News: SOE Changes Premium Plan [Updates from Smed] - Page 2

Selerox · 2014-01-03, 09:11 AM

I get the feeling a lot of people will cancel subscriptions because of this. SOE has managed to turn their playerbase against them again.

God knows who's running the show...

Hamma · 2014-01-03, 09:15 AM

I changed the title of the thread a little so it has a bit less negative commentary. Posted as news as well.

When they make changes like this it's hard to figure out where their brains are, they have to know changes like this are going to cause a backlash. I can't imagine they were losing too much SC from the membership plans.

GeoGnome · 2014-01-03, 09:52 AM

This... This makes my head hurt.

Obviously this comes from higher up, because this is a company wide change, that said... why... in the HELL, is SOE Doing this.

Did SOE steal pirate treasure or something, because everytime they get to a stable point, something mind numbingly idiotic happens.

AuntLou · 2014-01-03, 10:24 AM

I'm BR 100 and don't really need anything else in Planetside 2. I planned on spending that extra 500 SC on Everquest Next. If this is really what they are doing I will be unsubbing.

doomocrat · 2014-01-03, 10:25 AM

I do not like this change at all and will be cancelling premium immediately. This seems like a situation where an item they want you to add additional SC for will be made a non-Member item. I might not cancel if I can be assured this will not be the case.

Edit: I really do feel like SOE feels PC players can leave at any time because they'll rake in so much more on PS4 launch.

Tatwi · 2014-01-03, 10:56 AM

From what I have read over the years, Playstation Network currency runs out over time if it isn't used, where as SOE Station Cash does not. SOE has "down sized" probably as much as it can to save money and with EQN on the way, they probably need to maximize their income to stay in business. Locking down Station Cash to direct currency exchange makes sense for SOE/Sony in the long run, because it will be easier for them to track and project their income. This appears to be a company wide restructuring of Station Cash.

While I do agree that changing the terms of the PS2 membership further devalues the already worthless membership, I do understand why SOE made the change.

Smed, you need to make a recurring membership PS2 genuinely worthwhile, by providing valuable services to your customers, such as 24/7 admins, fast/accurate customer service, "free" character services (name/server/gender changes), access to SOE created SC/Cert items while subscribed, and member-only servers (one per region). This is stuff people who want to be members would actually pay for, because they would substantially improve their quality of life.

People don't mind paying for services that are worth their money (such as cell phones with data plans, cable/satellite TV, Internet, insurance, Interac fees, shipping). Simply granting access to a game no longer holds value for most gamers. It did ten years ago, but not today. People will pay for "stuff" a la carte in a free2play model and they (rightly) expect extra services (be that exclusive content or services like what I described above) when they purchase a membership.

Mastachief · 2014-01-03, 10:59 AM

Sounds like they are giving with one hand and taking with another to me. I will be canceling my subscription due to the anniversary bundle farce and the terrible customer service soe provided around this issue, i feel this only strengthens my resolve. My 500 sc was often used to buy little things here and there as i have pretty much everything else when it comes to equipment. With the current direction, lack of new content and frequent failures i do ponder just how you will retain membership and marketplace income.

In the current decline in revenues i think hossin and the battle islands are like to be the only new maps we ever see before this cash cow is put out to pasture. The only glimmer of hope is the PS4 but even here you need to take that chunk of income and get the momentum back otherwise you end up back in the same position once those players reach a certain point (likely 6-9months with console kiddies) Avid players want to support the game but they don't want to waste their money.

KesTro · 2014-01-03, 11:04 AM

It likely does hurt a lot of subscribers but I always thought it was weird for having a subscription in one SOE game you got a currency for ALL their games. What with Everquest NEXT coming out they probably want to stop people from hoarding all their SC to capitalize on as much sales as they can get when it releases. At least that's where my head is when I think why they might do a change like this.

Mastachief · 2014-01-03, 11:13 AM

I don't think their would be half the up roar over this and the lack of SC sales if it was not for the fact that the PS2 micro transaction are anything but micro.

They needs to look at their prices and pretty much half the lot of it.

YourFutureEx · 2014-01-03, 11:15 AM

How f'ing convenient that they do this when all the hardcore PS2 people's yearly subscriptions re-up!! What the hell is worth 2000 SC in there anyway? Most of the highest costing things are about 1000, there is nothing in there anywhere near 2000!! What a crock of sh1t!

wicky · 2014-01-03, 11:30 AM

Annoyingly I have just paid for a 6 month sub on the understanding I would receive my 500sc per month... if I had known I probably wouldn't have resubbed.

I am not usually one for complaining but this change will result in me cancelling my subscription.

BlaxicanX · 2014-01-03, 11:33 AM

I'm glad I pay the service month-to-month instead of via the multi-month subscription.

This'll probably be my last month with the service then.

Kail · 2014-01-03, 11:46 AM

Personally I read the "Players Studio, bundles and additional exclusions may apply" as that, for example, brand-new items might not qualify for a time (like for a month or two), and not that studio / bundle items are forever exempt from the membership bonus.

As far as being a worse deal, realistically that depends on your buying style. Right now the monthly SC promote waiting for the sales, cause 500 can buy you a single camo or one of the daily deals (and a few of the cheaper weapons). Most weapons are 700 and a lot of the fancy cosmetics are 1k, not to mention the styled weapons (ie, gold/black variants) being up there.

Will it prevent you from banking up SC for use during holiday specials? Yeah, but honestly I think that's what they're trying to fix. As long as you use it on an item over 500SC, which is super easy to do, the holidays are the only major problem.

J Baley · 2014-01-03, 11:47 AM

This just makes my head hurt. I use SC to buy boosts. If it means I will ONLY be able to get 1 (one) 7 day boost a month (if that is in fact, included in this offer), I might as well cancel my membership. There is nothing there I want, that I do not already have.

Sad.

Crator · 2014-01-03, 12:16 PM

Most weapons you can buy with SC are worth around 700SC right? So that's already better then 500SC you got with the old sub plan. This of course will benefit the new player who doesn't have as many weapons as the existing players.

It's possible they might charge more for newer weapons/items they release as well. Therefore bringing the 2000SC you can spend with the sub closer to it's full value potential.