My initial reaction to the F2P announcement three weeks ago was short and fairly brusque. I didn't even try to be objective on the subject at the time because I knew that I was extremely emotional about it and simply wanted to vent.
Unfortunately my feelings on the matter haven't changed much, even if I've cooled down a lot after several weeks. I still don't like all the complications that the new model will introduce, and while staying a subscriber will remain an option, there will be a drastic decrease in the value for money that subscribers receive.
I'm also still worried about whether this is a good move for the future of the game. I think that many F2P supporters have a somewhat romanticised view of the payment model, looking at it as a sort of miracle cure that allows any and all MMOs to triple their revenue, forgetting that it also has to be done right. I don't need to elaborate on why what we've currently seen of TOR's F2P future does not look particularly well planned, as many others have already done so.
That said, none of this has actually changed my feelings about the game itself. I won't say that things like payment model and bad PR don't matter, because my enthusiasm sure has been dampened a bit by this whole affair, but at the same time the actual in-game content hasn't become any less fun for it. The class stories are still great, and the PvP is still a blast.
I will keep my fingers crossed that things will go well for the game against all odds, and depending on the exact limitations of the F2P model, I'll probably stay subscribed. If the game goes into a direction that I don't like once the transition has been made, that will be something to deal with there and then. For now I shall stick to business as usual, both in game and on the blog.
I intend to keep my sub, because I think it's worth the money.
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