Play Champions Online For Life For $200

[John Funk]

Play Champions Online For Life For $200

Feel like playing Champions Online for years and years but don't want to pay a monthly fee? You can preorder a lifetime subscription for a cool $200 - and get beta access to Star Trek Online, too.

One of the oft-repeated complaints about playing an MMOG is the subscription fee. "Why should I play monthly for a game that I already own, rabble rabble?!" Now, while I could argue the validity (or lack thereof) of this argument all day - or discuss alternative payment schemes [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/view-from-the-road/6330-A-View-from-the-Road-How-I-Learned-to-Stop-Worrying-and-Love-the-Microtransaction] - it seems that more developers are starting to toy with the idea of "Lifetime Subscriptions." The deal, of course, being that you pay a big chunk of money beforehand, but you never have to pay a subscription fee again.

Turbine did it for devotees of Middle-Earth with The Lord of the Rings Online, and now Cryptic is following suit with their pre-order options [http://champions-online.com/preorder] for upcoming superhero MMOG Champions Online. Forking over a lump sum of $200 will get you a lifetime subscription to the game as well as a special costume set and some exclusive in-game items, while purchasing a six-month subscription for $60 gets you the special costume set and, uh, six months of the game at a discounted price. Both the Lifetime and Six-Month plans ensure early access to the Star Trek Online beta test ... whenever that'll be.

It's an interesting gamble, really. At $15 a month, $200 is just over thirteen months of gameplay at regular subscription charges. So if you plan on playing Champions for more than a year, you'll be essentially playing for free from then on. On the other hand, it's still paying $200 up front, so... yeah.

That "Art Deco" costume set sounds interesting, though. I'm imagining an Age of Air sensibility like Crimson Skies or Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. And who doesn't like zeppelins?

(VG247 [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/champions-offers-USD200-lifetime-subs])

Permalink

 

[Radeonx]

I liked this idea, but I have yet to find a game worth it. Odds are I'll never play an MMO game for my life, because there will always be better ones coming out.

 

[Curtmiester]

I highly doubt anyone plays a game for life. But it is an interesting and new idea.

 

[headshotcatcher]

Imagine,
'Whoa that seems like a very cool game! I've been waiting for it for ages!'
*deposits 200 bucks*
'Wow this game is soo much fun!'
*month later*
'Yeah well, kinda fun game I guess?'
*another month later*
'Screw this'

They should at least do it so you pay 100 bucks first and another 100 after two months but you can cancel in those two months..

 

[Tahmoh]

sounds like a nice idea, maybe once a few better mmo's are out and offering this deal i'll consider it(also once they offer it outside the us)till then i think i'll stick to the other options...may grab the 6 month option though for the outfit

 

[IxionIndustries]

<_<

.......Smooth move ExLax...

OT: I'd pay for this. Probably. If I could...... But I can't...Yeah..

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Part of me seems a little nervous now.

$200 as preorder only? That seems very like not having test-screenings for a film.

Colour me concerned.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

So we spend $200 on a game we're not sure we'll like?

Baaaad idea.

Colour me concerned.

I would if you'd just stop wriggling!

 

[ProfessorLayton]

The thing is, it basically ensures that people will be playing for over a year because they'll think, "Well, I've already paid for it so I might as well play it."

So we spend $200 on a game we're not sure we'll like?

Baaaad idea.

I learned my lesson from Spore's Galactic Edition...

 

[Virgil]

I like having the lifetime subscription to LOTRO. I can take a break and not either a) have to cancel and then resubscribe or b) pay for something monthly that I'm not actively using. And whenever something new gets added, I can jump in and check it out.

But I played enough during the beta to know that this was a viable option for me.

On the other hand, I played City of Heroes for two months, and then was completely bored with it. So I wouldn't be dropping $200 on Champions without some serious trial time.

 

[Hazy]

I highly doubt I'll be gaming while I'm in my 80's. Also, how are we sure they will be supporting the game for that long?
And if the game is bad? "Well, sorry that you blew $200 on something that you could have instead used on games that you knew you were going to like, or perhaps upgrading your PC."
No thanks guys, A new idea, but no thanks.

 

[Cap'n Haddock]

I'm looking forward to Champions Online... but not that much.
200 bucks can buy a LOT of really good video games, or just one for lifetime? give me a break, Cryptic is being greedy like almost every other MMO out there besides Guild Wars. The fact that Guild Wars can turn a profit without monthly fees wizened me to the whole MMO racket. And Guild Wars is very, very similar to WOW in gameplay, with some innovations that i enjoy more (tried WOW, realized it was the same basic deal as Guild Wars, ended the demo right then and there.)
I'm definitely going to try Champions (either in beta or a trial) and will study if before I buy, but I really do like the idea of a no Monthly fee option, even if it is exorbitant.
Star Wars: Old Republic better not pull this Dark Side nonsense either.

 

[Ranooth]

I shall humbly wait for beta before my decision.

 

[Sevre]

Will we be able to do this AFTER it is released or just for pre-order?

 

[Irridium]

For champions... eh, doubt I would.

But if Bioware does this type of thing for The Old Republic, I will give that some serious thought

Will we be able to do this AFTER it is released or just for pre-order?

I would also like to know this.

 

[Abedeus]

Imagine,
'Whoa that seems like a very cool game! I've been waiting for it for ages!'
*deposits 200 bucks*
'Wow this game is soo much fun!'
*month later*
'Yeah well, kinda fun game I guess?'
*another month later*
'Screw this'

They should at least do it so you pay 100 bucks first and another 100 after two months but you can cancel in those two months..

You know that $200 is for over a year of playing? And I think a LOT of people would love it if WoW could've had a lifetime subscription. You know, those people that have been playing for 2-4 years.

I've seen Closed Beta for about half an hour (I wasn't even supposed to - I was supposed to get key on 1st, not on 31st), and it looks great, the list of customizable things is terrific and the list of all powers you can get, upgrade and level... gaaah, I don't know what will I do till 17th... God damn vacations.

Will we be able to do this AFTER it is released or just for pre-order?

I bet they will at some point offer life-time subscription later in 2009/2010, too.

Don't forget - this is a spiritual successor to City of Heroes/Villains - those two games still receive updates and have great community after 5 years. Hell, they are getting an expansion pack soon.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

For the people saying "I won't be playing a game for life anyways." Its not about that. This is about making a logical/economic move towards your purchase of the game. If you are going to play the game for over 13 months, this is the best way to go about it. Its not forcing you to play the game for the rest of your life (which it will most definitely not be around for).

If they had this option for WoW, you bet your ass I would've taken it back when the game was first released.

 

[Sevre]

I've seen Closed Beta for about half an hour (I wasn't even supposed to - I was supposed to get key on 1st, not on 31st), and it looks great, the list of customizable things is terrific and the list of all powers you can get, upgrade and level... gaaah, I don't know what will I do till 17th... God damn vacations.

Will we be able to do this AFTER it is released or just for pre-order?

I bet they will at some point offer life-time subscription later in 2009/2010, too.

Don't forget - this is a spiritual successor to City of Heroes/Villains - those two games still receive updates and have great community after 5 years. Hell, they are getting an expansion pack soon.

Seeing as you've played it, even for a short period of time, would you think its worth the 200 quid?

 

[headshotcatcher]

Imagine,
'Whoa that seems like a very cool game! I've been waiting for it for ages!'
*deposits 200 bucks*
'Wow this game is soo much fun!'
*month later*
'Yeah well, kinda fun game I guess?'
*another month later*
'Screw this'

They should at least do it so you pay 100 bucks first and another 100 after two months but you can cancel in those two months..

You know that $200 is for over a year of playing? And I think a LOT of people would love it if WoW could've had a lifetime subscription. You know, those people that have been playing for 2-4 years.

I've seen Closed Beta for about half an hour (I wasn't even supposed to - I was supposed to get key on 1st, not on 31st), and it looks great, the list of customizable things is terrific and the list of all powers you can get, upgrade and level... gaaah, I don't know what will I do till 17th... God damn vacations.

I play WoW for FREE LEGALLY, agreement witha friend but I rarely play it, for a fact I've played Farcry 2 (which in my opinion is kinda boring because of the driving) more than it... For 200 bucks I can buy oblivion goty, fallout 3 + all expansions AND Valve complete pack and still have money left over. Thats a lot of play time I might add