That was an april fool's day joke. Gamespot now says EQ will be $50.00 a month another April Fool's Day joke : ).

Well I dont see why anyone that runs this site can talk crap about it, seeing they had one of the best eq sites, then they started charging for it too =P

I like EQ, I got into after 2 years of my friends playing it. For quite sometime it has been one of the only good MMORPG choices on the market. EQ set a standard for what should be expected of most MMORPGS. Everywhere you look a new MMORPG is coming out. EQ doesn't want to lose customers to new MMORPGS. So they raise the price, and offer you larger subscription blocks with higher discounts. VI/SOE is simply scared of the new market threats and wants more of a commitment from it's customers. You are all thinking in the short term, DO THE MATH PLEASE

current highest subscription block 6 months $50
$50 / 6 = $8.31 a month
new highest subscription block 24 months $190
$190 / 24 = $7.92 a month

For those willing to commit and show higher loyalty to a hobby they enjoy VI/SOE is willing to make no infringment on.
For those of you who are complaining about the cost and the game, stop playing now and save up your money for the new MMORPGs.
VI/SOE doesn't want to make more money, they want to lock in there customers for the long run. They are in it to keep the same profit going in the wake of the new MMORPGs being released.

Thank you, I really believe nothing more can be said in wake of my opinion. stop the flaming please.

I pay close to one hundred dollars a month for digital cable and my cable modem. If that's not a rip off I don't know what is, but I get it because I want it and it makes me happy. Same deal with EQ. I think 12.95 a month is reasonable because I love EQ, the people I know there, and all the bugs, 100 hour quests, and nerfed armor that go with it.

OK folks, I know that some of you just aren't going to want to pay the extra 3 bucks to keep playing. That's fine with me, and probably fine with most of the peeps that play. I, for one am tired of people ranting about how bad things are.

So please, if you don't like EQ then leave EQ, your empty threats are beginning to bore me.

Yousaif
Cleric of Brell
Draconis Arcanum- MT

Since everyone is saying that EQ is making a mint for Sony and that Verant/SOE is just a money grubbing corporation against the weak and helpless consumer, I actually got off my proverbial *** and headed off to Sony.com to have a look at their financial statements.

I don't have the interest to write a full analysis (and I freely admit I don't have the experience), but like everyone else I'm pulling a few key numbers to make a point.

These are REAL NUMBERS (according to their accountants). Not guesses and approximations.

Sony doesn't make much mention of Sony Online Entertainment or Everquest in its financial statements. Where the figures were divided by category, I assumed that EQ falls into the GAMES category. Their Balance Sheet does not show the different divisions of Sony. These are numbers for the whole corporation, but they serve the purpose.

Here is the link to the Consolidated Income Statement, you can find the entire financial report by going to Sony.Com, mousing over the Corporate Info link and selecting Investor Info

http://www.sony.co.jp/en/SonyInfo/IR/Financial/AR/2001/f_statement.html



The Game department of Sony in the year 2001 took in an Operating Revenue of $5,159,000,000. That's 5.159 billion dollars. 400k EQ subscribers at 10 bucks a month times 12 months is $48 mil.

So, assuming that EQ is in the Games department and all of its subscriber fees go directly to Operating Revenue, EQ is responsible for roughly 0.9% of Sony's revenue in the GAMING DEPARTMENT ONLY. Nevermind that the gaming department is nearly 35 billion dollars behind the Electronics segment, its next closest department. EQ isn't making a whole bunch of money for Sony to begin with. For the entire company, EQ accounts for about .08% of Revenues.

Now let's look at Sony Corporation's Net Income. They show $58.5 billion in Total Revenue. Minus Operating expenses, taxes, insurance, other crap, they show a whopping $134 MILLION dollars of profit.

When you run a business, you start with $58.5 BILLION and you end with $134 MILLION after paying your employees marketers, tax collectors etc.

The goal of most corporations is to maximize their PROFITS.

All of you saying that Sony is making a mint off of EQ and is simply exploiting the Consumer is misinformed. You have no idea what kind of expenses are involved in running a business.


This is an imperfect argument for a copule reasons. I don't have exact numbers for Everquest or the SOE division in specific, I have no idea how costs are allocated for EQ, and I didn't bother to think much about analysis before I posted. Did I damage my credibility? Oh well.

Despite that, I don't think that Sony is in any way exploiting Everquest players by raising the price $3 a month. That only raises EQ's contribution to revenue to 1.2% Assuming every single dollar of that hike goes straight to the bottom line (highly unlikely, the income is taxed afterall and going towards other expenses) would raise Profits by $14.4 million, or roughly 10%. What company wouldn't want to do that?

So why raise it at all? My guess is EQ is coming close to losing money or breaking even. Divisions that aren't adding value to the company are targets to be dropped. A way to improve EQs value from a financial standpoint is to raise prices while demand is still high. Sure there are huge intangible benefits to EQ, and dropping it would do more damage to the company at this point than it would help, but the option is still there.

It's the nature of the beast. Suck it up and get used to it.

Please take the extra money and buy an extra phone line or two - I have a running bet with a friend, we call 4-8 times randomly to your cutomer service line only to find it busy - $100.00 to the first guy to get a live body. (BTW we have been trying for two months) LOL

Also, I petitioned a GM last week for a quest turn in problem, and it actually only took four (4) Real World days to actually get a response.

I understand the complexities of running a network like this, but with the expansion "promises" not being completed yet... Im beginning to wonder why - improve customer service, and people will pay... Couterstrike anyone?

LOL, was bored enuf to read this post, and just want to say, it amazes me that peeps can brag about knowing how to network, knowing the costs to run a operation like EQ, and the most they ever did was probally set up roomates computer to share a broadband connection. Was great for the laughs though, thanks guys.

This has assured it, when world of warcraft comes out, I am gone. Blizzard is an infinitly more customer friendly company... and their games are infintly better as well.

First of all i love the concept of EQ) own all the expansions and play when i get the time away from my job therefore the little time i do play i like to not have to deal with Verant's problems and instead go off to adventure and deal with my own hehe. Most of you have valid points of both sides of the coin. But just to be safe and to make sure that they are not just sucking up More profit margin and giving Less service(lmao as if that is possble), I hope yall send letters to verant ******** about the service,lack of testing prior to patches, server downtime, lack of responses to bugs and server caused crs, and the fact of how you feel about the price increase and more importantly how you will react to another in the near future). I know I will be emailing them And Sending them a Bug Report about my service notimproving with this added cash flow) ?? Should that amazingly enuff not occur. Flame away but the only way you can get things to change is to Quit (doesn't always work just look at voter apathy in the U.S. now hehe like that has changed a thing) or React so take the time to pass yer comments and suggestions on to verant if they fear losing profit they will respond. Here are some places to send yer rants flames applause and suggestions.) SO do it dammit and get yer mates to do so also).
http://boards.station.sony.com/ubb/everquest/cgi-bin/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=Events&number=6&DaysPrune=20&LastLogin=
Have a question that just doesn't seem to fit anywhere else ? Send it to feedback@soe.sony.com. We'll see what we can do to forward it to the right person.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO contact our customer service department by phone. Customer service reps are available weekdays from 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM ET, except holidays.
1-858-537-0898
For EverQuest and Tanarus technical phone support, please call 1-858-537-0898. Phone support is available Monday - Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM PT, except holidays. For better service, please be online and at your computer when calling.

Verant/Sony, didnt you promise alot of amazing features with the luclin expansion that were never even implemented, such as the bazarr? Why have they not been implemented or even mentioned? [answer : Oh bugger...you all remember those things we promised huh? (whisper to technician : prep the memory wiping nerv gas and prepare to steal credit cards from unconcious victims) here look at this shiny little bauble i brought for everyone (Verant/sony rep. hands out small gas grenades and runs into a corner tugging on a gasmask and giggling like a schoolgirl)]




Pissed off EQ veteran

I've been playing EQ on and off for 2 years now, and I have played a few other online games I've paid around $10 a month for. Do I like EQ's graphical interface? Yes. Do I think it has a good background and enough monsters/items/quests etc...Yes. Do they have good customer support? No. Actually horrid would be an understatement. When I appeal in other games for assistance, the longest time it's ever taken was 30 minutes. In EQ it's been to the point that my petition canceled and I had to re-petition because it took so long. Three hours or more is a horrendous time to wait for some help. Then, when they finally get around to you, they never help you anyway, because they have some bogus policy that prevents the GM from releasing any information, or changing a name (even though they can do it for a player with an inappropriate name), or take 3 weeks to do a character transfer (or longer)...

Basically, I hope the extra 3 bucks a month goes to hiring some more customer service staff, because what they have now is a little lower than pathetic.

Other game: appeal "Can I have my claw weapon changed to a hammer?" 10 minutes later:
"Sure hand it to me"
thats it.

EQ: /petition "I'm getting a character transferred to this server with the same name as this character. Can you add an x to the end of this name so that my original character can maintain his first name?"

1 hour 16 minutes later (Timed): "Hi, guide xxxxx here, I'm sorry but we cannot change your name."


BAH I say! Oh well. Done griping, time to sleep.

/camp desktop