There are plenty of quantifiable and demonstrable issues with free-to-play. From a consumer’s point of view, it could be better or worse than a subscription or buy-to-play monetization scheme depending on any number of factors. However, we’ll never be able to effectively compare and contrast monetization methods if we insist on inventing personality types to go along with them. Free-to-play exists because somewhere, somehow, a developer or publisher realized it was a more effective method of bilking customers out of cash. Blaming its popularity on some imagined “lazy gamer” archetype is a self-serving act that makes certain community members feel good about themselves while contributing absolutely nothing of value to the conversation.
Arguing against free-to-play games by insulting or demeaning free-to-play gamers doesn’t result in any sort of meaningful dialogue. It’s not a valid criticism of F2P as a payment model, nor does it offer any sort of thoughtful critique on the state of the games industry or the current hard lean taking place in the online gaming niche. Instead, it serves to divide consumers, leaving them to argue with one another about meaningless perceived differences while publishers continue to rake them all over the coals.
Gamers, whether free-to-play friendly or subscription-for-life diehards, are nothing but dollar signs to games publishers. Free-to-play wasn’t created in some compassionate gamer’s garage to even the playing field and spread socialized gameplay to the masses; it was assembled in a profit factory by team of nickel-and-diming suits who make unimaginable sums of money for ensuring a publisher’s shareholders stay happy when the end of the quarter rolls around.