First off I'd like to mention that I absolutely LOVE RPGs, have probably spent more time playing them than I have doing anything else in my life, but with a lot of newer MMORPGS the price model is a bit screwed up. I would debate on playing this game if they gave you the client/game free.
$50 per client plus monthly, costs about 200 for a year? id rather spend that money fixing up my pc or buying new console
only was i can see paying for any of these rpgs is to pay sony the $22 all in one access, but u still have to buy all the games..
Everquest Was released in Mar 1999... So I figured I'd run some numbers. This of course you bought the games at MSRP on their release date and paid for service at the monthly rate. I know there are cheaper ways to play, I'm just illustrating a point. I wouldn't be an AT member if I didn't know what a hot deal is. Lets face it, once you are hooked on these games you are waiting to buy them at your local EB or whatever the day they are out.
Everquest $50
!1 months free service!
Ruins of Kunark $30
Scars of Velious $30
Shadows of Luclin $30
Planes of power $30
==============================
Clients/Games $170
$8.98 Monthly Fee
April 1999 - April 2002
37 months at $9 $333
$12.95 Monthly Fee
May 2002 - July 2003
15 Months at $13 $195
==============================
Running Total $698
Almost forgot... Coming soon
Legacy of ykesha $30
This doesn't even cover the cost of your spouse divorcing you over the game, legal troubles of when you cut the copper to your opponents houses, etc.
Oh and evercrack babies, if I didn't spell the names of your games right, I don't care... don't bother whining about it, but please do tell me if I used the wrong cost for something, I will update my info accordingly ...
Anyway, $700 for a game. In the long run I see your arguement, patches, maintenance, bandwidth, etc.
Diablo 2 took probably hundreds of hours of my time, but the thing is, I bought the game at $50 and the exp for $30. $80 investment, and still getting my money worth on it.
When it comes to terms of SWG I won't buy this game if I cant try it, and even then looking at what I posted above I probably wouldn't want to buy it.
Again, really hoping that blizzard uses a new price plan and sets WOW for like $5.99 or something. Id be in on that without even trying the game.