As it stands right now, it’s fair to say that Capcom is shaping up to have an impressive 2023. Provided there are no setbacks, the publisher will launch the likes of Street Fighter 6 and the Resident Evil 4 remake over the next 12 months. While its established franchises are understandably dominating fan discussions online, players can also look forward to a new IP from Capcom in the shape of Exoprimal.

Announced at Sony’s State of Play event in March, Exoprimal appears to be blending together popular multiplayer elements with dinosaurs. Considering how fans have been eager for Capcom to make another Dino Crisis for years, it appears as though the publisher is partly listening to those demands. What has shocked some, though, is the publisher’s announcement that the game will be a full-priced release. For several reasons, a shift to a free-to-play model might be a better option.

RELATED: Why Dino Crisis Could Come To PS Plus

Exoprimal’s Potential

Exoprimal New Dinos

Capcom’s confirmation that its multiplayer dinosaur game will be a full-priced experience caught some fans off guard over the summer. Although the publisher had spoken several times about the detail that's going into Exoprimal since its reveal trailer in March, there was an expectation that the game would be free-to-play. Over the last few years, more multiplayer experiences have switched to the model, so that expectation wasn’t entirely unjustified.

Right now Capcom has no plans to embrace the model and instead is reportedly moving forward with a more traditional approach. Switching to a free-to-play setup might be an option that’s in the best interests of Exoprimal, though, especially when it comes to its critical and commercial potential. Because some fans had been expecting to try out the game for free, that air of expectation might result in fewer sales when more realize they will have to pay to play.

The next 12 months are also shaping up to be a bumper year when it comes to video games. Even though Exoprimal looks promising, its status as a brand-new IP might make its entry fee a harder pill for some to swallow while they are sorting through the crowd. It’s worth keeping in mind that most of the game’s direct competitors are already free-to-play and thriving too. Taking users away from established shooters like Call of Duty: Warzone 2 and Fortnite will be hard for any game entering the market.

Free-to-Play Success Stories

exoprimal-neosaurs-neo-t-rex

In some respects, Capcom’s desire to charge players an upfront entry fee for Exoprimal is understandable. Having taken a chance on a new IP, the publisher is likely keen to earn back all of its investment as quickly as possible. There are plenty of case studies out there of games that have embraced the free-to-play approach before finding commercial success, though. If anything, Exoprimal also has several handy advantages in its favor. The publisher only has to look at media like the recent Jurassic World movies for evidence of how lucrative dinosaurs can still be.

Publishers like EA and Epic Games have embraced the free-to-play multiplayer shooter model for a reason as well. Players only have to look at the comparative commercial success of Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends for a prime example of the approach working. The former was a critical success, yet the series didn’t truly dominate until players could access one of its games for free.

There’s still time for Capcom to explore a free-to-play Exoprimal, even if it doesn't change direction before its launch. Titles like Fall Guys and Rocket League, for example, both debuted as full-priced games before shifting to the model. The boost in players that they received after their shifts not only demonstrates how Capcom’s game could perform better, but they also show that it’s never too late to go free-to-play.

Exoprimal releases in 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Every Exoprimal Trailer Revealed So Far