People are afraid of the term "F2P / Free to Play" as usually most F2P games offer an extreme cash shop or fall into the hole of "P2W / Pay to Win".
IMO I am neither here nor there when it comes to sub/f2p model as long as it is tweaked fairly if it offers a cash shop for revenue. As for DEFIANCE I have a feeling it will be Buy to Play. Only time will tell.
as i read from some dev-interview on zam.com
it´s goning the way to B2P "Buy to Play" with a splitup model on subscription.
so it´s may be going the way that there will be a subscrition-option and free 2play same time, combined with a itemshop which offers boosters and fashion items but ne Pay " Win options like weapons or upgrades( if tehre will any wepupgrades ingame, i don´t know :P)
hope it will be that way ...
I actually like the B2P model because unlike the P2P. I can play the game without worrying for a monthly fee and only buy what I need..I also am not the type of player who buy vanity items so I'm not really worried about wasting my cash on looking different than other players.
All I care about is gameplay, pvp, and shooting some aliens.