I just read something interesting about Dungeons and Dragons Online over at MMORPG.com:
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/gameId/163/setView/features/loadFeature/1779
Turbine is having a subscription sale during their DDO anniversary event, with a 6-month subscription for just under $60, paid in advance, or $9.99/month. This is similar to what they did in Lord of the Rings Online during the holidays, where they offered all subscribers a $9.99/month plans if players paid quarterly (Founders and those with Founders referrals already had a better deal with that same monthy fee billed monthly).
I know these are just "sales", but Turbine seems to be seriously considering throwing the pricing gauntlet down with a variety of opportunities for players to play their MMORPGs for $9.99/month. Market leader WoW and other pay-to-play MMORPGs seem to like the $14.95 number (as has Turbine), so will a $5 reduction result in better player retention? Will Turbine's MMORPGs start to steal away from of the new players who would otherwise have started in with WoW?
I can say with factual certainty from personal experience that I have no idea. I mean, I would assume that $9.99 would be quite appealing to people--I certainly jumped at the opportunity to get a Founder's referral when I started LoTRO.
But my brother-in-law, when deciding which MMORPG to start around Christmastime, was dead set on WoW. I'm pretty sure he hadn't had much experience with prior Warcraft titles, so I can't really explain what made him so intent on WoW. I told him he could save money monthly by going with LoTRO, but it had no effect on him. I still cannot explain it, as I love LoTRO and find it to be a much better game by almost any measurement, with the possible exception of WoW's capacity for add-ons. I mean, this is a guy who grew up on Tolkein, but nothing I said seemed to sway him.
I would love to see Turbine spark a bidding war for the consumer dollar in the MMORPG market. I don't know that Blizzard will see Turbine as much of a threat to their market dominance, but if in the second tier we start seeing a lot of options in the $10 range I think that will make things much more robust and competitive.
Now, to be clear, I would rather pay $15/month if $10/month means significantly fewer updates, reduced customer service and focus, etc., or, worst case, the business model won't support $10/month subscriptions and a good game goes under because Turbine, or whoever, is so bent on capturing market share that they go too risky on their pricing. But if their business model will support it, this consumer loves the direction they are going and hopes they take the entire industry with them.
Ysaric
Just a dad.
| WoW vs. LoTRO thoughts from a (still relative) n00b. | 24 Mar, 2008 |
| Will Turbine's $9.99/month pricing strategy pay off? | 25 Feb, 2008 |
| Is WOW Destroying the Industry? | 25 Feb, 2008 |
| Goodbye Gleemax for now | 14 Feb, 2008 |
| LoTRO Book 12 launch | 14 Feb, 2008 |
Will Turbine's $9.99/month pricing strategy pay off?
Posted By: Ysaric on 25 Feb, 2008
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