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Massive Price Drops in Long Term Subscriptions (3,6,12months)

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  • VespersVespers Member Posts: 246


    Originally posted by AmazingAvery
    I will through out the notion that was it not Anarchy coming it at a higher sub rate that normal at the time and people cried foul? and now in another game FC reward players by reducing the price (which is still more expensive than other popular games)
    . There is nothing in current announcements where this is aimed at new subscribers. Obviously it applies but the "marketing" is diffferent than some in the thread try to make it out to be in the official forum posting. (no doubt in future may see something)
    As for the initial LOTRO comment I made it was simply that Turbine is persistent in offer's it also reduced the monthly sub rate when signing up for multi months play too quite a few times during it's history.  (I am not talking about differences in game just in price plans)

         Lotro offers:
    12-Months - $112.99 6-Months - $59.94 3-Months - $29.97 Monthly - $14.99 Lifetime - $199.00 (when available)        Age of Conan offers: 12-Months - $98.93 6-Months - $62.96 3-Months - $35.98 Monthly - $14.99 No lifetime sub option    All I am pointing out is: This is nothing new I think the perception that because a discount is available there is something wrong, IS wrong. Why is this so sensitive to the non playing AoC readers? (can't get my head around why trying to make a fuss about....?) Are people saying that because they lowered the price it fails in some way? then what about other games where it is cheaper and they have more subs... price has nothing to do with it. This benefits current players more than before today so it is good news.
     

    Avery, I can see your point but there is a major difference in comparing LOTRO and AOC.
    LOTRO has a stable playerbase that has been constant for a few years now. AOC is slowly bleeding away it's subscription due to whatever influence.
    LOTRO has reached it's plateau but AOC in still in a declining mode.
    Funcom needs to steal away players from other games and frankly, CASH is a major driving force on this planet. If 2 games are simular but one costs $9.99 and the other costs $14.99, a fair amount of players will play the $9.99 game simply because they are cheap or poor.

    As to why it is soo hard for AOC to win back it's old players even after they have improved the game some much since launch.....
    If you went to a restraunt and ordered a sandwich and when you bit into that sandwich you found a bug, would you eat there again? How about if the restraunt manager offered you a free sandwich?
    Most people wouldnt just because of there first bad experience has jaded their view of that restraunt.
    However, if the restraunt manager told you that he was very sorry about the bug in the first sandwich and that instead of selling you a sandwich for the normal price of $8.99, he would sell you a sandwich for only $1.99 each time you come to his restraunt.
    Eventually you will become brave and try out the sandwich for $1.99 and you might enjoy it and start eating that that restraunt more often and even tell your friends about it.

  • SevenwindSevenwind Member UncommonPosts: 2,188

    That's the worst analogy I've seen. I quit this game because of the bugs back when it launched. It all depends why you quit the game in the first place. If you hated the gameplay I don't think you will enjoy the game today. I enjoyed the gameplay and hated the constant crashing and crappy bugs everywhere.

    Coming back in November it was an entirely different experience for me and I've subbed ever since. So this price drop is a win win for me. I plan to get the 6 month sub. If Funcom is hurting for subs and money that's their problem not mine. This offer is money saving to me because I very much enjoy the game and plan to be here awhile till it is not fun anymore.

    .. .... .- - . - .-. --- .-.. .-.. ... .-- .... --- .-. . .--. --- .-. - .-.-.-

    --------------------------------------------------------
    Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate.

  • VespersVespers Member Posts: 246

    Im glad it is saving you money but guess what, you are already a subscriber. My focus was more of getting people BACK into AOC and Im not that concerned with current players. If people are currently playing AOC even after all the shit that went on then they are die-hard players and they have no plans on leaving.
    Changing the monthly subscription is more for potential players and not as much as current players. Yes, current players will benefit from a monthly subscription fee decrease but it will also bring in new subs, something that a 3,6,12 month contract wont do nearly as well.

  • AmazingAveryAmazingAvery Age of Conan AdvocateMember UncommonPosts: 7,188
    Originally posted by Vespers


     
     
    Avery, I can see your point but there is a major difference in comparing LOTRO and AOC.

    LOTRO has a stable playerbase that has been constant for a few years now. AOC is slowly bleeding away it's subscription due to whatever influence.

    LOTRO has reached it's plateau but AOC in still in a declining mode.

    Funcom needs to steal away players from other games and frankly, CASH is a major driving force on this planet. If 2 games are simular but one costs $9.99 and the other costs $14.99, a fair amount of players will play the $9.99 game simply because they are cheap or poor.
    As to why it is soo hard for AOC to win back it's old players even after they have improved the game some much since launch.....

    If you went to a restraunt and ordered a sandwich and when you bit into that sandwich you found a bug, would you eat there again? How about if the restraunt manager offered you a free sandwich?

    Most people wouldnt just because of there first bad experience has jaded their view of that restraunt.

    However, if the restraunt manager told you that he was very sorry about the bug in the first sandwich and that instead of selling you a sandwich for the normal price of $8.99, he would sell you a sandwich for only $1.99 each time you come to his restraunt.

    Eventually you will become brave and try out the sandwich for $1.99 and you might enjoy it and start eating that that restraunt more often and even tell your friends about it.

     



     

    Hi Vespers, I can see your point too, honestly.

    Approx 1 year after release I had an email from Turbine which I see have offering me 9.99 p/m, this was still 6 months before the expansion and a lot of things were changed. I am only making comparison because at that time, that game was not what it was today with subsequent changes. Yes it was a good game and yes it was better received in public opinion I think on the whole compared to AoC, possibly due to stronger IP. And it still is a good game. There is no doubt that before the expansion released this offer further increased subcriptions which might of been aided a game where Age of Conan and Warhammer releases were coming and subscriptions possibly were not as growing as the company would of liked. Now we have Aion and more offers from FC/WAR/Turbine. Rest after that is well documented.

    Point is a particular offer like this is one seen before at a similar stage of development and also without fact one can not say either game had X amount of subs at this point in the games life as no official announcements were made.

    Furthermore we are potentially looking at Age of Conan's expansion within the next year - most likely within the next 7 months. (I think) There is a commonality between the two games and what they are offering the difference as you point out is that right now between the two one is fairing better than the other.

    As I re-iterate my point that a discount in period subscription does not mean that a game = fail. Something which how many people in this thread are trying to put together? Doesn't work.

    At the same time I will say that AoC does need more subs, and not in any way that from what I am seeing now on the servers I play on, saying this detracts from my own personal experience with the game in terms of population. I will also say that things like this that may be beneficial to a new subscriber in looking would also not be the main factor in them choosing to sub to a game based on price. Rather than on the quality of experience had with the game maybe through free trials beforehand.

    In summing up, I do not consider this a bad thing as it really benefits those people playing more so right now who wish to continue to play, has been thus approached in this direction to the public, and that any new subscribers from subscribing from a price drop can not even be measured in any way yet at all. Lastly I don't think it is hard to win players back. In my real life job if I speak with someone who has had a bad experience and the customer is interested in going with someone else, my conversation with said customer to either retain or re-introduce them is sucessful based on similar approaches by Funcom / Turbine and other companies in this market place. It is also good to point out that this is not a "winback or Welcome back" deal. There are more people out there that have not played AoC then there are than have.



  • DesalusDesalus Member UncommonPosts: 848

    This is the opportunity I have been waiting for. I haven't played AoC since June of last year, but I know the game has improved tremendously from that time. I've been earnestly awaiting another subscription discount like the one in the 'welcome back' offer.

    Unlike many other individuals I do not feel 'butt-hurt' over the empty hype and a premature launch. I recognize that AoC offers gameplay that no other fantasy mmorpg does, in a setting that is more attune to my tastes. I can put past disappointment to rest and recognize a good solid mmorpg when I play one, so I'll be putting in a year subscription.

    ---------------------------------------------
    Killer 86%, Socializer 53%, Explorer 33%, Achiever 26%

  • ThorqemadaThorqemada Member UncommonPosts: 1,282

    There is no game out that is better than AoC at overall and so i decided to go for a 1-Year-subscription even b4 the price drops.

    I am glad i have to spend even less money now :)

    The only thing is that customers that have renewed a 6 or 12 month subscription recently should get a compensation - some more months maybe...

    Maybe FC can call for a competition who hates AoC the most with the most fantastic arguments and the winner gets a lifetime account ;)

    "Torquemada... do not implore him for compassion. Torquemada... do not beg him for forgiveness. Torquemada... do not ask him for mercy. Let's face it, you can't Torquemada anything!"

    MWO Music Video - What does the Mech say: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF6HYNqCDLI
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  • PapadamPapadam Member Posts: 2,102

    Its funny how Avery always brings up LotrO when trying to defend AoC...

    The big difference is that LotrO/Turbine have one of the best reputations in the industry while AoC/Funcom have one of the worst reputations.

    I wonder why that is!

    The release Aion/Champions/Fallen Earth/DDO:EU have naturally caused a decrease in all MMOs population. The expansions are the key to get people back into the game and I personally hope that Godslayer is going to be good for the AoC fans.

    If WoW = The Beatles
    and WAR = Led Zeppelin
    Then LotrO = Pink Floyd

  • lovebuglovebug Member UncommonPosts: 260

    they should drop the mouthly one to. were i am from in the eu aoc is the most expensive mmorpg to subb to for a mouth,

    aoc =£10.50

    aion =£8.99

    and same with wow etc funcom games are expensive in the eu to any other on the market and it puzzles me to no end why.

  • PharaDarPharaDar Member Posts: 44

    I would rather games put up prices and compete on quality and speed of content addition rather than cut htem and try to cost cut and ride outs its slow demise..

    Funcom needs more money to develop and maintain profits..but then most MMOers are just cheap and want a whole lifetime of enterainment for 10 bucks a month

    image

  • SabradinSabradin Member Posts: 772
    Originally posted by AmazingAvery


    NA: forums.ageofconan.com/showthread.php
    EU: forums-eu.ageofconan.com/showthread.php
     
    New Subscription Offers!
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    We’re happy to announce increased reduction on the longer subscription plans.
    As of now the 3 month subscription offers a 20% discount,
    6 month subscription yields a 30% discount and
    12 month offers a 45% discount vs the regular one month plan.
    This is more than twice the discount than before.


    In addition, it is now possible to purchase additional gametime and immediately get the veteran points. Veteran points is a system where players are rewarded for each month they have subscribed, and can be used towards a variety of items. Veteran points will launch with the coming patch which is due very soon, and will work backwards in time towards all gametime you have purchased.


    Please log in to your account page to see the upgraded pricing and offers

    Excellent news!



     

    Believe it or not this helps.

    I have SOME demand for aoc, and the cheaper it gets the closer I am to buying it.  Really though if the price wasn't the reason I left, and I'm not doing anything in game anyway it doesn't matter how cheap it gets I wont be playing it.

    Maybe a big problem is that free trials aren't long enough to enjoy ---> ?

    Honestly I haven't heard much good news as to what I can do at 80 (not gonna reroll!)

    Honestly even if it was a penny I wouldn't want the responsibility of having it on my credit card.  I'd much rather deal with annoying advertisements with free to play.

    Just when you think you have all the answers, I change the questions.

  • maakaatuumaakaatuu Member Posts: 34
    Originally posted by PharaDar


    I would rather games put up prices and compete on quality and speed of content addition rather than cut htem and try to cost cut and ride outs its slow demise..
    Funcom needs more money to develop and maintain profits..but then most MMOers are just cheap and want a whole lifetime of enterainment for 10 bucks a month

     

    I agree that this price drop was a good idea. Most gamers don't consider AoC to be top-10 MMO (not even close) so dropping prices might be something they could differentiate themselves fromt other games.

    I'm guessing this price drop is the first step towards going free-to-play (which also would be a good idea).

  • TurntableTurntable Member Posts: 78

     MMOs in general is quite good value for money, and this makes it even better :) Good for us.

    --
    Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

  • AxeionAxeion Member UncommonPosts: 418

    far as funcom being more expensive in eu.. id guess taxes .just a guess. same as ordeing something online from a state you live in their tax on it. where as order from a difrent state odds are theirs not.

    soon ill sub for a year to aoc because of this deal.had to cancel due to money cruch (should not have bought champions that made it worse).the argument that if their sure quality of their product they should drop monthly..most other games dont do that yet they claim quality to...an if  they did it be a sign of desperation by most.

    this seems more reward for those intrested in aoc for the long term.not desperation.

    intresting troll posts in this thread tho.surprised x fire fanboys not drug out their funny numbers.no one that i played aoc with was intrested in aion /shrug. but some of us did play warhammer.which im hopeing turns it around .like to go back an play it someday.

    "Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." — Robert E. Howard, The Tower of the Elephant (1933)

  • AmazingAveryAmazingAvery Age of Conan AdvocateMember UncommonPosts: 7,188
    Originally posted by Sabradin


    Maybe a big problem is that free trials aren't long enough to enjoy ---> ?
     

    Well I have a feeling the welcome back trials will be coming again soon (bump up on regular ones)

    We should have to see if the length has been improved.



  • JackdogJackdog Member UncommonPosts: 6,321
    Originally posted by Frobner

    Originally posted by Jackdog

    Originally posted by AmazingAvery



    Lord of the Rings has been quite successful with lifetime offers and the 9.99 rate has it not? And how long after launch did we get price cuts?
    This is a two fold process. Rewards current subscribers and also gives incentives for new subcribers.
    Simply put the incentive is to subscribe longer to get more of a discount - not hard to grasp.

     

    LoTRO launched with lifetime subs and those who subbed the first month after launch got the 9.99 offer. Turbine still offers both off and on as promotional gimmicks.

    Anyway it is obvious that Aion has hurt LoTRO and AoC, although because of the PvP nature of the game and lower population it seems to have hit AoC the hardest.

     

    WAR has been hit hardest and with the latest changes in that game - we might well see that game closing down soon.  Its that bad.   Im still baffled how a company is able to release a patch with so HORRENDOUS issues that last patch of WAR brought to ppl that are paying sub for the game.

    yeah I have pretty much ignored WAR after it launched, played it for liek 4 hours in open beta and uninstalled it. You are right though, I just looked and it is at 59 on XFire while AoC is hovering in the mid 60's. LoTRO is in mid 20's and down from high teens at Aions launch. I have no desire to try Aion myself, and truth be known I am pretty much bored with all the MMOs out now, sorta watching Secret World, STO,  and SWTOR but doubt any of them will be worth a crap either

    I miss DAoC

  • SevenwindSevenwind Member UncommonPosts: 2,188
    Originally posted by Jackdog


    yeah I have pretty much ignored WAR after it launched, played it for liek 4 hours in open beta and uninstalled it. You are right though, I just looked and it is at 59 on XFire while AoC is hovering in the mid 60's. LoTRO is in mid 20's and down from high teens at Aions launch. I have no desire to try Aion myself, and truth be known I am pretty much bored with all the MMOs out now, sorta watching Secret World, STO,  and SWTOR but doubt any of them will be worth a crap either



     

    Would you try Aion if they had a free trial? Surprised you didn't even try the beta for Aion. Did you apply for the betas to the games you're looking forward to?

    .. .... .- - . - .-. --- .-.. .-.. ... .-- .... --- .-. . .--. --- .-. - .-.-.-

    --------------------------------------------------------
    Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate.

  • JackdogJackdog Member UncommonPosts: 6,321
    Originally posted by Sevenwind

    Originally posted by Jackdog


    yeah I have pretty much ignored WAR after it launched, played it for liek 4 hours in open beta and uninstalled it. You are right though, I just looked and it is at 59 on XFire while AoC is hovering in the mid 60's. LoTRO is in mid 20's and down from high teens at Aions launch. I have no desire to try Aion myself, and truth be known I am pretty much bored with all the MMOs out now, sorta watching Secret World, STO,  and SWTOR but doubt any of them will be worth a crap either



     

    Would you try Aion if they had a free trial?

    yeah probably when they have free trials

    Surprised you didn't even try the beta for Aion. Did you apply for the betas to the games you're looking forward to?

    In Alganon beta, NDA was lifted yesterday BTW, could not really put my heart into testing. Never got a char past lvl 5 so don't even bother asking me what the game is like. What I saw of it was ok, but don't purchase on that.

    I guess after beta'ing UO, SWG, EQII, Horizons, Vanguard, Lotro, AoC and few others that are not even worth mentioning I am pretty burned out on beta's and maybe even the entire genre. So the answer is no , I have not even applied for any of those betas, when they release I may or may not try them based on what type of reaction the community gives em.

     

    I miss DAoC

  • ShanniaShannia Member Posts: 2,096

    Bottom line is, you never get a 2nd chance to make a first impression.

    AION delivered at launch what it promised for it's PvP and (sorry Avery) like it or not, AoC didn't at launch.

    That single fact alone is what is hurting AoC the most right now.  I hope things can recover for Funcom and AoC because Howard universe is ripe for an MMOG.

     

    Fear not fanbois, we are not trolls, let's take off your tin foil hat and learn what VAPORWARE is:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaporware

    "Vaporware is a term used to describe a software or hardware product that is announced by a developer well in advance of release, but which then fails to emerge after having well exceeded the period of development time that was initially claimed or would normally be expected for the development cycle of a similar product."

  • lolhahahalolhahaha Member Posts: 48
    Originally posted by Shannia


    Bottom line is, you never get a 2nd chance to make a first impression.
    AION delivered at launch what it promised for it's PvP and (sorry Avery) like it or not, AoC didn't at launch.
    That single fact alone is what is hurting AoC the most right now.  I hope things can recover for Funcom and AoC because Howard universe is ripe for an MMOG.
     



     

    I think that could be partially true but what is really hurting them is the fool me twice problem they have. A million + tried the game at launch based on a lot of lies really. Promises which look really really bad after we had all played or heard about their AO launch catastrophe. Somebody said something about a bug in the sandwich, well this would be like knowing about the bug problem but being promised repeatedly and with pictures and videos that they don't have that problem anymore and then getting a sandwich with nothing but bugs. Just a bug sandwich with cheese on nice sourdough bread. I heard hundreds of people pissed with an ARE YOU ****ING KIDDING ME? attitude about various major things.

    It was just disappointment after disappointment after reaching lvl 20 (and most people didn't even realize the entire game is as linear as a ride at Disney). First it was, well we will add voices to the NPC's later for +20, then it was, we will add content for 30+ in the near future, then same for 40+ and then 50+, then you reach level 70 only to realize that there is absolutely NOTHING to do but gank or be ganked (on PVP servers) on carebear servers I have no idea what they did. And that's without mentioning class or PVP problems, huge problems. I can't even remember 75% of it either, it was just dude are you seriously nerfing classes before fixing this and this and this? For real?

    Then the fact that 50% of the promised game wasn't even there or didn't work, I'm not even talking about bugs those don't really bother me much. For instance, my first character got to level 25 and all of a sudden I couldn't trade anything with merchants anymore, there was no fix, no big deal, I'll try another class and see if they fix the problem later.  I didn't care about bugs but when the game isn't even there and all they can think to do is nerf nerf nerf before fixing playability issues and adding content. That's what made my entire guild gone within 90 days of launch. I think I played for 60 days then went to try out Vanguard and then Warhammer.

    Surprisingly Vanguard was really good, but only the PVE server had population and the pvp is totally unbalanced. Oh well. So for now it's POTBS and I probably should have tried EVE a long time ago considering how much I like POTBS.

    IMO Failcom made the biggest mistake in MMO history there. They had Millions wanting to like their game. Why not be honest before release and say that the first 20 levels were all they had playable? That's all that we even tested in beta. Maybe release lvl 30 2 weeks later and level 40 2 weeks after that? Or maybe tell those funding the game that it wasn't ready and they needed more time? I don't know but they failed hard and fast and 80% of those who left pissed early will not give it a 2nd try. That's just the way it goes and they should have know that already. This was their 2nd MMO. If they couldn't get anybody to come back to their first one after failing hard what makes them think that a totally fubared release of another MMO would improve those odds?

    It's just complete idiocy. Double fail at MMO release means you are just done and have 0 credability with anyone.

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