Wada and SE looking into discount. What price is acceptable?

[Bahn]

What happens when ver 2.0 comes around and everyone who was used to paying reduced subs each month are then asked to pay twice as much?

Having people placated by reduced subs now will only serve to create a new problem down the road.

As many have said, you let players know in advance so that they KNOW about the full price down the road when 2.0 comes out. You get a reduced price now as the game is in production since it's not fully complete while being aware that once the game is finished, they will rightly get their full price. And as I have said, a slowly increasing price towards their target price would help to slowly ease the population into paying full price.

It's not like they're going to charge half price now, not tell anyone about 2.0's price structure, and suddenly double the price when 2.0 hits. That's absolutely foolish.

[ChiefCurrahee]

As many have said, you let players know in advance so that they KNOW about the full price down the road when 2.0 comes out. You get a reduced price now as the game is in production since it's not fully complete while being aware that once the game is finished, they will rightly get their full price. And as I have said, a slowly increasing price towards their target price would help to slowly ease the population into paying full price.

It's not like they're going to charge half price now, not tell anyone about 2.0's price structure, and suddenly double the price when 2.0 hits. That's absolutely foolish.

SE already stated a year ago that when they have a roadmap and plan of future development of FFXIV and that when game meets what they feel should have launched with they would bring back subs. Guess what that tiem is upon us and look how people react.

It seems that a lot of people think that a tuesday in December 2012 they will be playing current FFXIV then on wednesday they will be playing a whole new game. One which they will be willing to pay full price for. You are all kidding yourselves.
If SE reduces the sub across the board until ver. 2.0 comes out people will be so used to paying that reduced fee that a price increase will make players see red.

Telling them ahead of time "From December 2011 - December 2012 FFXIV sub fees will be priced @ $5-7 a month, the first billing cycle of 2013 FFXIV sub fee will then increase to $10-14 a month" Will not work.

Reduced rates should only be offered when purchasing Crysta in bulk $30-$60 at a time, or when subscribing for 3-6 month blocks. All month to month subs should be full price. This model is substainable throughout the lifetime of FFXIV service, and is a standard in MMO pricing.

Asking for less now will only create more problems in the future when they ask for more.

[AmyRae]

Asking for less now will only create more problems in the future when they ask for more.

Actually, that's wrong. Gradual price increases are easier to accept than giant ones, especially when we're dealing with a product that has some serious defects in it that won't be fixed for at least a year. If they're upfront about what they want to charge for 2.0, people can make a responsible decision.

[Rowyne]

Asking for less now will only create more problems in the future when they ask for more.

Actually, that's wrong. Gradual price increases are easier to accept than giant ones, especially when we're dealing with a product that has some serious defects in it that won't be fixed for at least a year. If they're upfront about what they want to charge for 2.0, people can make a responsible decision.

^ Well said, AmyRae.

I just don't see how a discount, as opposed to full price, could make any of the playerbase disgruntled.

[ChiefCurrahee]

^ Well said, AmyRae.

I just don't see how a discount, as opposed to full price, could make any of the playerbase disgruntled.

Again discounts shouldn't extend to month to month players. If you buy 3 months of service maybe you receive a 10% discount, If you buy 6 months a 15% discount. If you buy a year 30% discount. (Im just throwing it examples out there).

If you offer something at a great discount, even with gradual price hikes the perceived value goes down. It's no longer a "deal"

If you offer a product or service at different price points for varying lengths of time the "deal" remains through the life time of the product.

just crunch numbers here for a min.
If the monthly price point is 12.99 then:
month to month = 155.88 a year.
3 month billing (12.99 - 10%) = 11.70 month x3 = 35.10 x4 = $140.40 a year
6 month billing (12.99 -15%) = 11.05 month X6 = 66.30 x2 = $132.60 a year
12 month billing (12.99 -30%) = 9.10 month X12 = $109.20 a year
(i'm not sure when the discount is taken off is it the month to month cost or the total cost of the package either way the number are close)

This places the benefited discount on players who buy into the game who actually want to support it.

Even @ 12.99 FFXIV charges less than other month to month MMO's which is standard 14.99


If you start billing FFXIV @ 9.99 a month for the first 3 months then 10.99 for the next 3 then 11.99 then 12.99 at some point the value of "deal" disappears. Keep the price standard and offer discounts to bulk purchasing to create the perceived "deal"

I have $100 in crysta from FFXIV launch I'm spending the on this game regardless, It's not like i'm missing that money right now.

[Anapingofness]

SE already stated a year ago that when they have a roadmap and plan of future development of FFXIV and that when game meets what they feel should have launched with they would bring back subs. Guess what that tiem is upon us and look how people react.

It seems that a lot of people think that a tuesday in December 2012 they will be playing current FFXIV then on wednesday they will be playing a whole new game. One which they will be willing to pay full price for. You are all kidding yourselves.
If SE reduces the sub across the board until ver. 2.0 comes out people will be so used to paying that reduced fee that a price increase will make players see red.

Telling them ahead of time "From December 2011 - December 2012 FFXIV sub fees will be priced @ $5-7 a month, the first billing cycle of 2013 FFXIV sub fee will then increase to $10-14 a month" Will not work.

Reduced rates should only be offered when purchasing Crysta in bulk $30-$60 at a time, or when subscribing for 3-6 month blocks. All month to month subs should be full price. This model is substainable throughout the lifetime of FFXIV service, and is a standard in MMO pricing.

Asking for less now will only create more problems in the future when they ask for more.

Hardly my friend.

Anyone with a brain will understand that the discount price is temporary and that it will last until 2.0.
Furthermore, it's downright stupid to think that we will see this issue arise because of the reason it's happening now.

You're right, a year ago SE said that when the game meets certain requirements they will begin to charge. However, you're not looking at all the facts.

1. A year ago FFXIV came out and did something amazing! It sucked and blew at the same time. It burned its customers and fans and it became the laughing stock of the gaming community.

2. A year later the fans are still pretty burned, the game is a little better but is still thought of as a joke and is overall unfit for a sub fee due to some rather large, *core issues* that won't be resolved until 2.0.... such as server lag

3. The fans being fans, myself included, have felt some of their trust restored by the efforts of the new Dev team.

4. SE announces that it will start subscription fees. A lot of the fans are burned yet again but are willing to meet SE half way for a reasonably discounted(read as -50% or 5$) monthly sub fee.

Also, the biggest reason we will not see this debate come 2.0's launch is because 2.0 will make or break this game. If SE can't fix the game by 2.0 then I think they'll have to shut it down.

[Answa]

Anyone with a brain will understand that the discount price is temporary and that it will last until 2.0.

That's not all that common in these parts. You and I both know that people will start spouting their verbal diarrhea about how the uncertainty of what 2.0 offers won't let them pay. Or that they could put in a cash store for ingame items, blah, blah. People will never be happy, just as now, when people just cry about every feature that's announced. It's not about principle, as people claim, it's about being downright cheap.

[Anapingofness]

That's not all that common in these parts. You and I both know that people will start spouting their verbal diarrhea about how the uncertainty of what 2.0 offers won't let them pay. Or that they could put in a cash store for ingame items, blah, blah. People will never be happy, just as now, when people just cry about every feature that's announced. It's not about principle, as people claim, it's about being downright cheap.

Point taken about the brain bit my good Sir.

However, about the majority of the rest I respectfully disagree.

While it is true you can't make everyone happy you can make a good number of people happy. That part is very important especially if the success of your business depends on people being happy and buying your product.

Personally, I think has a bit to do with the principle of the matter but I think a more accurate statement is that it's about being able to comfortably place one's faith into SE again. I'm one of those people who is uncertain about SE's ability to deliver come 2.0, I felt really betrayed and disappointed by SE with not only FFXIV but FFXIII.

However, that's me and the lot of us have had different experiences so it's natural for us to disagree.
Come 2.0... I do expect some verbal diarrhea but not nearly as big of an uproar as we're facing now. I think when the time comes people won't have much room to talk.

Ah but seriously, I'll end this part of the discussion here. I don't want to derail the subject anymore than I already have, I just wanted to say that you did make some valid points although I do disagree with some of them.

[irongripz]

That's not all that common in these parts. You and I both know that people will start spouting their verbal diarrhea about how the uncertainty of what 2.0 offers won't let them pay. Or that they could put in a cash store for ingame items, blah, blah. People will never be happy, just as now, when people just cry about every feature that's announced. It's not about principle, as people claim, it's about being downright cheap.

my magic 8 ball said 'you dont know wtf you talking about.'