If it works and proves to be profitable, it is right. Besides, last post you argued that it was a slippery slope, now you are saying that it always been done this way...
I'm not the one arguing, or pointing out things that aren't relevant. You brought up the subject of how this mentality existed at the release of FTP. Just because somethings been done that way in the past, doesn't mean its right. Subscribing to gain better amenities > subscribing for BIS items. That's my point regardless of how many unfounded theories of "its a proven model / profitable / done this way since release" If I'm a member at a golf course, I can play golf. They're not going to hand me a set of the best clubs ever made made simply because I bought a membership.
The problem with your ridiculous example is you're picking and choosing from the trends of the past to shape a future abomination with no basis in reality. What Daybreak has done is required players to buy an expansion + pay a subscription to get the full experience. Yes, they might very well make the circumstance more dire for freeps in order to increase the subscription rate. In doing so, they would be reversing their course, but a lot has been given freely and interpreting a course adjustment as a trend is nonsensical. As for your doomsday scenario, it's happened every year like clockwork: a new expansion that contains content with the best equipment ever is only available to those that pay. So, you're worried about something happening that's an intrinsic property of the game. I promise you that they will continue to charge for content that contains better rewards than the current content, but I guarantee they won't charge $189, because few will pay and those who don't will leave.
There are enough real-world analogies and more than justifiable reasons for this. That someone should complain about getting more for free without the slightest bit of justification is silly. Even if there were some iota of justification to get more at $0, it still works out to being ridiculous. We are not playing a game developed by a not-for-profit, government subsidized business.
Paying a sub for BIS items is dumb. I understand that the measly 15.00 subscription gives you some sense of entitlement, but it doesn't detract from the golden carrot scenario. All I'm trying to say is that the wrong precedent was set when they followed the course of offering BIS items (legendary stuff / masters and now relics) for subscribers RATHER THAN offering an amenity like: no broker fee, bank anywhere, chrono anywhere or even something useful like a dungeon portal to any door. I thing the wrong carrot was chosen plain and simple. So now today, since this has been in effect for so long - its become acceptable, as evidenced by the replies to my posts. And for clarification, I'm not asking for more. I sub. So I could give a rip either way. I just find the fact that so many people feel so entitled for spending so little money "zomg, I spent 15 bucks, I deserve to wear BIS stuff, and all you scrubs who eat too much mcdonalds or don't have jobs can just revel in your jealousy" is silly. Just for clarification, I too believe FTP players get to enjoy too many perks of the game. I was fine with them not being able to use general chat / etc as it was in the beginning, since chatting is an amenity, not an item. Amenity vs. Item. Subbing should unlock useful amenities, not make my character more powerful. It would make more sense, to me, to limit the availability of some aspects of the game for non-subscribers. 1 raid zone instead of all. 2 heroic dungeons instead of all. 2 solo instances instead of all. For me that's what a membership means - access to areas of the game, not items in the game. Big whoop if I cant wear a relic - most of them are garbage anyhow. But as a FTP player, I can *still* raid at the highest levels of the game (not grandmastered) and wear BIS items that drop from the hardest bosses. Should be more concerned with that then some measly relics that are outside of progression. That's the rub. And yes, everyone knows DBG is a for profit organization. But the profit shouldn't be made selling access to BIS items for subscribers? With that kind of mentality, they may as well start offering relic items on the marketplace, or raid armor / weapons on the marketplace. I'm sure there'd be more than 1 person willing to partake in some of that action. 2500SC for a Vorpal Sword of Awesome? Sure. In other news, I'm anxiously awaiting the 2000SC Relic Unlockers on the marketplace. Or better yet, buying 5 loyalty tokens for 5.00.
Why not? It's better than offering a cheap one-time fee that no one really wants to pay in the first place for something that is likely to be replaced. It's better to have people pay monthly and receive various perks... Unless, of course, you want your business to fail.
Why not? Then to increase profits 100 fold, just sell BIS items on the market place. Need a level 100 toon, sure: 6000SC. Need a full crafter pack to go with that, 3500SC, need a full set of raid gear 10000SC. Need a relic unlocker for FTP - sure, 2000SC. That's the slippery slope.
@Zeddicious I'm curious, what benefits DO you think should attend to a subscription? (leaving out the 'free expacs' since we all know that's not going to happen, but even that is less then the cost of a yearly sub, so it still wouldn't be sufficent)
