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#### Is there a thing like a free Glitch?

Hi,
I was just wondering... what is the point of Glitch, anyway?
I mean: of course we are all here having fun or something like it, but what's in for the game creators? I know you can subscribe and pay for stuff, but the game looks very playable and enjoyable already in its free version, so I don't really feel a need to (not that I'd ever, anyway...). There are no in-game ads, either, or anything branded to annoy the players (but get revenue to to the authors).
So... yay for Glitch! ...but I'm getting paranoid that this is way too good to be true. I just don't see why it should keep going so well for us, the players. It has no business sense, after all. Is there a bad surprise coming, or am I missing something?

Posted 13 months ago by Ayzad | Permalink

### Replies

- I know. Ive been bothered by this to.
  Posted 13 months ago by Jodeik | Permalink
- Because they can.
  Posted 13 months ago by Daffy Lurksalot | Permalink
- Subscriptions come with teleportation tokens which are incredibly helpful, as well as votes on important issues and credits to buy clothes. Credits for clothes and tokens can also be bought with real cash, without a subscription. They've also mentioned things like home decor as possible uses for credits in the future.
  There are no bad surprises heading your way. There are plenty of reasons for people to spend money on Glitch without the need to limit free players in order to make more money.
  Posted 13 months ago by Rev. Desdemona | Permalink
- I think it's a great idea to pay for something you enjoy; it shows support for the people giving you such a fun and interesting thing to do with your time, and helps pay for all the things you've been able to enjoy for free (though I do understand that not everybody can afford to subscribe). If nothing else, that's a good reason to subscribe- to help keep the lights on, so to speak, both for yourself and others.
  Posted 13 months ago by Djabriil | Permalink
- It has been mentioned before that credits can also buy house decorations.....when we finally get them.
  Posted 13 months ago by MaryLiLamb | Permalink
- Never underestimate the lengths to which people will go in order to obtain vanity items.
  Posted 13 months ago by Whym | Permalink
- It will be sold to Zynga next year and be renamed GlitchVille. You won't notice any larger changes, except each game day gives you enough energy to play for ten minutes, after which you will be asked if you want to buy more credits to be able to buy awesome stews.
  Seriously though, I think the definition of "good business sense" can be very different. I get the feeling that Mr. Butterfield is the type of person who cares more about making ideas real than attaining maximum profit, and in that case business is good enough if it supports itself.
  Posted 13 months ago by Ed Cetera | Permalink
- "You won't notice any larger changes, except each game day gives you enough energy to play for ten minutes, after which you will be asked if you want to buy more credits to be able to buy awesome stews."
  I'm sorry, Ed Cetera, but to me that is a huge change! I honestly hope it never comes to something like this. I agree with the rest of your statement, but if we are reduced to playing for 10 minutes a day then having the option to buy something we can make, then I unfortunately will not be a patron of the game any longer.
  Posted 13 months ago by le beebs | Permalink
- Sorry, I hoped the "Seriously though" in the beginning of the following paragraph was enough of a sarcasm indicator. Just wanted to point out that hopefully Glitch can prove that it can be better than other "free" games like FarmVille and similar. :)
  Posted 13 months ago by Ed Cetera | Permalink
- Ah, it's late where I am, and sarcasm is hard to decipher at times. :P
  Posted 13 months ago by le beebs | Permalink
- I just wish Glitch was an example of standard practices in free-to-play games, rather than an exception. I think there's plenty of subscribers tossing their coins into Tiny Speck's hat to keep it lucrative, and no one is being strong-armed into putting their real money into said hat by limiting actual the gameplay.
  Posted 13 months ago by HeyHeyHolly | Permalink
- Personally I'm paying because I think it's worth every penny.
  Posted 13 months ago by geekybird | Permalink
- Paid subscriber here and will upgrade as soon as it's feasible. :)
  Posted 13 months ago by Fokian Fool | Permalink
- I pay to play for many reasons, but one is that I'm not required to in order to play. I think that's pretty awesome.
  Posted 13 months ago by Porkinator | Permalink
- There are plenty of other examples of free to play game models that do not require payment to access all the content and do not sell advantages but survive, and some even thrive, anyway.
  Posted 13 months ago by Red Sauce | Permalink
- I'm paying and not really getting anything out of the deal. I look forward to having new ways of spending credits so that I can put them to use, but for now I just want to help support the game. If I were a student or I was in a difficult financial position I might do otherwise, and I am glad that people who don't have the resources to contribute to the game financially can still play.
  Posted 13 months ago by Humbabella | Permalink
- Another game with a fairly similar revenue model is Kingdom of Loathing; they've managed to stay in business (and awesome!) for seven years with a free-to-play game where all game content is ultimately accessible to free players, and paying provides some advantages but isn't either necessary or tantamount to buying game advancement. So it can be done.
  Paid subscriptions were available during the Glitch beta, which presumably gave the company a chance to "beta test" the revenue model as well.
  I absolutely trust the Tiny Specks to not be Zynga.
  Posted 13 months ago by Fnibbit | Permalink
- Read the recent Ars Technica article that someone posted, they talk a little about revenue expectations there. They probably have enough venture capital to keep paying their bills while building up the subscriber base they would need to be profitable.
  Posted 13 months ago by Millstone | Permalink
- I bought the yearly subscription that I couldn't really afford because I felt a personal need to support the courage they've shown making such a different game.
  Posted 13 months ago by Amarena | Permalink
- The way it works is that if you like the game you buy something to keep Tiny Speck going. The subscription isn't worth it to me until the referendums are implemented but I bought some credits. Their payment model will work out fine, because as others have said people will go to surprising lengths to obtain vanity items in an MMO.
  Posted 13 months ago by Lucille Ball | Permalink