Daybreak Game Company (Formerly part of Sony Online Entertainment) recently tried to implement a monthly fee to play the Battle Royale version of their game H1Z1 which is currently in Alpha testing. One must purchase the ability to help DGC test their game while in production. Prices are $19.99 (standard edition) and $39.99 (premium edition) on Steam.
There's a cash shop already in this Alpha game. This mostly consists of purchasing keys to unlock crates which are won in Battle Royale. The crates contain wardrobe items. One can also purchase air drop tickets for a chance at some random in game gear. There might be a few other things one can purchase as well. I can't remember for sure.
We are quickly approaching the time when a game will go from concept to sunset without ever being a live game. if most people tolerate things like paying a full price plus sub for a Alpha/Beta/Whatever game why wouldn't the developer hide behind that tag for as long as they can to excuse a bug ridden crappy game? Launching a game is a dangerous thing as you are opening yourself up to all kinds of criticism and review where the big payoff is suppose to be people are paying you to play your game. If you can get all the money you are ever going to make off a game without doing that why bother?
I promise there are games in these early development/alpha/beta right now that will make more money before launch than after (I am looking at you Star Citizen). How anyone can think that's a consumer friendly market to be in I won't ever understand. It's more akin to a addict being supplied his drugs than a healthy consumer/devleoper relationship. Crappy half effective drugs are still better than no dugs at all.
That's why I won't do it. They are trying to make money for alpha and beta. No, that's not the way it works. Don't pay for something like that. You are being robbed.
Originally posted by caldeathe Again. You don't have to pay a sub if you are willing to pay for the top tester pack. It's a choice. Another choice is not to get in early.
and another option is for goblin works to lose huge amounts of potential income due to an incompetent early access model. paying 500 for not having a sub for an alpha quality service isn't a perk.....it paying the norm for more. i can get unlimited access to testing phases as well as all the other things(like direct developer contact, cashshop items, limited say in design, etc) from PFOs direct competitors for often at a fraction of the price.
Again A CONTRACT OF SERVICE DOESN"T MAKE SENSE FOR AN INCOMPLETE SERVICE.
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Daybreak Game Company (Formerly part of Sony Online Entertainment) recently tried to implement a monthly fee to play the Battle Royale version of their game H1Z1 which is currently in Alpha testing. One must purchase the ability to help DGC test their game while in production. Prices are $19.99 (standard edition) and $39.99 (premium edition) on Steam.
There's a cash shop already in this Alpha game. This mostly consists of purchasing keys to unlock crates which are won in Battle Royale. The crates contain wardrobe items. One can also purchase air drop tickets for a chance at some random in game gear. There might be a few other things one can purchase as well. I can't remember for sure.
They planned on charging $6.99/month for unlimited access to Battle Royale while in an Alpha stage of development: https://twitter.com/j_smedley/status/578626953898389504
Needless to say, there was a huge outcry about this from the gamers who are currently helping DGC test H1Z1 while it is in an Alpha stage of development. This is the largest of many posts that I remember seeing: http://www.reddit.com/r/h1z1/comments/2znmj3/official_boycott_of_the_paid_battle_royales_for/
Shortly thereafter, DGC changed their mind: http://www.reddit.com/r/h1z1/comments/2zpqw3/we_will_not_turn_on_charging_for_br_for_a_good/
We are quickly approaching the time when a game will go from concept to sunset without ever being a live game. if most people tolerate things like paying a full price plus sub for a Alpha/Beta/Whatever game why wouldn't the developer hide behind that tag for as long as they can to excuse a bug ridden crappy game? Launching a game is a dangerous thing as you are opening yourself up to all kinds of criticism and review where the big payoff is suppose to be people are paying you to play your game. If you can get all the money you are ever going to make off a game without doing that why bother?
I promise there are games in these early development/alpha/beta right now that will make more money before launch than after (I am looking at you Star Citizen). How anyone can think that's a consumer friendly market to be in I won't ever understand. It's more akin to a addict being supplied his drugs than a healthy consumer/devleoper relationship. Crappy half effective drugs are still better than no dugs at all.
and another option is for goblin works to lose huge amounts of potential income due to an incompetent early access model. paying 500 for not having a sub for an alpha quality service isn't a perk.....it paying the norm for more. i can get unlimited access to testing phases as well as all the other things(like direct developer contact, cashshop items, limited say in design, etc) from PFOs direct competitors for often at a fraction of the price.
Again A CONTRACT OF SERVICE DOESN"T MAKE SENSE FOR AN INCOMPLETE SERVICE.