Should we have option, to buy lifetime access?

Anu_Saukko_Tutkija · July 2014

So here it is. Only 30/60/180days game time available. lets add lifetime opinion,what you guys think?

Tannakaobi · July 2014

.... Why?

fromtesonlineb16_ESO · July 2014

Tannakaobi wrote: »

killerintheline9 wrote: »

I can't see why not?

So what kind of price are you thinking?

@killerintheline9, this is kind of important.

I have two LOTRO lifetimes which I began to 'profit' from after around 12 months IIRC, maybe a bit less, they were excellent value and I suspect Turbine regretted they did that some time later, they dropped it around 2009/10 I think.

That's the only MMO I know of that had lifetime.

Surragard · July 2014

I missed the chance to buy lifetime for LOTRO and wished that I had. However, it's also worth noting that LOTRO had the lifetime option about a year to 1.5 years before it went FTP (going off of memory there; might have the exact number off a bit). I don't personally agree with this sentiment but there is a widely held belief that announcing a Lifetime Subscription option is the same as announcing that the game is getting ready for FTP.

With that said, this issue came quite a bit in the beta forums and the devs commented hinting that they had seen the feedback and that more information may be coming soon. At this point, considering there has been no announcement I'm assuming that the idea was discussed and scratched. I'm personally in support of a Lifetime and would buy it immediately but if this option ever gets offered I think it will be after the game is a few years old. The devs aren't going to want to lose money by offering it this early in the game's lifetime.

Orizuru · July 2014

In my experience, businesses that provide any kind of service to their customers end up losing on lifetime memberships from an accounting perspective.

When you sell a membership service, on a basic level you place the membership fee into a deferred income account and then you earn a percentage of the income each day until 100% of the fee is earned. In a normal membership you earn the income at a rate that is equal to the term of the membership service provided, divided by frequency at which your accounting department chooses to recognize earned income. For example, if a customer buys a 1 year membership, you earn 1/365th of the deferred income if you recognize income daily; 1/12th if you recognize the income monthly.

The earned income each day or month allows the business to create a budget for a period in time, based on the expected earned income you will recognize. A normal membership stops being a member during the first financial period where there is no deferred income left to be earned. In a lifetime membership situation, the customer now becomes a liability because there are still costs for the company to maintain and support this membership as an active membership for a customer, but there is no longer any income being earned to pay for these costs. So in the long run, lifetime members that remain active members after all of their membership fees have been earned as income become a drain on the company financially.

In the world of membership services though, lifetime memberships are something you should really only offer to your customers as a special reward or incentive when you need to generate revenue quickly or when you expect the customers to stop using the services that go along with the membership on or around the time at which the customer becomes a liability.

Pele · July 2014

I wouldn't mind a lifetime sub option.

If a year from now, I am still enjoying the game enough to login regularly and play, I'd like the option for a lifetime sub. That would be long enough for me to know if I want to spend hundreds for lifelong access.

fromtesonlineb16_ESO wrote: »

That's the only MMO I know of that had lifetime.

The Secret World has lifetime subs for $200.

Milktray · July 2014

Tannakaobi wrote: »

So that's £160 - £280 British pounds more or less. For one year of a rolling monthly subscription it is £107 more or less.

I think we begin to see why they don't offer this deal. Someone willing to buy a life-time subscription is almost sure to spend more over the course of the games lifetime, possibly up to 4 or 5 times as much.

It just does not seem worthwhile for them. Also, if the game does go free to play then what? It's a lot of extra work in admin, for nothing, possibly less than nothing.

So I would use that as the reason to why they don't offer a life-time subscription.

Not exactly true, if they are going to have a cash shop then they might benefit from LTS

I have 2 and i find it then allows me to think less about the monthly sub and if i need a boost or want a vanity item then i have the spare cash since i paid already.

And if they go for the higher £280 to £300 then thats 2 years+ of sub right upfront and even then you have the expansions that will probably be released etc that they will get money from .. almost gaurenteed from the LTS bunch.

And ofcourse if/when they put in the cash shop they will get money from the LTS guys/gals who have that extra cash floating about

Anu_Saukko_Tutkija · July 2014

I can't see why not?

Tannakaobi · July 2014

killerintheline9 wrote: »

I can't see why not?

So what kind of price are you thinking?

JolenTaar · July 2014

fromtesonlineb16_ESO wrote: »

That's the only MMO I know of that had lifetime.

I know The Secret World offered lifetime subscription before it went B2P. I still regret I didn't buy the LOTRO lifetime access, since I've paid that price a few times over in subscription fees.

Anu_Saukko_Tutkija · July 2014

Tannakaobi wrote: »

killerintheline9 wrote: »

I can't see why not?

So what kind of price are you thinking?

I would pay between 200-350 Euros.

Tannakaobi · July 2014

So that's £160 - £280 British pounds more or less. For one year of a rolling monthly subscription it is £107 more or less.

I think we begin to see why they don't offer this deal. Someone willing to buy a life-time subscription is almost sure to spend more over the course of the games lifetime, possibly up to 4 or 5 times as much.

It just does not seem worthwhile for them. Also, if the game does go free to play then what? It's a lot of extra work in admin, for nothing, possibly less than nothing.

So I would use that as the reason to why they don't offer a life-time subscription.

AreoHotah · July 2014

No. It would. be another reason for ppl to whine on forums
Ppl get bored and want their money back. Also if one can afford a 180 days sub then he shouldnt have money saving problems lol.

AlexDougherty · July 2014

The problem is if most of us buy a lifetime sub, we never pay again, which means the game has no income, which means it folds sooner.

Also it feels like I have to play the game if I bought the lifetime sub, I know I don't, but that's how it feels, and I don't like that.

Anu_Saukko_Tutkija · July 2014

Good opinions here, Thank you guys.

fromtesonlineb16_ESO · July 2014

AlexDougherty wrote: »

The problem is if most of us buy a lifetime sub, we never pay again, which means the game has no income, which means it folds sooner.

Also it feels like I have to play the game if I bought the lifetime sub, I know I don't, but that's how it feels, and I don't like that.

I agree with your first comment, I suspect one reason that pushed LOTRO to the hybrid model it is now was the number of 'lifers'

I disagree with your second comment, because I don't have to pay I'm quite happy leaving my LOTRO characters sitting there and go back to them from time to time. Once my lifetime fee had paid for itself the 'pressure' to play simply evaporated.

AlexDougherty · July 2014

fromtesonlineb16_ESO wrote: »

AlexDougherty wrote: »

The problem is if most of us buy a lifetime sub, we never pay again, which means the game has no income, which means it folds sooner.

Also it feels like I have to play the game if I bought the lifetime sub, I know I don't, but that's how it feels, and I don't like that.

I agree with your first comment, I suspect one reason that pushed LOTRO to the hybrid model it is now was the number of 'lifers'

I disagree with your second comment, because I don't have to pay I'm quite happy leaving my LOTRO characters sitting there and go back to them from time to time. Once my lifetime fee had paid for itself the 'pressure' to play simply evaporated.

The second part was my personal feeling on the matter, it's quite alright to disagree with it, it doesn't invalidate how I feel though. But thanks for the feedback about your LOTRO sub, I get that too.

eventide03b14a_ESO · July 2014

Lifetime sub is a horrible business model. I played EQ2 for 8 years.
$15 per month at 96 months is $1440.00 That doesn't include the 8 expansions at $40 each or the marketplace items I bought. So even at 350 euros they would lose out on $1,000 of revenue from my account. I'm pretty sure their accountants are smarter than that. If it does go for a lifetime sub then that's a clear sign that it's going F2P anyway and really no point in paying for it then.

Anu_Saukko_Tutkija · July 2014

eventide03b14a_ESO wrote: »

Lifetime sub is a horrible business model. I played EQ2 for 8 years.
$15 per month at 96 months is $1440.00 That doesn't include the 8 expansions at $40 each or the marketplace items I bought. So even at 350 euros they would lose out on $1,000 of revenue from my account. I'm pretty sure their accountants are smarter than that. If it does go for a lifetime sub then that's a clear sign that it's going F2P anyway and really no point in paying for it then.

i thought that also. But what if only 1week-/-1month exclusive offer. yes there is roughly 5-10 million players, my non fact estimate. how many of those players actually play over 12 months++. so would it be good to eso team have little bit capital straight away. Most likely players from now to played total 96++ months are between 10-15%, most likely it's like this. 350eurosX50.000 players = 17.5 million euros. 23.56 million usd. I think fare trade between players / developers.

pema · July 2014

fromtesonlineb16_ESO wrote: »

Tannakaobi wrote: »

I have two LOTRO lifetimes which I began to 'profit' from after around 12 months IIRC, maybe a bit less, they were excellent value and I suspect Turbine regretted they did that some time later, they dropped it around 2009/10 I think.

That's the only MMO I know of that had lifetime.

Star trek online has lifetime as well, still does.

Firestar_ · July 2014

I paid a lifetime of CO. What a waste that was. Played for 4 months and got bored, so technically, they won out on that one.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Should we have option, to buy lifetime access?

Best Answers