Now that Star Wars: The Old Republic has gone free to play, many players are questioning the worth of items on the Cartel Market. Does it really pay to be a subscriber? Darth Hater recently published an article where they have done a little math and come up with some real life cash value comparisons for items sold on the Market. Here’s the price breakdown for their list:
The more coins a player buys, the more value they get. The smallest package is $4.99 for 450 Cartel Coins. That comes to 90 Cartel Coins per dollar or 1.1 cent per Cartel Coin. The most expensive package is $39.99 for 5500 Cartel Coins. That comes to 137 Cartel Coins per dollar or 0.73 cents per Cartel Coin.
Under this model, a simple Warzone/Flashpoint weekly unlock, for example, costs $2.64. Cargo Hold access plus two additional tabs will cost about $10.50 per character. Additional quickbars cost around $2 a character per bar. Even a single ‘hide head slot’ unlock costs around $3.
Certain items definitely seem a little high for the non-subscriber when taking these comparisons into account, in my opinion, which makes the benefits for subscribing stand out a little more. I think this is one common opinion many players share, but that exact statement, of course, is the intention. It’s BioWare’s goal to make the game more accessible yet also give players a reason to hit that ‘subscribe’ button. Did they take it too far? Perhaps, but it’s a little hard to say this early in the addition.
There’s also a few other things to consider, naturally. What type of playstyle do you prefer? If a player for instance, just wants to level a few characters, try out the game, and mostly stick to non-Operation and non-PvP combat, then the F2P model may work well for them. If a player enjoys a well-rounded gaming adventure with the ability to have access to every bit of content, a subscription seems to make the most sense. For players who enjoy access to many different types of cosmetic options, a subscription may also make the most sense.
There’s also the fact that most of us were given a fairly decent chunk of Cartel Coins to start off with. It’s possible, technically, for a current subscriber to purchase the “necessities” (for me that would be quickbar unlocks, the ‘hide helm’ option, Cargo Hold access, guild bank access, etc.) use that stash, then drop down to the Preferred Player status and save themselves a little money if their playstyle makes sense for that model choice.
That’s really what it comes down to– now that SWTOR players have choices, it’s in our hands to decide what pricing model makes the most sense for us. I’m still of the opinion that UI unlocks don’t belong in a cash shop to begin with, but since we’re seemingly stuck with those options being there, at least the main choices are now within our grasp.
What do you think about the Cartel Market prices so far? Sound off in the comments section below!