In a developer’s post released around last week’s VR Games Showcase, developer Character Bank confirmed Knights of Fiona will launch free-to-play with the game’s story and “additional features” requiring an $18.99 Story Pass add-on.
This information was wrapped in a post announcing the English voice cast for the upcoming co-op JRPG. The English voiceovers and free-to-start model were the primary reveals in the trailer from the VR Games Showcase:
0:00/1:48
Speaking personally as a Kickstarter backer who paid extra for an additional key so I could gift the game to a friend to play with, this news was surprising. On the game’s Kickstarter page, the thought process behind this decision and the question of what backers would receive in light of the free-to-start pricing model were directly addressed:
“Free to Start” is exactly what it sounds like – general players will be able to play through the introduction of Knights of Fiona for free and have limited access to some of the core game mechanics. After looking at how limited demo experiences can be, and the current state of the VR industry, we felt this was the best path forward to bring as many players into Knights of Fiona while providing a robust online experience for everyone.
However, as early backers of Knights of Fiona you will have the full unrestricted access to all of the story content for Knights of Fiona. This includes six storied chapters, all voiced in Japanese and English and their respective battle missions. In addition, backers will also be able to have unlimited access to the game’s trading tables. Lastly, we are planning on distributing an exclusive in-game title so you can show off your support!
In addition to the story access we are also giving backers an option to receive an additional reward. Backers can choose either between in-game storage upgrade, or a 1 day ticket to send to a friend. We’ll be sending out these rewards after our launch soon in September.
There are a few takeaways from the above statement.
First and thankfully, Character Bank is proactively addressing any backers, like myself, who were caught off guard by the news of the pricing model. Full access to the game’s story and other add-ons addresses the concerns of anyone who may feel slighted by having paid money upfront for a free-to-start game.
Second, the statement about the ‘state of the VR industry’ is telling. We have thoroughly documented the ongoing layoffs and closures plaguing VR developers and a number of developers are exploring projects with both VR and flatscreen support or out of VR gaming entirely.
Games like Demeo x DnD: Battlemarked support flatscreen on Steam and PlayStation 5 and are available on other consoles. Mighty Coconut’s recently announced Walkabout Dungeon Golfer is planned to be a hybrid release. Other developers like Mixed Realms (Hellsweeper), Wanadev (Ragnarock), and Funktronic Labs (The Light Brigade) have all announced (and in some cases already released) their projects as flatscreen only without VR support.
My read on this decision is this was not the initial plan. However, games can be in development for multiple years and the economic landscape can undergo, and in VR’s case has undergone, dramatic shifts since the project was first started. This is not the first case of a game going the free-to-start route.
Fun Train’s 4v1 sci-fi horror game BlackGate has a similar model. Players can play as one of the four engineers for free, with a paid add-on required to assume the role of the alien monster. MMORPG Zenith infamously pivoted to this model years after its initial premium release, moving the original Zenith: The Last City to a $9.99 paid DLC for the free-to-play Zenith: Nexus. This was after the game was being run at a loss for quite some time. Ultimately, that didn’t work out and developer Ramen was forced to cease development.
VR developers are seeking a path to sustainability in a variety of ways and this is how Character Bank is going about it for its latest title. Time will tell if it works.
