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Star Trek Online pushes pre-order bonus items to the C-Store
Are you a Star Trek Online player who wants a Borg bridge officer or access to the original USS Enterprise, but missed out on the limited-time offers for them? The good news is that you no longer have to be bereft of the pre-order perks just because you came into the game late. Cryptic is offering a variety of the pre-order items and bonuses on the C-Store as part of a large update to their stock. Among the new items are uniforms for Deep Space Nine and The Wrath of Khan, playable Joined Trill, and of course the original Constitution-class Enterprise. Understandably, there's a fair bit of furor about the new additions to the store. Lifetime subscribers are especially upset about the changes, as some of the additions were specifically aimed at them -- and unlike pre-ordering customers, they didn't pay the same price as everyone else. While the developers are understanding, they've stated repeatedly that they see this as best for the game and the players. It certainly is a net benefit for non-lifetime Star Trek Online players, but it certainly isn't going to tone down the controversy of the game's microtransaction system.
The Road to Mordor: Free Frodo for life!
Turbine? We need to talk. When you're going to drop one of the biggest game-changing announcements since launch, doing so an hour before I'm posting an article talking about how LotRO's been so quiet -- when I have no time to rewrite it -- is a good way to see if you can get my head to explode. Do you know what it's like to have to wait an entire week to talk about something this huge? I literally crawled up a wall, that's what it's like. Whew! Has there ever been a week this crazy in Lord of the Rings Online's history? If there has been, I wasn't there to see it. I've been reading and digesting a mountain's worth of forum posts on the subject, not to mention all of the chatter in the blogosphere: Sneaky Hobbits, LOTRO Weekly, The Green Dragon Inn, Harperella, Overly Positive, Screaming Monkeys, FlexYourGeek, Game By Night, Simple-n-Complex, Multiplaying, Stargrace, Casual is as Casual Does, Spouse Aggro, The Stone Kingdom, Doc Holiday, Mordor or Bust, Player Versus Developer, Nomnom.info, A Ding World, LOTRO Reporter, A Casual Stroll to Mordor, Spinksville, Kill Ten Rats, Tobold, No Prisoners No Mercy, Mordiceius, Yeebo Fernbottom, Ardwulf, Tish Tosh Tesh, Of Course I'll Play It!, Broken Toys, The Ancient Gaming Noob, NecroRogIcon, Psychochild, Keen, Blue Kae, MMO Gamer Chick, LevelCapped, Bio Break, Games and Geekery, Rainbow MMO and The Pix'led Life all had an opinion, for and against, and weren't shy about sharing.
Mytheon introduces lifetime subscription package
After months of wrangling over development and source code followed by a lawsuit that was settled in record time, True Games and Petroglyph are moving quickly to meet Mytheon's planned launch date of July 13th. The latest announcement from Mytheon comes in the form of the "Champions of Mytheon" purchase option, a lifetime subscription offer with plenty of extras. There are 2,000 Champions packages available, and well worth it for those who pay the $129.99 price tag. Champions of Mytheon includes a long list of extras both in-game and out, from a t-shirt, hat, keychain, and poster, to early game access, exclusive weapons, and even a mention in the game credits. Check out the Mytheon site for the full list of items included with the lifetime package.
The Daily Grind: What do you think of LotRO's new F2P model?
While predicted and anticipated by some, the news that Lord of the Rings Online is going free-to-play this fall still hit like a 1,000-pound bomb yesterday. The new free-to-play LotRO forums were abuzz about the topic, some excited to have their friends join in, some calling for a boycott, and others simply wanting more information before coming to a conclusion. One thing is clear: Turbine is hoping for lightning to strike twice after DDO's successful move to F2P last year. Turbine posted a small book's worth of information already, including a letter from LotRO's new executive producer Kate Paiz, a fairly comprehensive FAQ, and a chart comparing the benefits of each of the three tiers of players. It's certainly a lot to digest, and after a day to sort through the news and commentary, we want to hear from you: what do you think of LotRO's new free-to-play model? For those of you who've abstained from LotRO due to the subscription fee, will this be enough to entice you to dip your toes into Middle-earth? If you're a lifetime subscriber, do you feel as though you're being compensated properly in this transition? Is this a sign of desperation or a beacon of hope for the future of the game? Are you excited about the new content coming this fall, including a new region to explore? Will you reserve judgment until you try the beta?
MapQuest iPhone gets free voice navigation; TomTom lifetime map and traffic PNDs now available (update: Navigon MobileNavigator 1.5 too)
Chalk up another two wins for cheap consumer GPS. Like Google Maps Navigation before it, the MapQuest 4 Mobile iPhone app has just now added gratis turn-by-turn voice directions... and ahead of schedule, TomTom has begun bundling its new 2010 Personal Navigation Devices, including the XL 340S and the XXL 540S -- with lifetime traffic and maps subscriptions. The latter are now available on Amazon for a $30-per-lifetime-subscription premium in a variety of increasingly feature-filled flavors, with helpful T (traffic), M (maps) and TM (traffic and maps) suffixes so you know which TomTom is which. If you prefer buying from brick and mortar, TomTom expects retail availability beginning in April. Full list of supported TomTom models and expected MSRP after the break. Update: The 1.5.0 iPhone update to MobileNavigator from Navigon that includes MyRoutes, Facebook and Twitter integration, and Panorama View 3D is finally up on iTunes as well.
Champions lifetime subscribers given extra thanks, perks
Good news for Champions Online lifetime subscription owners today, as Cryptic is giving them some additional free perks simply for supporting the game. According to the developer, some of the upcoming lifetime-only features include an exclusive in-game chat channel, front-of-queue support any time a server is queued, a unique in-game title, an in-game VIP lounge for lifetime subscribers only and a special costume piece. Curiously, the official forum post by StormShade says, "Here's some of what we're working on, exclusive to Lifetime Subscribers." which to us sounds like there could be something else for lifetime subscribers in the future. But even if there isn't any mysterious new feature, these new perks are a nice little surprise that came out of the blue -- which is always the best kind of surprise. [Update: It appears that this offer stands for Star Trek Online lifetime players, also.]
Breaking: STO lifetime subs now available [Update]
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Star_Trek_Online_offers_lifetime_subscription_at_240'; Cryptic has revealed the lifetime subscription offer for Star Trek Online, which comes with playable Borg (not as a faction, but as liberated Borg) and is only available to those who've pre-ordered the game. Oddly enough, the price of the LS is $40 higher than Champions Online's was when it was announced August of last year. Does this mean we can expect a higher monthly fee than the industry standard of $14.99 for Star Trek Online or is the expectation that Star Trek fans are likely to pay more for a lifetime subscription to STO? Either way, Atari would certainly have to expect the game to be a real winner to make that bet. Additionally, there's no specific mention of whether or not the LS offer has an expiration date; it's only stated that a pre-order is required to make the purchase. We've contacted Cryptic for an official statement on both the pricing and potential expiration date of the offer and we will update as more information becomes available. [Update: The lifetime subscription ends on February 1st at 11:59 PST, thanks tiberium84!] [Update 2: The monthly sub for STO is, in fact, $15 a month.]
The Daily Grind: Do you vote with your wallet?
There are certain changes, usually big ones, that don't exactly produce... positive reactions. In fact, they generally produce screaming rants and huge doses of rage at how they were handled and implemented. You know the sorts we're talking about. Star Wars Galaxies and the Combat Upgrade. Ultima Online and Trammel. Final Fantasy XI and the nerfs to Beastmaster "catch and release" tactics. All loathed changes, many of which led to an exodus of players. Really, leaving a game can be the best way to express displeasure with a change. It's the surest way to send a company the message that they've done something that will no longer justify your monthly subscription. On the flip side, your individual impact is small, you once loved the game... a lot of players will choose to rough it out, in hopes that things will improve or with the knowledge that the changes can't be all that bad. And for games where you have a lifetime subscription or are experiencing it free-to-play, your absence isn't really a deterrent at all. So, do you vote with your wallet? When you're fed up with what's been done, do you head off for greener pastures? Or are you of the mind that it's not even worth the bother, that they might well not even tie your departure to the change, even if you say so?
Win a lifetime of LotRO from Massively
'Tis the season to be jolly, as they say, and Turbine is proving this holiday season that they're more than generous with their best-selling MMO, Lord of the Rings Online. We've been given a handful of product keys to hand out to the Massively readers, and we're eager to play the role of Santa this year. So what do we have in our goody bag? Lifetime subscriptions, a copy of the full game, copies of the newest expansion -- a total of twenty-three prize packages you could walk away with! Sound good to you? Then keep on reading after the cut to learn more details on the prizes and how you can have a chance to get one for yourself. [Edit: Comments are now closed. Winners will be notified shortly]
Lord of the Rings Online extends special pricing offers to November 18th
With the Siege of Mirkwood expansion less than a month away from launch, Turbine is keeping an eye on it's current Lord of the Rings Online players with their special pricing deals. Each deal includes the phrase "and get Mirkwood for free!" and they've included something for every pricing plan. Turbine first made these offers way back when they announced the release date for Siege of Mirkwood, and they must be going over pretty well, because they've extended the offer through November 18th. Current subscribers have three offers to pick from. If you're a monthly subscriber and upgrade to multi-month by November 18th, you'll get the expansion free of charge. The deal applies for 3, 6, or 12 month sub plans. Players who are already on a multi-month plan seem to have the easiest deal, because Mirkwood is free to them for simply maintaining their subscription. Those on a lifetime subscription will receive Siege of Mirkwood free when they pre-order the Adventurer's Pack. Siege of Mirkwood is scheduled for release on December 1st.
Champions Online lifetime subscribers get to share the love
There was no shortage of people excited about the prospect of lifetime subscriptions for Champions Online, and for fans of the game it's probably already paid off with interest. But, needless to say, some of the more financially-savvy members of the community were probably wondering how Cryptic would deal with the fact that it was no longer going to be getting a monthly payment from its lifetime subscribers.Apparently, the answer is that they're making it even easier for Champions Online's lifetime subscribers to share the love. This morning, all those with a lifetime subscription received three free buddy passes in their mail - each one good for 14 days of free play time. It's a smart move on Cryptic's part, and it's also a wonderful opportunity for the very vocal lovers of the game to get more new players interested and invested in the game. If you were one of the subscribers who took the option while it was offered, your friends, family, and (in extreme cases) pets can get a chance to get on-board with the game. On the other hand, if you haven't tried the game and know a lifetime subscriber, this is the perfect chance to get in and see what all the noise is about.[ Thanks, Pete! ]
Turbine announces the release date of The Siege of Mirkwood expansion
The next Lord of the RIngs Online expansion, the Siege of Mirkwood, has been dated by Turbine! The downloadable expansion pack will go live on the servers on December 1st of this year, and Turbine is offering up some very nice pre-order packages for those interested in getting back into Middle-Earth. We also have some really awesome hi-res screenshots of the new expansion for you in our gallery below!First of all, the lifetime subscription has returned to the 200 dollar price tag once more, making it very lucrative to grab a lifetime subscription if you don't have one already. Everyone, hooray for the nicely priced lifetime subscription.Also, any current or former player who changes their subscription over to a multi-month package (three, six, or 12 months) will get the Siege of Mirkwood for absolutely free. Yes, that's right, you heard us, free. The multi-month package deal, however, does not include the lifetime subscription. Sorry.%Gallery-74262%
Direct2Drive Champions Online buyers get an exclusive contest
Did you pre-order Champions Online from Direct2Drive, or did you purchase the game? Well, if you did, you might want to keep a special eye on your inbox, as one lucky buyer will be getting a lifetime subscription to the game.Everyone who pre-ordered and everyone who picks up the game between now and September 7th will be entered to win a lifetime subscription. While only one person will grab the grand prize, five others will be grabbing themselves the six month subscription package, which certainly isn't anything to scoff at. The subscription packages will also contain the special items as well, including the retro future costume set, the art deco costume set, the Foxbat action figure pet, the mirror universe uniform for Star Trek Online, and, of course, STO beta access.For more information on the whole contest, check out D2D's information page.
The Daily Grind: Do you buy lifetime memberships?
On Monday we told you Cryptic had announced a lifetime membership for Champions Online. For $199 you get access to the Star Trek Online closed beta, special costumes not available to anyone else and other juicy perks. Cool huh? Now while lifetime memberships are not new (LotRO springs to mind), it's a lot of money to try a must-play game but, in a way, it also binds you to said MMO. You're buying before you try, in effect, and promising to invest a large amount of time in a particular game based on screen shots, lore or the IP.The problem is, it's hard to tell whether a game will be hit and miss and if it ultimately goes the way of Tabula Rasa and The Matrix Online. At the same time, the really popular MMOs like WoW never seem to offer lifetime subs, as if they know they will be so popular that subscriptions will keep the game going well into the next decade. I'm wondering, constant readers, do you buy lifetime memberships and did you do it because it would work out cheaper or because you genuinely love that MMO?
Champions Online offering $199 lifetime sub, access to STO beta 'later this year'
Here's yet another reason to really consider picking up Champions Online come launch day. Cryptic is offering pre-order customers the chance to purchase six months of subscription for $59.99, instead of the regular $89.99 fee, which unofficially puts the monthly fee at 15 bucks. Alternatively, you can choose a $199.99 lifetime subscription offer, but it's only good until September 1st. But wait, there's more!Whether you purchase six months or the lifetime, you'll gain access to the Star Trek Online beta launching later this year -- according to said offer. Both options also come with an exclusive art deco costume set, although we're far more interested in that first bonus. However, lifetime subscribers are also rewarded with a retro future costume set, a mirror universe outfit (given at launch) for Star Trek Online, an in-game Foxbat action figure and eight additional character slots.Turbine started this very awesome concept but we're happy to see Cryptic making it even better for their fans. Hopefully you've got enough income this month to grab the deal. Anyone anticipating STO and already planning on picking up Champions Online will absolutely want this, so we doubly hope all those people can afford it.[Thanks, Patrick!]
The Daily Grind: Would you like to see more lifetime subscriptions?
Yesterday's grind concerned the very real problem of having to let one of your subscriptions lapse due to the state of the economy. When the times are tough and money is tight, sometimes you need to find what will ultimately pay off in the end for you. So, today's question is ultimately derived from yesterday's question -- would you like more games to offer lifetime subscriptions, like Lord of the Rings Online?For those unfamiliar with the system, Lord of the Rings Online offers subscribers the ability to pay a fee, about 299 dollars, and then that's it. No more paying a monthly fee for the rest of the lifetime of the game. While it's an extremely high upfront cost, the benefit is that you will never pay again to keep your account active. Instead of worrying about lapsing subscriptions, you can play when you want, whenever you want.The downside to this, besides the upfront cost, is the problem that may occur if your game doesn't do so well. Hellgate: London lifetime subscribers are currently feeling this problem, as their game is leaving them high and dry. The lifetime subscription is only good if your game survives long enough to make it worth your while -- the one downside to this type of payment plan.But, we leave the final judgment to you, readers. Would you like more of your games to offer this type of subscription plan? Comment away!
Blizzard employee raises over $34,000 for LLS
The final total on that charity drive we mentioned last week is in, and it's huge. While Blizzard employee Katherine Allen aimed to collect about $5000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, she ended up picking up a whopping $34,000 (and growing) for the charity. Whether you gave in order to get entered for the drawing (she's giving away a few yearly passes and one lifetime subscription), or just for the charity of it, she is now thanking everyone who gave on the site, and we have to thank you, too: it's events like this that show off just how generous World of Warcraft players can be.The drawing will be held on January 8th, so if you did give and entered the contest, keep an eye on your email inbox to see if you won. And while the contest itself is over, there's still a few days left to donate to the cause if you missed it the first time around and still want to support the Society.Sure, we're known for our QQing, we've got untold number of loot ninjas and drama queens in our ranks, and don't you dare nerf our class or we'll whine like nobody's business. But when you ask them to come through and help their fellow human beings, World of Warcraft players are one of the best communities around. Good luck to everyone who entered the contest, and thanks again to everyone who donated to the cause.
TiVo brings back $399 Lifetime Service plan
Hard to say if this is just another fling that will expire as soon as some TiVo exec feels that it should, but for whatever it's worth, interested users can now purchase a Lifetime Service plan for their TiVo. Those operating sans a TiVo HD DVR can actually still take advantage of the Blue Moon special, but for everyone else, you can snag the Lifetime package for $399 (or $299 if adding it to your second, third, fourth or twentieth TiVo box). Remember, however, that the "Lifetime" subscription only applies to whatever deck you currently have, and with all this talk of tru2way, we might suggest holding off and letting the dust settle before pulling the trigger.[Via Zatz Not Funny, thanks MegaZone]
