The Revised SOE ALL ACCESS PROGRAM FAQ!

So I guess the days of buying a multi-month sub and getting a discount are going away?

I have a promotion plan: EverQuest Gold Membership
12 Months Recurring

Next Payment: USD89.88 plus applicable taxes

I play Everquest 1 and that's all I want to play. I do not need or want to play any other SoE game. Will I be forced to have access to these other games and get charged more per year because of it? This plan I have is a lifetime promotion (unless I cancel my account). Will there be a way to choose not to have access to all the other games. I just want to play Everquest 1, been playing it since 1999 and have never played another SoE online game, nor do I want to.

In a nutshell, will my lifetime promotion $89.88 per year be affected by these changes even though I just want to play Everquest 1?

Your concern falls under this question in the FAQ:

Q: I am grandfathered in under a special legacy promotional program or locked-in rate and want to make sure I don’t lose my status! How do I find out how I am affected?
A: Our goal is to honor all special rates and programs for our players. Please contact Customer Service with any special concerns you may have! https://help.soe.com/

Thanks Ashlanne- at least, unlike your EQ2 counterparts you've taken the time to reply to this question. On the EQ2 boards the EU community seems to get completely ignored when asking anything about PSS. While I appreciate that mentioning the PSS name often brings a lot of negativity to the subject surely that does tell you guys exactly how we all feel about them, their outfit and reputation.

It may not do any good but as a loyal subscriber with SOE for many many years please feedback to anyone that will listen - the majority of the EU community do not want to be shunned and pushed off to PSS - simply put many will not play EQNext if the only way to play is via PSS - google is your friend, a simple search will show anyone how ridiculous and inappropriate they are as a partner to SOE.

My only hope is that you (SOE) don't go back on your word as stated in the FAQ and that I will indeed be included as an SOE subscriber to All Access for the upcoming EQN title and any other future releases (specifically the sci-fi type game for all us ex SWG players). Yes, I know you don't think an FAQ is word, but to me, many in my guild and many other EU players those simple lines give us hope

Thanks

A: Our goal is to honor all special rates and programs for our players. Please contact Customer Service with any special concerns you may have! https://help.soe.com/

Ash, I realize that you are giving a scripted answer or may be limited to exactly what to say, but that is far from being a final answer. So my comment is directed at SOE in particular, not YOU. The answer that we, as supposed grandfathered members of EQ1, want, is that we will expect to pay exactly what we paid before. In my case, I pay just under $30 every 3 months x 2 accounts.

"Our goal is to honor" means this: we anticipate, we hope, we fully intend, not WE PROMISE or GUARANTEE. Even promises can be broken, I know. But I just got an email stating that next week, all access goes live...for me. That I will automatically be transitioned over to all-access. My Gold membership was originally scheduled to renew on 5/2/14. All I keep hearing is "our goal". This is maddening.

I just read all 9 pages of this and still dont know the answer. I will be very clear and please do not tell me to contact soe because... I AM CONTACTING SOE BY POSTING HERE.

A year or so ago I purchased a planetside 2 recurring membership. Every 3 months I am billed $30 or so. This is a special rate of 9.99 given during a holiday sale and renewed every 3 months by myself. I understand that old rates are grandfathered in. I read it 20 times now. However what i want to know explicitly is:

Q: If I currently pay a reduced rate from the 14.95 new rate, when my subscription next comes up for renew (in the example above, every 3 months), will I still be billed at the same $30 per 3 months rate? Will the rate ever change in the future, or will i continue to receive the same rate as long as i keep my account current?

Its a simple question, and I don't know why you persist in dancing around it. Yes or no? If no, then I plan on buying the most time available now (1 year for 9.99 a month) or even 5 years worth, as an example. I realize this is not in SOE's best interest, which is why you may not be commenting on it, but please try and tell the truth and let us know. Many people purchased subscriptions in lump sums in order to get a discount under the previous payment model. It was a feature of the payment model that many took advantage of and SOE got to hold onto our cash in the bank and generate interest. It certainly looks like those kinds of offers are going away, so will my current rate be affected when it next bills my credit card?

yes or no please.

To claim our 500SC per month, we have to claim via the Marketplace? I thought that had been changed and we simply had to log into our account to get this? You seem to have gone back on that.

Ok, I've only ever bought and played EQ1. With this new All-Access plan, I understand that I will have access to all games, including EQNext and Landmark. Would I have to purchase some kind of activation for the games I've never played? I understand that this probably doesn't apply to F2P games, but I just was looking for clarification/confirmation. Or are all games going to have a F2P model where I'm automatically upgraded to "Gold" level and would just need to download the client?

@Jacizak please read about problems with Launch Pad before you down load the other games to your client.

This is not a simple question.... Due to the issue that there are quite a few special rates around like this Customer Support needs to actually look at your account to give you an accurate answer. Generally speaking if you do not allow your account to lapse you should continue to be billed $30 every 3 months. From your explanation it seems as if you do not allow that to happen. But again I can't guarantee this, you need to talk to someone in Account and Billing Support.

You will have to claim your Station Cash. Please refer to this part of the FAQ for some more clarification:

Q: Why are you making us log in monthly to claim our grant?
A: We recognize that this is an added step for you, but we’re working hard to make it really easy. We want to encourage players to log in more, play our games more, and spend the SC that they’ve been granted!

Q: How will I know when my 500 SC grant is available or if I claimed it already?
A: Each game will have a UI feature on the Marketplace screen to inform you when your next 500 SC reward is available or what date your current 500 SC reward will expire. Additionally, we are redesigning the Account Management pages on soe.com to better surface your account billing cycle information to you (this concise information replaces three related questions from the previous version of the FAQ).

You will not be required to purchase any type of activation fee for games you've never played.

The games listed in the FAQ are automatically included when the plan starts (unless of course they are not live games yet like Landmark and EQN.)

No this isn't true. Please see this part of the original post:
We will be upgrading all existing individual game memberships to the new All Access plan, which will include the top-tier membership level in all eligible SOE games (EverQuest, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online PC, PlanetSide 2 PC, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, and the upcoming EverQuest Next and Landmark) for one, low monthly rate of $14.99 (with extra savings for 3, 6 and 12 month plans). We’re also finalizing membership benefits to Dragon’s Prophet and will share these new updates as available.

I understand you are frustrated, that's why the FAQ asks that you contact Customer Support and discuss your concerns with the Account and Billing Support team.

I understand that if you have a Silver account when this goes live, your account's silver status will be grandfathered. What about Gold members who have "EverQuest II Silver Membership" listed in account features - are those also grandfathered? i.e., if membership lapses later, will they go down to a Silver account or all the way back down to a free -to-play?

There are also plenty of people wondering if gifting is included in the membership perks if the person uses Krono or gift cards after All Access goes live. It says "all membership features" but gifting has historically never been included - it's always been considered a recurring membership feature only.

Thanks for any clarification!

Uh, thanks Ashlanne. I have already contacted the Account and Billing Support team and they were just as cryptic as ever and would not nail down an amount. I did this 1/25/14. The closest answer that I see in the "FAQs" is: Those that are grandfathered in will pay a discounted rate (3 month, 6 month, 12 month plans). Nowhere do I see a chart as one would see if "upgrading". I understand that SOE is getting away from that, or at least appears to be doing so (for simplicity's sake?). This all seems to shiny to be useful to those that only play one game.

Are the game servers for all games going to come down on Wednesday 23rd April?

If so when and for how long?

My day off this weeks so trying to plan ahead.

"All Membership features," means all features.

Gold is going away completely - it isn't grandfathered - all Gold members become All Access, if an account lapses they become a non-member.

Yes there will be downtime. We have requested the info and will post it as soon as it becomes available. We estimate the downtime to be a significant amount of time.

ok i can understand pushing it back but this is like the 4th time in a row. i am really looking forward to playing the first planetside for free but this is getting some of us ps1 vets upset. but sheesh i mean we get so close to the launch date of all access and here comes another delay. but i will keep waiting and hoping that the first planetside goes free to play sooner rather then later

I'd rather they delayed it than mess it up.

If they have found something which may cause issues, it is better to test further than to do it wrong and have to try and sort it out after.

Thanks for the heads up Dexella, looks like I won't be gardening tomorrow.

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