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EQ Raising Monthly Fees

cedoricedori Member Posts: 500

We all knew it would happen eventually, so for those that don't no, SOE will be raising the monthly fee to $14.99.  Those with the All Access Pass will not have an increase, the SOE All Access Pass will remain the same price.  I no quite a few people are very upset with this, and don't understand why SOE would do this.  Especially since they are still in the process of merging all servers together, which means few servers to select.  Is EQ slowly dieing out, can eq keep the community it has, or will they lose more people due to the higher cost to play EQ now.  Those of you that still play, you decide after you read the following link.      http://eqlive.station.sony.com/community/dev_view.jsp?id=64050

Cheers

Comments

  • BalaczarBalaczar Member UncommonPosts: 36

    This is to make some money back that they lost when...
    1) WoW started
    2) They announced Station Exchange

    Too bad, I really liked EQ1 when I was there.

  • AelrazAelraz Member UncommonPosts: 168

    "The monthly subscription fee allows us to provide the best possible gaming experience for you while also expanding the world. The EverQuest team is dedicated to providing fresh and dynamic content to the players with in-game events, quests, zone re-vamps, game enhancements and great new expansion packs."

    Umm...we already pay for the expansions right? Ok, give me a free expansion in the next 6 months and I'll be ok with the raised monthly fee...

  • RammurRammur Member Posts: 575



    Originally posted by Aelraz

    "The monthly subscription fee allows us to provide the best possible gaming experience for you while also expanding the world. The EverQuest team is dedicated to providing fresh and dynamic content to the players with in-game events, quests, zone re-vamps, game enhancements and great new expansion packs."
    Umm...we already pay for the expansions right? Ok, give me a free expansion in the next 6 months and I'll be ok with the raised monthly fee...



    Boom ya hit that nail straight on the head lol.
  • VegalordVegalord Member Posts: 40

    If ANYONE is strugglin to pay that two extra dollars I feel sorry for them.

    koto

  • RammurRammur Member Posts: 575
    thats not the point paying is not the issue anymore it the Soe and there damn greedyness thats driving people mad.They squeeze literally too as many pennys as they can get out of the players and it gettin lamer and lamer when people get over   this little eq bug they got soe will be bankrupt quicker an ell.
  • AnofalyeAnofalye Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 7,433

    Here is the possible strategy that SoE is using:

     

    - After merging servers and freeing ressources, they are able to much more easily offer a graphic updated new game engine for EQ on some brand new servers in the hope to give the game a new life.

     

    - In order to make so they need to reduce a little the player base, which is what is going to happen on a short term, having to many servers for such an upgrade is a LOT of work, having players who are temporarily not playing(cancelled accounts) mean a lot of easier freedom to do any conversion they want.

     

    - With equal graphics, bigger world, as good rules and much more deph and developpment, EQ would deserve the same monthly fee.  However, in the current form, it is not deserving it which will only help temporarily decrease the player base in order to make the changes.

     

    - EQ is intending all those changes in order to crush Vanguard, since EQ2 is not targetting the same player base.  Only a new game engine and equals or better graphics can work.

     

    - EQ is focused on raids, will remain focused on it.  After a lot of hesitation, they set their course.  Every real raiders will come to realize that and see EQ for the paradise they want(in SoE plans, and they are doing a damn good work at it).

     

     

    Of course all this can be the fruits of my imagination and maybe SoE is just trying to get a few more $...but, I would be surprised after a second thought if EQ doing undergo a full new engine with a world FAR more vast then Vanguard can hope to do...and the new expensions are all around the ''Kunark and Velious''.  ''Not throwing the baby with the towels''?  Of course adapting EQ is a LOT of work, it is still far easier then doing everything from scratch.

    - "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren

  • VegalordVegalord Member Posts: 40

    If you consider how much more content they are giving us then they were when they had an amazingly huge subscriber base then i'm sure it is easy to see that 2$'s more a month is understandable. It is not just sheer greed. I highly doubt that anyone playing EQ at this point is going to be pushed away by the raise, as the game as takin many positive turns in the last few months and will continue to do so ( or at least I believe that). I would still only pay this much for EQ anyway. Here's to hopin the class "revisioning" goes well!

    koto

  • bhugbhug Member UncommonPosts: 944

    05.05.17

    EQ for only $8.33 a month...

    "Are there any discounts for current EverQuest subscribers?

    In order to thank the EverQuest community, players can take advantage of a 6 or 12 month limited time promotional offer. Between May 12, 2005 and June 11, 2005 , you can take advantage of a 6 or 12 month limited time promotional subscription and reap great savings.

    For a limited time, a 6-month subscription costs only US$69.99 -- that works out to $11.67 a month, a 10% discount off of the new monthly plan.
    Even better, for a limited time a 12-month subscription costs only US$99.99 ? that works out to $8.33 a month, a 31% savings off of the new monthly plan.
    If you take advantage of this offer, you will be billed immediately, and your current subscription will automatically convert to the number of months of the subscription plan you elect. All prepaid but unused amounts for any EverQuest account that is converted to the 6 or 12 month limited time promotional subscription plan will be, at the time SOE converts the account, converted to days at the 6 or 12-month subscription plan rate (as applicable), and the first subscription period for that account will be extended by the applicable number of days. Any account converted to the special 6 or 12 month promotional subscription plan during any no-charge subscription period will be immediately converted, and the remainder of such no-charge period(s) will be waived. "

    link
    The euros gota add in a 17% vat, i think...

    Think $8 /mo would be alot beter than $15 for EQ1... thats seems like 45% off if you pre-pay 1 year in advance. For $2 a week you would have access to EQ reguardless what other games you try out. (eg. DaL, Saga, WoW, ect.)

    image

  • EffectEffect Member UncommonPosts: 949

    It may seem like a few dollars more. To me for some reason I have a better feeling about seeing $12.95 then I do about seeing $14.95. Its more of a mental thing for me to be honest. The first number appears better then the second one. I was going to give EQ1 another try after EQ2(canceld out my account and going to finish the rest of the play period) but not now. Maybe I have a problem is that I don't think EQ1 is worth $15 a month. Due to graphics wise and how the world is setup up I feel. Still I think $15 is to much all the same as well and still don't feel well about spending that much money. I know that sounds weird though.

  • bloodayebloodaye Member Posts: 26
    If you go to a movie once a month you spend just as much and what you got when the movie is over? NADA!At least EQ is still there for you to play,so 15$ a month isnt much when you think about what you spend on other things.

    bloodaye el toro loco
    60th season SK
    seventh hammer

  • OdenathusOdenathus Member UncommonPosts: 605

    I don't approve of the price going up. But then I can't really complain about it, either. I mean, seriously, what other game charged so little for so much (pay to play games)?

    If you think about it, there is 5 years of content. Five years of progression quests. Five years of quests, task, missions available for a player to experience. Why shouldn't SOE charge the same amount for this that Blizzard is for WoW? Or Playonline for FFXI?

    SOE is a company that is out there to make money. They are not some alturistic organization dedicated to freeing you from the boredom of your lives. They are money hungry pirates! But unlike pirates of old, SOE has to balance cost against services provided. They realize that they could conceviable charge themselves out of a job. But in this case, the community has already proven that this price encrease is acceptable.

    And unlike Blizzard, SOE offers you discount packages. The more your willing to pay in advance, the cheaper your per month fee is. Blizzard has a flat rate. As far as I can tell, so does Playonline (and playonline charges per character).

    ----------------------------------------
    My dog barks some. Mentally you picture my dog, but I have not told you the type of dog which I have. Perhaps you even picture Toto, from "The Wizard of Oz." But I warn you, my dog is always with me.

  • ShazzelShazzel Member Posts: 472

    Old hat just not worth paying for , much less paying 14.99/m. I played it back in the day but mostly cause it was the only decent game around back then. Anyway playing HL2 and Guild Wars now (both free monthly) Sad both far better than everquest.

  • Here is why some people are pissed off about a price hike; SoE's pathetic and bullsh*t reasons for doing so.  Let me explain as I quote directly from Smedley.

    "Hello everyone,

    It's amazing that we're now six years since the launch of EverQuest, and even more amazing to see so many people enjoying the world of Norrath. I know that the development team has exciting stuff planned for the coming months (look for an announcement soon!) and they are dedicated to keeping EQ fresh and alive with all the best technology has to offer.

    Nothing unexpected here.  SoE will continue to crank out expansions for EQ in order to keep it a viable money-maker.

    EverQuest is in its 6th year of existence and while we have continued to bring new content for everyone to enjoy, the cost of operating a top tier MMO has increased significantly during the past three years. Today I am writing to tell you all that we will be increasing the subscription rate for EverQuest effective June 12, 2005 . The new monthly subscription rate will be $14.99/month.

    This is where the BS begins.  Costs of operating a top tier MMO have increased significantly??  First of all, what makes EQ "top tier"?  It certainly isn't the flagship game of SoE; it's not where all of their development $$ is going.  It's a "previous generation" game.  I full expect SoE to continue kludging and cobbling new technology into the game, but many of the limitations EQ's design have been reached and even the newer models they introduced in Luclin are turned off to this day by many players especially people who raid a lot, in favor of the older (and arguably better looking/animated models). 

    Second, how could the costs be going UP?  There are LESS servers to maintain, bandwidth costs have been going down if anything and the level of service for EQ has been cut back again and again such that now it's a rare occasion to actually see a GM online.  So what part of EQ costs so much more to maintain now?

    We strive to ensure that EverQuest remains a great entertainment value. No other game offers the detailed gameplay, huge world and tight-knit community that EverQuest offers. The monthly subscription fee allows us to provide the best possible gaming experience for you while also expanding the world. The EverQuest team is dedicated to providing fresh and dynamic content to the players with in-game events, quests, zone re-vamps, game enhancements and great new expansion packs.

    Yeah it makes sense... SoE is a game company so they obviously want to keep EQ as entertaining as possible but c'mon .. in game events?  If you're someone who has been playing EQ in the past couple years you know this is laughable!  In-game events such as the undead attacks they used to do for Halloween many years ago are long gone and its actually a sore point for some old time players who miss those events.  The reason these events are gone?  They no longer pay to staff each server with GM's who run these events.  Quests and game-enhancements are all part of what SoE provides with expansions and guess what?  Players PAY for those expansions!  The only item in Smed's list I would possibly say comes out of their pocket so to speak are zone re-vamps, but I wouldn't call zone re-vamps a star feature of EQ and its debateable how popular those are anyhow.

    To thank the EverQuest community, we're offering players a limited-time promotional offer. Between May 12, 2005 and June 11, 2005, you can take advantage of a 6 or 12 month limited time subscription and reap great savings. Just go here for more details. We will continue to offer discounts from the new rate plan on multi-month subscriptions and these increases will not affect the Station Access subscription rate, which will hold at $21.99.

    Awesome!  We'll allow you to save some money with a limited offer, all YOU need to do is lock yourself into 6 months or a year of playing.  I'm sure the marketing team at SoE shivers with delight everytime some poor sod forks over a year of subscription money.

    We sincerely appreciate all of you who inhabit our EverQuest universe and we look forward to continue having you be a part of our world for years to come.

    Thanks,

    John Smedley"

     

     

  • ChieftanChieftan Member UncommonPosts: 1,188



    Originally posted by Odenathus

    I don't approve of the price going up. But then I can't really complain about it, either. I mean, seriously, what other game charged so little for so much (pay to play games)?
    If you think about it, there is 5 years of content. Five years of progression quests. Five years of quests, task, missions available for a player to experience.


    That's also well over $500 if you've been playing since 1999.  Then you have to figure all the time spent LFG.  image

    I'm not sure if SOE's just trying to milk their diehard fans for all they're worth or if they really do believe "everybody" is bored of WoW and coming back to EQ.

    My youtube MMO gaming channel



  • Nimrod4154Nimrod4154 Member Posts: 864

    Uggh... I had recently gotten into the game about am onth ago but quit. The game doesn't hold it's magic that it once did. Takes way to much time to be uber and being uber takes 1000+ hours of game time that is not fun. Raising the fee will not raise the population at all, just lower the already dwindiling(SP?) population even more. I am guessing that most people would take advantage of that station pass since it's only 6 more dollars and you can play other games if you get interested. EQ is dead to me anyways, I enjoyed levels 1-40 a lot more than 40-70 in today's EQ community.

    image

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