I guess NA servers are emptier than EU ones as apparently 0$ = 4.5 euros

Me, I'll play when they pay me 15$ a month.

You'll see this in MMO's pretty commonly from now on, I think.

MMO's aren't like single player games, where all your money comes from boxes, and the occasional DLC.  No matter how successful your game is, at some point, your box price becomes the gate that blocks your company from receiving new sub money.

The more aggressive you are in pricing after the big launch boom, the healthier your population will be.  After the 3 month mark, almost every player that intended to pay full price for the game and play it will have done so.  Your goal then, is to find the price everyone else is willing to pay for the box.  $40?  $30?  $15?  Even free?  Any player you get with a free box will get you $15 bucks a month, as opposed to keeping your box priced at $60 and getting nothing.

It's a smart strategy.

Originally posted by kishe

I guess NA servers are emptier than EU ones as apparently 0$ = 4.5 euros

 

Me, I'll play when they pay me 15$ a month.

The ones in the EU seem to be doing ok for the most part . Dunno why it caught on more in the EU than North America if thats the case . I've been playing it for several months now its a solid game but I'm probably going to TOR when it comes out and will play Rift the odd month 3 or 4 times a year .

Originally posted by OkhamsRazor

Originally posted by kishe

I guess NA servers are emptier than EU ones as apparently 0$ = 4.5 euros

 

Me, I'll play when they pay me 15$ a month.

The ones in the EU seem to be doing ok for the most part . Dunno why it caught on more in the EU than North America if thats the case . I've been playing it for several months now its a solid game but I'm probably going to TOR when it comes out and will play Rift the odd month 3 or 4 times a year .

have to say i,m on steampike server in EU and i can tell you this ..the server aint dead..very busy indeed..cant speak for the others..on a personal note i think its great fun has a part time game.

Originally posted by Robsolf

You'll see this in MMO's pretty commonly from now on, I think.

MMO's aren't like single player games, where all your money comes from boxes, and the occasional DLC.  No matter how successful your game is, at some point, your box price becomes the gate that blocks your company from receiving new sub money.

The more aggressive you are in pricing after the big launch boom, the healthier your population will be.  After the 3 month mark, almost every player that intended to pay full price for the game and play it will have done so.  Your goal then, is to find the price everyone else is willing to pay for the box.  $40?  $30?  $15?  Even free?  Any player you get with a free box will get you $15 bucks a month, as opposed to keeping your box priced at $60 and getting nothing.

It's a smart strategy.

 

Almost five years after the release of the first expansion, you can buy Burning Vanilla for $20.  Three years after the second expansion, they'll offer you their Wrath for $40.  A year after the third expansion, they'll Cata-size your game for $40.

Seven year old game, three expansions - going to cost you $100 to play.

Might want to mention the smart strategy to the folks over at Blizzard...heh.

It is kind of funny, cause most games out there do go with the strategy that you mentioned - reduced box costs, better bundled deals to get into the game.

Sure, you'd be silly to spend that $100 for WoW at the Blizzard store - you could spend $77 over at Amazon...cough.

I've read it a few times, in the email they sent out, and I'm still getting a chuckle out of this:

Collect Unique Snowflakes to trade for exclusive items like a Tawny Fae Yule Vaiyuu mount, Rudi the red-nosed corgi, and weapons to help you spread the joy of Ascended justice to vile invaders everywhere.

The joy of Ascended justice...

I remembver the EQ1 bundles with expansions for like 20 or 30 bucks and you got 7 games. I would imagine now it is still like that to get people caught up rather than paying 30-50 per expansion.

Smart to go free for the game to get some subs but last I knew the game was pretty dead across all NA servers. People left in droves. I myself paid for a 6 month sub when the game came out. Luckily I got hacked 8 hours before the coin lock and all that was taken was my plats. Then I recieved a free 30 days along with anyone and everyone who has hacked since launch. So I was not billed for the 6 months and I cancelled a couple weeks later.

I did go back on a free weekend a couple months ago and my server was dead as were most of the servers. I saw quite a few low pops and this was prime time weekend play time.

Originally posted by VirusDancer

Almost five years after the release of the first expansion, you can buy Burning Vanilla for $20.  Three years after the second expansion, they'll offer you their Wrath for $40.  A year after the third expansion, they'll Cata-size your game for $40.

Seven year old game, three expansions - going to cost you $100 to play.

Might want to mention the smart strategy to the folks over at Blizzard...heh.

It is kind of funny, cause most games out there do go with the strategy that you mentioned - reduced box costs, better bundled deals to get into the game.

Sure, you'd be silly to spend that $100 for WoW at the Blizzard store - you could spend $77 over at Amazon...cough.

WoW has always been the exception to the rule.  Surely you don't need me to tell you that?  And if they keep losing subs, it may not be an exception for much longer. 

My local Fry's electronics has a large number of Cata CE on sale for $24.99.

---

Originally posted by VirusDancer

Almost five years after the release of the first expansion, you can buy Burning Vanilla for $20.  Three years after the second expansion, they'll offer you their Wrath for $40.  A year after the third expansion, they'll Cata-size your game for $40.
Seven year old game, three expansions - going to cost you $100 to play.
Might want to mention the smart strategy to the folks over at Blizzard...heh.

---

That rule only affects games that need subs for the most part.

Blizzard doesn't live by the rules most other mmos do. Rift has been out eight months and is now going to zero pricing, that says more about it than anything else. It's not a 'bad' game per se.. it's just not setting most people's pants on fire.

Many of the people playing Rift today are actually excited about other games still yet to be released (GW2, ToR, TSW, ArcheAge) than Rift. Again, it's not because it's bad, it's just that Rift was kind of an afterthought whereas people have been actively waiting years for the other games.

so are you able to get the key for $0 or do u have to sub to get the game. because i was thinking of getting it while its still free, and playing it maybe a year down the road, but i really don't want to sub to the game in its current state :-/

Originally posted by kishe

I guess NA servers are emptier than EU ones as apparently 0$ = 4.5 euros

 

Me, I'll play when they pay me 15$ a month.

 Ye the idiots at Trion cant put 2 and 2 togeater - they obviously think a USD has the same value as as Euro. So when u had to buy the game you had to fake you were from US to get it 25% cheater ... else Europeans had to pay 25% more to play... Europeans still have to pay 25% more on subs ...

Talking about retards ... omg

Originally posted by kishe

Me, I'll play when they pay me 15$ a month.

I agree. More publishers should pay me for playing their shitty games. They ought to be grateful. 

That promotion is very deceptive.

I got that e-mail; you can get the game for free, but pay the monthly fee right off, no 30 days free game time. on the link in that e-mail, you're taken to a page that clearly states that the $0 offer requires you to pay the monthly fee first..the deceptive part is the collector's edition for $10. it also requires you to pay the monthly fee right off, no free game time..BUT IT ONLY TELLS YOU THAT AFTER YOU'VE BOUGHT THE GAME. Further, once you've bought the game, you're told that the monthly fee will be charged upon first log-in. this may be important, considering the patch for this game is 9+gigs, you may not be playing for a bit considering your internet connection/rig. but, I was charged immediately for both the game, and the monthly fee, 2 separate charges, totally $24.99. So, if you play, know it's not free at all. That's intentional deception, and it pisses me off to the point that I'm not going to play. they got this cash, but, had they just been honest, I could've played this game for months. they could have gotten more. I won't reward deception, even if it appears that I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face. oh well..back to EVE..

yeah i have to say that is pretty bad promotion on their part. The least they could do is allow you to play to level 20 at least WoW did that much.

Full game + first month for 7.99 on steam right now

better deal

It's a tough economy man. game developers are starting to feel it as well. if you think about blizzards not feeling anything. they are notoruis for not givin a crap. they have tons of cash. but they have been holding out.

So it's tough all over man. allot of good people at these companys may not have jobs this xmas so i can feel bad for them.

Rift is a solid game BTW. i wish it had devs that could actually see what MMO gamers want and add it. there is so much to list, but housing comes to mind and some sandbox that could help roleplayers.

Still a good solid game.

Originally posted by Laughing-man

Full game + first month for 7.99 on steam right now

better deal

Tempting.  If they give me a full game and free first month I'd bite.  I'd try EQ2 or go back and level in AoC before paying for Rift.

Originally posted by itgrowls

yeah i have to say that is pretty bad promotion on their part. The least they could do is allow you to play to level 20 at least WoW did that much.

They have a trial up to level 20 just like wow.   This is the client, for free.  WoW makes you pay 20 bucks for the classic + BC  40 for Wrath  and 40-60 for Cata. 

Rift right now is 0 bucks for that client.

Both have the same month cost.

Originally posted by jeremyjodes

It's a tough economy man. game developers are starting to feel it as well. if you think about blizzards not feeling anything. they are notoruis for not givin a crap. they have tons of cash. but they have been holding out.

 

So it's tough all over man. allot of good people at these companys may not have jobs this xmas so i can feel bad for them.

 

Rift is a solid game BTW. i wish it had devs that could actually see what MMO gamers want and add it. there is so much to list, but housing comes to mind and some sandbox that could help roleplayers.

 

Still a good solid game.

Uh, yes, I'm aware it's a tough economy, I'm living in it too, which is why this pisses me off so much. they've no right to trick players into spending more money than they intended. why would you try to defend that kind of asshole behavior?