EQ Raises prices

Nilaman · Post by **Nilaman** » May 12, 2005, 9:50 pm

http://eqlive.station.sony.com/news_sec ... tory=50010

Due to the increased costs of running the EverQuest game service, we will be increasing our subscription rates in June. Effective June 12, 2005, the new monthly subscription rate will be $14.99/month. While this announcement may be unpleasant, the cost of operating a top tier MMO has increased significantly over the past three years and this change will help us achieve our goal of seeing that every player has a consistently enjoyable experience in the world of EverQuest. We will continue to offer discounts from the new rate plan on multi-month subscriptions. The new price for a 3-month subscription will be $41.97, a 6-month subscription will now be $77.94 and a 12-month subscription will now be $143.88. The 24-month subscription will continue to be $199.95. You don't have to do a thing; you will automatically be migrated to the new billing structure under your current subscription plan when your current subscription plan expires. Subscription rates are subject to tax and value-added taxes, as applicable. These price increases will not affect the SOE Station Access? subscription rate.

New EverQuest rates as of June 12, 2005:

$14.99 per Month
$41.97 for 3 Months
$77.94 for 6 Months
$143.88 for 12 Months
$199.95 for 24 Months

Additionally we'd like to thank our current EverQuest players by offering a 6 and 12-month limited time promotional offer. For a limited time only, you can take advantage of 6 or 12-month promotional subscriptions and reap great savings. Between May 12th and June 11th, 2005, we're offering a special discount on the new monthly subscription price:
A 6-month subscription costs only US$69.99 ? that's a 10% discount off of the new monthly plan.

Even better, a 12-month subscription costs US$99.99 ? a 31% discount off of the new monthly rates.
And for those customers subscribing to other great SOE games this is also an excellent time to become Station Access Members. The Station Access subscription provides an easy gateway for SOE fans to a variety of SOE titles for $21.99 a month. The Station Access subscription is good for EverQuest, PlanetSide, EverQuest Online Adventures, EverQuest II, Star Wars Galaxies and the Station Pass games.

EverQuest subscriptions are recurring, meaning you will continue to be billed at the appropriate interval, until you affirmatively cancel your subscription. Note that purchasers of the full game will receive 30 days of game-play included with the purchase at no additional charge (subject to certain restrictions) after supplying valid billing information. If you cancel your subscription during the period of 30 days of game-play included with purchase, no charges will be made to your credit card.

Subscriptions are subject to tax and value-added tax, as applicable.

All subscription fees will appear on your credit card statement under the heading "SOE*EverQuest".

Please note:

The subscription charges are in addition to the cost of the game. You will need to purchase a copy of the game from a retail store or online at the Station Store (http://store.station.sony.com). The price of the game will vary depending upon the store.

On a side note, if you purchase the 99 bucks/12 months deal now it comes out to something like 8.34 a month.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 12, 2005, 10:20 pm

Way to raise the monthly subscription on a dying game. That will keep'em from leaving!

<insert Legends joke screenshot here>

Mr Bacon · Post by **Mr Bacon** » May 12, 2005, 11:50 pm

Due to the increased costs of running the EverQuest game service, we will be increasing our subscription rates in June.

hat the fuck? Powering down half the servers is INCREASING costs?

I call bullshit. As we've seen in the past, SOE is interested in nothing more than money (*cough* SOE EXCHANGE *cough*). Your game is dying Sony, way to make yourselves look like assholes on the way out.

If you really consider it.. the one dollar price increase isn't really a big deal - but in the end this is nothing more than an advertisment for them to get more money. I'm sure many players are currently on the $14/mo plan, and are on the brink of jumping ship. What does this do? It makes players think they need to purchase the game for another full year, only to realistically play a month or two more. Profit goes to the jackasses.

dibit_eq · Post by **dibit_eq** » May 12, 2005, 11:53 pm

While this announcement may be unpleasant, the cost of operating a top tier MMO has increased significantly over the past three years

Hmm... proper wording would go more like: The cost of operating a formerly top tier MMO has increased indirectly proportional to overall game quality over the past three years.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » May 12, 2005, 11:54 pm

It's all a scheme to get more people to purchase station passes so they can bolster the # of accounts active for the other games on the pass!

Fistinyereyes · Post by **Fistinyereyes** » May 13, 2005, 12:13 am

In some ways it's good bussiness sense... they've lost OMGIAMRETARDEDCAUSEALOTISTWOWORDS of players to WoW/EQ2/Whatever... they've lost money due to that... but what does that say about the remaining players? They're addicts that will stay till hell freezes over (For the most part, and myself included), so why not charge them more? If they lose a couple hundred subscriptions, that's made up for more than enough by the people that *do* stay and pay the extra cost.

Dal-KoE · Post by **Dal-KoE** » May 13, 2005, 12:38 pm

I don't see how this impacts those of you that have retired or left the game. Perhaps we should all go down to Starbucks and have an SoE bitch fest about a one dollar/month increase while sipping our $4.50 lattes. For those of us who still play EQ (and their still are a few) this means absolutely nothing. I myself have been paying either the 1 year / 6 month sub price on 3 accounts anywhay.

Sony is the devil ...they are market capitalist !!!

miir · Post by **miir** » May 13, 2005, 12:51 pm

For those of us who still play EQ (and their still are a few) this means absolutely nothing.

Figured as much.
$15 a month is pretty cheap for that much (potential) entertainment value.

Funny that some people complain about a $1 price increase for a game they don't play but won't think twice about dropping $50-60 for a PC or console game that offers a fraction of the value.

The price increase actually makes the Station Pass an even better deal.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 13, 2005, 1:13 pm

miir wrote:
The price increase actually makes the Station Pass an even better deal.

Oh man, marketing departments drool over people like you.

False sense of value for the win! Your next EQ expansion pack will be 99.00 but I will throw in free gold pin striping on the box!

...and I don't care how much money a person makes, Starbucks isn't worth what they charge. I have like 50.00 in Starbucks credit on gift cards that I let rot instead of listening to the order takers at those places.

miir · Post by **miir** » May 13, 2005, 1:24 pm

Winnow, I pay $22 a month and have access to EQ, EQ2, SWG and Planetside... I also get the EQ2 adventure packs for free.

I can pay for my monthly access in about 40 minutes at work.
To me, that's a good value.

Dal-KoE · Post by **Dal-KoE** » May 13, 2005, 1:29 pm

Winnow wrote: ...and I don't care how much money a person makes, Starbucks isn't worth what they charge. I have like 50.00 in Starbucks credit on gift cards that I let rot instead of listening to the order takers at those places.

Winnow, send those fuckers to me ... I love a good venti - quad white mocha with whipped. cha ching $6.00... "would you like an orange currant muffin with that asshole?"

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 13, 2005, 2:21 pm

"Give me a liter of coffee please"

Lynnsie · Post by **Lynnsie** » May 13, 2005, 2:47 pm

The SoE pass that I have for EQ1 and 2 is a good deal imo, just because I can be lazy and not have to bother with all the pre order bullshit from new adventure packs on EQ2. However, I do feel sorry for the idiots that 6 box and end up paying over 1k a year to Sony for EQ1 alone.

miir · Post by **miir** » May 13, 2005, 2:57 pm

Winnow wrote:"Give me a liter of coffee please"

I love going into starbucks and just asking for a large coffee...

Leonaerd · Post by **Leonaerd** » May 15, 2005, 1:41 am

Way to raise the monthly subscription on a dying game. That will keep'em from leaving!

Exactly.

Ennia · Post by **Ennia** » May 17, 2005, 6:00 pm

someone dind't like the numbers on first quarter reports

Mortimer · Post by **Mortimer** » May 18, 2005, 5:15 am

Or you could tribute Dennis Leary and ask for Coffee Flavored Coffee.

VeeshanVault

EQ Raises prices

EQ Raises prices

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