2014 Membership Update - News from Smed!

Hello all!

We wanted to let you know that we collected a metric ton of feedback and suggestions regarding the membership update - which we announced on Friday, far in advance of the February implementation date. Thank you one and all for your input!
Today, Smed posted to PS2 Reddit to discuss the changes, your concerns and feedback, along with his personal response. We wanted to share the information across all games at Smed's recommendation, because it applies to all of our titles. Smed's original Reddit post can be found here: http://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/1ukdxb/regarding_the_changes_to_our_subscription_plans/

Please continue to contribute to the discussion as we evolve our services!
~Brasse

"Hello everyone,

I hope you all had a Happy New Year! we're here back working hard to make cool stuff.

I wanted to give a little more insight into our thinking regarding the changes to the upcoming subscription plan.

I have been personally reading every post I can find about it and I understand there is a lot of FUD out there around it. So let me clear some things up and let you in on some of our thinking process.

Goals
The goals of our plan are very simple. Let players buy anything they want up to 2000 SC. It's fair to say that there aren't a lot of high priced items in the Planetside 2 shop, but that's kind of a good thing too. It's just when you look at it from the perspective of someone who's plan is changing they are right to ask "why is this good for me?".
We are discussing the feedback we've been getting and we are making some decisions regarding this today. Particularly around Player Studio items (yeah that was a bad idea) and we're talking about bundles as well. I promise that we are listening.

Why did we make this change? There were a few reasons really. First and foremost we wanted to let players get some of the larger items on the marketplace. People complain the other way on this all the time - they complain that the 500SC isn't enough for them to buy enough stuff. So we thought this would be a positive change.

Second - it helps us deal with some internal issues regarding accrual of balances of SC for people who aren't playing or spending. There are a lot of people who play and have SC in their wallets and don't spend it ever.. this accrues over time and it's a problem. Before the jaded among you cry out that this is really the most important reason - please don't judge just yet. It's actually not but I don't want to hide the fact that it's a part of it.

Third - we have a problem with a disparity between our console titles (which can't use Station Cash) and our PC Games. We can't do the same kind of promotions as easily on the PS3 and PS4. We're a lot more limited because we can't use Station Cash on there. So when we have a 3x sale on SC we have to do something different for our console titles. It's a pain in the neck to deal with this.

Forth - And this is very important -
We are considering (and are likely going to move forward with) a plan that means if you subscribe to one of our games you are a subscriber to all our games (this applies to PC titles only btw).. all for the current $14.99 a month. That's a benefit most companies simply can't offer because they don't have our portfolio of games. The goal would be to let you pick an item in each game you play. Some of you might say "well who cares..I only play Planetside 2. How is that a benefit to me?" My answer is simple - we've got a great lineup of games, some of which aren't announced yet that cater to a lot of players. We have EQN and EQNL coming along with other..... games... that PS2 players might just like

I will do my best to keep up with this thread and answer questions as much as I can (a bit AMA style).
Smed"

Quoting myself here.

This change does nothing beneficial to people who play EQ2 only and their only response is "Well you can play all these other games"

I seem to remember phone companies doing similar forced bundle sales like this until the FCC change regulations on them forcing them to unbundle services because the practice was deemed unfair to consumers.

Even with the access to all games gold membership, it's not what I want. It's selling me things I don't want and lessening the benefits I do want. Not worth it for me, but that's not to say it won't be worth it to somebody else.

Either way, this is lessening EQ2 specific benefits in exchange for other benefits you may not want outside of EQ2.

OK, so explain how this will work for European players, where half the games are already at PSS1, and all future ones including EQN will be too. How is this in any way a benefit to us?

Thanks for the new info. This is an interesting plan, I quite like it.

I'm hoping that no matter how we sub; whether it's via credit card, game card, krono etc - we'd all get the same gold member benefits. The only reason I subbed with credit card was to get the station cash benefit, and I'd prefer any form of gold membership payment to get equal love from Sony.

I get that it's complicated, but I've missed the double/triple station cash surprises on very special occasions.

First question, what's the secret game? Swg?!

Also, at least in the Eq2 community, people enjoyed the 500sc/month, so unless the other games have a different viewpoint? /shrug

Hey, also imagine if this was the post introducing the changes i imagine there would be less confusion.

I would question this - many people also want to buy smaller stuff with their 500SC montly allowance, or are happy to save for the large item

Then make the 500SC expire after 6 months or 1 year. At the end of the day you are getting $15 a month from those that are accruing SC - seriously? You see this as justification?

Sorry - I don't want to appear negative, but this is yet another change, against the vocal majority on here and again SOE are blindly moving forward. Player Studio was a bad idea?

I remain unimpressed and yet to be convinced.

I sub to play EQ2. I'm not interested in playing their other games.
I want the perks, that I pay for with my sub dollars, to be EQ2 perks.
Thanks.

This. Right here.

Stop trying to sell me crap I don't want and calling it good with attempts at good ole' boy 'honesty' sales pitches..

When the announcement was made that the Goblin games were being removed, I cancelled my monthly subscriptions. I had a bad omen that something was on the horizon that I didn't care for. Thank you for justifying my cancellations.

I have no interests in playing "other games". Bundling games and "offering" a "pick" in each is worthless to me. I see no benefit whatsoever in continuing a monthly subscription at all to EQ2 now (The only game that interests me).

Thank you. Now instead of getting my guaranteed monthly subscription fee each month, I will just purchase station cash in bundles of 500 for $5.00 when I want to buy something from the station store. Some months it may add up to $15.00 some months I'm sure it won't. Thank you for saving me money SOE.

Exactly.

still nothing on what items besides player made stuff will be excluded, to some of us knowing this might play a huge factor on how we view and respond to this change

I have already converted one of my gold accounts to FTP and deleted all but 2 toons off of there. I'm still watching this thread because I can't believe the mess Sony has stepped in with this one, and I'm waiting for the final shoe to drop. I'm never going to make that account gold again, there's no value and no point. I'm keeping my other gold account going so that I can continue to administrate my guild, that's it. If I thought I could do it the way I do it now on silver, I might discontinue the sub on that one too.

This whole thing has made the whole idea of a subscription go *poof* right in front of us. I agree with some of the suggestions in the previous 60+ page forum thread that a return to the flat rate subscription for 100% content 100% of the time is the way to go. Won't happen, which is why I now have one foot out the door.

No coming back from this. Bioware now has the $15 recurring I was spending here on the other account. At least there I still get Cartel tokens every month.

First let me say, thank you for giving us some info/insight. Now I know Smed didn't address us directly here at EQ2, it was directed at PS2. I must say that I am happy with his comments. He tried his best to explain why it was occurring. He also addressed some of our concerns, such as player studio and bundles, he said they are looking at it, they realize excluding too much will make for an unhappy crowd.

Secondly, while I mostly play EQ2 I do venture to other games and I think it would be awesome to be able to be subbed to them all for the same $15 I pay here. For those that don't play other games look at it this way, how many are playing various SOE games FREE, how many would pay if they could access all games and get a free item in each game each month? I see it increasing their revenue. Call me silly but for now im looking forward to what Smed has to say.

Thanks for the update.

Well we got some of the reasons people were asking for although he should be clearer as to why large blocks of unused SC is a problem.

Definitely support this statement.

Also I am baffled by the lack of professionalism displayed here. These PR releases are not what I would call quality letters to your what was it again? Oh right, "valued members". Polish these letters, don't make them sound so smart-arsed, and use a spell check for crying out loud ("fourth" not "forth"). Seeing this kind of official news? Well it brings to mind a fly-by-night company run by a bunch of teenagers from Mum's basement when it surely MUST be more than that.

I am to the point where I don't even care over the 500 SC anymore. Every official post gets worse, and deteriorates the faith in SOE by leaps and bounds. Customer faith is a commodity no company should strive this hard to lose. Happy customers may tell a friend they are happy with a product. Unhappy customers tell everyone they meet not to use it, buy it, support it. You have a great many unhappy customers. Quit jerking people around. And get a proper announcement written.

That post sounds like it was written out of desperation and with little thought.

I am going to answer it step by step with my questions and thoughts.

1.I am not interested in a once a month 'Token' to spend on 1 (One) item up to a value of 2000SC that has to be claimed or lost/spent or lost. This is 'NOT GOOD FOR ME'
2. Nice to know you are listening - I think if you count the posts that 'Don't mind' player made items being excluded they would be higher than those that have said that they would like them included. But either way this means nothing to me personally I have never purchased player made items.
3.We could get 'Larger' items already in the marketplace if we wanted by saving up our SC. With this change we will not be able to get items costing over 2000SC unless we actually purchase SC Cards or SC directly from SOE.
4. I don't understand what internal issues you may have with people saving thier SC, If there is an issue with people saving thier SC is there also an issue with people that buy 1000's of SC and don't spend it for a while?
5. I only play EQ2 and I did not realise that it could be played on a console, which consoles can it be played on?
6. Finally - I am in the UK and was one of the people that stayed with SOE (After all that **** with PRO7) I only play EQ2. Does this mean that I will now be able to get All-Access with SOE now and play all SOE Games through the SOE launcher?

EDIT* Just thought of this - Kronos are used to purchase 30 days Gold play in EQ2 if this 'All-Access' goes ahead then will be able to be used for All-Access or will they become useless?

I like what I am reading from Smed. I'm glad he's watching our feedback and working on making some changes, especially allowing Player Studio and Bundles to be included, instead of excluded.

I like the idea of paying $14.99 for a basic SOE subscription that will not only include all of the current games, but EQN and EQNL. I am planning on playing both EQN and EQNL so this adds benefit to paying a subscription for me. I quit Vanguard a while ago and might get back into it some if that is included in my $14.99 SOE subscription.

$14.99 is a good, fair price for all access.

Being able to choose one item in every SOE game is also appealing for me.

I know that nothing is set in stone yet but Smed's tweet has me feeling a bit better about things.

Good point.

Same here, still not convinced, excited or the smallest bit of happy.

I pay my subscrition to play EQII not EQSomething or Awesometitle in the future...

Many people even just don't have the time at hand to play more than one game truly at a time. I for sure can't enjoy EQII while playing another game full/parttime... It's just too time consuming and fun in being that in many aspects.

My wife and I signed up for Gold, for the benefits it had.

Then new "WHOA EXCITING *CLAP...CHEER* stuff gets implemented, only to be payed for with SC...

The gold sub then just felt like gold and not Gold anymore, because many things that aren't pay to win but just convinient, were only availble for SC. And this keeps going on and on.

You get nagged to spend SC for trivial things in shameful amounts at every turn. Like here a Cheerclap exciting shiny new ginormous button you may accidentally, whoops, click on... poof 100+ SC gone.

Things that should have been implemented into a subscription *meeeep* again only for SC... lots of SC...

Now the 500 SC for monthly reocurring "Gold" Membership, which was advertized with going gold... poof...

But hey you get a gleaming whopping 2000 SC now... which might be worth 2000 SC, or just 50 SC or just plain nothing... But hey you earn "Nothing" as well in every other of our awesome PC games you don't play... Isn't that an awesome BIG FAT DEAL?

No... it's still a plain ripoff... making any of that going poof... just keep the 500 as they were or let us choose. Hey you want less but steady and keep it 500 SC each reocurring subscription month? Or do you want the behindwhooping 2000 SC which may turn into stinky air if you forget to use them?

I still want to choose what I do with the 500 SC that are given due to the fact, they are included in the reocurring Gold Sub. If I want to I want to save some to spend a larger amount later, or I want to spend on more on little cheap things, I even stock up while not on SC $$$$$$$ $ale some times.

I want to stay a while in EQII, not move on, not look at any other game, except one my wife and I play for over 10 years now.

So with this said...

Good Night...
Anghammarad

This is probably as specific as this answer is going to be. You can extrapolate what you will from it but this is pretty detailed information that most other companies wouldn't release.