Lifetime Subscription

[Elexia]

here comes the "don't try anything new please!" brigade.

It's not new because MMOs have done it before. Where's the guarantee the game will even last a year? Let alone multiple years to justify it? Will the benefits travel to FFXI when/if ARR shuts down prematurely and invalidating your lifetime sub?

It's not about "trying something new" it's about common sense, it's like SWTOR offering lifetime sub and we seen what happened, it'd cause more problems for SE than help honestly and as said it is usually offered early on/launch only because it boosts income and we already have something similar:

Legacy.

Which no one complained about the removal of or fighting against it. Life time discount for as long as ARR run you're already paying significantly less a year than most people who'll be playing. They're good options if you know the MMO will be around to justify it because people will complain and expect compensation of equal or greater value if/when the game closes out prematurely. So it's more of a gamble than losing out on money because you don't really lose your money if you got the service you paid for then and there unless the game goes kaput shortly after like so many MMOs have.

The only gamble is offering it at all in a time of uncertainty for MMORPGs.

[HiirNoivl]

Do you Starlord, Take FFXIV:ARR to be your MMO, to play as long as you both shall live?

[Starlord]

It's not new because MMOs have done it before. Where's the guarantee the game will even last a year? Let alone multiple years to justify it? Will the benefits travel to FFXI when/if ARR shuts down prematurely and invalidating your lifetime sub?

It's not about "trying something new" it's about common sense, it's like SWTOR offering lifetime sub and we seen what happened, it'd cause more problems for SE than help honestly and as said it is usually offered early on/launch only because it boosts income and we already have something similar:

Legacy.

Which no one complained about the removal of or fighting against it. Life time discount for as long as ARR run you're already paying significantly less a year than most people who'll be playing. They're good options if you know the MMO will be around to justify it because people will complain and expect compensation of equal or greater value if/when the game closes out prematurely. So it's more of a gamble than losing out on money because you don't really lose your money if you got the service you paid for then and there unless the game goes kaput shortly after like so many MMOs have.

The only gamble is offering it at all in a time of uncertainty for MMORPGs.

For once, I agree with you! :O

Do you Starlord, Take FFXIV:ARR to be your MMO, to play as long as you both shall live?

LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!! Maybe I have to think on it :P.

[Zehira]

I don't trust Lifetime Subscription but I am willing to pay $120 a year.

[Wynn]

Lifetime subs mean one thing. The game is not good enough to warrant a subscription and will be going free to play within the year. Know this fact: Every single MMO that has ever offered a lifetime subscription option has later gone free to play. Is this what you want? Think about it.

P.S. ~ Abriael, you are starting to become very Rokien-esque

[HiirNoivl]

Elexia... always the pessimist... er realist. 8) If you click around, most people are feeling a bit more optimistic. What Abriel's suggestion actually says is that "Hey, there, let's assume the game is going to succeed for multiple years."

That's what is so annoying.. But when you think about it, it already has lasted in a crap state for 2... so, I think the assumption is pretty safe. Call me crazy.

I've stuck with one MMO for 8 years... so I'm not afraid of committing.

[Wynn]

Elexia... always the pessimist... er realist. 8) If you click around, most people are feeling a bit more optimistic. What Abriel's suggestion actually says is that "Hey, there, let's assume the game is going to succeed for multiple years."

That's what is so annoying..

Games that are good enough to survive several years or longer don't offer lifetime subscription packages. They don't have to.

[Airget]

One thing to consider is, are there any mmos on the market at the moment with a lifetime sub that haven gone f2p? I'm pretty sure the answer is no, honestly lifetime subs seem like nothing more than a means to rake in as much money as possible before they inevitably go f2p with a cash shop. The developers think well if we can get this base money on top of people subbing it'll give us a nice boost of revenue, then when we decide to go f2p we'll just offer some game credits so they can buy items from out shop while still offering them benefits for lifetime sub.

Lifetime subs honestly don't work because it's less of a lifetime sub and more of a nail in the coffin as it pretty much dates the downfall of the game in a sense. Then of course i"m certain that lifetime itself isn't even true and there is a lot of legal talk in the contract that people never read such as "at any time the developers have the right to revoke your lifetime subscription" or "Lifetime does not mean lifetime and at the inevitable shutdown of the game your lifetime subscription will be revoked." Maybe if I can find any contracts that involve "lifetime subs" I'll come back and edit it but honestly people might see lifetime sub as a good idea but if you read everything behind it I"m sure it's only a means to earn quick cash over people willing enough to think they'll have access to the game for a lifetime.

[moriandrio]

@Airget There are, STO for example.

[Abriael]

I believe it was you that was pushing hard for in game rmt a couple months so you could trade Gil for subscriptions. You could probably make enough money to play for a month if you beg out side of a 7-11 for 30 mins a month if your short on cash. I'm glad that se wants just monthly sub fee at this point and hope it stays that way. Most other games have all that cash shop, tiered membership, free to play, pay to win junk. I really just want to play a game with a straight forward subscription plan.

Aside the silly personal attack and second guessing that just shows how weak your arguments are, how exactly is the existence of *options* changing the straight forward subscription plan for you?

The existence of a lifetime subscription option does not in any way change the possibility of paying for your subscription monthly.

It's not new because MMOs have done it before.

It's new because FFXIV and FFXI didn't do it before, and we know very well how some people here receive things that Square enix never tried. Because if Square Enix doesn't do it, it's not good.

Where's the guarantee the game will even last a year? Let alone multiple years to justify it? Will the benefits travel to FFXI when/if ARR shuts down prematurely and invalidating your lifetime sub?

Lifetime subs are a decision that lays on the customer. If you decide to support a product, it's your decision, no one forced you, and it's your sole responsibility.

Besides, anyone with half a shred of logic would know that the possibility of this game "shutting down" within a year is absolutely negligible. There are plenty options before that. At worst it would go hybrid, and even with a hybrid business model a lifetime sub retains its value.

It's not about "trying something new" it's about common sense, it's like SWTOR offering lifetime sub and we seen what happened

Only, they did not offer it. Oops.

Legacy.

Which is a radically different option, offered to a radically different target, and as such is comparing apples to escalators.