- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Good point and it is well taken. Economically though, it seems they paint themselves into a corner as far as the volume of customers they will get. And lets not forget about the consumers who will buy this game and never play over the initial free month that comes with the game. I am sure plenty of parents will buy these games for their kids/teens and when they realize the monthly fee, will never purchase additional months. I do think it is OK to charge monthly fees, but I think there should be more value to paying $15 a month than the ability to play just one game. Like I mentioned with XBOX Live, you get the ability to play all games for that console. Hell, as far as this goes, I don't mind seeing Microsoft buying game companies because I know there market strategy will be much better than the fees for individual games. I think Publishers should develop partnerships with eachother so that when you pay to play one game, you also get a few other high quality games in the package. And I may only play the one of those games, but I will feel better about my purchase and be a happy customer. Or if that doesn't work for game developers, they need to lower their price. The biggest issue I have with this really is all of the expansions that come out for these type of games, instead of making all of this content available for download with thier monthly plan, they insist on bending us over every chance they get. It makes no since to pay $50 for a game, $15 dollars a month to play, and onn top of that, buy 2-3 Xpacs for about $40 each in the likely two years the customer will play the game. That makes for a total of $490 of a gamers friggin money. I'm sorry, but to me this is total insanity and I really think all it would take is for all gamers to draw a line instead of lining up like sheep to line a game developers pockets.
Just my thoughts, I know it won't change anything, but I will never play such games and I think it is sad that they will continue to be popular among gamers.
[Edited on 11/24/2004 10:09:44 PM]