Feel the Wind Beneath Your Wings with the Aerakyn Player Race!

I love how you don't really get wing attack animations unless you fork out the extra 2200SC. I mean, who the heck plays unarmed? That's right, nobody. Even a brand new level 1 toon has a weapon equipped.

It's more like the intimidating prices will scare of new players that we desperately need, be the final straw for people who are thinking of leaving because SOE is getting too outrageous, and disenchant the few of us who were fully determined to be here till the servers died.
Or course, at this rate... we might just make that goal... /..\
Let me put it this way. If your car insurance company was raising their rates, decreasing the things they covered, making the "safe driver benefits" about 1/30th of what they used to be, and splitting up things that used to come in a package, but charging the full price of the full package for each part... would you start looking for insurance, or blindly assume they had their reasons? (or strip you policy down to as little as possible, telling your self you are ok, you won't need all that as long as you drive carefully?)

@Tarnorili

Your absolutely correct, however, it usually is in a companies best interest to actually be listening to their customers (especially when it comes to pricing) so as to actually price things within the ranges that their customer base actually feel reasonable enough to warrant buying said items.

Otherwise, while they may not be forcing us (which in ways they are strongly nudging us to for certain things with newer content) to buy something they also are not selling anything either. My knowledge of economics may be outdated, but I am still pretty sure that still doesn't help a companies bottom line.

Which leaves basically two scenarios. SOE is either bumping up their pricing index due to not actually pulling in enough income from current offerings, or despite the very loud protests on the forums, in game, and elsewhere are actually selling so much that their greed to grab more of the cookie has taken hold.

So again your absolutely correct, and hopefully their not forcing us to buy anything keeps them afloat as it sounds like they have turned off a very large portion of their entire player base with the recent changes in their structure over the last year.

Then again SOE games tend to be a niche market in the MMO/online gaming genre, and the way they talk in podcasts, news features, etc they have a lot banking on EQ Next. Almost to the point that it is going to be the make it or break it title for what the future of SOE holds, and if that isn't the case then they need some better PR people writing what they say as the wrong impression is coming across.

I think I'll just save up my 500 monthly SC for it if I want it. that's only what? a year before i can get an actual useful Aerakyn?

It all boils down to loyalty...what has SOE done for us, their customers, to win our loyalty? Over the past 12 years I have seen them continuously ingratiate and insult their player base, over and over again, with an occasional attempt to appease and win their customers over again, only to insult and ingratiate them again in this manner. Then they wonder why they suffer financially as people walk away.

I almost feel that after all the complaints we have posted regarding the cost of the expac, and the lack of response there, that they are intentionally driving this wedge between themselves and the remaining small number of customers who have tried to support them despite all the mistakes they have continuously repeated to make. Just reading some of the posts here, I can see that this is like a final straw for many people...the straw that finally broke the camels back.

Sadly, SOE can't afford to lose more customers, yet that is just what they have done with this new announcement. As sad as it may be, I see even more the end of EQ2 as we know it looming ahead in the very near future, and it's not because SOE couldn't have prevented it...it's because they didn't care enough to prevent it. SOE has THE worst marketing team ever, as can be proven by their many many mistakes over the past several years.

This announcement has made my final decision...I will NOT be purchasing the Expac, I will NOT be purchasing the new race. I will continue to pay for my AllAccess though I probably shouldn't even do that anymore, and my SC spending will be limited to Player Studio items ONLY, simply to show my support of those who go out of their way to work hard to bring us those lovely house items. I feel bad for the developers and community managers as I know that with SOE losing our supporting funds, their salaries will be affected as well, but I can no longer justify supporting SOE with anything more than my monthly AllAccess fee. They want to go out of their way to make their customers feel inconsequential and unappreciated, then they don't deserve my hard earned dollars to support them.

If my current criticism of them as a company is construed as not being constructive, forgive me for feeling the need to express my feelings in regards to the current marketing schemes that they have been presenting to us as of late. Just consider, however, that any attempt to remove my post expressing my feelings may cost them yet another paying customer as I just might go F2P if I am not allowed to present my true feelings here...that's not just one, but two accounts that still generate some revenue for them that they would lose. I already had no intentions of purchasing the new race, but to see the exorbitant and ridiculously high cost to do so has just outraged me in ways you cannot even fathom.I have been very conservative in my statements here, as there is sooo much more that could be said in regards to how I feel about all this price gouging that has been going on over the last several months.

I hate to dwell on this much longer, but I'm not sure if even SOE realizes (and I'm sure they do) that the Noble race costs even MORE than the Standard Edition expansion pack?? Real nice. I guess that's the whole reason why it was never going to be included as part of it from the start. (Even though it will be released simultaneously)

I know when to stop throwing money into things that I don't really need to enjoy the game. I can live without having an Aerakyn player race.

It would be nice if you could preview them, before buying =)

Just too much... no! Not paying any more!

Have given 9 years of loyalty to SoE and over those years have put up with some things that really stretched my loyalty. But I took a great leap of faith and still stayed with EQ2 - because it is a great game and I maybe, stupidly, thought SoE cared about it's player base. I bought the expansions - paid the price. Because I loved the game. Because I hoped and believed we were going forward.

But seeing this latest shock coming on top of the news of the scaled down vet reward - I don't think I want to pay any more - even worse I don't think I want to play any more. It is just sapping all the enthusiasm out of the game for me. Yeah I can still play - but now I won't be able to play a race I was very much looking forward to. I followed all the SoE live info I could see on the new expansion and this new playable race. I was excited and determined somehow to try and buy the CE edition so that I could get the best opportunity at the start of the expac because I thought it would include the new race. They were giving us back the island - nice new graphics and a whole new race! Fantastic.

Now I don't even want to buy the expansion at all. I don't even want to play. Well I don't know much about economics but looking at the comments posted here - I feel this has just put the dampers on a lot of players enthusiasm and that has to have a knock on effect for the SoE economy. I wonder if that was really worth the high prices they are asking this time.

I don't know whether SoE marketing read this forum. I feel sorry for the devs and community people if they do read these forums for they are the ones who unavoidably take the brunt of the criticism - and having put their all into a new expansion to bring new and exciting stuff to a game - well .. it must sting some to see people say they are leaving because of this marketing trend. But it's happening... and I think it will get worse.

Some will pay that price for the privilege of being the first to have this race and getting them to 100 - but it won't be me.

I'm not paying any more those days are gone. Aggressive marketing just killed it for me.

Seems like SOE only want Australian's to have the Aerakyn race with prices like that.

Truer words and all that.

At the end of the day, no one's forcing us to stick around and play SOE games, either.

This is kinda sad. I think I am just going to stick with my fae. I can run that quest line in about 30 minutes and fly for free. Combine that with how slow AoM runs on my machine and the issues I had in beta. I might hold off on the expansion as well. Might be time to take a break from this game. Never thought I would see myself say that, I love the developers. Just feel that we don't get much for our money these days. I do understand they have alot to work with, and not enough help.

Despite all of the negativity regarding the price I think I will get them. But I have a few questions, hope you can answer them Afista .

Wing Appearances
Are they appearance mounts for the appearance mount slot or are they back slot items, like the appearance wings in the marketplace (the ones that look like the one the fae have)? So can I put on my nightmare flight wings (or any other flying mount) and get the appearance of the Aerakyn wings? Are the Aerakyn wings shown indoors (like in a dungeon or house) or do they vanish like the other flying wing mounts (resulting in wingless Aerakyn indoors).

Wing Attacks
Do you have to be absolutely unarmed to see them or can you equip fist weapons and stuff in your appearance slots, that make you appear to use unarmed attacks? How is the special appearance weapon for the noble ones? Is it just a two-handed weapon that makes you appear unarmed? Are other weapons still shown with this special appearance weapon, so that I can wield my sword (or any other appearance weapon) and still see the wing attacks?

No thanks SoE!

The CE version of the Xpac is already grossly overpriced and its bonus contents are poor value for money but the pricing of the new race is simply absurd.

Even after 10 years I still love the game and its content (thank you devs, designers, coders & artists etc.) but these 2 recent decisions (doubtless made by the faceless corporate suits & bean counters) have forced me to conclude that I need to start looking for another MMO........................and it most certainly won't be EQNext.

Surely somebody in the SoE corporate food chain can see the damage all this nonsense is causing?

Well, there goes another race I'll never get in my life.

But not because of Appearance, but because of the damned price just to fly, Jesus, that's ridiculous.

And I thought Freeblood was bad since their price was a bit high for a race that looks like someone hit them with an ugly stick for 5 days.

People are overreacting a bit to all of this. Do you really need the new race? Do you really need 8+ islands of refuge? Seriously! The CE is all unnecessary as well. Unless you're the type to upgrade every spell you have mastered to grandmaster with SC, then really you shouldn't complain. And, if you are that type, then state your opinion about it and go get help if you don't have that type of extra $$$ to burn.

Perspective: you can do so much in this game for absolutely free that it borders on absurd. I don't think these prices are outrageous, I think people feeling they need everything right now is the true absurdity. I'll buy the new xpac standard edition and I'll continue to be a gold member and I'll be very happy with my one island in a week when it's free. Thanks.

Wow... almost all posts here are negative. I do agree that the price on this race is way too high (and I will not be buying them). My play style doesn't require the newest expansion, so I won't be buying that either (nor did I buy the last one). If the prices were more reasonable, I might be tempted.

I don't see a need to quit (or go f2p) though, so I will keep my gold account.

Come on now.
$42.00 for a functioning race. -_-

Discounted Noble Bundle that includes a Heroic Character Bauble AND character slot
Players will be able to purchase a Noble Aerakyn with a Heroic Character upgrade bauble and character slot for 7700SC. -<--- pay $77 dollars get free character slot..
OR
delete a character and get no discount -_-

What's the economic attribute that accounts for inflation for the price of pixels?

Sad part is SOE a Company and a Company needs to make money to continue .. it doesn't help that SONY lost 2.1 billion on phones.

Expansion SE $39 (with)
all the stuff you had already posted plus
New Race $20 Edition
and Isle 1300

or $20 New Race alone and 1300 for Isle (stand alone)

Expansion CE $90 (with)
Everything you had posted
New Race $4200
Isle 1300
and 85 Heroic $35

or $42 New Race alone , Isle 1300 , Heroic $35 (Stand alone)

you decide either buy alone or with the Expansion you decide if you want the Expansion not the items. give players a choice if you are ready for the Expansion you don't need to worry your items are here .. if not well here the price same idea just improved a little without lowering or raising anything

I get your idea I really do but it can be better buy it with the expansion or buy it stand alone not here take it or leave it.

everyone mad because in they're own way fluff or not they were looking forward to it please EQ2 Developers think heavy on this.

I'm an altoholic. I also have a long-standing love of things with wings. I've been very excited about making a few Aerakyn alts since I first heard of them. I bought extra character slots to make a few. Now... I don't really care. The initial trickle of information about AoM left me full of "Oooh, yay! Oooh, yay!" Then it was mentioned that Aerakyn would be a separate purchase. Disappointing, but I could live with it. The CE doesn't really have nearly enough pull for me to buy it, when I'd originally thought I would. With this, not even the Aerakyn unlock has enough incentive. They were touted from the start as having fully-functional wings which would allow you to fly once fully matured (at level 85.) Inexplicably, there's a reason why some Aerakyn can't fly, but paying extra money fixes that problem for them? Fae and Arasai had a reasonable lore explanation. Aerakyn, not so much. On top of the whole surprise-knock-over-the-head feeling with the sudden, "But wait! There are *two* types of Aerakyn!" they don't even seem as, well, dragony as I'd hoped. My own fault for making assumptions, but I'd expected something more like Daeron and assorted Aerakyn NPCs. These guys look like they're wearing costume wings that have wrist-straps to make their wings move with their arms. They just strike me as any other humanoid race dressed up as dragonkin. I don't know why the brightly-colored glare of it all bothers me, since I liked Drakkin in EQ1, but meh. Meh, at $42, isn't likely to happen. They have an interesting look, but it seems out of place to me somehow. If they were included in the expansion, fine. Still wouldn't be as excited about them as I was originally, but if they were included already, then okay. To have the separate purchase of the *originally* described race priced higher than the expansion itself? No thanks. I appreciate the endless work the dev team does and always have, but whoever is making pricing decisions must be trying to shoo people away from the game. I will cheerfully spend money on a game I love to support its future development (take a look at the undecorated houses I have, or the still-unclaimed-by-a-character deeds I have in the bank, because I haven't gotten around to doing anything with them yet), but not for this. For people to spend money blindly and stupidly, they have to be excited enough not to think about it for too long, I suppose. Whacking them upside the head and smiling doesn't really have the same result. (And I mean no offense to you, Afista. You've dressed it up as cheerfully as possible, but it is what it is.)