RPGWatch Feature - In Defense of the Subscription-Based MMO

Aubrielle has written an opinion editorial about why she feels subscription-based MMOs have a lot going for them compared to F2P MMOs.

When the dragon appears, we charge out of the gates and into the blinding snow.  A horde of names and robes and armor surge north, ready to destroy the malicious creature for its XP.  There's no goofing around, nobody jumping up and down like an idiot.  There's no immersion breaking screen names like "xXPwnN00bsXx", no teenage boys awkwardly trying to gain the approval of their peers by spamming chat with hate and slurs.  It's just us - the serious players and the mobs.  The mobs don't stand a chance, because the players are working as a team.

It just flows like that.  Nobody needs to point it out or ask for it to happen.  We're all on the same wavelength.  As one of the few healers around, I look for players taking a lot of damage, and I hone in on an archer.  They're dealing a lot of damage, but they're also taking a lot, and it's not because they're being foolish.  It's just a hard fight.  I keep them in my sights, healing as needed, and they take time out of the busy, dangerous battle to thank me.  After our horde triumphantly slays the dragon, we disperse.  Most will remain together, headed south as a set of teams to look for more events to grind.  The archer I looked after asks if they can follow me south, joining me to grind those events.  We don't talk all that much, but when we do, there's grammar and politeness.  I log off that night with a new friend on my list, and so it goes.