Following in the footsteps of Champions Online, Cryptic Studios and Atari have just announced that they will be offering Lifetime and 12 Month (reduced price) subscriptions for a limited time! The offer will end on February 1st, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST, so get 'em while they're hot!

So what do you get for your Lifetime subscription other than the pleasure of playing Star Trek Online forever? How about playable Borg as a race? Seriously!

Details below:

Q: What are the playable Borg’s in-game traits?
A: The Liberated Borg begins with the following two traits. You can select another two traits from a general list.

Borg Nanites: +10% Health Regeneration
Description: Ground Trait. Constantly regenerates shields and health.

Efficient: +5 Starship Shield Efficiency, +5 Starship Engine Efficiency, +5 Starship Energy Weapon Efficiency, +5 Starship Auxiliary Systems Efficiency
Description: Space Trait. Provides a bonus to efficiency stats, improving the effectiveness of many of your power management abilities.

The Liberated Borg also has a unique optional trait.

Neural Blast: 30 second debuff. Drastically reduces run speed. Every 4 seconds, Neural Blast has a 40% chance to hold the target for 3 seconds.
Description: Activatable Ground Trait. Inject the target with neural toxins, which continually attempt to hold the target for the duration. Also reduces the target's movement speed.

Lifetime and 12 month subscribers will also receive 2 additional character slots as a bonus.

Pricing for the Lifetime subscription is set at $239, while the 12 month subscription is being offered at $119, or about $60 off what you'd pay month to month for a year otherwise.

For more information on the above offers, read the Exclusive Specials FAQ here.

Will you be ponying up for a Lifetime or 12 month subscription to Star Trek Online? Let us know in the comments below.

 I hate these deals it's like pay $240 if you want to play as a borg....

All these deals over every site means you have to buy several copies of the game if you want the items. It just makes me say I'm not gonna bother with the game because I'm a completionist and can't stand not having the items.

What ever happened to the good old days when you could get everything in game via playing it?

 ^

So in all the other MMOs you have played you had EVERY single item in those games? lol ok

Most games have class restricted items or stuff that is restricted in some way so its not possible to get everything anyways.

 Great, we can have a repeat of Champions Online...offer lifetime subs to people that won't even stick with it. =P

Originally posted by Proson

 ^

So in all the other MMOs you have played you had EVERY single item in those games? lol ok

 

Most games have class restricted items or stuff that is restricted in some way so its not possible to get everything anyways.

A Race is a pretty big deal tbh, especially the Borg seeing as they're kool. I can't afford $240 on a single game and tbh whats funny is if you stay subbed monthly over the years you're being more loyal than buying a lifetime sub.

What, no beta invite to the game they will pump out 6 months from now?

Basically a Lifetime sub will run you 16 months of subscription time ahead of time. If you feel confident you're going to play the game for 16 months or longer based on your experiences now it might be a good deal. If not, well then, depends on how much you want to be a Borg!

$240 for an exclusive way to unlock the BORG RACE, with quite interesting traits.

The least they should be doing is making a contract of providing continuous updates with a X man development team for 12 months, I see so much potential in this game but there is risk written all over it, not to mention with this they announced they will be charging for expansion packs.

Cryptic is monetizing on EVERY way known to the genre, and the lifetime hasn't been announced to save you all of those costs, only the monthly fee, so in fact you may not be spending only $240 over these 17 months:

- A microtransaction-based shop.
- A monthly fee.
- Retail box entry cost.
- Expansion packs...

$290 for a game?  No thanks, it will get old after 2 months and you guys will be back here crying because you wasted your money (look at how fast Champions Online got old).  We should be able to buy a game and actually get ALL of the same content in it, not be forced to pay these outrageous prices just to get the good stuff...

And like said before, you still have to buy the expansion packs.  This company is in it to make as much money as they can, not caring if they ruin their image or startrek's image.

Have I ever mentioned that I think Cryptic sucks since its even more of a money whore than EA?

If I had $240 to burn....I might

Hoping the player borg will come out as an MT.

Originally posted by Palebane

What, no beta invite to the game they will pump out 6 months from now?

I am afraid i may have missed my Beta keys,because for some unknown reason ALL my emails were directed as spam and instant erase,i have no idea ,i did not set it that way.I only noticed it today because i saw 3 MMORPG emails just briefly for a split second and then nothing.Took me a few hours to fgiure it out,then i looked under junk mail and blocked sites and i had EVERY site blocked.

Guess i will have to bug Fileplanet again for a Beta key.

Originally posted by rlmccoy1987

$290 for a game?  No thanks, it will get old after 2 months and you guys will be back here crying because you wasted your money.  We should be able to buy a game and actually get ALL of the same content in it, not be forced to pay these outrageous prices just to get the good stuff...

This lifetime thing is quite new in the mmo genre,you say 2 months and it gets old,tell that to players that have been playing the same mmo for 5 years..they would snap your hand of for this offer.

Yes it is maybe a gamble but if you believe in the game and you think along the lines of the money you pay is only maybe 4 new game's that maybe last you 2 months then it is a hell of a deal.I already got my life sub,my 1st ever as I do believe in this game.

I think lifetime subs are a great idea.  What I think is the bullshit call is making them available ONLY before the game is released, not after.  After a month or two, I'll know whether the lifetime sub is worth it.  But not during beta.

Titanic

Originally posted by zeowyrm

I think lifetime subs are a great idea.  What I think is the bullshit call is making them available ONLY before the game is released, not after.  After a month or two, I'll know whether the lifetime sub is worth it.  But not during beta.

Agreed.

Originally posted by rlmccoy1987

Originally posted by daylight01

Originally posted by rlmccoy1987

$290 for a game?  No thanks, it will get old after 2 months and you guys will be back here crying because you wasted your money.  We should be able to buy a game and actually get ALL of the same content in it, not be forced to pay these outrageous prices just to get the good stuff...

This lifetime thing is quite new in the mmo genre,you say 2 months and it gets old,tell that to players that have been playing the same mmo for 5 years..they would snap your hand of for this offer.

Yes it is maybe a gamble but if you believe in the game and you think along the lines of the money you pay is only maybe 4 new game's that maybe last you 2 months then it is a hell of a deal.I already got my life sub,my 1st ever as I do believe in this game.

 

[Mod Edit]

Sorry "you guys"?

I did not even sub to CO for 1 month,I am not a follow the crowd guy,I play and pay for what I enjoy,if you do not want to pay for the lifetime sub then that is fair enough but do not pigeon hole me with something I was never part off.

 Wow, ... on the one hand a playable race for the lifers is a big deal, but ultimately they are selling the race, not just the lifetime sub.  The main issue will be 3 months down the line when they release the borg race as a Micro Transaction, and then suddenly those that took advantage of this "deal" suddenly become just another guy who overpaid for their product.

I really don't like the way cryptic is handling this... but judging from the popularity of their games recently, I guess they have to make money somehow.

Had to have one after formulating an opinion the game is good enough for one - for me anyway.

Originally posted by Zorvan01

Originally posted by zeowyrm

I think lifetime subs are a great idea.  What I think is the bullshit call is making them available ONLY before the game is released, not after.  After a month or two, I'll know whether the lifetime sub is worth it.  But not during beta.

 

Agreed.

This has "SCAM" written all over it.

I will find out if this offer will be made in Australia - where there are consumer protection laws that will counter any bait advertising.
(my bet is "no")

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Had to have one after formulating an opinion the game is good enough for one - for me anyway.

Avery I am looking forward to meeting you in game.

Will be sure to look for you and hopefully add you to my friends list :)