Poll: Monthly Fees

[NeutralDrow]

EDIT 2: No people I am not saying "you are idiots if you pay for this" I just think it's an idiotic action- example... if Ben Stein locks his keys in his car; idiotic mistake/action; smart man

There's not really enough distinction between those two things to make it less insulting. You just turned it from a slap into a backhand.

And...seriously? You think $320 a year is an excess of disposable income? I mean, first of all, what game has a $30 monthly fee (all the MMOs I play have it set at $15)? Secondly, you think less than a dollar a day for a game that is, for all intents and purpose, self-updating and self-repairing is a big deal...okay, fine. Where exactly is the "idiocy" in that?

 

[WOPR]

So you're paying about the same price per hour as a WoW addict (about 14 cents with your examples). I fail to see how this helps your argument. You're doing the exact same thing, paying a cheap price for hours of content. You call people who pay monthly fees for games idiots when they're paying the same price you are so if thats the case how are you any different?

I have variety not one game
mine I can keep playing forever with no fees
I believe I'm paying less; but whatever (you need to figure the cost for the games themselves and the expansions... along with other fees I may not know of)

and I explained the "idiot" statement
I said it was an idiotic action
not an idiotic person

my example you can read above

a smart person doing a stupid thing; I don't think the person is stupid, I think the idea of paying a monthly fee for one game is... (on the note of XBL-Gold; I already pay for internet, for my MICROSOFT computer, so stop milking people for cash microsoft)

 

[WOPR]

EDIT 2: No people I am not saying "you are idiots if you pay for this" I just think it's an idiotic action- example... if Ben Stein locks his keys in his car; idiotic mistake/action; smart man

There's not really enough distinction between those two things to make it less insulting. You just turned it from a slap into a backhand.

And...seriously? You think $320 a year is an excess of disposable income? I mean, first of all, what game has a $30 monthly fee (all the MMOs I play have it set at $15)? Secondly, you think less than a dollar a day for a game that is, for all intents and purpose, self-updating and self-repairing is a big deal...okay, fine. Where exactly is the "idiocy" in that?

I was combining the costs of WoW, Runescape, and Xbox LIVE if you had read the whole post (because there's actually a lot of people here that pay for all 3... oddly I didn't know WoW players would play RS as well)

and yeah less then a dollar a day

look at it this way; you pay $15 and have access to the game for one month
I pay $15 and have access to the game FOREVER (using castle crashers as my example)

see my point?

and alright let me make it really easy to understand

I find the action idiotic
not the person

I am not calling anyone an idiot
I'm just saying the idea of the action to be idiotic

I paid for the game; I should get everything for it

(and for updating/self-repairing I believe ALL computer games do that for free)

 

[spartan1077]

I've spent $200ish on WoW in game cards and not including the expansions. I have played almost every single day on those cards. I don't even think of the money I'm spending because I find so much enjoyment in the games. monthly fees aren't stupid if you're getting what it's worth. XBL has yearly pays(or monthly) and that's the same thing. never use XBL? Don't get it. Want to use it all the time? Go ahead and buy it.

 

[WOPR]

I've spent $200ish on WoW in game cards and not including the expansions. I have played almost every single day on those cards. I don't even think of the money I'm spending because I find so much enjoyment in the games. monthly fees aren't stupid if you're getting what it's worth. XBL has yearly pays(or monthly) and that's the same thing. never use XBL? Don't get it. Want to use it all the time? Go ahead and buy it.

Alternately buy the games on computer/PS3 and save yourself $20(25?)/month OR $60/year

 

[rezboyjoey]

I have variety not one game
mine I can keep playing forever with no fees
I believe I'm paying less; but whatever (you need to figure the cost for the games themselves and the expansions... along with other fees I may not know of)

and I explained the "idiot" statement
I said it was an idiotic action
not an idiotic person

my example you can read above

a smart person doing a stupid thing; I don't think the person is stupid, I think the idea of paying a monthly fee for one game is... (on the note of XBL-Gold; I already pay for internet, for my MICROSOFT computer, so stop milking people for cash microsoft)

I honestly had a hard time getting bored with WoW. There was PvP, questing, trading, social activities, raiding, grouping, and even some mindless BS on the side. I felt like I was getting a lot of content for a reasonable price (certainly better than buying new games). Even if you factor in the price of the expansions thats only about an extra $80 (I quit before cataclysm) spread out over 3 years. It doesn't affect the price that much in the long run.

I really think we're going about this the wrong way. We both want the same thing: lots of content at a low price. We both get that even though we do it in different ways. I think we can agree on one thing though, the people who do pay $60 for a brand new 20 hour game are the ones getting taken for a ride.

As for Xbox Live... I made my choice of console, now I must pay for it. Literally. I used to argue that it was worth it considering the PS3 cost $600 at launch which is an Xbox 360 plus 6 years of Xbox Live. Now though maybe not so much. Still, I don't think the extra $5 a month is that big of a deal, thats me though.

 

[spartan1077]

I've spent $200ish on WoW in game cards and not including the expansions. I have played almost every single day on those cards. I don't even think of the money I'm spending because I find so much enjoyment in the games. monthly fees aren't stupid if you're getting what it's worth. XBL has yearly pays(or monthly) and that's the same thing. never use XBL? Don't get it. Want to use it all the time? Go ahead and buy it.

Alternately buy the games on computer/PS3 and save yourself $20(25?)/month OR $60/year

Really? I can save myself $20 a month by buying WoW on the computer?
And I use XBL for Xbox exclusives mostly. I love my steam and play it often but I use my Xbox to play Halo: Reach and things like that with friends. I still don't see what's so idiotic about getting your money's worth in games...

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

EDIT 2: No people I am not saying "you are idiots if you pay for this" I just think it's an idiotic action- example... if Ben Stein locks his keys in his car; idiotic mistake/action; smart man

There's not really enough distinction between those two things to make it less insulting. You just turned it from a slap into a backhand.

And...seriously? You think $320 a year is an excess of disposable income? I mean, first of all, what game has a $30 monthly fee (all the MMOs I play have it set at $15)? Secondly, you think less than a dollar a day for a game that is, for all intents and purpose, self-updating and self-repairing is a big deal...okay, fine. Where exactly is the "idiocy" in that?

I was combining the costs of WoW, Runescape, and Xbox LIVE if you had read the whole post (because there's actually a lot of people here that pay for all 3... oddly I didn't know WoW players would play RS as well)

and yeah less then a dollar a day

look at it this way; you pay $15 and have access to the game for one month
I pay $15 and have access to the game FOREVER (using castle crashers as my example)

see my point?

and alright let me make it really easy to understand

I find the action idiotic
not the person

I am not calling anyone an idiot
I'm just saying the idea of the action to be idiotic

I paid for the game; I should get everything for it

(and for updating/self-repairing I believe ALL computer games do that for free)

i can agree to this. all the reasoning.

i do have xbox live, but that is because i find the online games they have tend to be the most fun, and most of my friends have live so there is even more benefits.

xbox live allows me to play ALL my games online, not just one, so that also is a beneficiary in my mind, and its much less than paying for a single mmo's monthly/yearly rate.

if i did get wow or some other mmo where it did rates/monthly fees, i would feel obliged to play that game and that game only (which would get boring as hell to me) because of the money i have invested into it, in which i wouldn't get to enjoy all the other awesome games i would get or want to get because of that annoying monthly fee.

i understand the reasoning behind it, and how it generates revenue at a decent price, but im just not a fan of it, at all.

 

[NeutralDrow]

EDIT 2: No people I am not saying "you are idiots if you pay for this" I just think it's an idiotic action- example... if Ben Stein locks his keys in his car; idiotic mistake/action; smart man

There's not really enough distinction between those two things to make it less insulting. You just turned it from a slap into a backhand.

And...seriously? You think $320 a year is an excess of disposable income? I mean, first of all, what game has a $30 monthly fee (all the MMOs I play have it set at $15)? Secondly, you think less than a dollar a day for a game that is, for all intents and purpose, self-updating and self-repairing is a big deal...okay, fine. Where exactly is the "idiocy" in that?

I was combining the costs of WoW, Runescape, and Xbox LIVE if you had read the whole post (because there's actually a lot of people here that pay for all 3... oddly I didn't know WoW players would play RS as well)

Okay. In other words, you have to make a rant against monthly fees by combining several of them.

and yeah less then a dollar a day

look at it this way; you pay $15 and have access to the game for one month
I pay $15 and have access to the game FOREVER (using castle crashers as my example)

see my point?

You don't understand what "game updates" are?

That, or you're really into modding when your game gets boring. I could understand that.

and alright let me make it really easy to understand

I find the action idiotic
not the person

I am not calling anyone an idiot
I'm just saying the idea of the action to be idiotic

I paid for the game; I should get everything for it

I'm starting to see what you mean.

I find that people who claim that if they pay for a game once, they should automatically be entitled to everything that will ever exist in the game (regardless of whether said content has been created, yet), whatever the constant expense the producers incur to allow them to play the game, for free are making an idiotic claim.

I'm not saying the people are idiots, mind you, I'm just calling their claim godawful stupid.

(and for updating/self-repairing I believe ALL computer games do that for free)

Last I checked, Bungie did jack-squat to change my copy of Oni in the past ten years, and I notice that in order to do anything to my copy of Age of Empires III, I had to buy a couple of expansions.

In the meantime, NC Soft has consistently added game content and made playing and connecting easier through updates during the entire six+ years of City of Heroes' existence, including the two or so years I've played. For nothing more than the monthly fee.

 

[WOPR]

I've spent $200ish on WoW in game cards and not including the expansions. I have played almost every single day on those cards. I don't even think of the money I'm spending because I find so much enjoyment in the games. monthly fees aren't stupid if you're getting what it's worth. XBL has yearly pays(or monthly) and that's the same thing. never use XBL? Don't get it. Want to use it all the time? Go ahead and buy it.

Alternately buy the games on computer/PS3 and save yourself $20(25?)/month OR $60/year

Really? I can save myself $20 a month by buying WoW on the computer?
And I use XBL for Xbox exclusives mostly. I love my steam and play it often but I use my Xbox to play Halo: Reach and things like that with friends. I still don't see what's so idiotic about getting your money's worth in games...

I was reffering to XBL smart one

I like steam too (obviously)
Halo: Reach... yeaaaah no comment being that I hate console shooters (freaking dumbed down POS's)

and alright let me put it this way

do you enjoy throwing money away for something that should be included, and in turn further lining the pockets of the business?

OR

would you rather buy the game, have full access to it because you paid the full price, and never be charged more for it?

and for fun lets put this in another perspective with different items

you pay $60 for high quality sushi
the fish is rotten and gives you the squirts for a year
the sushi maker then charges you and extra $15/month because you're not done "enjoying" his sushi

...yeah it's a bad/messy/funny example
but you see how this wouldn't fly with other things?


off note: it's 11:00 pm here, and I'm a very busy person; so no one expect replies until morning.

 

[robodukky]

I very grudgingly part with $100 AUS so the dicks at Microsoft will give me a year of LIVE. I mean, I have already bought an Xbox 360 and games, so why should I have to pay MORE just to go online. Sony doesn't do it, Microsoft...

 

[Lem0nade Inlay]

Totally agree. I remember way back when I was like 9 or 10, Runescape was like the shit, and if you had a membership you were super cool.

I mean now if you'd be sad if you played Runescape, let alone paid for membership. (Not calling you sad if you do, but people I know would consider you sad if you did).

I just don't think it's worth that much money.

 

[Infinatex]

I love it. It means that a game that I really enjoy gets CONSTANT updates, additions and new features. It means that the game is supported for it's entire lifespan, rather then being thrown out into the market with little or no updates.

Having extra cash to throw around does not make one an idiot either, even if they spend it on MMOs and subscription services (magazines,pay TV, XBL, Escapists' Publishers Club) like I do. It just makes the people who can't jealous and angry.

 

[Caligulove]

To be honest, I've never really had a bad experience with XBL on a technical level, or with any of the content or further transactions that I do on it. Any bad experiences are from dimwitted gamers and poorly recorded voice messages. Can't blame the service for that, though.

That and it's not a monthly fee, still only one transaction a year of $50, which I still think is a good deal. Better servers, never had noticeable connection issues, and I read that the costs of things like XBL Gold to the consumer are part of incentives to other developers when working on games for the 360 and in many ways solidifies exclusives for the system. I don't get all the bashing of XBL besides the simple 'it's money and I dont like paying money, Micro$$$$oft!!'

The only other monthly subscription I have is Netflix, and I exploit the hell out of that $10 a month.

 

[Merkavar]

EDIT 3: Alright to make it REAL SIMPLE

name any non-MMORPG game that costs $15/month just to play
because last I checked almost all computer games have patches

Name a game the delivers new content ever 3-4 months that doesnt have a monthly fee. most game i know that deliver new content charge 15-20 for DLC

Name a game that has minor patches every week or 2 and major patches every now and then to keep the game balanced that doesnt have monthly fees

for me if your playing a game with a monthly fee you need to be playing it enough to get value out of it. you would have to be a bit silly in the head to pay for wow etc and play 2 hours a month. but i guess it all comes down to the inidividual and if they get value out of it thats greater than the cost

 

[smithy_2045]

I'm happy to pay $50 a year for XBL when it works nearly flawlessly. Expecting quality service for free is naive.

 

[WOPR]

EDIT 3: Alright to make it REAL SIMPLE

name any non-MMORPG game that costs $15/month just to play
because last I checked almost all computer games have patches

Name a game the delivers new content ever 3-4 months that doesnt have a monthly fee. most game i know that deliver new content charge 15-20 for DLC

Name a game that has minor patches every week or 2 and major patches every now and then to keep the game balanced that doesnt have monthly fees

for me if your playing a game with a monthly fee you need to be playing it enough to get value out of it. you would have to be a bit silly in the head to pay for wow etc and play 2 hours a month. but i guess it all comes down to the inidividual and if they get value out of it thats greater than the cost

Team Fortress 2
new weapons every few months
new maps every holiday
(from my experience with it which is recent)

 

[WOPR]

I'm happy to pay $50 a year for XBL when it works nearly flawlessly. Expecting quality service for free is naive.

90% of multiplayer computer games have great service and are free for the month

and the PS3 has near the same service as the 360 and doesn't cost monthly fees either

 

[Sixcess]

I don't see it as a bad deal. Good P2P MMOs have a size and depth that no single player game can match, and as others have said, the monthly fees also pay for regular content updates. In any case additional fees to continue playing a game are the future, like it or not. DLC has introduced the concept of micro transactions to console gaming and that's only going to get more prevalent because it's a great way for developers to squeeze more money out of their big name franchises without going to all the effort of putting out a full sequel.

The next step will be when Activision works out how to get people to pay a subscription fee, or whatever they choose to call it, for the next CoD, or the next after that, and once that floodgate is opened it won't take long for it to become the norm, much as DLC has.