There's a Rate Hike Coming

Hang onto your wallets. This was just posted at this link on the main Everquest site. EverQuest price increase 03/25/2002 Due to the increased costs of running the EverQuest game service, we will be increasing our subscription rates in April. Effective April 25, the new monthly subscription rate will be $12.95/month. We will continue to offer discounts from the new rate plan on multi-month subscriptions. You don’t have to do a thing; you will automatically be migrated to the new billing structure under your current subscription plan when your current subscription plan expires. New EverQuest rates as of April 25, 2002: $12.95 per Month $35.85 for 3 Months $65.70 for 6 Months HOWEVER, for a limited time only (from April 10 through April 24, 2002), you may extend your current subscription for an additional 12 or 24 months by signing up for the new EQ 12 or 24 month plan – and reap great savings off of the new rates: Extend for 12 months for $109 US – and get a 30% discount off of the new monthly rates! Extend for 24 months for $190 US – and get a 39% discount off of the new monthly rates! Now is the time to lock in these rates, so don’t miss out. All pricing plans (except for the 12 and 24 month extension plans) are recurring, meaning you will continue to be billed at the appropriate interval, until you cancel your subscription. Note that purchasers of the full game will receive their free month of game play after supplying valid billing information. If you cancel your subscription during the free month, no charges will be made to your credit card. New York State and Texas residents will be charged sales tax. All subscription fees will appear on your credit card statement under the heading "SOE*EverQuest". Please note: The subscription charges are in addition to the cost of the game. You will need to purchase a copy of the game from a retail store or online at the Station Store. The price of the game will vary depending upon the store.

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New Server
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:33 PM Rating: Default
wonder if this has anything to do with their new server not getting as much in as they expected.
expected but not liked
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:30 PM Rating: Decent
I too understand why Verant increased their prices and am also shocked they didnt do it sooner ( thought it was going to happen with Luclin). But that said, if they plan on raising prices they should damn well raise the quality of service. It seems Verant all has us by the short hairs because even though I am not happy about it I am not going to quit after playing for so long and with nothing to replace it. Now when games like Galaxies or Shadowbane come out then you will see alot of people look long and hard and the price they pay for the service they get.
Nice way to make an announcment
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:27 PM Rating: Good
They announce the rate change and then you can't even get past the login screen to play. They sure made the rate increase more palatable to me.

NOT!!!
Increases
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:25 PM Rating: Default
Are we going to get impoved servie or game perfromace for this increase???
Some how I doubt it. Verant/Sony customer support sucks. Now this, all the bugs, and bad customer service, hmmm thinking change.
Greed?
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:24 PM Rating: Good
Verant continues to get flamed by players that still play this wonderful game.Many of my friend jumped ship when DAoC came out.Many are now back,the ones that didn't sell their accounts that is.Verant has and continues to sink alot of money in to developing new areas for us to play in,Kunark,Velious,Luclin and now Planes of Power.How many other online games have been this sucessful?We will see if DAoC can expand there world 4 times in a little over 3 years.I know that things are not always perfect in this game,and i agree that GM service could improve,but this is and continues to be the best game of all time.IMHO.
Greed?
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:24 PM Rating: Good
Verant continues to get flamed by players that still play this wonderful game.Many of my friend jumped ship when DAoC came out.Many are now back,the ones that didn't sell their accounts that is.Verant has and continues to sink alot of money in to developing new areas for us to play in,Kunark,Velious,Luclin and now Planes of Power.How many other online games have been this sucessful?We will see if DAoC can expand there world 4 times in a little over 3 years.I know that things are not always perfect in this game,and i agree that GM service could improve,but this is and continues to be the best game of all time.IMHO.
Expected
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:09 PM Rating: Default
No big suprise really. I was always wondering when Verant would increase their monthly fee (hey, I don't like paying $36/year extra but I understand why it has to be done). Anarchy Online is another one that started out with $13/month and they only have 2 realms.
Maybe decrease is the better option
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:09 PM Rating: Default
With all the upcoming online games, i think they should not only maintain their current prices, but improve customer support and reduce downtimes. I feel a switch coming on to newer and better games....
RE: Maybe decrease is the better option
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:51 PM Rating: Default
That is a nice idea...but where do you think the money to do that comes from? I am not even sure why everyone is surprised....its been three years, and verant hasn't changed thier prices, people should be expecting this...
There is something called inflation...it means that ten dollars today isn't worth ten dollars 3 years ago. You could hardly expect them to only charge the ten dollar rate forever, it wouldn't be good business. I understand that people don't feel like paying more, but its not like you are going to find any of the new mmog's coming out that cost only 10 dollars a month either. Verant is simply keeping up with the times
Greedy bar stools
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:09 PM Rating: Default
Considering This
How much a normal standalone games costs to develop, yet Sony are making millions already every damn month where most game companies only get 1 or 2 shots at that kind of release revenue a year. (I know I've been their - coding till 5am in the morning and waiting for the big paycheck)
Server Hardware and leased lines getting more powerful and cheaper by the week.
They are just getting greedier!
Wish to heal there was a better alternative.... LOTR or something.. as soon as there is - I'm gone.. Dragon Empires anyone?
By the way.. VI your graphic engine sux.. and thats without even considering that its supposed to be *new*. go check on alt.games.programming and read what real 3d engines can do
RE: Greedy bar stools
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:52 PM Rating: Default
Ya, costs are decreasing, . .. but they add more and more hardware to support each world with each expansion, each computer only runs a few zones.

Maybe if you didnt whine so much you'd get your coding done by then end of the workday.

Get your head out of the sand and look at reality, they games you write dont have to be continuously supported beyond a patch or two to fix your coding mistakes. Your games dont require thousands of computers in a server farm for people to play.
RE: Greedy bar stools
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:38 PM Rating: Excellent
Nod. You need to relax. Three dollars a month is nothing. I was expecting a rate hike a long time ago. And dude, don't even talk to me about "coding till 5am" or whatever... I work for a video game company. I know what goes into making a game. I've also worked IT and know what it takes to maintain. 3 buck a month is nothing. Sure, the service could be better, but you have to ask yourself, "when CAN'T the service be better?" No one thing is perfect for everyone. And most things don't even come close. EQ is close... Stop crying...

RE: Greedy bar stools
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:26 PM Rating: Decent
dude, its 3 dollars a month more. I was woried when legends came out that there was going to be a huge rate hike and I would have to give up playing. 3 dollars though? Who can't scrounge up an extra 3 dollars in a month?

I do have to give it to VI about bad timing though... they announce a rate hike and then simultanously ***** up their login server. =P
Maybe decrease is the better option
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:09 PM Rating: Default
With all the upcoming online games, i think they should not only maintain their current prices, but improve customer support and reduce downtimes. I feel a switch coming on to newer and better games....
Lineage
# Mar 25 2002 at 4:32 PM Rating: Default
Lineage costs $15/month. I always wondered why the biggest MMOG was also the cheapest...
Increased Costs?
# Mar 25 2002 at 4:07 PM Rating: Decent
It's interesting that SOE doesn't elaborate on what the increased costs are. Did they hire more GMs? More technical support staff? It's interesting that this comes shorty after Planes of Power was announced. It looks to me like SOE has bitten off more than it can chew with Luclin bugs, Legends, and now PoP. Just my 2cp.

Kadaas, Ranger of the 26th Season
E-Marr
RE: Increased Costs?
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:43 PM Rating: Default
Sony/VI are doing this price increase for 1 of 2 (or maybe both) reasons.

1) Thanks to all the sheep (flame me but its the truth) that swarmed the Legends server when Verant and Sony offered "Special" services and features that they offered ALL of us from day one, they now know that the majority of us will pay MORE to play this game. If we ALL stuck together and no one joined Legends then maybe VI/Sony would not even think of raising the prices.

OR

2) With the addition of the Legends server and all its "special" services and features they have found that charging 8,000 $40 @ month will NOT cover all the new GMs and new hardware and new content so they (even after they said they would not charge us for it) are going to charge us more to supplement the increase in costs. Its just like RL, the little man always supports the "special people" of the world and now VI/Sony is bringing that into the world of Norrath. Maybe we should have the Legend players write us all a thank you letter since WE are now going to pay for their game and ours.

VI/Sony sucks!!! Next we will probably find Subliminal <sp) messages in the graphics that makes EQ so addictive.

Very upset,

Zaymot Silver
RE: Increased Costs?
# Mar 25 2002 at 5:31 PM Rating: Default
Sony/VI are doing this price increase for 1 of 2 (or maybe both) reasons.

1) Thanks to all the sheep (flame me but its the truth) that swarmed the Legends server when Verant and Sony offered "Special" services and features that they offered ALL of us from day one, they now know that the majority of us will pay MORE to play this game. If we ALL stuck together and no one joined Legends then maybe VI/Sony would not even think of raising the prices.

OR

2) With the addition of the Legends server and all its "special" services and features they have found that charging 8,000 $40 @ month will NOT cover all the new GMs and new hardware and new content so they (even after they said they would not charge us for it) are going to charge us more to supplement the increase in costs. Its just like RL, the little man always supports the "special people" of the world and now VI/Sony is bringing that into the world of Norrath. Maybe we should have the Legend players write us all a thank you letter since WE are now going to pay for their game and ours.

VI/Sony sucks!!! Next we will probably find Subliminal <sp) messages in the graphics that makes EQ so addictive.

Very upset,

Zaymot Silver
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