So 1.0 owners have to start paying the monthly fee immediately?

[Abriael]

That is my opinion of the difference between a beta and a free trial.

That's an almost perfectly fitting comparison.

Mind you, no one said that beta testers are "employees", but they're definitely brought on board to provide a service, not to benefit from a free perk. As a matter of fact that participation is not free at all, as we're required to pay with our time and our service as testers. It's give and take.

It's not gonna hurt sales for the game, it's not gonna make people who won't get the free trial break down in tears (at least I hope not), it's not gonna kill anyone. Disappointing? Yes. World-ending? Hardly.

No, it's not going to kill anyone or end the world. That's for sure.

As for not hurting sales? Yes and no. It won't probably hurt box sales, as most 1.0 players won't buy the box anyway, but it does have the potential to hurt account retention and reactivation (which still counts as sales).

The more perks are given to entice players to return, the more players will return, it's a pretty iron clad equation. I would return even if I had to walk on hot coals, and I'm sure the same goes for most of the people on these forums, but for people with a more jaded outlook on the game (which accounts for a large slice of the 800k people that quit it during 1.0's debacle) more encouragement may be necessary.

How much it'll hurt sales? We'll have to wait and see, but as people that want the game to be successful we should encourage SE to make an effort to offer returning players as many perks as possible to catch their attention. That's why I find hilarious that there are people here that try to advocate the opposite:

"Please SE! Skimp as much as you can on the perks! We don't want more players!"

That's kind of silly and counterproductive.

Personally I want to see as many people as possible come back and give the game a try and hopefully stay longer. More perks = more people. It's inevitable.

Now, can we all make nice? It's time we throw down the whips and clubs and let this poor horse rest in peace.

Hard to do when some people just aren't willing to accept that others may not automatically see everything SE does as perfect and infallible.

Mind you, I see almost all they did with ARR as very positive. This doesn't mean they shouldn't be criticized when they behave otherwise. Unfortunately some seem to take serious offense at that.