Smedley Letter Regarding Price IncreaseMay 12th, 2005 at 6:23 PM by Railus

John Smedley addresses the EverQuest pricing increase in a letter to the community: ======================================= Community Letter from John Smedley Hello everyone, It's amazing that we're now six years since the launch of EverQuest, and even more amazing to see so many people enjoying the world of Norrath. I know that the development team has exciting stuff planned for the coming months (look for an announcement soon!) and they are dedicated to keeping EQ fresh and alive with all the best technology has to offer. EverQuest is in its 6th year of existence and while we have continued to bring new content for everyone to enjoy, the cost of operating a top tier MMO has increased significantly during the past three years. Today I am writing to tell you all that we will be increasing the subscription rate for EverQuest effective June 12, 2005 . The new monthly subscription rate will be $14.99/month. We strive to ensure that EverQuest remains a great entertainment value. No other game offers the detailed gameplay, huge world and tight-knit community that EverQuest offers. The monthly subscription fee allows us to provide the best possible gaming experience for you while also expanding the world. The EverQuest team is dedicated to providing fresh and dynamic content to the players with in-game events, quests, zone re-vamps, game enhancements and great new expansion packs. To thank the EverQuest community, we're offering players a limited-time promotional offer. Between May 12, 2005 and June 11, 2005, you can take advantage of a 6 or 12 month limited time subscription and reap great savings. Just go here for more details. We will continue to offer discounts from the new rate plan on multi-month subscriptions and these increases will not affect the SOE Station Access? subscription rate, which will hold at $21.99. We sincerely appreciate all of you who inhabit our EverQuest universe and we look forward to continue having you be a part of our world for years to come. Thanks, John Smedley
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huh?
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# May 13 2005 at 2:04 AM Rating: Default
Anonymous
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3. People will disagree with me on this one just because no one's willing to accept that it MIGHT be right...everyone's too busy in hind-sight to see this. Over the last year or so, SoE's been better about not creating more problems, fixing them quickly when they come up, and actually going back and and fixing some old ones (grant you, this one DID take too long).


you mean like how they nerfed all the druid dot spells? Ya that made game play alot more fun.
All druid dot spells have had their damage reduced to half of what they were. I have no problem paying the extra $2 a month, but I certainly hope they take that money to pay some new devs that aren't morons. They have a very bad habit of fixing things that are not broken.
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RE: huh?
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# May 13 2005 at 11:54 AM Rating: Decent
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Did you happen to notice that some of the druid DoTs (maybe all, I dont know) now last longer, and in fact do more overall damage? The lvl 63 swarming death, for example, now lasts 9 ticks vs. 6

50% more ticks, ~10% less damage per tick. Maybe my math is faulty, but that sounds like more damage to me, not less.
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No issue
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# May 13 2005 at 1:33 AM Rating: Decent
__DEL__1611533766599
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Firstly, I LIKED the first two Star Wars, thank you. =P

As far as having to pay $2 more a month...

1. If you can't afford $24 more a year, EQ's not something you should be spending your money on, anyway.

2. It's been six years and NINE EXPANSIONS. Think about how much more it's got to cost to keep ten continents (3-4 of which are very advanced visually) running smoothly than how much it costs to keep three running.

3. People will disagree with me on this one just because no one's willing to accept that it MIGHT be right...everyone's too busy in hind-sight to see this. Over the last year or so, SoE's been better about not creating more problems, fixing them quickly when they come up, and actually going back and and fixing some old ones (grant you, this one DID take too long).

4. They've done same really great things to help with game-play. There's an E-mail system so you can contact people when you need to. You now don't have to be at your computer to recive customer service (which in and of its self has improved). They've given us some really great quests and sweet items to drool over. And a good bit more.

I'm personally suprised it took them this long to increase the price, and am pleasantly suprised that it's only going up two dollars. To me the harder work SoE's obviously been putting into the game is well worth the extra money.

John Smedley and the SoE team recieve my applause.

And here it comes...

Edited, Fri May 13 02:37:09 2005
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No big deal
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# May 13 2005 at 1:02 AM Rating: Decent
azdbaxx
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Stop whining about a rate increase all you CHEAP BASTARDS! Everything goes up in this world. Deal with it. You probably spend more than 2 dollars at Starbucks EVERYDAY. I won't even mention how much all you geeks are gonna spend at the local premeire of the latest Star Wars load of ****** That's where you can easily save 2 years worth of EQ rate increases. Everyone knows that movie is gonna suck just like the last 2. If 2 dollars a month is enough to make you leave the game, then you couldn't afford it anyway. Goodbye, good riddance, and can I have all your gear before you go? Flame away.

BTW: Just for the simple fact that not only am I reading your crying, and responding to it, I too am a geek. The difference is I know and accept it.
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RE: No big deal
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# May 13 2005 at 1:32 AM Rating: Decent
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"I've kinda been looking for a reason to quit" I also looks for a reason to quit when I play a game, DOH!, then quit. But please can I also have some of your gear before you go, hehe :-)
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One year rewards program
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# May 12 2005 at 11:12 PM Rating: Decent
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The timing of this letter does explain why the cutoff for the one-year subscription bonus was until the 11th. :)
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RE: One year rewards program
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# May 18 2005 at 11:22 AM Rating: Decent
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no, the Vet rewards patched in on the 13th was the reason for that. You can still get the 1 year rate for the same price right now, you just no longer get that next year reward early.
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Gimme a break
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# May 12 2005 at 11:03 PM Rating: Excellent
mbritton
6 posts
OMG! 2 Dolarz! That is the suxxorz! Honestly..if you play EQ 1 hour per day, you are only spending 50 cents per hour to play. If you play it 5 hours a day, 7 days a week, your paying 10 cents an hour. Is that so harsh?
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SOE=Idiots
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# May 12 2005 at 10:01 PM Rating: Default
lordbyter
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This is insane, they merge half the server to cut down on cost, I'm sure, and then jack the price up. I wonder who is getting the salary raise?
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RE: SOE=Idiots
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# May 12 2005 at 11:36 PM Rating: Default
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Technically they merged servers to raise the amount of players on during peek hours, which I can attest has definitely been raised. It's sort of harsh to assume the only reason they did this was to cut costs. They're definitely not in a position where they need to cut costs, what with EQ2, SWG and all their other MMOG's raking in the dough.

Has anybody ever pondered the thought that they were actually trying to make the game better for us as players? I mean, how many player suggestions have there been that have actually been implemented? Quite a few I'd say.

Oh well, two dollars. Chill. Most of us have a job that can cover that two dollar increase in cost and if it's really that much of an issue for you, you don't have the budget for EQ. Don't give me that "it's the principle" crap either, they're a business too.
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RE: SOE=Idiots
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# May 13 2005 at 2:19 AM Rating: Decent
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1)Merging of servers was a plan that was going to be put into action after SoL. PoP brought the player base back so the plan was pushed back. eventualy there will only be 1 server.

2)If they didnt listen to what players wanted people wouldnt play because they would have no feed back on problems in game with all the content or class balancing issues.

3)As for making enough profits from the other MMO's you obviously dont understand how business works. If you decrease expenses you increase profits. they alwasy want to make more money and these are ways they are doing it. By increaseing price like this they increase profits by 15.3% all the talk about cost increases is crap. they are decreasing cost to run the game by 30% with the server mergers.

if you want to complain about spelling go jump in a lake of fire and glass.

Edited, Fri May 13 03:24:57 2005
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RE: SOE=Idiots
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# May 16 2005 at 7:49 PM Rating: Default
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I'm honestly not sure who you're yelling at. I think you and me are seeing eye to eye but it looks liek you're yelling at me about some stuff I definitely haven't said. =P

On your second point, I wasn't being sarcastic, they do listen to the players, I know.

On your third point, I do understand how business works, they are increasing expenses but raising profits decently enough to maintain and emaciate any problems.

Less rant, more constructive discussion! /hypocrited myself, woot.

I'm not even sure where that spelling comment was directed.
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!!!!!!!!
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# May 12 2005 at 9:45 PM Rating: Default
__DEL__1591784944094
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you meen to tell me I/WE dont already pay enough I/WE buy all your expantions cause if we dont we get nowhere in the game you have made that your ultamate goal in every expantion so we buy your butt munch expantions and we still gunna get hosed for an xtra 2$ a month you all at SOE are just horable poeple!!! i think that says it all
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RE: !!!!!!!!
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# May 13 2005 at 12:31 AM Rating: Decent
__DEL__1592256834749
21 posts
You should take the money you spend on EQ and go to school. They do wonderful things there....like teach people to spell.
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horse sh_t
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# May 12 2005 at 9:39 PM Rating: Decent
__DEL__1591784944094
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horse sh_t!
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DUDE !
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# May 12 2005 at 9:33 PM Rating: Decent
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bro their jacking us $__ a month that will cost each and every soul $__ a year. Oh well i was paying TWELVE ninty-nine a month will get use to the FOURTEEN ninty-nine.
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OH NO!
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# May 12 2005 at 9:20 PM Rating: Decent
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They are charging us an extra $1 a month. That hardly seems like a harsh increase.
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RE: OH NO!
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# May 12 2005 at 10:18 PM Rating: Default
__DEL__1592760202697
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Do you mean an extra 2$ a month? Am I missing something?
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yea, it is...
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# May 12 2005 at 9:16 PM Rating: Default
__DEL__1591794209078
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I've kinda been looking for a reason to quit. Many of us might have just found our reason. Had a blast EQ...
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Not really
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# May 12 2005 at 9:14 PM Rating: Decent
__DEL__1592762637806
13 posts
/shrug It's the same price as most MMOs out there that I have played. But I will be buying a one year subscription before the price jumps.
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RE: Not really
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# May 13 2005 at 8:44 AM Rating: Default
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Too late I'm afraid
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RE: Not really
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# May 13 2005 at 9:13 PM Rating: Decent
__DEL__1592762637806
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Umm, no not to late.
Taken from http://eqlive.station.sony.com/library/faqs/faq_rate.jsp

Are there any discounts for current EverQuest subscribers?

In order to thank the EverQuest community, players can take advantage of a 6 or 12 month limited time promotional offer. Between May 12, 2005 and June 11, 2005 , you can take advantage of a 6 or 12 month limited time promotional subscription and reap great savings.

* For a limited time, a 6-month subscription costs only US$69.99 -- that works out to $11.67 a month, a 10% discount off of the new monthly plan.
* Even better, for a limited time a 12-month subscription costs only US$99.99 ? that works out to $8.33 a month, a 31% savings off of the new monthly plan.
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RE: Not really
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# May 17 2005 at 3:24 PM Rating: Good
__DEL__1592343807431
Sage
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I just ordered the 12 month subscription for $99.99.
Please note that they also offer a 24 month subscription for $199.98 also need to get by june 11, 2005.
I just do not have that in my budget this month or I would have gotten that instead.

I wonder if you can order both and get three years for $8.33 a month?
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#REDACTED, Posted: May 12 2005 at 8:53 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) bye, bye EQ!! It's been a fun ride while it lasted.
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