no one is making you buy the items so no, it is free to play
its your choice to pay for the items

Again, they're not forcing you to pay again and again. It's really up to you in the end. You shouldn't exactly say crap about those spoiled kids or whatnot because they are helping you to keep the game f2p.

do u know how much it cost to hire people?! actually this will be hard coz we're talking about difference currencies.. but there isnt a big diff btw AU$ and US$ so i guess its ok..

Take my company for example, we've got 12 people, and we're paying $40k a month to keep these people working. And most of us earn only average salaries. If you've got 1000 people playing, each person will need to spend $40 a month to just pay for the salaries of these people, and you've got rent, server cost, electricity and other overhead cost.. before you can start making profit.

AND not all 1000 will pay for the game so they probably need a population of 1500 players to break even... blah blah blah blah... too much assumptions, too much maths.

Just wanna let you know, you havent got one person working for this game, you've got a team of people, $5000 wont be enough to support a game for a month.

And as the others hv mentioned, you can still play for free. You can level, grind, go KQ, enhance weapons. They just gave you the extra option to enhance your playing experience if you're willing to fork out some cash.

Hm. I can't wait, and I think you can stop having a fit about rich whore children ruling the game. Having wings, devil outfits, and special houses doesn't make you any better. Last time I checked, a level 50 could destroy a level 30, +9 weapon or not. And don't lay down crap about how much money things are, and how they're unaffordable. During my summer job I could easily make over 100 USD per day, if I worked part of the day. What, you don't/didn't have a job? I suggest getting one instead of getting pissy on online forums. If I want to spend a small fraction of that for some enhancing stones, I don't see why other people can't, and I don't see how that gives me too much of an edge over you.

In the Korean game its a different story. About 99+% of the popuation in KR has cash shop overload. There are so many +9 weapons for sale, that it isn't funny. Despite me not knowing Korean, and not being able to understand what they say, no one yet has acted like an idiot to me. I honestly wish I could say the same for the North American version. There are hardly any people below level 40, and I usually enter Roumen (in Korean-friendly time) and there are about 5-10 other people, not counting a few shops. Why? They take it way more seriously. They are fine with forking over a few dollars for an hour of enjoyment, and they have a right to it. It seems like when money is involved, people become more serious.
If cash shop can somehow slam some intelligence into the noobs here, I say more power to it!

I'm not experienced in business areas (I hate commerce!!), but I'm assuming every business will have to spend a certain amount of money to get it up and running, so I assume it's the same for this?

I mean, you can't go and start a business with no money. I'm sure whoever started it had made sure he/she had sufficient funding and stuff before making the game. Then they have those .. um .. financial budget/planning crap (don't ask me for technical jargons Dx) which helps plan the income stuff for the future. They'd have enough money to start the game and have it running for a bit, but the can't do this forever.

But anyway, I'd say we can't say much until cash shop really does come out. We're all assuming it's going to be overpriced and stuff, but we could be wrong.

Games like Fiesta, Flyff, and 2 moons are called Micro games. It's free to play but a cash shop is there to fund for the game. The only other major type of F2P game doesn't rely on cash shops at all. They rely on advertising within the game. If you have ever played a game like that you would agree having a Cash shop is better. The constant advertisments are quite annoying.

Micro games tend to attract a lot more people and do much better off than other games. As for how Outspark has money it's exactly what Blaaaah had stated, the company already has enough money to probably be funded for atleast a year on its own.

Cash shop kiddies will probably be the best off out of everyone, and pretty much change the economy of the game as soon as the shop is realised. Loads of people are gonna be pissed but over all if you enjoy the game now than you'll be fine later.

Lucky me I can't wait for the shop to come out because I've always been a cash shop whore:D

I for one will be one of those that takes Full advantage of the cash shop. I can't wait to see what is going to be in it, and I hope that it comes out real soon.
Does anyone have any ideas about when??????

well my point is that these items seem a way too powerul

Well if I'm gonna be paying my hard earned money(which isn't so hard earned but shhhhhh) I am gonna want good items. If they expect to make sales than they have to make great items. Also anyone will be able to buy these items, but the majority will have to be buying it from the people who spend real money. Which means they set the price and you have to deal with it, which will suck for lots of people but it is their money after all.

I for one will be buying lots fo stuff but mainly it'll be for myself only, and friends for presents and what not.