Godus - Molyneux on F2P & Monetization

[Couchpotato]

Peter Molyneux says his new game Godus will handle in game purchases differently.

Link- http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Godus/news.asp?c=57324

Molyneux reckons he's cracked free-to-play. He says he's come up with an entirely new way to get your cash in upcoming strategy opus Godus, and it will apparently be "delightful".

Though you definitely shouldn't call it 'free-to-play' in front of him.

"There cannot be a term that is less true," he barks. "What we need is a new term. And that term is more like 'invest-to- play'. What really are we doing? We are tempting people to invest some of their money into a game."

He compares the current library of free-to-play mobile games to "taking a huge hammer and smashing our customers with it. We're saying: 'Be patient or pay money.' That's not a delightful mechanic. That's not going to get people to invest their money."

Well we all know what he says never comes true so what do you think? All I know is I'm starting to regret ever backing this game.

 

[azarhal]

I do agree with him that the current mobile F2P model is "Be patient or pay money", the PC MMOs aren't that far away either, although some are more about selling the game features in pieces.

I still think that the best "F2P" model is the à-la-carte one where you can buy only the content you want to do.

I don't understand how Godus can be a F2P game though? Haven't people paid for it on kickstarter (or Steam early access)?

 

[joxer]

I didn't back it and almost started my usual bragg why not. But why should I always be negative?

The fact is Moulyneux himself obvioulsy decided not to use free to play term. Even if he's rotten, if the game is rotten if everything about the whole project is rotten - unlike many others when it comes to microtransactions at least he is fair and not a liar.

This doesn't mean I'm hoping the game will be great. This means a developer dared to make a statement on something others are scared to even mention. I can respect that.

 

[Couchpotato]

Probably a bad choice of written words on my part. Think of the in game purchases as micro DLC after you purchase the game. I got rid of the F2P word in my post.

I'm also playing the Early Access version right now and it's full of them. So I really don't see a difference here Mr. Molyneux your game emulates the F2P model.

 

[Scrav]

I wonder how he plans on convincing people to play it. I still don't even know what Godus is. All I've heard it is it some sort of weird Populous/Cow Clicker hybrid.

 

[joxer]

Cow Clicker

What's that?

[EDIT]
Found on wikipedia, it's a facebook game. Sorry but Godus doesn't look like facebook crap.

 

[Asdraguuhl]

I absolutely regret having backed this game. The warning signs were already there during the Kickstarter campaign but I was simply blinded by faith since I am a huge fan of Populous 2 and gave the developers the benefit of the doubt. How wrong I was.

I like the God sim genre so I have been following the development of this game and it is turning into absolute worthless garbage.

 

[Asdraguuhl]

I don't understand how Godus can be a F2P game though? Haven't people paid for it on kickstarter (or Steam early access)?

It is supposedly only F2P for the mobile version and not the desktop version.

In any case, it is not in line with what was said during the Kickstarter campaign and some people who backed for the mobile version got majorly pissed off.

… at least he is fair and not a liar.

Considering what was said during the Kickstarter campaign and how the game is turning out, I'd say that "liar" is exactly what he is.

 

[azarhal]

It is supposedly only F2P for the mobile version and not the desktop version.

Ah, that explain it. I didn't know there was a mobile version.

Considering what was said during the Kickstarter campaign and how the game is turning out, I'd say that "liar" is exactly what he is.

I always saw Peter Molyneux has a synonyms for liar…

 

[joxer]

Considering what was said during the Kickstarter campaign and how the game is turning out, I'd say that "liar" is exactly what he is.

All I know is that I refused to put a single cent into that phonegame when the projest was ongoing on Kickstarter.

If you say he is a liar, I suppose that means in the end he's not making a phonegame scam. That's positive. And again, from my point of view, a respectable move.

 

[Asdraguuhl]

If you say he is a liar, I suppose that means in the end he's not making a phonegame scam. That's positive. And again, from my point of view, a respectable move.

Unfortunately, there is a different mechanism at play here. In Godus, the lies are amplified as each new lie gets in resonance with the former .

 

[JDR13]

This is the same man who claimed he was making a revolutionary RPG and then gave us Fable.

 

[Thrasher]

I feel bad. I made a micro transaction for a F2P called Path of Exile. I am a packrat and have buyer's remorse now for buying about 6 new tabs for my common stash. So ashamed.... If you buy Titan Quest and the expansion with a mod it's a lot cheaper.

 

[joxer]

JDR it was revolutionary - it supported poligamy wholeheartedly.

 

[Nameless one]

I feel bad. I made a micro transaction for a F2P called Path of Exile.

PoE is only game in which I made micro-transaction.I didn't need extra stash or spell effect but since F2P model is as fair as it gets and lot of effort is put in the game so I felt need to support dev.

 

[Thrasher]

Yeah, that doesn't make me feel so bad. Supporting developers is a worthy cause. It's not like there are starving children all over the world.

 

[ChienAboyeur]

Godus is an interesting product to test.

Many lessons brought to it.

First, it is a revisit of a game by his designer twenty years afterwards. The original game came with defaults and it could be interesting to see if twenty years provided the how to to correct the defaults.

Second, it is a cross platform game and it is developped with IOS (and the likes) in mind over PC. So much for pc gaming. Not only PC comes after consoles, but it also goes after the types of IOS etc...

Third, it illustrates that F2P also spells Free To Pay. Same conclusions as for Anno online. The games comes so many bottlenecks (that could be accepted for IOSs game practice) that in the end, the player ends buying play time. If the player wants to play more, the player must insert some new coins.

 

[xSamhainx]

Godus is gonna rock

 

[DArtagnan]

Godus could be used instead of teaching religion in school. It would be about as useful as a teaching tool - and it would definitely outdo the standard approach in terms of sleep inducement.

 

[redman5427]

For one, you won't be able to pay a penny in Godus until you're deemed ready.

Reverse psychology? "We won't take your money until we say you are worthy" Now that's not exactly a new twist. "Please, please take my money. I'm ready"

Actually he may be ramping up for a career in politics. He's learning to talk out of both sides of his mouth. Actually I think he learned that years ago.

Ouch! This spikey thing on my chair is starting to hurt.