Boards›Player Behavior

pay to play method

Tenzosan·12/31/2015, 7:25:06 AM·3 votes·750 views

So I've been browsing the forums and of course seeing the in game toxic fest that it is as well. The major concern for the game is that people are able to make accounts freely and care very little about consequences. The most complained thing I've seen from the toxic players who are punished is: "I spent money on this game only to lose it". So I thought about it. I don't want to see this game be a pay to play any more than other people but one benefit to pay to play methods is a community who WANTS to be there who actually care about their game and not just troll it.

So I offer this as a thought: Pay to play method of signing up. Have it be a $5 per month cost so that it remains fairly light and still friendly to play for even the most casual gamers. And instead of the benefit being able to play the game for a month, there is an added bonus of $5 worth of RP purchased. Or for those who don't get it... A mandatory monthly purchase of $5 of RP to play the game. This in turn allows people to purchase skins which is the main goal of RP anyway, and since it is mandatory payment it weeds out a lot of the trash who don't care enough about the game to pay for it. That way trolls, toxics, and over all just unpleasant people need to decide if the five dollars is worth it just to lose a game over and over for a month.

Many people will probably say no to this. Even I dislike the idea of a moba like this going pay to play. But with the current system in place people can get banned from the game and in minutes be back on it with account #2 or 3 or 4 and so on. And for those of you who dislike that idea... Think of it this way. More money FORCED into Riot means (hypothetically) more money to spend on upgrading systems. The servers would be able to be upgraded, the scripts written by more people who were not in the budget, hell maybe even some sort of LoLReplay service that isn't third party. Think of the benefits it has... Not the cost it could be.

Thank you for taking the time to read it if you did.

25 Comments

LukeTheSheppy12/31/2015, 7:34:52 AM6 votes

I'd just quit League altogether if that happened.

YumScrumptious9612/31/2015, 7:35:26 AM3 votes

Yeah, I enjoy League immensely, I've spent over $100 on RP alone. But making me pay $60 a year is ridiculous, as well as making me pay for RP. If this was in action at the start, someone playing since pre-S1 would have paid $360 by now, that is too much for 1 singular game. And I know that it would be enacted now but that would be shafting everyone who's put money into RP which funds this game. Anyone who wants to continue playing League is gonna be spending $120 for two years, without them buying any RP. Sorry, but this system just doesn't work, it twists the game into something else, I'm fine getting matched on occasion with someone toxic if it mean I don't spend $5 a month every month. This would lower the playerbase and for all we know most would switch to DotA 2.

Wonder Bra12/31/2015, 9:37:12 AM2 votes

League has too many free competitors for this to succeed, I think. If they started charging, most of their playerbase would just jump ship to Heroes of the Storm or Dota 2. And then how would they recruit new players? It's hard to convince people to immediately starting paying monthly for a game they just started to play.

ModKnightsKemplar12/31/2015, 8:33:50 PM2 votes

I think if there were a minimum amount spent to join ranked or something, I could get behind it. No one should be forced to play to enjoy the full game (all champs, runes, etc,)

But maybe if you want to play ranked you have to have bought $20 of rp sometime.

This would keep a lot of trolls out of ranked lobbies without adding expense to main accounts. I think you're on the right track, but most people would drop the game, and it would probably fail like most MMOs eventually simply because people aren't willing to pay subscriptions for a game they don't play regularly.

I mean, the trend for multiplayer online games is the opposite of that. Star Wars MMO, Wlidstar, and others are all going FTP for a reason. They make more money, and are generally more successful, if there isn't an up-front cost. They need people to play the game and enjoy it before they can convince them to spend $ on it.

Sarutobi12/31/2015, 9:19:56 AM2 votes

Despite me buying a lot of RP with my time here at LoL I really dislike paying services. Especially since I dot play every day. That would waste my money, which I don't like. Granted it would be nice, but 5$ doesn't seem like that much. You could easily get a debit card and just make loads of accounts to trolls.

LF Annie12/31/2015, 8:25:06 PM1 votes

i won't pay league for the option to play, i pay because playing brought me enough enjoyment that i felt like i should give back.

honestly, if there was a subscription requirement on a game like this with such a deep learning curve, it would die. only people that are super "hardcore" league lovers would be left, and lord knows there isn't enough of those to afford riot's, staff's pay.

Xonra12/31/2015, 8:27:13 PM1 votes

This game wouldn't last to the end of 2016 if they implemented any sort of "pay to play" or "subscription" fee of any sort. The pros would quit, the leagues would die, the casuals would go play heroes of the storm or smite, and LoL would be 100% dead.

I always wonder what dark hole people put their heads up to come up with this ever being a good idea.

Iqqi12/31/2015, 9:49:43 PM1 votes

You have to be an exceptionally toxic player to get your account banned. Not suspended, but banned. That is alot of legitimate reports. Time is money heard that one before? It takes a long time to get an account to 30, unlock all the runes, and champions. That isnt something you throw away.

Riot wont increase their calculations to punish toxic players because it means less money. Riot is no longer the game run by the guys who created DOTA and legitimately cared about this game and the community. Riot is now completely owned by a large Chinese company which only cares about profits. So no, Riot will never do anything that even had the slightest chance of hurting their profits (lowering player base). If your account in league is ever banned it is because you are such a toxic player, that Riots system has determined that you are so toxic and terrible, that your actions will most certainly lead others to quit playing. That is the one and only reason there is a ban system. That is their line and it will never change.

Mimy12/31/2015, 7:29:12 AM1 votes

If this happens.

Ill play a moba phone app knock off of league before the real thing.

That or just go back to mabinogi, spiral knight, and minecraft.

Tenzosan12/31/2015, 11:53:21 PM1 votes

I'm seeing lots of feed back and I don't think anyone really gets it. The playerbase dropping is partly the point. In hopes of losing the toxicity and setting the game behind a pay wall, it allows for those who "Love" the game to play without being harassed and trolled and flamed and all that. It allows for extra cash flow to go through the developers and keep servers maintained. Drop the idea of toxicity for a second...

How many times have you been in a game or maybe watching a stream or whatever and suddenly someone is just like "lag". I can say that I've had lag issues once or twice... I've also had computer issues before that held me back. But I have just a standard DSL service and I play just fine. My ping isn't great but it's good enough to play. Specially since they moved the servers. I honestly hate getting into a game and suddenly the adc or jungler starts blaming lag for his poor playing. It happens way too often. With a steady cash flow the servers can be maintained more proficiently. Or They can hire a person or two extra for coding so we wouldn't have to wait for 4 years for Yorick to get a rework.

What you are thinking now is normal... No one wants to play for entertainment, specially one that is going on 6 years of being free. But the benefits really do outweigh the negatives. "player base" dying is a sad excuse for holding this kind of option back. If all the players were to suddenly flood DotA2 and HotS people would suddenly realize how good they used to have it back on the rift. $5 a month, a.k.a $60 a year is literally the same price as buying ONE triple a title a year...

Samus7212/31/2015, 8:47:33 AM1 votes

Riot seems to have done rather well as free to play. What would they offer someone with a subscription? Extra damage? More mastery slots? Naw. Why unbalance the game and alienate players like that?

BeatzBoyFTW12/31/2015, 9:23:02 AM1 votes

Do note that not a single person was being forced to pay for skins & such, so hereby, it is still his own fault. Making LoL to become a pay-to-play will do nothing but make a tremendous drop in LoL playerbase.

PIMPSMOOTH12/31/2015, 11:28:23 AM1 votes

The fastest way to kill a game is to change it from Free 2 Play to Pay 2 Play.

Not happening Brosephius.

Disneylord12/31/2015, 1:24:10 PM1 votes

You think anyone would want to pay for this garbage minigame? they would instantly main WoW instead