I don't get it.

Folks are whiing because a loophole was removed?

give me a f'n break.

I've paid quarterly since 2006 (gladly, as it's cheap entertainment.)

./facepalm

Recurring memberships are back up in the EQ2 Marketplace. Go Smed!

SOE Bites Hand That Feeds
Yesterday, June 7th, without notice Sony Online Entertainment removed a new and major payment source from its EverQuest and EverQuest II games, without warning.

Not quite three months ago, on March 15th the Original EverQuest followed EQII and went Free-to-Play. Doing so meant a complete revamp of EverQuest’s payment system.

With restrictions anyone could play the game for free. Previously paid accounts were automatically reactivated as Silver Members. Silver members have less restriction but are still limited. A free account could upgrade to Silver status for a one time $5 or 500 Station Cash payment. The ability to use SOE’s own virtual currency (Station Cash), as well as a marketplace in game where one could spend this currency for game items and services including membership subscriptions, were also inherited by EverQuest from it’s younger sibling EQII in preparation for it to go free-to-play as well.

EQII has been free-to-play since December 2011. Both games continued to offer a paid subscription with no restrictions for the regular price of $14.99 a month, or $119.88 for 12 months, with three and six month plans also available. Recurring plans could be purchased as usual by having a credit card on file with Sony. With the implementation of free-to-play customers also had the option to pay for their subscription time on a non-recurring basis using an equivalent amount of Station Cash. Despite no cash value the exchange rate is 1 penny to 1 station cash. A $10 station cash card available at many brick and mortar retailers can be claimed for 1,000 station cash.
These had been the payment systems and structures for EQII since December. It was promoted that this was the new payment systems and structures for EverQuest under free-to-play. SOE followed the EverQuest launch of free-to-play with more than one Double Station Cash Weekend, and even having a Triple Station Cash Day. This made it very hard to resist purchasing station cash that could later be used to buy subscription time or a next expansion.

Then, yesterday, June 7th, without notice Sony Online Entertainment removed the ability to purchase subscriptions with station cash from its marketplaces for its EverQuest and EverQuest II games, without warning. Thus far the only word from SOE has been EQII Community Manager Eric “Piestro” Cleaver posted on the EverQuest forums: "... this was indeed an intentional change. This decision was partially based on the very limited utilization of this feature." If players have purchased Station Cash to buy memberships, he encourages them to contact Customer Service to discuss their options. Additionally, TSR-AlexS said on the EverQuest Support Forums that the non-recurring membership was still available on the account website, however this option was removed within an hour or two of the service representative posting that information. According to forum posts the net result of addressing the matter with SOE customer service via phone has been that this was an executive decision and they are precluded from further comment or action.

As someone who plays EverQuest it was my initial impression that this was pure calculated graft on the part of SOE.
It was then brought to my attention that during the three to six or so months that members of the EQ and EQII communities were becoming accustomed to the free-to-play system and payment methods, SOE was working out the fine print on a ‘multi-year’ partnership with ProSiebenSat.1 Games for exclusive European licensing and distribution rights of the majority of SOE’s online game titles. These titles include EQII and EQ Next, but not the original EverQuest. As of the end of March EQII updated its FAQ’s on the upcoming changes for its European players. These FAQ’s detailed, amongst other things, that Sieben will be in full control of all aspects of the games in Europe, including billings, subscriptions and their own separate form of station cash.

So did SOE steal from its customer base? Or did they simply callously pursue multiple revenue streams with complete disregard for their customer base and the fact that these to revenue streams were destined to be incompatible? … Or, perhaps, they have some other explanation? What might be the answer however is mere speculation, as in typical Sony fashion, SOE is standing mute on the issue.

Thankfully I got my 1 yr subscription last 3x SC offer.

Now I wish I had updated wife and kids instead of holding out for the next offer.

Oh well, free play and Silver for them!

I kinda expected this. After all it's simple economics in the end. With Double and Bonus SC days like this weekend for example, there loosing money by offering the memberships in this manner. The game does cost money to keep running in the end. Tell the truth with todays world economy as I was actually counting down the days this would happen.

I say class action lawsuit!

A few hours after TSR-AlexS posted the remedy of using the SOE site to buy subscription time with your Station Cash; this option was also removed.

Apparently if you can find the obscure little checkbox for "recurring" on the website you can still use Station Cash. Original post updated.

i noticed it was gone and i was sooooo mad... and that was BEFORE i seen the post about the bonus SC this weekend.

So much for "Free to play, your way"