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

[DonMega]

Half price of their normal asking price and no charge for retainers all the way til FFXIV 2,0 is fair, my reasoning is sure they will add more content but no matter what patch comes out before FFXIV 2.0 it won't fix the server lag and graphics engine.

[Masamune1004]

$13.50 = 10% reduction (still full price)

How can a 10% reduction in price be greater than the original price of $12.95?

Anyway, if they offer a discount this low, they might is well just go full price, $1.29 is not gonna make or break the deal.

[Anapingofness]

I am a bit surprised that this thread hasn't been made.

The producer LIVE letter introduced Wada at the very end. He stated that SE is looking into pricing discounts to ensure they get the most out of player subscriptions until 2.0.

Several people on the forums, including myself, have publicly stated that because the game is "50% to launch ready," that we would pay 6-7 dollars to support the game. I find this a fair an acceptable discount.

SE has been doing very well at listening to our concerns and suggestions, and I feel this is an appropriate time to officially tell SE what we'd like to see in a discount for subscriptions.

My take: 6-7 dollars. They can even increase the amount by 1 dollar at patches and I think it would be a fair compromise. I'd be willing to support them this way.

I take umbrage with increasing the price with every patch because they can't promise that every patch will actually push the game further to being 100% "complete (read as ready for retail/ready to compete in the MMO world). In *theory* they're supposed to but... theory and practice are often two very different things.

However, for me and a number of my friends who have decided to wait until 2.0 if a discount isn't given, it's -50% or nothing.
In simpler terms... The discount *needs* to be something substantial. If it is -1$, -2$ or -3$ then that's bogus and I'm not paying. The discount has to be at least -50% (12.99/2=6.495...so 6.50$, without charging for retainers).
5.00-6.50$ is a reasonable price for a game that is 50% complete.

That being said, thanks for OP for starting this thread and his input.
These were my two cents. Whether people agree with me or not is irrelevant, I'm just stating my opinion- not trying to start an argument via forums.

Although, I think there is one thing all of us can agree on and that is the hope that Wada releases a decision on the discount price ASAP so that this matter is finally put to rest once and for all.

[Anapingofness]

I think $5.00/month sounds reasonable. It's a nice round number that most people wouldn't have a problem with.

If they're firm on the stance that they must start up subscriptions at this point, I'm overjoyed that they're considering a discount. As I've stated in other threads, my husband is fighting me on paying until 2.0.

And it's not because we're cheap. We drop money on video games all the time. We both have active WoW accounts (in fact, he has two so he can dual box), and I have an active Aion account. Right now he's playing offline games such as minecraft, Sim City and Batman: Arkham City.

It all comes down to a matter of principle. My husband is a business owner, and firmly believes that dissatisfaction should be expressed with your wallet. For that reason, he will never ever give NCSoft another dime of his money (Aion burned him pretty bad). And he does not believe that FFXIV is a product that is worth $12.99/month.

Again, it's not that we can't afford it, it's like someone said in another thread... it's like betraying your own sense of responsibility.

But if I can say to him, "It's only five bucks a month," I think he might concede.

There are a lot of players who still don't trust SE. Their plans for the future are still that, just plans. And to ask full price right now threatens to break that fragile trust and alienate players.

Isn't it better to compromise and keep more players, than be unbending and turn people away?

You hit the nail on the head madam.

A lot of players, and long time fans of FF, feel very betrayed by SE.

It's true that they have regained some of that lost trust but the amount that they were able to obtain is marginal to what it once was. It is very fragile right now and something like a full sub for FFXIV as it is now will turn many people away. People who are burned fans but also potential new fans.

Like I said, I can justify 5$ a month, fairly easily. When my older sis heard that subs would start again for FFXIV she was done with the game. I was the one who said "If they give us -50% off, I'll stay. I want to see where this game will go. For roughly 5$ I can do that."
That magic number five turned her around and she's willing to pay 5$ or -50% until 2.0.

Moreover.... That 5$ by itself will not do much but when joined together with the 5$ of several thousand other players it starts being something. It is a voice of support and a symbol that SE is slowly starting to earn back the trust that it single-handily destroyed.

The messages/concepts need to be made very clear to SE.
*We want quality not quantity.
*We want the lines of communication to remain open.
*Respect your fans, without them SE would have gone under in 1987.

[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.

[Hyrist]

I was resigned to pay full price, just on the basis that I wanted to enjoy the Seventh Umbral Storyline.

To hear that there was a discount in the works is welcome news. However, given my previous position on it, I don't feel as if I'm in the best position to suggest a price.

I was willing to pay full. I'm glad for the discount. If SE is trying to appeal to the players who decided against it because of the cost, or those who were on the fence, then it should be them to make the suggestion as to what they deem would be acceptable, and hope that the billing group can accommodate as best they can.

They have me regardless. The ball's in their court now. I hope it's something reasonable for both parties.

[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.'