$15-20 a month everything included with full xpacs every 1-2 years at $30-50 this model has shown to work asking more would look like a rip off.
12-15 a month. No restrictions on content. No extra pay=extra rewards. A flat, even, fair chance at all content.
I'd say if you did offer a free tier, restricted content to a low level cap and areas you can explore, something very low, and market restrictions so they cant farm and sell low grade stuff over and over to price out actual paying players. And dont be silly, dont allow them to spam chat channels, thats how you get the gold4cash bots...
I would like to see multiple tiers of subscription so you can select the one thats best for your own needs.
Anything up to £25/month. Though at that higher bracket I would expect expansions included and a decent customer service. I imagine £15/month is in line with what most people are happy with and I don't think you can expect expansions for free at that price.
I don't think most people will feel much of a difference between 14.99 and 19.99 a month, so that seems easily doable. Going above the $20 mark and seeing that "2" leading the way is going to have an impact. Now, should it? Probably not, MMOs are great return on investment to the user for the monthly cost. However, with so many games now, a lot of people are playing multiple things and not just one game, though it is much more common to find people that will play just one subscription game, just because it feels like a waste to have more than one and it actually does get pricey fairly quickly, especially with a spouse and kids needing their own accounts.
Thus:
$19.99 Per Month as the default rate.
$17.99 Per Month if you purchase 6 Months.
$14.99 Per Month if you purchase 1 Year.
As for what I get with that subscription, I would expect good customer service in game for any problems, some GM related events, and continuous tweaking and balancing of the game. To me, the subscription is mostly just covering my ability to have fun, and it's your job to make sure I have fun or I'm not going to stay subscribed. I fully expect to have to buy future expansion packs. A subscription should rule out a cash shop, but if it does not, obviously have to get some tokens and monthly rewards for that cash shop. And if there is a F2P option or trial, obviously the subscription would give me access to full bank space and whatever other convenience items. If not F2P, I personally don't mind making small one time payments to expand bank space and character slots account wide. I'm basically fine with subscriptions and optional micro-transactions as long as they are not cosmetic (outside something like a housing instance) or Pay2Win (like xp pots).
1. Basic subscription $15 with one character slot+ Full access to original content, with option to purchase additional Character slots @ $5 each
2. Advanced Subscription $25 with 4 character slots + Basics Items
3. Supreme Subscription $35 with 7 character slots + Advanced items with priority CS/GM support, small discount on expansions, Option to order 3d print of character for additional cost, (if exits, Access to armory, mobile app)
Everquest was $14.99 per month by the end of 2005, so adjusted for inflation that should come out to $19.49 in 2021.
With that in mind, I think I would be comfortable paying $20 a month for a game that releases with around the same amount of content that EQ released with in 1999.
In addition to that, I would be willing to pay between $40-50 for each full expansion thereafter, but the expansions would need to be on the scale of Kunark and Velious.
That's it. Nothing more.
Kilsin said:Community Debate - Subscription-based MMORPG's, What would you pay per month to play and what would you want to be included? #MMORPG #CommunityMatters
$20-$30 a month, no restrictions on content*, 24/7 GM coverage, strict monthly updates on bug fixes/server patches,no less than annual server-wide events, Terminus specific holidays (not in anyway related to or coinciding with real world holidays) no less than annual expansions at $30-$60 depending upon the size of the expansion.
*this doesn't mean content cannot be locked behind flags, keyes or other in-game require prerequisites, just that how much you pay has no bearing.
Vandraad said:Kilsin said:Community Debate - Subscription-based MMORPG's, What would you pay per month to play and what would you want to be included? #MMORPG #CommunityMatters
$20-$30 a month, no restrictions on content*, 24/7 GM coverage, strict monthly updates on bug fixes/server patches,no less than annual server-wide events, Terminus specific holidays (not in anyway related to or coinciding with real world holidays) no less than annual expansions at $30-$60 depending upon the size of the expansion.
*this doesn't mean content cannot be locked behind flags, keyes or other in-game require prerequisites, just that how much you pay has no bearing.
Agree with the services / content Vandraad, but I wouldn't want to see the sub cost more than $25 max. Anything more would probably scare off a huge number of potential players. Just my 2cp.
I'm with Vandraad on this one. Most people buy at least 1 console game every month, and only play it for a couple of weeks at most and spend 30-60 USD on it. And the games they do play longer they end up buying DLCs for them every month or two. I don't see paying 30 USD for a game you'll continue to play month to month being a stretch for most people.
This question so soon after the point was debated in another thread cannot be coincidence. Excellent question.
You do not ask what cost we think would be good for the game. You ask what amount we wouild be willing to pay. I will answer the question you ask not the question you do not ask.
A common charge is $15 per month - less for longer term subscriptions where $10 a month is closer if one subscribes for a year. Assuming Pantheon looks as good as I hope (this means better than what is out there now even if it does have things I find ...imperfectly desirable) I would cheerfully pay double that and maybe more. But I am retired - beloved spouse is retired - and we both worked hard and saved more than most for many years. We can afford it.
What would I want to be included. Firstly I would want all subscribers to get the same things. If there were multiple tiers of subscription I would probably choose the most expensive one personally but I don't think it is very good to have two or more classes of subscribers where some animals are more equal than others. This does *not* mean a server where everyone pays more to get extra benefits would be bad. It may or may not be. The obvious issues are how much would it cannibalize "normal" servers and would it have enough people playing to be viable. These issues are self-evident but I have no way to judge the answers. Thus I have no opinion.
Some of the answers in posts above seem to reflect experience in games where many people play for free. Thus they emphasize how much more a subscriber should get. All Gods willing Pantheon will have no free play other than free trials. An issue that means far more to me than a cash shop little as I want such. Free play encourages and rewards trolls, very immature players, and people that don't give a rat's arse about the game playing for the fun they get tormenting people that do care. A cash shop is bad. Having free play is toxic. With no free play the issue isn't how much more than others subscribers should get - the issue is how much all players should get (free trials ignored).
We should get reasonably stable servers that are up almost all of the time outside of patches and maintenance. This is a given. We should get customer service in-game within a reasonable time frame with at least some coverage 24/7. If a major issue comes up at 3AM VR-standard-time there should be *some* chance someone can help out. We should get scheduled patches at a time that is convenient for most of us. While something like 6AM eastern is a decent time for most players in Europe or the Americas a later time might be better for VR and less expensive. That is fine. We should get a reasonable number of character slots per-server or for the game as a whole. I have strong opinions on this but choose not to give them - that has been and will be discussed in other threads.
Expansions? I prefer if they are included in the cost of subscribing. Not necessarily for the obvious reasons. Where revenue is driven by expansion sales there is a strong incentive to add extra races, extra classes, extra levels. and far more powerful gear to almost force us to buy the expansion. As a strong fan of horizontal expansion I prefer this not being the case. No objection to new races or classes. No objection to charging for such if necessary. Strong objection to the need for expansion sales driving level increases and dramatic improvements in gear that makes all old content trivial.
Cash shop? Discussed ad nauseum. No cash shop or market should include anything beyond the cosmetic. Subscribers should not have to pay a single thing more to get what they need to actually play the game. Just fripperies and frills.
Vandraad said:Kilsin said:Community Debate - Subscription-based MMORPG's, What would you pay per month to play and what would you want to be included? #MMORPG #CommunityMatters
$20-$30 a month, no restrictions on content*, 24/7 GM coverage, strict monthly updates on bug fixes/server patches,no less than annual server-wide events, Terminus specific holidays (not in anyway related to or coinciding with real world holidays) no less than annual expansions at $30-$60 depending upon the size of the expansion.
*this doesn't mean content cannot be locked behind flags, keyes or other in-game require prerequisites, just that how much you pay has no bearing.
This summarizes my opinions as well.
I would pay up to 50$ if it was to play the best game ever for decades.
The issue is simply, players able and willing to afford so much per months for a game are so few we woudn't make the game sustainable enough in playerbase to be functionnal, and with both low playerbase and high subs the game would be everything but appealing.
I expected $15 per month, with expansions costing $40-60 when released. The subscription would be all inclusive (put another way: no restrictions). I could maybe justify $20 per month if PROTF turns out to be what I/we want it to be. Any more than that though and I would just have to not play the game. I see many here would be willing to pay much more than the "standard" subscription fee we're use to, but I am not one of those people and I feel comfortable to say that I'm with the majority. I realize that this community is a "niche" community, but I think VR will do well in getting PROTF to "outsiders" and that will include not having the subscription fee be too high.
Possibly provide some additional incentives (not sure what those would be right now) for those willing to spend more money each month to play, but I'd say lean away from that if possible since it makes me get the "pay-to-win" itches.
Too little information to know for sure what I would be willing to pay. But with a few assumptions I can give you a rough idea.
If all the above were true I would pay a lot actually. I am sure I would consider even $60 a month maybe more. I would even pay extra for the expansions. If it is as much funs as I had in EQ or Vanguard, I would be able to save money by canceling other services I no longer had time for.
But as others have also said, I can afford that kind of expense and seeing as Patheon will only succeed if it has lots of subscribers, I am not at all convinced $60 a month will work. I do think an increase is possible but not sure how much.
For me the real thing is content. In all the years I played EQ I never ran out of content and I would have played Vanguard longer if it had more content. What if you offered a way to fund the development of new content and in return gave out an in-game title that shows you are supporting the future of the game. If you offered this option and it was guaranteed 100% of the funds would go to developing more content I would pay more.
One caveat to all this is I have doubts any game can hook me like EQ did ever again. I backed Pantheon because of Brad and the fact that the only MMOs that have ever hooked me have been EQ and Vanguard. If pantheon fails, I will stop even trying to find an MMO and instead assume that the past is the past and that to get this kind of sensation and commitment I will need to find something new something I do not even know I want. My backing of Pantheon is not just in hopes it succeeds but also as a way of just saying enough is enough. I am sick and tired of investing hopes and time into an MMO only to be disappointed. We will see.
If it's on the EQ 1 level, any 2-digit amount. Heck, if I go to the cinema once, it will cost me $12-$15 for an hour and half of non-interactive fun, 2 hours for longer movies.
For a month of MMO fun, I can easily pay $30 and up.
I'd pay more than that for extra stuff like if the company behind the game would actively look for gold/items farmers and sellers (for real money) and ban them, ban their IPs, ban their credit cards, ban all their relatives and ancestors all the way back to cockroaches. For that, $50/month and up (that's counting the $30+ for the game itself).
15$ per month, no restrictions on anything and everyone gets access to everything equally. Of course I'm expecting to pay for expansions and that's fine by me. I don't want any micro transactions, I don't want anything locked behind a pay wall for anything. I want good customer service and I want regular bug fixes as well. I see a lot of people sitting here saying they are willing to pay higher prices in sub for this game, but have any of you thought of currency exchange? Just because it costs an American 15 a month to play, doesn't mean that's going to be it all over. It's not going to be 15 canadian even, it's not going to be 15p, it's not going to be 15 euro; it will be a lot more in a lot of cases for most people. so yes, while Americans pay 15 a month for the game, some are going to have to shell out what some might consider a lot in their own currency. For some examples, 15 American is equal to (at least today):
301.78 Mexican Pesos
19.13 Canadian Dollars
1131.23 Russian Rubles
19.47 Australian Dollars
While there are a few places that will be seemingly paying less, such as the pound which is 10.98, and the euro which is 12.36, this is still considered a lot considering the value of the items within thier countries. To raise the price would cause a lot of these people to really hesitate and step back, causing a lot less people to pay and play this game, which then would mean disaster for Pantheon. So 15$ a month is fine and it should give you everything the game has to offer; no pay walls, no special services.
The amount would depend upon the services.
Spit-balling...
£20 for the basic game, as long as at release it has a good amount of content and features that support all the social aspects needed. I would expect some effort with gold sellers and botters and the like.
£25 for that plus a reasonable amount of GM/CS interaction regarding problems and /reports. I would expect a good amount of effort with gold sellers and the like. Bi-yearly expansions would have a cost. Yearly other-content DLC might have a cost.
£30 for that plus reasonably regular GM-run live events and exemplary efforts with gold sellers and the like. Yearly expansions and more regular other-content DLC might have a small cost.
I would expect to have account services like name changes thrown in for higher tiers.
Though I'm listing different levels, ideally I *wouldn't* want different servers with different levels to exist and for the playerbase to be split. I know that would make it much harder to decide at what level to pitch the sub though!
If there were to be 'premium' players then the difference in their experience should be, as far as possible, only out-of-game, ie. customer service, account services, merchandise, special dev info, VIP forum access, test server access? stuff like that. Maybe expansions included. It would be tough to give premium customers GM events and not everyone else!
Now if there is going to be stuff like cash shop cosmetics, then maybe there should be a £15 tier that gets that hehe. As I've said elsewhere, I would gladly pay a higher sub to avoid that kind of detriment to the core game (yes, I know that's subjective hehe)
P.S. Twist my arm and with Pantheon as good as I hope it will be I would actually pay more... but above are my reasonable, I think, answers.