So how is your new MMORPG doing? Is it holding up against WoW? What can you do to get more subscribers? What is your subscription model?

Today most companies compare themselves to WoW. WoW is the benchmark to achieve in the MMO world. Every company wants a piece of WoW's subscribers. Even though most companies say they are not trying to take WoW's subscribers away, they are. Who wouldn't want to take a chunck of money out of a lottery winners hand? The question is: How can you get a piece of their pie? It comes down to suppy and demand. Most companies suppy enough copies of thier game to meet the demand. Most of them overdue it just in case they become the next best thing. The sad thing is, demand is low for MMORPGs that are not WoW. Maybe, they should take a better look at subscription models?

Free Realms is doing great for player base and so is Ruins of Magic. They are both free-to-play/ RMT (real money trading) models. Most of the monthly subscription based models can't even break the 1 million mark. Why is that? Is it because WoW players can play 2 games if they choose a F2P over a P2P model? Are F2P players younger and their parents will let them play because it is free?

I've been brainstorming all this and came up with a few ideas to help new MMORPGs get on their feet before they try to knockout WoW. Here is my list.

1. New games should not try to compete with WoWs $14.99 a month model. If they started their first year at a lower price it would look better to players new and old. If you have 300,000 subs at $14.99 a month you make 4.5 million. If you have 500,000 subs at $9.99 you have 5 million. You not only have 1/2 million more dollars a month, you also have 200,000 more players getting addicted to your game. MMORPGs are all about getting the players addicted to the world they play in. If the game looks cheaper to play then WoW, then more people will play. If the game sucks and people leave, at least $500,000 or more was made a month. That is why the new F2Ps are doing better than the P2Ps, they are cheaper than WoW.

2. Like LotRO, have life time subscriptions. At least have them for the first year or first million people. Do like LotRO and have free weekends to try the game or a lower subscription for a limited time.

3. Have a free-to-play section, like levels 1-10 and the areas that those levels play in. This gives more players a chance to try out the game before they buy. Even charging $10 to download the F2P sections wouldn't hurt. You get $10 in your pocket an a potental player.

All this hinges on the quality of the game ofcourse. If the game is cheaper to play and the game is ok, it will feel like you are getting a deal and stick with the game. The only way to compete with WoW is to be cheaper than WoW. Companys need to see the short term goal of sucking players in and forget about how much money WoW is making at $14.99 a month. I'm sure $9.99 is enough to pay employees. It is even better when there is more money a month coming in because more people are playing. I know I would play more games if they were $9.99 a month or there were more plans like LotRO. I would like to see the subscription charts from LotRO when they do free weekends, lower monthly fees, and other incentives.

I'm no businessman or master of money but, I know cheaper catches more peoples eyes. There is probly better ways to do things and I know I didn't explain every "what if", but these are simple plans to shake up the stale MMORPG market. You think there are better ways? Does cheaper look better to you or "you get what you pay for"?