[Taku]

So glad I canceled that 1-month-to-month last week so I could sign up for the 3-month-to-3-month next week.
You know, for the monthly ZEN...
Which won't happen with the Elite Pack thingy.

Enjoy the spoils, Lifers.

[ForTheGamer]

I think they dropped the monthly because not enough people are using it to justify it. To do something like this, the metrics are obviously telling them a different story.

Also, I don't think STO's anywhere close to being dead. The new battlezone is an entirely different mechanic to the old ones, indicating a new concepts of gameplay are still being worked on. The voice acting that is being added into the game is getting to be pretty extensive. Like the Challenger and LeForge show up now P'Jem when you confront that Undine ship. They always wouldn't be giving players a way to have their ships if they weren't continually getting money.

I'll admit that the graphics are outdated compared to what comes out today, but I think the fidelity of the graphics were updated, rather than change them. Though, I've been playing STO now for ... 5 years consistently, so I think it is just a part of STO now.

The only thing I think that would make this game more engaging is getting battles to be more like FFXIV. Different mechanics, tank support and dps needed, etc. That's I think where STO's fault is.

Also, I'm buying that stupid Elite Starter Pack. I need more room on my main and I haven't maxed anything out yet.

[dracojan]

I really wish I had purchased the LTS back when the game launched. I keep debating it, but as several people have said I don't know if it's worth the investment at this point in the game's lifespan.

[Sorotia]

I think they dropped the monthly because not enough people are using it to justify it. To do something like this, the metrics are obviously telling them a different story.

Also, I don't think STO's anywhere close to being dead. The new battlezone is an entirely different mechanic to the old ones, indicating a new concepts of gameplay are still being worked on. The voice acting that is being added into the game is getting to be pretty extensive. Like the Challenger and LeForge show up now P'Jem when you confront that Undine ship. They always wouldn't be giving players a way to have their ships if they weren't continually getting money.

I'll admit that the graphics are outdated compared to what comes out today, but I think the fidelity of the graphics were updated, rather than change them. Though, I've been playing STO now for ... 5 years consistently, so I think it is just a part of STO now.

The only thing I think that would make this game more engaging is getting battles to be more like FFXIV. Different mechanics, tank support and dps needed, etc. That's I think where STO's fault is.

Also, I'm buying that stupid Elite Starter Pack. I need more room on my main and I haven't maxed anything out yet.

I just don't get it though, why can it? It it costing them so much money to offer a subscription service.

It just feels like they're turning away money...even if it isn't a lot of revenue it's still money in their pocket...to me this just seems like a lose/lose situation.

How're they going to make up the money they're losing, I fear the game is going to get even more lock box based power creep to make money, the way things are trending.

[ForTheGamer]

While you might think "but you can still earn money" there is still infrastructure required to maintain those subscriptions. If the monthly subscriptions are just covering the costs and I literally mean you are breaking even. What's the point in having it? I'm going to guess that Cryptic (and by extension PWI) don't actually have their own infrastructure and are probably getting it outsourced. With outsourcing, unless it is a primary system, it goes the moment it stays steadily in the negative.

You'd be surprised at how much stuff you think people do in house aren't. Well, actually you just need to look at any blockbuster movie and a lot is outsourced because people can do better jobs. For stuff like this, it is cheaper to leave it to the guys who handle it all the time, rather than fumble around yourself. Unless you are a huge company, like a Blizzard, you realistically can't afford it. I don't mean you can't buy it, but you won't find an offer that is good enough to justify having it.

Sucks, but that's how businesses work now. Especially in the digital media industry now. If it stays negative for awhile or you can't afford it to the point of a good profit, you cut bait. Had a whole class on this and it was quite frustrating to hear.
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Onto more positive things. I think we'll begin to see a lot more packs coming out here with Victory Is Life. I wouldn't be surprised if they offered a plethora of boxes with the Elite Start Pack being the start of it.

[Mark Okuda]

What is interesting to note when I read that article and the replies in this thread, is that even though PWE is going to stop accepting new subscribers they will continue to bill current subscribers until they cancel and current subscribers will continue to get their sub benefits as long as they stay subbed.

[Sorotia]

While you might think "but you can still earn money" there is still infrastructure required to maintain those subscriptions. If the monthly subscriptions are just covering the costs and I literally mean you are breaking even. What's the point in having it? I'm going to guess that Cryptic (and by extension PWI) don't actually have their own infrastructure and are probably getting it outsourced. With outsourcing, unless it is a primary system, it goes the moment it stays steadily in the negative.

You'd be surprised at how much stuff you think people do in house aren't. Well, actually you just need to look at any blockbuster movie and a lot is outsourced because people can do better jobs. For stuff like this, it is cheaper to leave it to the guys who handle it all the time, rather than fumble around yourself. Unless you are a huge company, like a Blizzard, you realistically can't afford it. I don't mean you can't buy it, but you won't find an offer that is good enough to justify having it.

Sucks, but that's how businesses work now. Especially in the digital media industry now. If it stays negative for awhile or you can't afford it to the point of a good profit, you cut bait. Had a whole class on this and it was quite frustrating to hear.
----

Onto more positive things. I think we'll begin to see a lot more packs coming out here with Victory Is Life. I wouldn't be surprised if they offered a plethora of boxes with the Elite Start Pack being the start of it.

But if they're still going to keep current subs subbed as long as they pay...they still need to keep the system up and running.

Wouldn't it need to be a all or nothing thing? Either keep the sub system accessible or just completely eliminate all subs except LTS?

[Sul-Matuul]

I'm going to guess they cut the ability to sub so as to stop new people exploiting the "sub once for all the benefits" and to stop that particular group from growing any further. I'd reckon eventually they might remove it fully, this is just a temporary halt if you will.
They seem to be moving towards more direct purchases of packs than subscription things by the looks of things.