"Free" vs. "Free to Play" vs. "Play for Free!"

[¡Juannabe!]

I've noticed in the steam market free games have different price tags, but they all cost no money. Is there a difference in between the listings? Or is Valve just making this confusing for everybody?

[¡Juannabe!]

Free - http://store.steampowered.com/app/529110/

Free to Play - http://store.steampowered.com/app/442080/

Play for Free! - http://store.steampowered.com/app/212500/

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

Free = Free. The game does not require you to pay a cent for any of the content, and was never intented to be a profiteable product.

Free to Play = 90% of the game is a demo, basically. A commercial game that is free for the most part, but has restrictions on free play. How the business model works in on a game to game basis; some games are more Free to Play than others.

Play for Free = No idea because the example you listed isn't even free at all.

[¡Juannabe!]

Lmao sorry Insanity, changed it.

[Kats]

I think it's a bit like this:

Free - Everything is presented to you for free.
Free to Play - You can play it for free but has micro-transactions.
Play for Free - Was once pay to play/buy to play but has since changed business model and is now a free to play game, but they are differentiating it by having "Play for Free" there to let people know.

[¡Juannabe!]

Ok, thanks for your inputs Insanity and Kats!

One question: do you both agree on the Free to Play section? Insanity, you seem to be saying that you can play a DEMO bit of the game, but the rest is paid. Kats, you seem to say that the ENTIRE game is available to play for free with some small transactions here and there.

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

Well it depends on the game, really.

Adventure Quest (The original Adventure Quest, not Adventure Quest 3D which is now available on Steam) is free to play but locks you out from most of the quests and all of the classes until you pay to upgrade your account.

StarTrek Online is free to play, and you can play through all of the missions and see most of the content without paying a single cent, but a lot of stuff, usually cosmetics and limited edition ships, are only available through purchase with premium currency, which is bought with real money, or earned in game, albeit at a drip-fed rate.

[Zaferdem]

Originally posted by Kats:

I think it's a bit like this:

Free - Everything is presented to you for free.
Free to Play - You can play it for free but has micro-transactions.
Play for Free - Was once pay to play/buy to play but has since changed business model and is now a free to play game, but they are differentiating it by having "Play for Free" there to let people know.

"In 2010 The Lord of the Rings Online underwent a shift from its original subscription-based payment model to being free-to-play."

"Free-to-play's model is sometimes derisively referred to as free-to-start due to not being entirely free."

I think you're right.

[Kweeb]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_LfN7emtg4&t=25s
example of free to play

[davidb11]

Originally posted by Zaferdem:

Originally posted by Kats:

I think it's a bit like this:

Free - Everything is presented to you for free.
Free to Play - You can play it for free but has micro-transactions.
Play for Free - Was once pay to play/buy to play but has since changed business model and is now a free to play game, but they are differentiating it by having "Play for Free" there to let people know.

"In 2010 The Lord of the Rings Online underwent a shift from its original subscription-based payment model to being free-to-play."

"Free-to-play's model is sometimes derisively referred to as free-to-start due to not being entirely free."

I think you're right.

This thread is literally 6 years old.

[Zaferdem]

Originally posted by davidb11:

Originally posted by Zaferdem:

"In 2010 The Lord of the Rings Online underwent a shift from its original subscription-based payment model to being free-to-play."

"Free-to-play's model is sometimes derisively referred to as free-to-start due to not being entirely free."

I think you're right.

This thread is literally 6 years old.

Lol

[Kattegat Twin]

Originally posted by Zaferdem:

Originally posted by Kats:

I think it's a bit like this:

Free - Everything is presented to you for free.
Free to Play - You can play it for free but has micro-transactions.
Play for Free - Was once pay to play/buy to play but has since changed business model and is now a free to play game, but they are differentiating it by having "Play for Free" there to let people know.

"In 2010 The Lord of the Rings Online underwent a shift from its original subscription-based payment model to being free-to-play."

"Free-to-play's model is sometimes derisively referred to as free-to-start due to not being entirely free."

I think you're right.

A 6 year old necro? Really?