StarWarsWoox Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Hi, I was just thinking about this and decided to throw this out there for a good debate topic. I would love to hear both sides of the argument. 1) With the rise of the Cartel Market, there is a new flow of cash going to the game, could this money help lower membership costs? should it be used in that sense? or should it be used in addition to the already existing cash flow to expand the game content? 2) Lowering membership prices could increase the amount of F2P players deciding to subscribe, this could nearly make up for the loss in revenue in the long run from the initial decline in monthly membership income and add more players and boost the overall player experience and keep the game alive Feel free to comment for and against, and also post your ideas on how lowering the membership costs could benefit/hurt the game! Thanks, Woox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordSkyKnight Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Never going to happen. Their goal at this point is to squeeze every possible penny out of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rehneu Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I can not see this happening any time soon. At that, lowering the membership fees while F2P just launched, will be counter active as it will now take the micro transaction part that is being used for those F2P individuals away. Meaning they no longer have to unlock things such as war zones by going through the cash shop. They are making the money they need with the current setup and can not see them changing that any time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiranK Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 You think greedy EAWare devs would ever approve that? This game will go belly up before they ever consider lowering the subscription costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rehneu Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 You think greedy EAWare devs would ever approve that? This game will go belly up before they ever consider lowering the subscription costs. Some think its greed, (it could be) but everyone has to realize it is a business trying to keep a product a float. I could see the subscriptions prices start to fall only after they start to see a profit. 200 million has yet (most likely) been recovered just from the production costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARhenus Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 how about 10$ a month without the 500CCs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConradLionhart Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 If we use the Steam discount sales as an analogy, giving huge discounts on games actually is a good business model because they are making profit off sheer volume. In the same way, lowering member prices will also encourage more people to sub or pay. So instead of lowering membership prices, how about we make it more interesting? Give discounts on certain periods rather than lowering membership prices outright. Say for christmas, they will give 50% discount on certain things in the cartel market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarWarsWoox Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 If we use the Steam discount sales as an analogy, giving huge discounts on games actually is a good business model because they are making profit off sheer volume. In the same way, lowering member prices will also encourage more people to sub or pay. So instead of lowering membership prices, how about we make it more interesting? Give discounts on certain periods rather than lowering membership prices outright. Say for christmas, they will give 50% discount on certain things in the cartel market. i love this idea, would be a great way to get a crazy amount of sales, and still everyone is happy, and no one is harmed by it happening, and they would see an increase flow of cash because of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhillB Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Really? If you can't afford $15 a month you shouldn't have a computer or an internet connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarWarsWoox Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 Really? If you can't afford $15 a month you shouldn't have a computer or an internet connection. it isnt a problem for me, but for people $180 a year to play a game might seem kind of steep.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConradLionhart Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 (edited) Really? If you can't afford $15 a month you shouldn't have a computer or an internet connection. It has less to do with the cost, and more to do with the numerous F2P MMOs out there like Planetside 2. There are a few articles from game sites and magazines on why the subscription model is dying. It is slowly becoming outdated and a better way of monetizing MMOs may be required. Enter Free-to-Play. Edited November 23, 2012 by ConradLionhart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarWarsWoox Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 yes free to play has become a huge thing, they kind of draw you in with the game being technically free to play, and then make all of there money by all of the add-ons you can buy, or the ability to buy in game currency, not a bad idea if you ask me, its a lot easier to spend money when you are addicted to a game, and its a lot easier to start playing a game when it is free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarWarsWoox Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 i'd love to see more comments so please continue posting new ideas/comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARhenus Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 sometimes people have just enough for electric bills, groceries, water, and internet connection, and would have coming up with $15. Even with a salary of about around 450-500 dollars a month(!), you'd have to put needs like transportation/food/rent/utilities before wants. It'd be doable, but only if your only hobby is computer gaming and you don't always spend your time outside. There are others who want to save up their cash, too so even if they have spare cash, they'd rather put more into their bank accounts than in a game, even if they want to play the game. Sure people want to play the game, but they have their priorities so it keeps them from getting a game, a small price cut will help them enjoy the game without compromising their priorities too much. TL:DR Want but can't always buy even if hez moneyz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glordin Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 (edited) $15 a month is a fair price as long as it includes everything and no cash shop at all. Of course the game needs to be good enough which is why most, including Swtor, fails at it. Make a good game and you can easily charge $15 a month cause it's not a lot of money for most. Biggest no no is to charge $15 a month and then ask those that pay that to still buy other things through a cash shop. That's abusing your subscribers and being way too greedy. And to those that think spending alot of money in the cash shop makes you help this game grow I can't but laugh. The only thing that grows is EAs pockets or maybe it shrinks some debt they still probably have for this game. Which might be only reason it's still running, as soon as it's paid off or written off in some tax deduction it will be shut down unless the license deal requires em to run it for a certain amount of years. Edited November 23, 2012 by Glordin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwerpunkt Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 it isnt a problem for me, but for people $180 a year to play a game might seem kind of steep.. I'm on disability and my annual income is $9,600 a year and I've been able to budget $15 dollars a month for a sub while also supporting two other family members. If I can do it, so can other people. If they can't fit it into their budget like I do, then they have much more important things to be worrying about than frivolous luxuries like the things needed to play any video game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rehneu Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 If we use the Steam discount sales as an analogy, giving huge discounts on games actually is a good business model because they are making profit off sheer volume. In the same way, lowering member prices will also encourage more people to sub or pay. So instead of lowering membership prices, how about we make it more interesting? Give discounts on certain periods rather than lowering membership prices outright. Say for christmas, they will give 50% discount on certain things in the cartel market. I too like this idea of them having sales on cartel coin purchases as well as perhaps adding in sales to cartel items in game. It would create a nice burst of money for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwerpunkt Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 sometimes people have just enough for electric bills, groceries, water, and internet connection, and would have coming up with $15. Even with a salary of about around 450-500 dollars a month(!), you'd have to put needs like transportation/food/rent/utilities before wants. It'd be doable, but only if your only hobby is computer gaming and you don't always spend your time outside. There are others who want to save up their cash, too so even if they have spare cash, they'd rather put more into their bank accounts than in a game, even if they want to play the game. Sure people want to play the game, but they have their priorities so it keeps them from getting a game, a small price cut will help them enjoy the game without compromising their priorities too much. TL:DR Want but can't always buy even if hez moneyz Too bad Bioware doesn't offer an option that allows people to play for free. If they did people could drop their subs whenever they felt they needed a few extra bucks for a month or two, or however long they felt it necessary and still play the game with some basic restrictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lklinga Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 sometimes people have just enough for electric bills, groceries, water, and internet connection, and would have coming up with $15. Even with a salary of about around 450-500 dollars a month(!), you'd have to put needs like transportation/food/rent/utilities before wants. It'd be doable, but only if your only hobby is computer gaming and you don't always spend your time outside. There are others who want to save up their cash, too so even if they have spare cash, they'd rather put more into their bank accounts than in a game, even if they want to play the game. Sure people want to play the game, but they have their priorities so it keeps them from getting a game, a small price cut will help them enjoy the game without compromising their priorities too much. TL:DR Want but can't always buy even if hez moneyz Sir or Madam. I live in country that is by most standards below US or any Western Europe countries. If you have issues in your life living in the rich countries to come up with $ 15 a month you should reconsider your priorities and work on your career. Not trying to be snobbish or anything but that is a fact. F2P is to lure people in or for very causal players that play so rarely sub is not worth the time they spend in game. The once a week for 2 3 hours kind of player] to put it in numbers. If you have existential problems like described above maybe you should be browsing education online classes or job offers not wasting it in game. Sincerely Player from Eastern Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarWarsWoox Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 Too bad Bioware doesn't offer an option that allows people to play for free. If they did people could drop their subs whenever they felt they needed a few extra bucks for a month or two, or however long they felt it necessary and still play the game with some basic restrictions. i sense a bit of sarcasm here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andryah Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Hi, I was just thinking about this and decided to throw this out there for a good debate topic. I would love to hear both sides of the argument. 1) With the rise of the Cartel Market, there is a new flow of cash going to the game, could this money help lower membership costs? should it be used in that sense? or should it be used in addition to the already existing cash flow to expand the game content? 2) Lowering membership prices could increase the amount of F2P players deciding to subscribe, this could nearly make up for the loss in revenue in the long run from the initial decline in monthly membership income and add more players and boost the overall player experience and keep the game alive Feel free to comment for and against, and also post your ideas on how lowering the membership costs could benefit/hurt the game! Thanks, Woox Game is 12.99 a month if you go for the 6 month sub, and you get 600 cartel coins per month as well. VERY COMPETITVE in today's marketplace. /thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noodlehaus Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 (edited) Hi, I was just thinking about this and decided to throw this out there for a good debate topic. I would love to hear both sides of the argument. 1) With the rise of the Cartel Market, there is a new flow of cash going to the game, could this money help lower membership costs? should it be used in that sense? or should it be used in addition to the already existing cash flow to expand the game content? 2) Lowering membership prices could increase the amount of F2P players deciding to subscribe, this could nearly make up for the loss in revenue in the long run from the initial decline in monthly membership income and add more players and boost the overall player experience and keep the game alive Feel free to comment for and against, and also post your ideas on how lowering the membership costs could benefit/hurt the game! Thanks, Woox I would remove the subscription option and make this game entirely F2P. 1. i don't want a gimped gaming experience if I spend more than $15/month on cartel coins 2. I'd rather spend that $15/month sub fee on cartel coins ($15 gets you 1500 CC vs the 500 CC sub stipend) 3. The play-when-you-want and pay-when-you-want of a purely F2P game is more appealing to me 4. You won't have a divided player base (no sub vs f2p player bull) This isn't any of that fanboy comment bull. Edited November 24, 2012 by noodlehaus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkgryphon Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 If we use the Steam discount sales as an analogy, giving huge discounts on games actually is a good business model because they are making profit off sheer volume. In the same way, lowering member prices will also encourage more people to sub or pay. So instead of lowering membership prices, how about we make it more interesting? Give discounts on certain periods rather than lowering membership prices outright. Say for christmas, they will give 50% discount on certain things in the cartel market. I've seen a similar model with DDO, and the way they justify the price of subs, is once and a while they give you double cash shop money stipend for a couple months, then back to normal. There are always items on sale in their store, they just cycle through them. This week it's XP pots, next week it's a few adventure areas. SWTOR will probably do something like that in the future, but we need to just let the F2P settle down first, and hope they correct any mistakes that may be with F2P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mdgshorty Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 We have a somewhat tier system right now with f2p, preferred f2p, and subscribers. What about having a tier system for subscribers. Subscribers would be able to choose the right plan for them based off of their game style. I was thinking of a $5, $10, and $15 plans. All plans would get full access to everything according to current subscription except for Warzones, space missions, flashpoints, and operations. The $5 plan would unlimited Warzones and space missions. The $10 plan would be unlimited, Warzones, Space Missions, and Flashpoints The $15 plan would be unlimited Warzones, Space Misssions, Flashpoints and Operations We keep the $15 plan to have the discount price per month if we subscribe in bulk like we do now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwerpunkt Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 i sense a bit of sarcasm here? My friend if you only detect a "bit" of sarcasm in that post, you need to get your sarcasm meter recalibrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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