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So, what's next in the revenue model, lifetime subs?
Kyleran
Member LegendaryPosts: 44,063
It's pretty obvious from recent events that EA is going to probably pull out all the stops to maximize the revenue streams from SWTOR.
So I was wondering if they'll eventually go the life time sub route, if so, how much do you think they'd charge and I thought I toss in a poll to see how many people would consider buying it. (you can post your price point in the thread if you like)
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Comments
I think the chances are slim they'll do lifetime subs, but I think it would be a good deal if they keep it in the 150 - 200 range.
On the other hand, they did say there would be some twists in the payment model.. so who knows.
I hope they do offer a lifetime sub. I remember the blu glowies from STO who thought they were hot shite. I enjoyed pointing out to them that those blue glowies were titles that read "SUCKER."
Currently Playing: World of Warcraft
Life time subs are a bad sign for an mmo
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Depends on the price. If it's reasonable, then yeah. I'd buy one.
Yeah, Life time subs are only offered if they expect the average player to unsub before they would reach the lifetime subcost with ordinary sub cost.
If you expect your dedicated players to stay in the game, lifetime sub is bad for business!
But I expect CE subscription prices x 2
If it's in a decent price then i might buy lifetime. Bought Lifetime for lotro and i have definitely gotten my money worth and more
I think so. I paid for the lifetime sub in LOTR back when they were doing the very first pre-orders during beta. It more than paid for itself, IMO. It's also the only game I've paid a lifetime sub for.
I love my lifetime sub to CO. Even thought it went Freemium, it is totally worth the subscription. STO on the other hand... if it was more fleshed out for other races it would have been better. I don't even own STO for that reason.
But it is true that with some games many players won't get more than a few months worth of content. And if you bought a lifetime sub as one of th players you would feel cheated. But I've played CO pretty much constantly from beta, so I'm a happy camper.
"If you're going to act like a noob, I'll treat you like one." -Caskio
Adventurers wear fancy pants!!!
Early on there was some dev comment about Lifetime subs being bad for a game in the long run.
If we see one, I'd bet it will be 350+.
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I believe that if a company is not confident, that their game is entertaining enough to keep people playing for months and months they would be better off to offer lifetime memberships.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Well if Cryptic managed to sell more than they ever dreamed of lifetime subs for Champions (because of beta access to STO) for 299.99 then I'm gonna say SWToR should probably be in the $350 range.
I would never life time sub to a game, and honoestly no smart businessmen would add a lifetime sub feature, the only companys that ever did this knew their games wernt going to retain large amount of subs past the 3 month mark and so made this feature available. You generate alot more revenue having monthly subs then you do having lifetime subs, its just not a quick injection of large amounts of cash like a lifetime sub is, and frankly Bioware doesnt need that. EAs a publisher and gets money from box sales, not really so much from monthly subs, thats a developer thing anyways.
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I would do a Life Time sub if I know what the price is and it allows for a 2 year return on investment....no more than two years..otherwise, I will probably buy in bulk, like 3-6 months at a time if that is an option.
There Is Always Hope!
I would never buy a lifetime sub right out of the gate. I would wait to see how the game turns out. If it turns out well and I think it's going to hold up, then I'd definitely consider it.
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Exactly what recent events do you mean?
Or is this just another post related to the cost of the CE? The only thing I really don't understand is why the DE didn't include the other virtual items of the CE. The CE with the figure and other physical items had enough things to encourage those who wanted it to buy it. Was no reason to keep the other virtual items from the people who wanted the DE. <- that I'd agree with if someone brought it up. There are other CE's (non mmo) like witcher 2 that are close to this price point. You can see it on gamestop in the same price category as the tor ce. So to me the price isn't the problem but keeping certain "virtual" items out of the digital version is.
Lifetime subs as any developer will tell you do not enhance the financial gain of a game. Unless you think your product might only be live two years at most. A new game has 11 months of fees its first year, since the first 30 days is usually included in purchase. When lotro offered a lifetime sub for $200 at the end of the first year month to month you would have paid $165 in monthlies. After you reach the point of $200 in monthlies they are losing money for every lifetime sub... unless they go with the Freemium model and get you to shop at the item mall. Or everyone that paid for lifetime actually quits... before they got their money's worth and never returns.
Blizzard would be my rolemodel if I wanted to max profit streams. There was that one flying mount they first came out with for $25 bux a pop. In the first few hours of that being live they had sold a few million dollars worth. I think there was even a news story here about it, because that's the only reason I ever knew about it.
*edited to fix a lol type error ahem*
I for one hope they have lifetime subs. I want and will support bioware and Tor to its fullest. If a company and a game wants to be succseful and willing to spend 8 years and over 100 million dollars worth on development its worth the money and worth the time.
You can still tell how people think games and entertainment should be free but the truth is that it costs alot of money to make games. So if you except top notch games then you need to be willing to put out some money for them. If not you shouldn't be a gamer. Even the free to play games have to make money somehow.
Lifetime subs are not a bad idea by any means. If people want to spend the money it's their choice. It's not like its a mandatory thing.
Because it's not a Collector's Edition. That's why.
If you want people to pay $150 for the CE to your game, you have to offer them something that other people can't get. Why would the Digital Deluxe Edition buyer be entitled to the Collector's Edition virtual store when they only spent half as much as the CE buyer? That makes no sense.
If you know your DE is going to offer certain virtual items for your players, then you should reserve some extra virtual exclusives for the CE buyers since they're going to spend a lot more.
Kinda hoping they do a lifetime , tho alot of games that did offer lifetime it didnt pay off in the end since they did turn free to play. Only game i have lifetime for is lotro and even with the free to play its still pretty nice since you get free points and stuff all the time.
Did wish they did offer a wow lifetime payment when it did came out even tho i play multiple mmos at same time i am subbed to wow since release so would have payed off for me .
I think they not gonna offer lifetime if they are sure their product is great and polished since they will get more in the long run same as wow .
Realy think this game can be the next wow popular wise if all turns out ok , i know alot of ppl did say same thing about other games but i realy have alot of trust in bioware and till now i never saw an unfished game from them that wasnt great even when counting dragon age 2 in to it.
( dont watch the typing / spelling am drunk and english isnt my native language. )
Let me put an end to your wondering.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT SWTOR WILL HAVE A LIFETIME SUB.
Clear enough?
I don't think they will do a lifetime sub, they would make more in the longrun charging monthly. It'll have the standard 1 3 6 12 month subs I'm sure but lifetime they'd lose out in the end. The IP itself has enough stories and lore to keep expansions and content rolling for years and years.
In game cash shops will be the next line of revenue for Bioware. It would be easy cash to sell people playing a Smuggler as Wookie skin for their companion.
If this game is as popular as it's likely to be they won't ever sell lifetime subs. Why sell a lifetime sub when you can milk cash out of someone for years and years. They'd be smarter to release a vanity item for $25 a few times a year. People will spend the cash, all those people who are buying the CE won't even blink at spending that on a special lightsaber colours, or ship skins...
You willing to buy me a free one if they ever do? Unless your uncle "George" gave you a tip it's probably not a good idea to say never. Ask EVE players who were promised there would never be a cash shop.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Sure. As long as you pay for my first year subscription to SWTOR when they don't have a lifetime subscription at launch.
It was actually $200.00 not $299.99. I should know I bought one and feel that it was totaly worth it. Like Caskio stated above I still play CO on a monthly basis and the value has been there especially considering it paid for itself after the 13th month. No complaints here but I do agree SWToR will be and probably should be more expensive for a lifetime if it is offered. I would say the sweet spot would be $250-300. I wouldn't pay more than that for it.