plus an estimated 8 million map packs sold," he added.

Activision hasn't been shy in the past about its intentions for some of its key franchises. The publisher has said several times it's looking at new online business models for Call of Duty and Guitar Hero.

In a recent interview, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick also made his displeasure known over closed online networks such as Xbox Live.

"We've heard that 60 per cent of [Microsoft's] subscribers are principally on Live because of Call of Duty," said Kotick. "We don't really participate financially in that income stream. We would really like to be able to provide much more value to those millions of players playing on Live, but it's not our network."
Source: Analyst - Activision Must Begin Multiplayer Fees - Xbox360 News at IGN

If Activision did introduce this and forced it upon players to pay monthly subscriptions and other fees. Would you still play Call of Duty? After all they did introduce fees on map packs for PC users.
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link

The more I think about it the more it fills me with rage. So we're expected to pay £25-£40 to MS then £x amount to developers to play their game on the Live/PSN network?


Surely they wouldn't ruin Black Ops with this?
Talk about a royal **** take.
 
I'd imagine their £10 map packs flew off the shelves and they are seeing how far they can push this. My younger brother certainly sees it as good value for money with the amount he plays (frequent map packs) I'm sure he'd be open to this. It will certainly cut the player base but maybe they'll still end up quids in on the die hards. I'd like to call fail but activision seem to know how to milk stuff and make a killing and I wouldnt presume to tell them what will and wont make money.
 
Zensuji said:
I'd imagine their £10 map packs flew off the shelves and they are seeing how far they can push this. My younger brother certainly sees it as good value for money with the amount he plays (frequent map packs) I'm sure he'd be open to this. It will certainly cut the player base but maybe they'll still end up quids in on the die hards. I'd like to call fail but activision seem to know how to milk stuff and make a killing and I wouldnt presume to tell them what will and wont make money.
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nah they are still making money atm because the diehards are somewhat forgiving... but eventually they will push it too far.

I bought MW2 solely on the strength of COD4 - against my better instincts - and bought the maps packs - even tho I don't think they are worth more than 1/3rd what they cost - because I do genuinely enjoy MW2 on the rare occasion you get a low latency host, no laggers, no cheaters and no one using g18 akimbo.

I won't be buying further down the line tho because (A) Treyarch have never made a game I've enjoyed (B) I feel let down over MW2 compared to the money they've made from it and the poor support. I've been forgiving this far but everyone has their limits.
 
So because COD is popular thats stopping other games being bought. How about you make better games then?

Again I'd be up for a subscription service if live was free, dedicated servers and the game was half price or they released a multiplayer only disc.

"We've heard that 60 per cent of [Microsoft's] subscribers are principally on Live because of Call of Duty"

Yeah thats right no one had live before Call of Duty you **** wits.

I'd just move onto something else.
 
what ever that man says to persuade some of you mw2 lovers, at the end of the day the guy's a greed fat ****!
 
dannyjo22 said:
Again I'd be up for a subscription service if live was free, dedicated servers and the game was half price or they released a multiplayer only disc.
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That's just the thing though, I cannot see MS backing down on the pricing of Live, which then would mean what?

No CoD on xbox?
 
If Kotick does do this, there will be a sharp fall in sales. Sure some people will stay with CoD but if it happens, many may move to a competitor such as Battlefield, Medal of Honour, MAG etc.
 
somebody posted this in the PC game forum about the same issue.

http://www.gametrailers.com/episode/bonusround/407?ch=3&sd=1

Discussing the different ways they can implement extra revenue. They think its likely COD will have to have a free multiplayer to get people in, and get the market penetration, and then hook you on buying in game DLC for MS points, like dragon quest.

Very good point about the having to pay for ammo though, people are gonna be pee'd off if they pay £40 for a game, then have to pay £2 every time they run out of ammo or something.
 
dannyjo22 said:
Again I'd be up for a subscription service if live was free, dedicated servers and the game was half price or they released a multiplayer only disc.
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I wouldn't want to pay for the game at all if I was expected to pay a monthly fee. The game should cost nothing at all in the first play,it should be a free download. And I wouldn't pay if it was any more than £5 a month.

We estimate that a total of 12 million consumers are playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
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Which means they have sold at least 12million copies of it.12millionx£40=£480million. I'm sure they aren't going to go bankrupt with that sort of money.

All this just suggests to me that games companies are starting to get greedy.
 
if you watch the video i think that was a joke suggestion rather than a real one.

More likely is what somebody said about adding extra weapons, possibly unlocking a double XP bonus, lottery tickets to win a rare perk etc..

Microtransactions rather than a monthly sub. Will be available to buy in game for MS points like in dragon quest.
 
What will happen

*Kotick will introduce a pay monthly scheme a month before CoD Black op's is released.
*4Chan members will get enraged and drop a DDOS attack of some sort on Activisions servers.
*People will not be deterred and will still buy the game and pay month upon month for no new content at all, maybe some remade maps.

that is what will happen if they do introduce it. because they know their are too many punters out there who are willing to pay.
 
As I said before in the other thread, this will not happen.

Just to officially prove it won't and that these are just rumors going round, Robert Bowling (Fourzerotwo) of Infinity Ward has just announced the following on Twitter:

"Modern Warfare 2 subscription plan rumors going around. For the record, nobody has to pay to play COD or MW2 multiplayer, nor will they."
 
Nexus said:
As I said before in the other thread, this will not happen.

Just to officially prove it won't and that these are just rumors going round, Robert Bowling (Fourzerotwo) of Infinity Ward has just announced the following on Twitter:

"Modern Warfare 2 subscription plan rumors going around. For the record, nobody has to pay to play COD or MW2 multiplayer, nor will they."
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they arent listenning to you

Deific said:
And for those of you wondering what might be included with the subscriptions, below is Activisions ideas (Basically you'd get worthless garbage):



CoDsubscrip02-noscale.jpg

CoDsubscrip03-noscale.jpg
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notice they are saying "you wont have to pay to play MW2"

not the " you wont have to pay to play any COD game in the future"
 
C64 said:
This simply wont work on the consoles it will hurt game sales kids just wont be in a position to pay sub fees for a game.
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You are joking right? How many kids play things like WOW. I think it is more likely the older gamers dont pay if they have any sense or we could find soon that we are paying for all our FPSers.

It would have to be a fantastic setup for me to pay and I still wouldnt probably out of principle.
 
Nexus said:
As I said before in the other thread, this will not happen.

Just to officially prove it won't and that these are just rumors going round, Robert Bowling (Fourzerotwo) of Infinity Ward has just announced the following on Twitter:

"Modern Warfare 2 subscription plan rumors going around. For the record, nobody has to pay to play COD or MW2 multiplayer, nor will they."
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Yes but what about MW3...;)
 
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