lifetime-subscription
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Camelot Unchained prepares to cross $3M in fundraising
As of the writing of this post, Camelot Unchained is on the verge of hitting $3M in fundraising donations at $2,952,875. City State Entertainment said that when that already-impressive sum climbs to $3,025,000, the team will sign on a sound engineer to kick the game's audio up a notch. "Part of this goal will cover licensing the Audiokinetic Wwise engine and technical support for it, as well as some great plug-ins, while the rest will go toward the salary and expenses of the sound engineer," CSE posted. To help prompt more of those donation dollars, Camelot Unchained began selling unveiled lifetime subscriptions today at the builder's level.
Star Trek Online introduces playable Talaxians, discounts lifetime sub
Big things are afoot in the Delta Quadrant, as Star Trek Online has not only added the Talaxians as a playable race but thrown them into the lifetime subscription package and then discounted that sub by $100 for a limited time. From now through November 20th, the Star Trek Online lifetime sub can be bought for $199. This marks the player as an eternal gold member, with the Talaxian race, a ship upgrade token for Delta Rising, a monthly ZEN allowance, and other veteran rewards. As for the Talaxians, players who pick one as a captain will not only have the honor of looking like Voyager's resident space hedgehog but also get access to two unique traits: salvage specialist and loyalty.
Star Trek Online lifetime subscription goes on sale
Starship captains in the future may not have a need for money, but you do if you want to buy into a lifetime subscription for Star Trek Online. Fortunately, Cryptic has made that option easier for interested parties, lowering the price from $299 to $199 through July 10th. A lifetime subscription to Star Trek Online includes all gold membership options, a monthly ZEN stipend, all veteran rewards past and future, and priority login.
Breakfast Topic: How much would you pay for a lifetime membership to WoW?
Do you suppose we'll ever get the option to purchase a lifetime subscription to World of Warcraft? What about even a lifetime Blizzard game pass? The advantages are many. Obviously, you'd save money once you played past the regular subscription value of the lifetime option. You'd be free from worries about billing and payments. It's likely you'd enjoy perks reserved for lifetime members, as well -- perhaps a special mount or title. Me, I'd like knowing as a lifetime member that I'd made an investment in the game and the company that created it. It's a way to ensure not only that the WoW content keeps coming but that Blizzard itself remains healthy. A lifetime membership would cement my emotional attachment to the game while at the same time relieving the stress I sometimes feel to log on "just to get my money's worth." During times when I'm especially busy or even disinterested in the current content, as a lifetime member, I'd feel less pressured to log in simply to avoid wasting my regular subscription fee. Of course, this late in the game's life cycle, there's always a risk that you might fall out of love with WoW or fall in love with another game after you'd already paid for a lifetime membership. What if all your friends and guildmates left? Heck, what if WoW became free-to-play, leaving you with adjusted perks you didn't particularly appreciate? Would you take advantage of a lifetime membership to WoW if it were ever offered? What benefits would capture your interest? And how much would you be willing to pay for a lifetime subscription to World of Warcraft?
The Daily Grind: Are you tempted by perks for lifetime subscriptions?
I liked Star Trek Online a great deal during my time with the game, which lasted a few months. I haven't been back since, and I'd really have to re-learn the game if I did go back. Despite this, it's hard not to be at least a little tempted by the latest lifetime subscription deal, since I have to admit that some of the veteran rewards look really cool, even though I'm not actively playing the game at the moment. Silly? Most definitely. But I'm willing to bet that many of us look at a game occasionally which is no longer in our play rotation and have a moment of appreciation for the carrots we're being offered. Some people no doubt look and aren't tempted to go back to a game of yesteryear just for some new perks, but some are. So what about you? Are you ever tempted to pick up a lifetime subscription to a game just because of the added perks offered? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Trion on RIFT lifetime subs: 'Nope, never'
Trion global brand director Jim Butler has some bad news for RIFT fans hoping for a lifetime subscription option. "Nope; never. I was against the idea when we did it at Turbine, and it won't happen on my watch here at Trion," Butler told A List Daily. "Lifetime memberships are a great deal for consumers that plan to spend the next few years playing the game, and a financial disaster for subscription-only companies that have to continue paying for new feature development, salaries, server costs, marketing, etc." RIFT's Storm Legion expansion launches on November 13th.
Celebrate Lord of the Rings Online's 5th Anniversary with free stuff from Massively!
Exactly five years ago today, Lord of the Rings Online launched to eager MMO fans, bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's world to life in a persistent land for the first time in a video game. The game has enjoyed consistent success since then, keeping the MMO world on its toes with three expansion packs and a move to free-to-play that earned the game several awards and more success than most MMOs are able to enjoy long after launch. To help celebrate this success after five years, Turbine has teamed up with Massively to offer special prizes for three lucky winners: 5,000 Turbine Points, 10,000 Turbine Points, and a Lifetime account! To be eligible, you must reside in North America (these are for NA accounts) and be over 18 years of age. If that checks out, just head on over to our contest post in our forums and leave a reply to the thread letting us know what your favorite moment was from the last five years of LotRO. Be sure to get your responses in before 8 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 27th. We'll then randomly select the first-, second-, and third-place winners and notify them by the end of the day Friday. Also be sure to check out the 5th anniversary video just after the cut below. Best of luck to everyone!
Recruit for Ryzom, win fabulous prizes!
Ryzom is undergoing a recruitment drive at the moment, and the team is looking to the players for help. A spiffy contest has been posted on the official site to see which players can rope in the most new warm bodies for the cause. Each player is tasked with recruiting friends and family members via a unique link that will count toward their tally during the month of November. After November 30th, the Ryzom team will see which players have netted the biggest catch and will dole out rewards accordingly. The first place winner gets a choice of tempting prizes: either an original concept art drawing or an Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 graphics card. Second place can choose from the drawing or a lifetime subscription to the game, and third through sixth place winners will receive a three-month subscription. Ryzom is currently free-to-play with an optional subscription package.
Win an Age of Conan lifetime sub in new Funcom sweepstakes
Feeling lucky? If so, you want might want to enter Funcom's new Age of Conan sweepstakes. One grand-prize winner will take home a lifetime premium sub to the fantasy MMORPG along with 6,000 cash shop points and the opportunity to have an in-game NPC named after one of your characters. Five first-prize winners will grab the ultimate Conan fan pack, which includes an in-game pleasure companion (nope, we're not kidding), 2,500 Funcom points, and three purebred mounts. Finally, second-prize winners will receive 1,000 Funcom points. The sweepstakes starts today, October 4th, and runs through November 22nd. Check out the details on the Age of Conan Facebook page, and don't forget to take a look at the official contest rules while you're at it.
Captain's Log: To boldly go where... Perfect World has never gone before?
Captain's Log, Stardate 64918.1... Hello, computer (and players)! Isn't it amazing how the MMO gaming world works? One week you might be ecstatic about the planned updates for your favorite game, and the next week you are wondering if that same game is even going to last another day. Like many other Star Trek Online players, I was in this boat just last week. When Atari announced that it was going to be divesting interest in Cryptic, many players initially went into panic mode. But as I stated in my entry last week, I strongly felt that things were going to turn out just fine, possibly for the better -- and they definitely have. Earlier this week, Perfect World Entertainment announced that it would acquire a 100% equity stake from Atari, with Cryptic Studios remaining as the sole shareholder. Made famous for its free-to-play games, including Perfect World International, Pocketpet Journey West, and Forsaken World, Perfect World has the potential to help STO continue to grow. While the new owners are very excited at the opportunity to utilize the engine Cryptic is famous for, they are also excited at the fact that Champions Online uses the free-to-play business model. Oh dear -- here we go again. Ensign, warp 10! Everything is going to be OK and here's why...
Captain's Log: The breakup
Captain's Log, Stardate 64903.4... Hello, computer (and players)! When most relationships come to an end, the dumpee can often feel a sense of abandonment. As Star Trek Online players, we are currently feeling something similar after the announcement that Atari is "parting" ways with Cryptic. As we noted last week, Atari announced during its May earnings report that Cryptic is a now "discontinued operation," which leaves us pondering what will become of the game we are so passionate about. In an attempt to counter the rumors flying on the internet, I spoke with Cryptic's PR team and can confirm that that there is no official press release yet and there are no comments that have been or can be made by Cryptic. So all the rumors out there about what is going on are currently just that... rumors. All we know right now is that Atari is planning on putting Cryptic Studios up for sale. With that said, and rumors aside, I would like to share some of my thoughts, explore the feelings of the playerbase, clear up some misconceptions, and explain why this could actually be the best thing to happen to STO. Ensign, warp 10! There is no looking back now...
Heatwave announces Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising subscription plans
Launch day is coming for Gods & Heroes, and Heatwave Interactive has just announced its introductory subscription options for the North American market. The game, which debuts June 21st, will feature the standard month of free gameplay along with retail or digital download purchases. Subscription deals start at $9.99 for a monthly pass and include three-month ($27.99), six-month ($54.99), 12-month ($99.99), and lifetime options ($199.99). Gods & Heroes allows players to take on the role of heroic demigods battling mythical monsters, commanding squads of minions, and customizing their personal estates, all set against a backdrop of classical Roman mythology. You can learn more about the title, as well as check out pre-order bonuses and sign up for the ongoing beta, at the official website.
Behind the Mask: I want to be with this game forever and ever
One of the saddest days for me was Tuesday -- the day Champions Online launched its Free for All expansion and went free-to-play. I was mostly sad because I didn't get to log in; people have been telling me about 15+ instances of Millennium City and having a blast teaming up with all the new faces. I even got to talk to Poz on the Massively Speaking podcast about how in the first few hours of F2P, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive and the launch went off with only a minor hiccup when the servers had some minor maintenance a few hours in. While I waited for Cryptic's CS department to look at my account issues, I got to thinking about how much it would suck to lose access to my free-form characters, to which until now I've had unlimited access for as long as the game continues to live. My lifetime account for CO sure is cool. There are a lot of criticisms about CO's F2P model and even more about lifetime accounts. Way back when they were first being offered, there were a lot of arguments that CO wouldn't last the 13 months or so it would take to pay it off. Now people are claiming that Cryptic is trying to steal more money by offering lifetime subs again. Why is a lifetime account worth it? Hit the jump and let's find out.
Blue light special: Champions Online and Star Trek Online lifetime subs to go on sale
Upset because you missed out on pre-launch deals for lifetime subscriptions to your favorite Cryptic MMOs? If the notion of a lifetime sub -- pay once, play forever (or until you or the game kicks the bucket) -- appeals to you, then Cryptic has some good news: Both Champions Online and Star Trek Online's lifetime subscriptions are on sale for $239.00 apiece. This sale coincides with two big events in the Cryptiverse: Star Trek Online is hitting its one-year anniversary next month while Champions Online is on the verge of launching its free-to-play version in a few days. The sale will run from January 25th through February 4th, which means that players have about a week-and-a-half to decide if this is a smart move. A lifetime subscription offers you the full benefit of a regular subscriber without the hassle of monthly charges. If you're wondering why one might pay for a lifetime sub for a game that's coming out with a free version, it's important to realize that Champions' F2P version is permanently restricted in several ways, such as limiting players to playing archetype templates instead of being able to build their own character. Whether one is preferable to the other is up to you, of course. This sale represents a 20% discount over the normal lifetime subscription, which does save you a good chunk of pocket change. You can read all the details of this deal at either Champions Online or Star Trek Online.
Updated: On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me...
On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! Welcome to Massively's 12 Days of Giveaways! During this 12-day event, you'll find presents galore, courtesy of some of the best MMOs out there. Every day until December 24th, we'll post a new contest for you to enter. We've got a huge pile of goodies to give away, so they're going to be fast and furious -- you'll have 24 hours from the time the contest is posted to enter. Don't worry, though, because we're going to do our best to accommodate everyone -- you'll simply have to leave a comment to be entered in the random drawing, and we'll be posting each contest at a different time of day. So without further ado, let's get to the good stuff! Turbine is kicking off our contest in a big way by celebrating the holidays in Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, and here on Massively. Follow along after the jump to see what's happening in game and what fantastic holiday gifts we have for you from Turbine! [UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Congratulations!]
Step 1: Design a new Enterprise for STO. Step 2: ??? Step 3: Cool prizes!
The starship Enterprise has appeared in a number of iterations in both real life and through Star Trek's series and films. Next month, Cryptic is excited to launch the newest edition of the Federation's flagship, which will be designed by... you! Or someone else who plays Star Trek Online. Either way. The design contest will kick off on December 9th, on which date Cryptic will make design tools available to the public. The winner will get the immense satisfaction of seeing his Enterprise model warp into STO and will also receive an Alienware laptop, a lifetime subscription to the game, the Collector's Edition of STO, and a 3-D model of their creation for keeps. There will also be a number of other prizes for runners-up, including lifetime subs, another laptop, and posters. We're looking forward to seeing what the Star Trek Online community can whip up, and if the first place design really is deserving of the Enterprise namesake! Check out the contest page for more details.
The Daily Grind: What do you think about lifetime subscriptions?
Champions Online made a bit of a splash when the development team announced that lifetime subscriptions would become available once again... albeit at the rather steep price of $299, right as the game is preparing to go free-to-play. It's not that it's a bad reward for players, but the price is a bit steep for many, and requires quite a bit of expected playtime for one to make back the investment. On the other hand, permanent access to a game is always tempting, and lifetime subscriptions always carry some weighty perks. Not many games offer a lifetime plan, but those that have done it have received mixed reviews. The up-front investment is a bit daunting, but the result is never having to worry about how you'll pay the subscription fees. Of course, some players prefer having that fee in their minds to help ensure they make the most out of their in-game time, rather than knowing the game is always there for whenever. Would you purchase a lifetime subscription to your favorite game? How much would you be willing to pay? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Lifetime subscriptions fly back to Champions Online
Look up there! In the sky! No, don't look directly at the sun, you fool! See there? At 3 o'clock? It's a bird... perhaps a plane... or maybe the return of lifetime subscriptions to Champions Online! It's been more than a year since Cryptic has offered the pay-once-play-forever deal, but now it's back. It may seem odd that the company is bringing back lifetime subs on the verge of a free-to-play launch, but Cryptic sees this as offering players a full array of services: a normal sub, a lifetime sub, or the F2P experience. Additionally, Cryptic is sweetening the deal by including a number of goodies, including a Foxbat pet, the full digital version of the game (so if you haven't done so already, you do not need to buy a copy of Champions to play it), costume pieces and access to the game's VIP lounge. For players who would rather pay once and then not have to worry about fees in the future, Cryptic is charging $299 for the lifetime sub. You can read more about it over at Champions Online.
Free Realms offers lifetime sub for a limited time
Sony Online Entertainment has just announced the availability of lifetime memberships for its family friendly virtual world Free Realms. The deal will only be available from Friday, July 16th through Monday, August 2nd, and will run you $29.99 per membership. The lifetime package offers subscribers the chance to partake of the freemium title's huge variety of quests, minigames, exploration, and house decorating options sans the worry of membership dues. Full membership also unlocks all jobs, offers access to members-only items, and gives you a 10% discount in the Station Store. Additionally, SOE has alerted to us to its new daily activities feature, whereby players are guaranteed a reward of some sort simply by participating. The first in a planned series of dailies is called "Rob Robbie," and will net players a valuable prize if they manage to complete the activity for six straight days and then log in again on day seven. Visit the official Free Realms website to learn more about the game, and don't forget to mark your calendars to take advantage of the limited lifetime deal.
Massively exclusive interview: Dawntide's Martin "Wiz" Anward
The hype-machine for Working as Intended's incoming MMO, Dawntide, resumed at the end of May with the announcement of the start of open beta. Dawntide promises to be a skill-based, open-PvP sandbox a la Shadowbane or Darkfall, with territory to claim, castles to build, sieges to undertake, and boats to navigate waterways usually neglected in other games. And though the game isn't quite finished structurally, we have to agree that what's done is beautiful, and what's planned is ambitious. Might this be the ultra-realistic, survival-of-the-fittest sandbox you're looking for? We were fortunate to score an interview with Working as Intended's CEO, Martin Anward, who gave us an inside look at Dawntide's development and his team's plans for the future. Join us past the break as we ask him about boats, crafting, boats, death penalties, boats, ganking, boats, FOTM builds, boats, and boats!
