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Disappointed with Subscription Options

Mopar63
Mopar63
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There has been a lot of talk about the fact you need a current payment method to start the first month of the game. I share the frustration but to me that was a minor issue. However when I activated my game today my frustration rose.

You see I usually buy 3 months at a time on a game like this so I can get a discount and still not be tied in for a long period. Most companies have in the past made sure that even a 3 month prepay was enough of a discount to be worth it, essentially you usually got 10 days to 2 weeks for free by paying 3 months up front.

Imagine my surprise when I saw that 3 months was saving a whopping $3 over three months or $1 a month over the regular subscription.

Devs you seriously have an issue going with the way you have handled your subscription model. The force of a credit card charge of over $1 to verify an account was a bad move. The standard for this is $1 and you offer the option of using a pre-paid card but since that is not in the initial purchase you are forcing people to pay up front for a second month on top of the payment for the game itself. Then your subscriptions options offer no real advantage to taking a long term commitment to the game, you essentially are telling people to just pay $15 a month.

This is a bad move and your part and put s a ton of pressure on you. You see by not giving me and others any real incentive to pay 3 or even 6 months up front you are giving us an easy out from day one to drop the game. This means you have to deliver some serious gaming goodness over the next 30 days or risk watching a customer base dwindle very fast.

I personally hope you can deliver, I want to like this game and so far do. However the corporate attitude toward the customers when it comes to the subscription model scares me as it seems the money, more than the game is what is on your mind.
True honor need not be named
  • Sakura_Rose
    I agree. I found it pretty useless that it was only $1 difference through all of the subscriptions...It won't stop me from playing, but seriously need a lot of change throughout everything so far.
    Sakura Rose - Imperial Templar - Daggerfall Covenant
    Trying to be helpful as much as I can. ^-^
  • jdkorreckpreub18_ESO
    Just curious if you can tell me what games offer more of a discount than that. I had been playing f2p titles for a while now, but from my memory 1-2 dollar per month discounts for buying in bulk was about normal last time I payed a game for a sub. Has that changed that dramatically?
  • Mopar63
    Mopar63
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    EVE online saves $2 a month or essentially 14 days over a three month period.
    True honor need not be named
  • Stormchaser
    I would have been delighted to see $10/month for a 6-month commitment, but I'm holding on to the hope that the continuous additional content will be worth the less-than-stellar incentive to commit long term. I think they should add a 1-year option for $10/month.
  • Mopar63
    Mopar63
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    If I had my wish I think we should see:

    1 month $15
    3 months $13 ($39)
    6 months $11 ($66)
    12 months Flat rate $100

    With the above pricing I would predict that the majority of players that intend to stay would pay for a multi-month package. It is very competitive in the market and is even a solid deal when considering F2P games. Based on their current pricing I would say that is not going to happen.
    Edited by Mopar63 on April 6, 2014 3:15AM
    True honor need not be named
  • Ojustaboo
    Ojustaboo
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    I agree, with the current system I might as well sub monthly.
  • starkerealm
    starkerealm
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    I'm not thrilled with the options. At these prices, I'm a little surprised there's no incentives tied in with the longer sub bundles. Like additional pets, or maybe a "transmute to own racial style" ability on the 6 month option.
  • BlessedBySanguine
    Mopar63 wrote: »
    If I had my wish I think we should see:

    1 month $15
    3 months $13 ($39)
    6 months $11 ($66)
    12 months Flat rate $100

    With the above pricing I would predict that the majority of players that intend to stay would pay for a multi-month package. It is very competitive in the market and is even a solid deal when considering F2P games. Based on their current pricing I would say that is not going to happen.

    If they did that I'd happily pay for a year.
  • Phyrdrin
    Phyrdrin
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    Glad I read this thread. As I wait endlessly for support response for my own Derpazon issue to be resolved, it's good to have this to think about. Yet another reason for me to consider not playing past the first month.
    "Surprise me. Say something intelligent."
  • felixgamingx1
    felixgamingx1
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    those $3 bucks can buy you a mcchicken and small mango smoothie.
  • Sharakor
    Sharakor
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    I'm certain that I'll be playing for a year minimum so I honestly could've just selected pay 1 year but when I saw the saw the "discount" I just selected one month. Lol.
  • Raubrey
    Raubrey
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    As I see it, there are essentially two types of players in ESO -- casual and heavily vested. The emotional investment in this game is huge for TES fans, and you'd have to be quite vested in a new MMO (and/or not mind your funds) to pay a year in advance given all the uncertainty.

    I suspect that is the reason there is not much of a discount. For now at least, I see players largely staying short-term or long-time with far fewer in the mid-range as far as the commitment scale.

    This could change -- as could the price.

    I also expected close to an Eve-esque discount at the very least, but even still it wouldn't have been enough to compel me to pay beyond 3 mos. and I'm a huge TES fan and really love the game.

    There are some things I'm not thrilled about ...but it's mostly new game pains as far as I can tell.
    Edited by Raubrey on April 6, 2014 6:08AM

    Greybeards & Gals Founder
    greybeardsandgals.com
  • Sakiri
    Sakiri
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    Mopar63 wrote: »
    If I had my wish I think we should see:

    1 month $15
    3 months $13 ($39)
    6 months $11 ($66)
    12 months Flat rate $100

    With the above pricing I would predict that the majority of players that intend to stay would pay for a multi-month package. It is very competitive in the market and is even a solid deal when considering F2P games. Based on their current pricing I would say that is not going to happen.

    WoW runs 12.99/mo for six months as di EQ2 if I recall right.

    EQ2's year deal(only did it for a while) was 120.

    Theyre not going to deviate from whats industry standard if they can help it.

    As far as Im concerned EvE doesnt count because you can buy your time with in game currency.
  • legiont666ub17_ESO
    yeah because the devs have any say how much the sub plans are.
  • BrierTOG
    BrierTOG
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    I just wish they also added a bank account option to pay automaticly. Now i have to use ideal. Which works, but i might end up forgetting when to renew it this way.
  • Thunder_Downunder
    Thunder_Downunder
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    You guys need to stop talking in months. The subscription terms are in x day intervals not monthly. There's a difference, work it out over 12 months to see just how much.
  • Arunei
    Arunei
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    Yeah, seeing only a 3/12 dollar difference for the 3/6 month subscriptions made me feel it's really not worth the bother to invest in future time you might not spend playing the game. For now I'll just pay per-month lol.
    Character List [RP and PvE]:
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    Lirawyn Calatare: Altmer Magplar Healer - Traveling performer and bard who's 101% vanilla bean
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  • Valethar
    Valethar
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    Rift has a much better subscription discount program.

    3 months - $38.97 ($12.99/month)
    6 months - $65.94 ($10.99/month)
    12 months - $119.88 ($9.99/month)

    They're also currently offering the 12 month subscription for $99, which makes the monthly cost $8.25/month.
    Resistance is not futile! Say no to the Greed Collective™. Boycott Crown Crates.
  • Cously
    Cously
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    Valethar wrote: »
    Rift has a much better subscription discount program.

    3 months - $38.97 ($12.99/month)
    6 months - $65.94 ($10.99/month)
    12 months - $119.88 ($9.99/month)

    They're also currently offering the 12 month subscription for $99, which makes the monthly cost $8.25/month.

    Very good prices, I'd definately get the 1 year package. On the other hand, is good or bad for a company make most of its Money in a single month and run dry the whole year or have a steady monthly income? Merely curious, I like business stuff.

  • Moobs
    Moobs
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    Valethar wrote: »
    Rift has a much better subscription discount program.

    3 months - $38.97 ($12.99/month)
    6 months - $65.94 ($10.99/month)
    12 months - $119.88 ($9.99/month)

    They're also currently offering the 12 month subscription for $99, which makes the monthly cost $8.25/month.

    I wouldn't pay that much for Rift....
  • Valethar
    Valethar
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    Joolio wrote: »
    Very good prices, I'd definitely get the 1 year package. On the other hand, is good or bad for a company make most of its money in a single month and run dry the whole year or have a steady monthly income? Merely curious, I like business stuff.

    They have a fairly robust cash shop which I'm sure brings in a fair amount of money for them, even with most of it being overpriced. They probably sucker a lot of people into buying the lock boxes, with the misplaced hope of actually getting the good stuff from the abysmal RNG lottery.

    They also sell in game currency for real money, which I have no doubt generates a fairly steady income stream from the twitchy 'gotta have it now!' crowd who can't or won't take the time to earn the Platinum the usual way.
    Resistance is not futile! Say no to the Greed Collective™. Boycott Crown Crates.
  • ToBbErT
    ToBbErT
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    So im basicly ****** becouse ive no creditcard or fund to buy another month subscription? Are they really serious? So after today no more eso for me? After i spend 80 euro on the game? Lol?
  • Teriosc
    Teriosc
    1 year sub for reasonable price more than wellcome i think :)
    Follow the white rabbit...
  • sandermdmb16_ESO
    ToBbErT wrote: »
    So im basicly ****** becouse ive no creditcard or fund to buy another month subscription? Are they really serious? So after today no more eso for me? After i spend 80 euro on the game? Lol?

    I am in the same boat.. This is ZOS's company policy, better get used to it.

  • flameweaver
    flameweaver
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    Joolio wrote: »
    Very good prices, I'd definately get the 1 year package. On the other hand, is good or bad for a company make most of its Money in a single month and run dry the whole year or have a steady monthly income? Merely curious, I like business stuff.

    Don't forget RIFT is a couple of years old and their subs base will have evened out over time, not everyone will buy a 12 month sub and not everyone will buy it in the same month.
    Rift also has an active cash shop as well as a decent sized F2P crowd. Love or hate the game, their business model seems to work.

  • oeb17_ESO
    oeb17_ESO
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    Seriously u complain about $ Prices ?? EU People pay for 6 months subs as much as you pay for one month. If you can't afford it because of a few lousy dollars you shouldn't be playing at all.
  • Mopar63
    Mopar63
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    Lets try this a different angle, a $1 a month savings on three months is only a 6.6% savings. Why not a full 10%? As for the EU prices, I am sorry you guys get hammered that way.
    True honor need not be named
  • oeb17_ESO
    oeb17_ESO
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    And the joke in all of this was that the gametime code of 60Day was cheaper than the discount for a 6 month sub in €, per month. so i just bought a gametime code.
  • mroz123
    mroz123
    I think that right now it is pretty obvious the business people in ZOS are incompetent. They're promoting paying only when new content is released with this kind of pricing. And they're f*ing gamecard buyers from behing with big thorny D
  • mroz123
    mroz123
    mroz123 wrote: »
    I think that right now it is pretty obvious the business people in ZOS are incompetent. They're promoting paying only when new content is released with this kind of pricing. And they're f*ing gamecard buyers from behing with big thorny D
    Oh, almost forget insane € prices

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