Awesome Bonus Items for Purchasing Altar of Malice!

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by Afista_DG, Oct 20, 2014.

  1. Liral Active Member

    HORRIBLE analogy. Latte and EQ2 versus gas for real life important and necessary things like getting to work, grocery store etc...
  2. Dethdlr Active Member

    I've purchased every collectors edition since Desert of Flames for anywhere from one to four accounts. Every one of them had a pre-order discount. Every one of them cost less than the entire rest of the expansion.

    This is the first time they haven't offered a pre-order discount. And this is the first time I've had to give any thought as to whether or not I'm going to buy the collectors edition.

    $39.99 gets me all of the expansion content. All the solo, advanced solo, heroic, raid, and tradeskill content that they've been working on for months and are now beta testing are included for $39.99.

    For an additional $50, I can get the stuff included in the collector's edition. So the stuff in the collector's edition is worth more than the entire rest of the expansion combined? I think not.

    Can't do a pre-order? Fine. Then do a short term discount for All Access members. During the period where only All Access members can purchase the expansion, let us buy the collector's edition for for the price you normally charge during pre-order.
    Kalderon, Feldon, Kurisutaru and 9 others like this.
  3. Wenjii New Member


    I think this is a healthy approach. My suggestion would be that they add a few shiny things to the standard edition to pad the blow of many not being able to afford the CE. Maybe something like a few xp pots and some other fluff. Then keep the CE at the large price, leaving it to be purchased by the people who really want that/see the value in it, making it truly a 'collectors edition'. Something called a collectors item generally implies rarity.
    Rawl and Braxlin like this.
  4. Dethdlr Active Member

    One of us is mis-remembering whether or not they've offered a pre-order discount on every expansion, starting with the first one - Desert of Flames. My memory, having bought every one of them, most for multiple accounts, is that they have in fact offered pre-order discounts on all of them. Your memory apparently disagrees with that.
    Feldon, Spindle and Hirofortis like this.
  5. Rhamnusia New Member

    I will miss my preorder discount and I do wish they were offering the new race as a CE bonus but I will still be buying the CE and I will still be supporting the one game I have played over the last 15 years of playing mmos that actually seems to TRY to please its customer base. I know there's no pleasing everyone but SOE has been ahead of the curve in my opinion. As the head of my household and a business manager I understand inflation hits us all. Carry on SOE and I will be right there with you even when you don't give me everything I want.
  6. SgtPmpkn Well-Known Member

    I too have utilized the pre-order discounts from DoF; but the regular price hasn't changed. Even if we don't agree with them changing this business practice, doesn't mean the price has been increased. The opportunity cost of saving some funds during a promotional period is not offered here, which I wish it was, but will get through.
    Rhamnusia likes this.
  7. SgtPmpkn Well-Known Member

    All MMO's have their own money making avenues; each one will charge for different items. Some for fluff; some for subs; some for addons; some for basic features.

    Yes the SC cost has increased on items (rarely buy SC or spend it, but all things go up over time); monthly fees are down for me to $10/month with all access, which I have subscribed to since launch so that benefits me; expansion prices haven't increased, just the promotional discount is not offered here (I wish it was offered but SOE can offer whatever they want for their product); and yes unfortunately the Dev Team was cut, and I have no words to express how disappointing that is, but layoffs happen all over this great country of ours, some places more than others.

    Overall, I agree with the sentiment that without a discount its a sticker shock, but I will adjust my budget, make due with one less thing a month, and I will enjoy my entertainment; which is still a great value compared to other activities out there. Again, the above is my personal experience, and other experiences may vary.
    Hijinx and Rhamnusia like this.
  8. Adegx Active Member

    Just wanted to weigh in that 90 bucks is way too much for the collectors edition. Its over twice what the standard version costs. IF it was the normal 59.99 I'd be far far more likely to buy it.
    Feldon, Awkk and Naramsin like this.
  9. Dethdlr Active Member

    I can't disagree with you there. The non-discounted price hasn't increased. However, the price I have to pay has. And I'd wager that an overwhelmingly large percentage of CE purchases ever made have been pre-orders.

    In prior years, with the pre-order discount (not counting the all access discounts of the past) you paid $39.99 for the expansion and $59.99 if you wanted the CE. So the expansion cost $39.99 and for $20 more, you got the CE. So the CE cost about half what the expansion itself cost.

    This year, the expansion is $39.99. For $50 more, you can get the CE. So this year, the CE costs over twice as much as the expansion itself. Ouch.
    Feldon and Maltaros like this.
  10. SgtPmpkn Well-Known Member

    I agree with this, if the pre-order discount is gone, I ask SOE to kindly re-evaluate the price the the CE version this year. I would agree with you that more people have purchased the CE because of the discount and would buy the CE this year if the price was down a bit more.
    Dambae Shadowfury likes this.
  11. Leafa Active Member

    I'm not sure why this expansion is so overpriced, but I can't be the only one feeling the current price (with no ability to get a discount by pre-buying) is grotesquely greedy and ill-timed in light of current economic strain all over the globe.

    SOE is showing either a blatant disregard for the current economic struggles of a typical family, or a callous kind of clueless disconnect from the current economy's impact on individuals and families..

    SOE would do well to remember not to take 'loyalty' for granted. If a strong competitor to their games appeared, will people stay with a product/company they trust, or jump ship gladly because SOE left a bad taste in their mouth.

    It would be better at the very least to offer a pre-buy discount, and also offer some of the collector addition goodies individually for SC later for those who can only afford the basic expansion right now. Many people will want those, and just not be able to afford the inflated price of this expansion. This price is not keeping the big and long term picture in focus for a solid customer base. Once people jump ship, all they tend to remember is the bad taste from things just like the inflated price of this expansion.

    I truly believe that a lower price will ultimately bring more profit in the end as more people purchase, many for their multiple accounts.
    Naramsin likes this.
  12. Cuelaen Well-Known Member


    Kind of disappointed, myself. I get that things are going to cost more over time, but as you said, to charge twice as much for the CE as the expansion itself costs? I could see "Maybe" spending the extra 50 bucks for the collectors items listed, IF they had thrown the new race in as a bonus,but a couple of paintings, a "rideosaur", and a merc? I love this game, but there's a fine line between being a devoted customer, and just plain "not getting kissed first"....
  13. Vainamoinen Well-Known Member

    I think at this point, 10 years into the game, EQ2 has interested nearly as many people as it will ever interest. The lifespan of the game is not going to be determined by how many or how few Collector's Editions are sold and the only reason it seems to be failing it's "goal" is that it isn't pleasing everyone equally as well. We well know that in this day and age it is nigh impossible to please an entire community (especially the EQ2 community) in one fell swoop.

    And nothing is being excluded because it was never there in the first place. People simply want more and by "more" I mean things that they, personally, feel they should have. That's no excuse to just start throwing more stuff at the CE.


    I'm not sure how the contents of the CE have any bearing on my enjoyment of the game. Like I said, there are already enough houses and races to keep me happy, so I don't need those. Offering a Collector's Edition at an exorbitant price is not going to change my gameplay because there is nothing in it that would have any influence.

    My bit about complaining was not aimed so much at you as it was intended for the vast majority of others who were complaining. I agree, that there are certainly costs associated with the game and they certainly aren't getting any cheaper. I think, however, I budget myself according to what I can or cannot do with respect to my hobbies/entertainment (except maybe beer). My son enjoys his gaming on the Xbox and the pennies add up pretty quickly there. I can buy a game for $60 and easily pay and extra $60 for DLC stuff, along with the Xbox Live annual fees. This kind of stuff isn't exclusive to EQ2 or SOE.

    I totally support the idea of people voicing their concerns or their displeasures on the forum. I do the same. I also like to add my perspective to many of these conversations because I find that my point of view ends up being in the minority.
    Ashy likes this.
  14. doit Member

    Is there a reason that we cannot preorder the new expansion so we can at least pre-download the content?
  15. Dethdlr Active Member

    Actually, more than likely you'll pre-download a lot of the content either way. For the last several expansions, they've pushed out a good bit of the expansion with the pre-launch patches. A week or so before the expansion launches, see if the size of the downloads on patch days increase. Usually, you end up with the content on your machine at the same time regardless of whether you preorder or not.
    Feldon and doit like this.
  16. seneth Active Member

    Why not complain, voice your opinion that is what we should do when prices are too high on "anything". Unfortunately, we will complain about a game but real life issues no.
    Yes, this is too much to pay for a CE, am I complaining, yes I am. I went into Beta, as a cloth wearer with a merc( dragon), who is fairly competent. Well, I died so much, I now hate this zone in there and I really don't even want this expac because I can't survive it as a 95 warlock. No my gear is not the greatest but come on, do I have to commit to a raid guild and spend my time raiding to play this expac? Not for this price, uh no. Listen to your customers SOE, that's my advice and guess what,, IT'S FREE.
  17. Ahupu Well-Known Member

    Ummmm, while i do not think i will be buying a CE this year either (at least not immediately) this math is wrong. Rounding the costs to $40, $60 (pre order cost)and $90. 60-40=20, 20/40*100=50%of the cost of the base expac. 90-40=50, 50/40*100=125% of the base cost, So while you are correct that the CE costs over twice what the standard does, your initial comparison was that preorder CEs cost half of what the standard expansions of the past had cost, they were not selling CEs for $20 therefore you are talking about the cost of upgrading not a comparison of the actual costs. Based on that premise, for the CE to be over twice the cost of the expansion it would have to cost in excess of $120. What you could say is that the cost of upgrading is over twice what it was when they allowed preorders.
    Lodrelhai likes this.
  18. oldskool Active Member

    Let's say you've been playing for 10 years. For time off and other stuff, let's take it down to 7 years.

    Let's say you play 4 hours per day for 5 days per week. That's 20 hours per week x 52 weeks. Say 1000 hours per year.

    7000 total hours.

    If you've spent $4000 dollars total that means its cost you less than 60 cents per hour of entertainment.

    People need to realize that even at 39.99 for the expansion there are few little options for entertainment that is as good a quality and value as EQ2.
    Kalderon and Spindle like this.
  19. Moonpanther Well-Known Member

    I really would have liked to see a house in the xpac. But I understand that prices are going up on everything and I'll just have to decide if I want to spend that much to get the CE. It doesn't really have anything that is game changing or that I can't live without so not sure which route I will go. In the end the choice is between the two and what I want to pay for. No biggie.
    Spindle likes this.
  20. Dethdlr Active Member

    I had to look at that math again to catch what you're saying. I believe you're correct.

    SE = $40

    Pre-order upgrade = $20. $20 is half of $40.

    Non pre-order upgrade = $50. $50 is not twice $40.

    The CE is over twice as much as the SE: $40 for SE, $90 for CE.

    The upgrade price for the CE ($50) is more than the cost of the entire rest of the expansion combined ($40).

    But you're correct, saying that the upgrade price for the CE is over twice the cost of the SE is incorrect. I sit corrected. :)