Massive Assault
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Subscription Pricing
http://www.massiveassault.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1780
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Author:  Goldeye [ Tue Oct 19, 2004 4:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Subscription Pricing

I just want to submit some feedback about the subscription pricing to the game developers/publishers and the community.

Disclaimer: First of all, let me state that I think MAN is one heluva good game. It does my heart good to see inde game developers do well.

I subscribed to and played MAN for about 5 months. I really enjoyed the game. The problem is that the price of US$6.95 per month works out to almost $10.00 canadian every month. I know that there are 3 and 6 month price breaks, but even still they are a bit much. Even at the 6 month rate it works out to almost CDN$100.00 per year.

My problem is that CDN$100.00-120.00 per year is WAY too much to play any game in my opinion. If you went down to your local software store and they tried to sell you any game for $120.00 I would definitely not do it.

Now, I am not just here to bitch and complain. I cancelled my subscription a few months back but still think about the game once in a while. I would like to give some ideas for a better pricing structure in my opinion. I am in the software industry so am also somewhat in touch with software pricing. Here is what I propose:

When someone decides to purchase MAN, make the price like US$50.00 which gets you a registered version as well as 1 year on the community. Then after the year, offer subscribers another year for US$40.00.

From a game buyer standpoint I would like this. In my head I say "US$50.00 is a pretty good price for a game that I can play for a year, hey what the hell - here is my credit card". When the subscription renewal comes up after the year I can re-evaluate my options and go for another year (which most folks would do as long as they still play the game).

From the standpoint of the game developers this also makes sense. It maximizes the amount of money they make when the gamer is excited about the game and has their credit card ready to go. In my case, I sort of started losing interest in paying money every month a few months in and cancelled. Had I purchased a full year subscription for a resonable price at the get-go I would sitll be playing the game. I think in the long run the game developers would keep more players (read: customers) in the game and maximize their long-term revenues.

In the end I think that it is hard for me to justify the amount of money it costs to play this game over the course of a year when I can play XBox Live much cheaper and play lots of different game swith that subscription - not just one. This is the opinion of someone who enjoyed the game but in not a "hard-core" player of it. I would still be playing today if the pricing structure was reconsidered.

I would be curious to hear from the developers about whether they are considering different pricing strategies for the future of this game or the new version that is coming out in a few months.

Other users - this is not meant to be flame bait. If you are getting ready to respond with "If you don't like it , don't pay man" or "Go to hell, loser", please don't bother. If you agree or disagree with me and have a constructive argument one way or the other I would love to discuss it with you.

Author:  Ben [ Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:32 pm ]
Post subject: 

I agree and have also cancelled my subscription. I simply don't feel the product is worth the monthly fee, especially as the only advantages to paying monthly is getting access to 3 or so maps.

But yes, great game, I'll keep playing on the standard maps.

Author:  Nick_WN [ Wed Oct 20, 2004 2:26 am ]
Post subject: 

Hello Goldeye,

Thank you for interesting feedback about pricing structure of Massive Assault Network.

I just calculated potential income from the game we might have gotten if we charged $50 for entire year. You're right - we would be making more money than we have earned on this game so far.

However, not many customers are ready to shell out $50 for online game, which is quite a problem. This is the price of retail version AAA-class title. And I don't believe gaming media would find such pricing appropriate for M.A.N.

Anyway, M.A.N. is the first online-project from series and once we announce Phantom Renaissance online (or whatever we name it) it's very likely we re-consider both pricing and distributional model of the title to attract more attention to it from gaming community.

By the way, Phantom Renaissance will be released in Q1 2005 - make sure you don't miss it! :-)

Kind Regards,
Nick

VP Business Development

Author:  Silicor [ Wed Oct 20, 2004 3:41 am ]
Post subject: 

I found the 7 dollars for the first month to be great when I first explored MAN. In fact, it was one of the reasons I joined. If I didn't like it, I would only be out a few bucks. However, I tend to agree that once you get past the 7 month mark the game does feel expensive for the amount of time I spend with it. Considering that most MMOs are double the price, yet have tons more content makes a difficult case for the price.

I'm not planning on cancelling anytime soon, yet I'am glad to hear that you are relooking at pricing.

Author:  Goldeye [ Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:22 am ]
Post subject: 

Nick,

It is good to hear that you are considering other options. I would disagree somewhat with you about people not being willing to part with the $50.00 up front. I think MAN is easily as good as any strategy game that I have played (including Civ, etc.) from a pure enjoyment of the game point of view.

The thing is that with the way you allow players to fully immerse in the game and community when evaluating the product, they have already tried the game and like it. The $7.00 startup fee would be more of a factor if you didn't allow someone to play online games at all with the trial edition. I really think that once someone gets to the point of being willing to dig out the credit card then they are commited to the game for $7.00 or $50.00.

Here are two ideas:

1. Charge the $50.00 up front but offer a 30 day money back gaurantee. This way the option is there for the guy who is not 100% sure he likes the game. And statictically you will get VERY few returns due to human nature.

2. Offer the month to month pricing but also offer a more reasonable 1 year pricing. Present these options when someone goes to register for the first time (all US$):

$6.95 - 1 Month
$25.00 - 3 Months
$35.00 - 6 Months
$50.00 - 1 Year (Best Value)

This way you get everyone. I think you would get about 80-90% of people choosing the $50.00 option.

Personally I still think that option 1 would work pretty good, but there are compromises that can be made. One rule of software marketing that I have read about and seen in practice in our company is to get as much money from the customer when they are excitied about the product - when it is new to them. We offer bundles, support policies, etc. up front at the point of purchase because customers are much more likely to pay the money up front than to pay it out 6 months down the road.

- Goldeye

P.S. - One other idea: When "Phantom Renaissance" comes out offer folks a free version of Massive Assault (not MAN) as an incentive is they choose the $50.00 per year subscription option. Sweeten the pot. You have nothing to lose in this case.

I'll post other ideas as I thnk of them if you want me to. I am full of ideas. :D

Author:  Goldeye [ Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:27 am ]
Post subject: 

Or, here is another one:

In option 2 above, give someone 3 free months at the end of their term is they choose the $50.00 option as a first-time buyer. This way you actually get 15 months for the price of 12 when you first buy the game. Then every year at renewal it is the $50.00 or even $40.00 to renew for 12 more months.

The nice thing with the higher price up-front strategy is that it gives you the software developer a more predicable and readily available revenue flow with which to make business decisions and further develop the game.

Author:  Goldeye [ Fri Nov 05, 2004 10:08 am ]
Post subject: 

Here is a good pricing structure for an inde game:

Laser Squad Nemesis

Single Player Campaign Missions with
1 MONTH online subscription US$19.95

Single Player Campaign Missions with
3 MONTHS online subscription US$29.95

Single Player Campaign Missions with
6 MONTHS online subscription US$39.95

Single Player Campaign Missions with
1 YEAR online subscription US$59.95

Author:  Uller [ Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:31 pm ]
Post subject: 

I have to admit that the pricing is definately keeping me away from MAN. I just bought MA from eBay and have been contemplating my multiplayer options.

I work full time, have 2 kids, am renovating my house, etc...time for gaming is limited. So $7/month to pay to play a game is a bit high when it is likely I'd only play one or two games a month. You should have a $X for Y games package like with DBA Online. I'd be willing to pay $1 or $2 per game at least to try it out.

Author:  Enforcer [ Wed Nov 10, 2004 3:34 am ]
Post subject: 

guess it you are only intending to play 1-2 games a month then it isn't worth you paying that much for man, prob best you just use the free version of man which lets you play just emerald online (altho if you have purchased ma boxed version then just stick to that, you get think it's 9 maps to play multiplayer on as much as u want.)

Most people tend to play 20-40 games a month tho.

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