MMORPG (WoW specifically) Cost Poll

I'm curious what all of you WoW players plan on doing when it comes time to start paying to play. I can't get past the $200+ cost for a years worth of playing.

For those of you that subscribe, how many hours do you feel like you should put in in a week's time to justify the price your paying? Between family, job, and house, I just don't have more than 2-3 hours per week right now that I can spend with my games (sigh).

I really wish these MMORPG's would include an hourly rate option up to the maximum monthly charge (for losers like me).

Also, in these types of games, if you play for a month or so, and then let the subscription lapse for a month, do you loose all your progress?

I just never see the necessity of a larger bill, once every three months, just to save a buck a month. If it''s month by month, I can plan on that amount of money being taken out EVERY month, instead of probably forgetting about it.

I find that I can''t justify the monthly cost at all. There is no way that I could recoup the subscription cost, given all the other games I have backlogged. At some point, I have to get to them, right?

My purchasing rule of thumb is that I like to get at least $1 an hour of enjoyment out of my purchases. With WoW I''ve already put in over 60 hours in the beta so in my book its paid for itself.

As to the monthly fee, after playing the beta I knew I would be in it for awhile so I opted for the six month plan. A buck is a buck.

Most games keep your character around for at least another month just in case you want to resubscribe.

6 months+ since they seemed to have fixed all the the major issues in just 2 days.

''cept the server is down as of 10am

"richyrambo" wrote:

''cept the server is down as of 10am :(

Just noticed that. I guess there are doing some maintenance. Strange after it was perfect yesterday.

I take my current salary (example $10/hour) and then ask myself will I get at least one hours worth of fun from the game with a monthly fee of $12? If I can it is worth it. The rest of the time during the month it is either to play the game or the equivalent in cost to going out with friends. If not cheaper. Keep in mind I don''t have WoW ''cause I am a very very cheap bastage.

Since I''m a one-game-at-a-time kinda guy, I see the monthly bill as a savings. If the game is keeping me engrossed I would much rather pay $14.99 a month than $49.99 a month to buy a new game. Ok, I may be rationalizing just a wee bit...I''m confident I will play WoW for at least 3 months, so I''ll go for the 3 month plan.

From the looks of it, when I do purchase the game (right after Christmas, more than likely) I will go from month to month, even though I plan on playing for quite some time, but life happens and there is no telling what can happen in a given month IRL.

I selected the 3-month option on the assumption that it would keep me interested for at least that amount of time.

"hubbinsd" wrote:

Since I''m a one-game-at-a-time kinda guy, I see the monthly bill as a savings. If the game is keeping me engrossed I would much rather pay $14.99 a month than $49.99 a month to buy a new game. Ok, I may be rationalizing just a wee bit...I''m confident I will play WoW for at least 3 months, so I''ll go for the 3 month plan.

This is exactly how I feel about it.

I pick 1 month at a time just because things come up. Games get boring. I like to be able to get out when I want and at worst lose a months fee. As much as I enjoy the game at some point I won''t, heck maybe tommorow.

you just never know.

Having played in both the open beta and the stress test, I was comfortable in going with the 6 month plan. I''m pretty sure I''ll still be playing, at least occassionally, unlike CoH where I didn''t even make it past a month of my free month + 3 month sub.

I did the month to month since I may lose interest... I figure one extra dollar wont kill me...

I chose 6 month plan.

I played Diablo 2 for 4 years.

Roll over Beethoven. There''s a new sherrif in town.

I can finally lay Diablo2 to rest. And so it is... DELETED!

"Flux" wrote:
"richyrambo" wrote:

''cept the server is down as of 10am :(

Just noticed that. I guess there are doing some maintenance. Strange after it was perfect yesterday.

Heh, enjoy your game....Oh that''s right, you can''t!

"SpyNavy" wrote:

I did the month to month since I may lose interest... I figure one extra dollar wont kill me...

Um, Mr. Navy, there''s a group of extra dollars out here, and they are very upset about how they are being thrown around willy-nilly. Yes, they said willy nilly. They also said something about how the ""extra dollar will hurt you.....""

Yes, they said willy nilly.

Just because I started using willy-nilly doesn''t mean that you, OR your ""extra dollars"" can start using it too... I demand restitution!

I picked month-to-month when I signed up. I figured if I get through the free month plus another month, I will have a good idea of what I want to do and if I think it will last I''ll switch over to three month then.

3-month here. I''ve canceled my $22 GameFly subscription and so I''m actually saving money! I figure this game has enough legs to last at least 4 months before there''s another GWJ jeux du jour.

As far as plans go, you have to take the wife factor into account. We do our budget together, and I get much less grief If I prepay than if its month-to-month.

I always go month to month. I also ""cancel"" it after making each payment so I can stop playing when I want.

"simpilot" wrote:

I always go month to month. I also ""cancel"" it after making each payment so I can stop playing when I want.

So you pay and then call up and cancel? What do you have to do to ""resubscribe"" each time?

"mateo" wrote:
"Flux" wrote:
"richyrambo" wrote:

''cept the server is down as of 10am :(

Just noticed that. I guess there are doing some maintenance. Strange after it was perfect yesterday.

Heh, enjoy your game....Oh that''s right, you can''t!

Been having fun the last 12 hours of play.

Off topic, sorry. Has anyone used their 10 day Guest Pass yet? I gave mine to my brother and he''s saying the account creation is forcing him to enter in a credit card number. He doesn''t have one and I''m not driving 2hrs to look at the screen and verify his story. Is there a way to tell it not to use a credit card on the trial pass account setup?

I''m with Slambie. And of course the time spent playing WoW is not spent on some other new game. So I''m saving money as well, given my game spending habits. Sad, but true.

Eezy, they do require a credit card to sign up, as far as I know.

Well I chose month to month initially - although a three month term was considered. That was my choice when I registered - but now several days later, and after having flown on a manticore and seen all these wondrous new lands to explore... 3 months seems safe enough.

I may just have found ''the game''. I''m ready to make a commitment.

I just go month to month. It''s the way I''ve been with all games. When my attention span is at it''s end, I just cancel the game. WoW, however, I see myself playing for a LONG time. 22hrs played since Tuesday night, lvl 19, and at LEAST a 15 hr run in front of me today (smile)

"Eezy_Bordone" wrote:

Off topic, sorry. Has anyone used their 10 day Guest Pass yet?

Is the guest pass something that comes with the collector''s edition only? I''ve seen no mention of it with the packaging/contents of the non-fancy-shmancey edition.

"Somazx" wrote:
"Eezy_Bordone" wrote:

Off topic, sorry. Has anyone used their 10 day Guest Pass yet?

Is the guest pass something that comes with the collector''s edition only? I''ve seen no mention of it with the packaging/contents of the non-fancy-shmancey edition.

Yea, I have been told it comes with the ""Bells and whistles edition"" only.