ESO+ Platinum: The Lifetime Subscriber

Solariken · January 2016

I am wondering if ZOS would consider offering a lifetime game subscription (w/ extras) for a one-time fee.

I would be very interested in paying a flat amount for lifetime ESO+ benefits in addition to receiving all of the Crown Store items when they become available (as part of the deal). I know that not everyone would be interested in or have the disposable funds for something like this, but I'm sure there are many like me who would find it more attractive than a monthly fee and various tedious micro-transactions.

I personally feel that $500-$600 would be reasonable for an option like this. I feel that this would be a win-win for ZOS and its customers.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom, it would be great if you passed this request on to whomever it may concern at ZOS.

Duiwel · January 2016

No MMO would do this, it is a business and the point of a business is making money.

Blizzard makes $15 subscription rate per month times ten million (in 2008), which would mean that Blizzard is raking in $150 million a month, or about $1.7 billion a year is gross profits.Jan 24, 2008.

Now keep in mind they are at about 4-7million right now on and off subscribers that is still a ton of cash a year and it has been ongoing for more than 10 years...

Therefor it would be unwise to limit profits, just because this game could easily also last 10 years ( look @ LotRO which is also an old MMO yet still have a lot of active & loyal players ).

Sorry OP

just giving you a business perspective on things.

While the game did go B2P / Free to play to people who already owned the game, there are still many who sub and they keep the ship afloat.

Zyle · January 2016

I get the benefits of doing so, but it most likely will not happen. If they had plans to offer a lifetime sub option it would have most definitely been during the subscription required era. Most times if you see an MMO offer a lifetime after the game has already been released it's an indicator the game is going F2P. Even that image is enough to deter a company from doing so because it implies the health of the game is dwindling.

Solariken · January 2016

I disagree, tons of MMOs have done this. Camelot Unchained is offering it right now. It actually does make good business sense @Duiwel - front-loading cash flow, reducing customer acquisition/retention costs, reducing long term payment processing costs, etc.

It makes even more sense in a B2P game because there is no requirement and sometimes little incentive to maintain a subscription. Furthermore, the MMO market is pretty saturated and will become more saturated over time. Getting basically 3 years of sub fees up front is a pretty sweet deal for ZOS considering all the risk would be on the customer for doing so. I love this game and think it will be around for a while, but the next gen MMOs have a solid chance of gobbling up a large portion of the ESO playerbase.

Using WoW as an example is not apples to apples. Blizzard enjoyed a status in the MMO market that will likely never be achieved again. They never had incentive to offer lifetime subs. They didn't even have much of a cash shop until many years after the game released.

Duiwel · January 2016

Point taken, do keep in mind that I am behind you on the idea and not in the opposite camp

I just wanted to clarify that sometimes corporate exec's are the ones who make these kind of decisions and they will most likely think in the same manner I mentioned above.

eliisra · January 2016

Most games only offer lifetime subs during the upstart period, when they need quick money. Outdated games also offer life time subs, because popularity and production is going downhill.

This doesn't apply to ESO.

ESO is also B2P and games using this specific payment model, never offer life time subs with full benefits. They make money from selling exclusive DLC, not offering new content for free.

Even Lotro went back on their life subs and started charging their oldest and most loyal players for new content lol. I know Secret World started selling some kinda of lifer deal, but it's not a very commercial game, small player base and you're still required you to pay for new DLC's.

Only thing I can see working in ESO is a modest lifetime sub with some monthly crowns and 10% bonuses. But not one where you have auto access to any content.

Leandor · January 2016

You almost had a point until you brought in crown store. I would see a lifetime fee.possible for access to dlc only, maybe not 500 but rather 200 bucks.

Crown store fluff needs to be exempted since it would be their main income.

Volkodav · January 2016

Solariken wrote: »

I am wondering if ZOS would consider offering a lifetime game subscription (w/ extras) for a one-time fee.

I would be very interested in paying a flat amount for lifetime ESO+ benefits in addition to receiving all of the Crown Store items when they become available (as part of the deal). I know that not everyone would be interested in or have the disposable funds for something like this, but I'm sure there are many like me who would find it more attractive than a monthly fee and various tedious micro-transactions.

I personally feel that $500-$600 would be reasonable for an option like this. I feel that this would be a win-win for ZOS and its customers.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom, it would be great if you passed this request on to whomever it may concern at ZOS.

And i f the game went under,would you actually expect to get a refund?

Solariken · January 2016

Volkodav wrote: »

Solariken wrote: »

I am wondering if ZOS would consider offering a lifetime game subscription (w/ extras) for a one-time fee.

I would be very interested in paying a flat amount for lifetime ESO+ benefits in addition to receiving all of the Crown Store items when they become available (as part of the deal). I know that not everyone would be interested in or have the disposable funds for something like this, but I'm sure there are many like me who would find it more attractive than a monthly fee and various tedious micro-transactions.

I personally feel that $500-$600 would be reasonable for an option like this. I feel that this would be a win-win for ZOS and its customers.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom, it would be great if you passed this request on to whomever it may concern at ZOS.

And i f the game went under,would you actually expect to get a refund?

Of course not, that's why most lifetime subs are capped at ~ 3 years worth of fees. The greater risk is always on the customer for sure but if the game lives on, the customer enjoys a nice return on the investment.

Acrolas · January 2016

Solariken wrote: »

Camelot Unchained is offering it right now.

You get 36 free months (3 years = lifetime) + $1 each year - if you pledge $275. They're gambling services away in exchange for dollars up front.

They're still begging for money for more programmers, and CU isn't even the final name.

Of course everyone loves CU. It's a game that doesn't actually exist yet, and people don't want a collective $3.8+ million to go down the drain. It can't afford to fail. Yet I get the feeling it's going to be in cash-strapped beta for years and it might even be another expensive Kickstarter non-delivery. Remember, nothing on Kickstarter is ever guaranteed to be delivered. It's a financial risk every time and it's a *** shame more people don't realize that before they get their credit cards out.

But ZOS can probably pay off all of its ESO bills on passive revenue alone. They don't have to do risk assessments every day. They don't need to negotiate with us. They already delivered their product.

vyrusb23 · January 2016

Solariken wrote: »

I am wondering if ZOS would consider offering a lifetime game subscription (w/ extras) for a one-time fee.

I would be very interested in paying a flat amount for lifetime ESO+ benefits in addition to receiving all of the Crown Store items when they become available (as part of the deal). I know that not everyone would be interested in or have the disposable funds for something like this, but I'm sure there are many like me who would find it more attractive than a monthly fee and various tedious micro-transactions.

I personally feel that $500-$600 would be reasonable for an option like this. I feel that this would be a win-win for ZOS and its customers.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom, it would be great if you passed this request on to whomever it may concern at ZOS.

To make it worth it for Z0S it would have to be ridiculously expensive. $500-$600 would be nowhere near worth it for ZoS. All the crown store items as they come out? Are you kidding me? This must be some kind of troll post.

Solariken · January 2016

vyrusb23 wrote: »

Solariken wrote: »

I am wondering if ZOS would consider offering a lifetime game subscription (w/ extras) for a one-time fee.

I would be very interested in paying a flat amount for lifetime ESO+ benefits in addition to receiving all of the Crown Store items when they become available (as part of the deal). I know that not everyone would be interested in or have the disposable funds for something like this, but I'm sure there are many like me who would find it more attractive than a monthly fee and various tedious micro-transactions.

I personally feel that $500-$600 would be reasonable for an option like this. I feel that this would be a win-win for ZOS and its customers.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom, it would be great if you passed this request on to whomever it may concern at ZOS.

To make it worth it for Z0S it would have to be ridiculously expensive. $500-$600 would be nowhere near worth it for ZoS. All the crown store items as they come out? Are you kidding me? This must be some kind of troll post.

Try using a little more tact in your forum comments. It's not a troll post. I was simply stating what I would easily be willing to pay.

Danikat · January 2016

How would you handle single use items? Do lifetime subscribers get an infinite supply of motifs, XP scrolls, crown store food etc.? Or do they get 1 of each pack and then have to buy extras if they want them?

I think it would be better to give lifetime subscribers 'free' permanent access to the DLC and 1,500 crowns a month, like subscribers get currently.

It's better for ZOS than giving them everything in the store for free because there's always the possibility they'll pay more to get additional items sooner. But it's also better for subscribers because it gives them control over what they get. It's unlikely they'd all want all the costumes for example, and we've already got people who have a lot of them saying it's a pain to find the ones they want to use, how much more annoying would it be if you didn't even want half of them?

So people who don't want lots of costumes or mounts can use their crowns to get food, XP scrolls, that universal crafting material that's coming, or whatever else they want. And people who would never use that stuff and want lots of cosmetic fluff instead can get that and everyone is happy (or happier anyway).

Volkodav · January 2016

Solariken wrote: »

Volkodav wrote: »

Solariken wrote: »

I am wondering if ZOS would consider offering a lifetime game subscription (w/ extras) for a one-time fee.

I would be very interested in paying a flat amount for lifetime ESO+ benefits in addition to receiving all of the Crown Store items when they become available (as part of the deal). I know that not everyone would be interested in or have the disposable funds for something like this, but I'm sure there are many like me who would find it more attractive than a monthly fee and various tedious micro-transactions.

I personally feel that $500-$600 would be reasonable for an option like this. I feel that this would be a win-win for ZOS and its customers.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom, it would be great if you passed this request on to whomever it may concern at ZOS.

And i f the game went under,would you actually expect to get a refund?

Of course not, that's why most lifetime subs are capped at ~ 3 years worth of fees. The greater risk is always on the customer for sure but if the game lives on, the customer enjoys a nice return on the investment.

In that case,sure,why not. For $300.00 maybe though. :}

Spriggen · February 2016

sto has a lifetime option and well I haven been back in the game for some time now but im sure my monthly rewards have been stacking up.

I would do it with ESO if an option was available.

Lolssi · February 2016

Duiwel wrote: »

No MMO would do this, it is a business and the point of a business is making money.

Blizzard makes $15 subscription rate per month times ten million (in 2008), which would mean that Blizzard is raking in $150 million a month, or about $1.7 billion a year is gross profits.Jan 24, 2008.

Now keep in mind they are at about 4-7million right now on and off subscribers that is still a ton of cash a year and it has been ongoing for more than 10 years...

Therefor it would be unwise to limit profits, just because this game could easily also last 10 years ( look @ LotRO which is also an old MMO yet still have a lot of active & loyal players ).

Sorry OP just giving you a business perspective on things.

While the game did go B2P / Free to play to people who already owned the game, there are still many who sub and they keep the ship afloat.

I have Lotro lifetime sub. They sold it with 200€ or some such back in the day. Haven't played in this decade though so can't remember how it worked with expansions.... I think you got your monthly dose of crowns or what ever and you could buy expansions with that.
I'd like to go check it out unfortunately it isn't very high on my playing list.

thunderwell · February 2016

I wouldn't pay much more than $200 for a lifetime sub.
But, unfortunately for ZOS, I wouldn't buy one for ESOTU. Ever.
It's too low on my playing list to buy one for this game.