A couple of days ago Sony Online Entertainment took to the official Landmark boards to discuss monetisation in their base building beauty.

For the most part, as a free to play product, the majority of what was discussed seemed pretty standard. Outfits as expected would be a revenue source (similar to PlanetSide 2) but it was the inclusion of purchasable resources that caused most of the discussion. Broken down into 5 phases, the intention is to ramp up monetisation so at the point of closed Beta ending, they're ready to go.

First of all, we are free-to-play. That means we have to entertain you before you decide whether to pay us or not. We like that burden of responsibility. We think it’s cool and the right thing to do.

Secondly, while you read this article, keep in mind that the majority of players in a free-to-play game don’t buy much. So, if you’re worried that the ability to buy certain items will invalidate a thriving player economy, then let me be reassuring: that has never happened. There are many people that won’t pay, and they desire/need an in-game economy. There’s always a market for people that want to craft and sell items for virtual coin.

My biggest bug-bear at the moment with Landmark is the fact that gathering is just otherworldly boring. Staring at a rock or a tree trunk while I hammer or chop away brings me to tears, so from my perspective the thought of buying resources is more than welcome (especially if the price is right).

Our excellent team over on EQHammer have talked about this in even more depth,

head on over to see what they make of it.

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