Bethseda Softworks, LLC has ceased offering any subscription plans longer than 90 days for The Elder Scrolls Online, prompting rumors that the game could soon be moving to a Free-to-Play (F2P) model within the next year.

Elder Scrolls Online players noticed that the 6 month subscription option, which offered a slight per-month discount for  the longer subscription time, was no longer available on the website. A moderator on the French language Elder Scrolls Online forums responded to players questioning the missing subscription option by saying that Bethesda removed the 6 month option after noticing that the community preferred the 30 and 90 day subscription plans.

This prompted a swift backlash from the community, with one forum member asking, “Why would you not give your customers simply all the options possible to pay you money?”

The move by Bethesda has spurred speculation within the gaming community on the reasoning behind the change, with many anticipating that the game could be moving to a F2P model with the release of the upcoming console version.

Free-to-Play vs Subscription

The current MMO landscape is a mix of different payment models, and Elder Scrolls Online would not be the first game to move away from monthly subscriptions.

BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic began as a subscription service but later transitioned to F2P with support coming from microtransactions. Even non-MMO games like Valve’s Team Fortress 2 have moved to a F2P system, which lead to a boost in the 7-year-old game’s popularity. As a result, Team Fortress 2 remains one of the most popular multiplayer shooters today.

There are some criticisms of F2P games that provide significant advantages to players who spend money over those who don’t, leading to the derogatory term “Pay-to-Win.” But the exact method and benefits of real money transactions differ from game to game, with some offering only cosmetic items like unique armor models.

The benefit of the F2P model is a lower barrier to entry for new players, who can try out a game before committing money to it. This helps breathe new life into older games who have seen dwindling player populations, which is especially destructive in the MMO genre.

Bethesda has not made any official announcements regarding a F2P transition, but with sliding subscription rates and lower server populations, it might not be a bad idea.