When it was $14 I found it hard to justify spending that much.. reason being is because the times I was able to play the server was absolutely dead. One (maybe two if you were lucky) towns being fought and there had to be no more than 7 guys in the air per side. There's just no way I'm going to pay $18 a month for something I left for.. which was at a cheaper price.

So can someone please clairify - is it really $18?

edit: Changed the title to be less dramatic ;)

editx2: If a mod sees this can he/she delete or lock the thread since I've gotten my answer? Thanks!

Originally posted by DrOrpheus

When it was $14 I found it hard to justify spending that much.. reason being is because the times I was able to play the server was absolutely dead. One (maybe two if you were lucky) towns being fought and there had to be no more than 7 guys in the air per side. There's just no way I'm going to pay $18 a month for something I left for.. which was at a cheaper price.

 

So can someone please clairify - is it really $18?

Month to month subscriptions are $18, yes. Packaged subscriptions are not $18. Its pretty obivous you already knew that, and you just wanted to complain about the game.

The game isn't perfect. You clearly know that, thats why you left. Move on dude.

Sort of.

I've only heard about it and wasn't all too sure. I figured since this is really the only place to discuss the game I could get a quick and reliable answer. However, I did try looking on their site/forums and also this site, but I didn't see any reference to it.

And the backstory wasn't all meant for me to complain or vent, rather because I figured people would pull the "it's only $3" card. This thread wasn't meant to complain about the game. I have no real problems with it, honestly (except population). If anything, it's to complain, discuss or whatever about the price (or supposed price at the time).

Don't think I'll move on, though. I love this game. In fact, I hold it as my favorite MMO and possibly first person shooter.

I do not think the OP is a troll attempt.  What Im about to say is not a troll attempt.  i was going to try this game as it is one of the last monthly sub games I have not tried.  I will not try it out now.  I cannot endorse a game that charges this much a month. Yes it is only 3 bucks more, but it sets the stage for other games to do the same.  I think the trend should be going down not up. My last apartment's water bill was only 20 bucks a month.  Why would a dead game charge that much?  The game is, by all accounts, on its last leg.  A pun there BTW.   I understand the reason for the high price is to keep the game alive, but whatever

Heh :)

This game is so dead I had to try to scrape multiple ea of my wingmans tail last  night. Then I flew to another town, after he went to bed, with another squaddie and found a furball there too....

Yeh..this game is "dead" based on the fact that everytime I've logged in for the last week I've found something to do with an attack or defense going.

The cost? <shrugs> A subscribers choice. No more, no less.

Originally posted by Stug

Heh :)

 

This game is so dead I had to try to scrape multiple ea of my wingmans tail last  night. Then I flew to another town, after he went to bed, with another squaddie and found a furball there too....

 

Yeh..this game is "dead" based on the fact that everytime I've logged in for the last week I've found something to do with an attack or defense going.

 

The cost? A subscribers choice. No more, no less.

I'm sure you're being friendly, but to clairify I didn't mean the game was completely dead. I meant that when I was able to play (which was around 12am-5am EST) there wasn't. And it was such a problem that they had to implement a feature where only one/two (I think the latter) town may be attacked and defended at a given time due to such low population during those hours (because one side [Axis] would annihilate the maps during these hours).

Again, I'm sure it's jammed packed on the US afternoon hours.. but because of work and my schedule the only time I could play were those hours.

Things might have changed. :) And the "subscribers choice" couldn't be said better. If it's too much for me - don't pay! =p

Since I already got my answer, is there a way to lock this thread?

Wow..I checked the website and a one month sub is $17.99.  If you want to pay $14.99 you have to get atleast a six month package. What a joke...seriously? That is more than any mmorpg that I know if.. This game was released almost 10 years ago and has low pop and they want to charge those rates? Wow just wow. People are not going to go to that game at that price.....if anything, they should consider free to play with sub option....i'm in awe right now.

Well if you do simple inflation of about 3% a year (about the average in the US) from 1999 til today the 14.99 that the game cost per month back in 1999 should be  $20.14/month today. So in reality its actually cheaper today paying about $18/month than it was pay $15/month back in 1999.

And also you have to make a better comparative analysis to what you like and what you are getting for your money. Some games have chosen to go the "Free-to-play" route but they are hardly free to play and many people will end up paying a lot more than $15 a month in the end. Also, WW2 Online has had pretty regular and constant updates since its initial release and I dont think they have ever charged for 1 of them. Other games release expansions once or twice a year with a cost that is similar to a whole new game. Then you need to compare what type of enjoyment you may get out of a game like this vs some other activity or hobby. Maybe you like going fishing instead of playing video games but that will end up costing you a fortune for rods, reels, bait, lures, etc. If you own a boat, the upfront cost, maintenance and gas will be $100s or $1000s every month.

Its all relative...don't just balk at the price because other games arent "directly" doing the same thing.

Originally posted by DrOrpheus

When it was $14 I found it hard to justify spending that much.. reason being is because the times I was able to play the server was absolutely dead. One (maybe two if you were lucky) towns being fought and there had to be no more than 7 guys in the air per side. There's just no way I'm going to pay $18 a month for something I left for.. which was at a cheaper price.

 

So can someone please clairify - is it really $18?

 

edit: Changed the title to be less dramatic ;)

editx2: If a mod sees this can he/she delete or lock the thread since I've gotten my answer? Thanks!

 Ok last I saw the payment options are as follows

1. Monthly  fee 17.99  means you can unsub any time you want no fee for unsubing

2. Pre-pay for 3/6/1year plans with discounts based on which plan  you pick. No fee if you unsub

3. Easy-pay  same 3/6/1year plans with discounts based on your plan. means you still pay every month but if you decide to unsub they hit you with a service fee for unsubing.

Those may have changed but thats what they where when I stopped playing. The game is good but they have way to many issues with bugs and population along with the path there takeing to make the game ( more like quake online instant action shooter than tactical war sim )  to pay those type of monthly rates. Alot of long timers up and left the game due to those factors anyway still a good game just for me not worth the amount anymore.

I´ve bought a silver account 2 years before. From a math side, longer term-payments are always cheaper than short periode payments.

Some of you guys mention, that the game is at the "last leg" and the population in game looks like a desert.

Hm, if someone would claim that the population has increased lately (over the past few years) - i would plain say that he lies!

But on the other hand, folks be aware that since 2001 (at least from what i know) peoples always are claiming that the game is dying and soon will the servers get off for good.

Reviewing (from a pov) the server population during x-mas times, it was always lower than on other times (and in oposition of all the "kassandras") the servers are still running. Indeed many players left - not only for x-mas vaccation but they turned their back to the(ir once beloved) game and are not returning - at least as long as this game is moving towards an arcade shooter.

The only reason why the game didn´t died is, because the idea of the game still is unbeaten by any other game. As soon as another company will create a ww2 sim and BGE will get competition, then maybe BGE will receive the final coffin-nail.

Back to monthly fees, i think it doesn´t make much difference if it is 10.-$ or 20.-$ a month. Ppl who like the game will go for longer term payments anyway. I do agree, that going for longer term payments, the hugest obstacle is simply the question of what will be implemented in game at a medium range of time. In case the devs are bringing up their features and players (except the HC-players) don´t like it - there will be just a feeling of wasted money left for regulair players; nothing more they can do against it. It should be clear for everybody, that only the HC-players opinions is what is counting for CRS, the rest can go "into the basement and shine the coals".  Proof of this is the AO/TOE/HC questions - often raised in BGE-forums and everytime was going down "unheared" by devs, because the devs simply put much more weight into the statements of a handfull former CinCs than into the complaints of a huge part of the playerbase.

It is simple - players who disagree with the style of gameplay BGE has turned into it; those players will not remain in game due to arcadish FRU implementions and other "getting fast action tools".

A solution to the pricing? ----

Check the game out and decide for yourself, wether you can play the game for at least 5 years or not; then buy yourself a builders account for 5 years (500.-$) or leave the game. With such a builders account you are paying less than 10.-$ a month for the next 5 years.

Originally posted by [Mordecai]

Well if you do simple inflation of about 3% a year (about the average in the US) from 1999 til today the 14.99 that the game cost per month back in 1999 should be  $20.14/month today. So in reality its actually cheaper today paying about $18/month than it was pay $15/month back in 1999.

Interesting point.

It is an intresting observation.  Lets compare apples to apples today in the year 2010.  Industry standard is 14.99.  I think wow is even cheaper than that.  Why would this game charge 18 a month.  It just doesnt make sence.  Out of spite I will never try this game.  Sorta why I never bought a single Dawn of War game.  Even though I still play tabletop 40k.  I could not support a single player game requiring an internet connection.  One day I might be bored enough to get a cracked copy.

Ill never be bored enough to endorse some 3rd class step-step nephew of a video gam that is WW2 online.  I cant allow the price of monthly premiums to go up when they should be going down.

That is your choice.

If the game was for you you would be missing out.

Originally posted by duelkore

It is an intresting observation.  Lets compare apples to apples today in the year 2010.  Industry standard is 14.99.  I think wow is even cheaper than that.  Why would this game charge 18 a month.  It just doesnt make sence.  Out of spite I will never try this game.  Sorta why I never bought a single Dawn of War game.  Even though I still play tabletop 40k.  I could not support a single player game requiring an internet connection.  One day I might be bored enough to get a cracked copy.

Ill never be bored enough to endorse some 3rd class step-step nephew of a video gam that is WW2 online.  I cant allow the price of monthly premiums to go up when they should be going down.

I'm not sure you understand the business and comparing WoW and WWII Online is not comparing apples to apples.

From a simple pricing standpoint lets say the average MMO releasing 1 expansion every year or every 1.5 years. The initial cost of the game, commonly $50-60 today plus $15/month and $30-60 every year for the latest content/expansion means you are actually paying more than $18 per month. On top of that a lot of games have exclusive pay for content and objects that if you want you will have to pay even more for.

From a business standpoint a game like WoW can afford to charge lower prices much the same way Walmart can afford to charge lower prices. Their overhead per customer is significantly lower. Though there development team is probably 10 times larger their player base may be more than 1000 times larger. They can charge lower prices but they really dont

Stomp your feet and cry about $18/month if you want but do the math for some of the other games out there and see what it really is. And again 18/month is only if you are doing month to month. WW2 online is also cheaper from the start...i think $20 for the game itself with 14-day free trial plus 30 days free access for buying the game.

LOL $18 a month that is simply laughable.

Originally posted by SNAFUdamus

LOL $18 a month that is simply laughable.

I completely agree. 

Whats really funny is the fanboys blindly defending this nosense.  Even saying $18 a month with no fee to cancel.  Which mmo charges a fee to cancel?  Ha none. 

I tried this game out for the free month and it was fun but I came to the conclusion, that I could see me still playing if the rate was like $4.99 a month but $18?  Sounds like they have some idiotic marketers or are happy with the current willing to pay player base.

Originally posted by lightingbird

Originally posted by SNAFUdamus

LOL $18 a month that is simply laughable.

I completely agree. 

 

Whats really funny is the fanboys blindly defending this nosense.  Even saying $18 a month with no fee to cancel.  Which mmo charges a fee to cancel?  Ha none. 

I tried this game out for the free month and it was fun but I came to the conclusion, that I could see me still playing if the rate was like $4.99 a month but $18?  Sounds like they have some idiotic marketers or are happy with the current willing to pay player base.

Ha, have you ever seen an advertisement for this game? Because I haven't. The only reason I found this game was because World War II Online caught my eye on here (MMORPG 'Game List').

Though they've tried to pull in new players. But raising the price is not a way to get money. Sure, you'll be earning more per player.. but how many players are you driving away? Be it old timers and new comers.

I honestly feel like they should have went another route before changing the price.

Maybe rework the builder plans so it's affordable to a larger audience? Maybe offer lifetime memberships like most MMOs are doing now? Sell in-game 'items' - name changes, use of forum avatars, squad approved decals, etc. It doesn't have to be gamey like F2P items. Advertisement campaigns paid by donations? Perhaps player referral bonuses?

Those are definitely not the best ideas. But there's gotta be a different way than raising the subscription plan.. that's like a copout.

I am letting my sub run out. I come back to this game once in awhile. I don't think they can justify the $18. Not a problem with me. My problem with the game is the spies. I image that I'll come back in a year, play a month or 2 and quit again. You know, like we have been doing for the past 6 - 7 years with all mmos?

Wow I was thinking of trying this game out, but there is no way in hell it could be good enough to justify $18 a month. No game is. I wouldn't even pay that for Planetside if they somehow got the pops back up and got rid of BFRs, and Planetside was one of the best games I ever played.

It's a real shame that they have whacked the price up and implemented draconian payment plans. I had been playing this game for about 5-6 years on and off and it has always been the one game I've left installed on my harddrive just incase I felt the urge to get back into the battle! Sadly I cannot justify the price and I don't think I will ever play my beloved WW2OL again *a single tear falls down my face*