Subscription-prices
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WoW subscription price increases in UK
Recently it's been announced that the price for a WoW subscription has increased for those paying in pounds (namely, residents of the United Kingdom). These prices are adjusted for all levels - recurring subscriptions will be £9.99 for 30 days, £28.17 for 90 days, and £52.14 for 180 days. In addition, the price of the 60-day prepaid time card will be £20.99. Now, if you're currently a subscriber to World of Warcraft in the UK, there is a way around this - namely, stay subscribed. Taepsilum - Secure your current recurring subscription price for two years As a thank you for current World of Warcraft subscribers, we guarantee that players with recurring (auto-renewing) subscriptions at the time of the price change will retain their current price for two years, as long as they remain in the same recurring subscription without interruption. This applies to anyone who is already in, or signs up for, a recurring subscription prior to the price change, which is scheduled to take place at the Warlords of Draenor release. We will reach out to relevant players approximately two months prior to the price change with a reminder. source I get why players are upset about this, especially since it means that if you decide to do what a lot of us do and drop your sub for a few months when there's no content, you'll be resubbing at the higher rate. I would find that a bummer, personally.
Developer Monte Cristo talks low-price subscription models
As MMO gamers, we're fairly used to paying a certain amount of cash for our subscriptions -- the figure rarely wanders very far from the USD$15 a month mark. Usually you'll have either the $15-a-month setup, or a free-to-play game with costs to buy items or upgrade to a premium account. Speaking with Gamesindustry.biz, Parisian development studio Monte Cristo put forward a different game-plan: budget subscription prices. Their upcoming city-building title Cities XL will feature both single player and MMO modes. Those that get into the MMO aspect of the game will pay just GBP£10 (or roughly USD$15) for a 3-month subscription.The hope is that players will not only be more willing to try the MMO version of Cities XL at that price, but that they would also be more likely to pay for the cheap plug-ins that Monte Cristo is developing and can be added to the game. The studio's head Jerome Gastaldi commented that he and his company did not really believe in the microtransaction-only model, and hence, the mixed business model came about. With money coming back to them from box sales, subscriptions, and add-ons, Gastaldi hopes that their decisions will make Cities XL less risky than launching a purely single-player game.
