Update About Memberships and Business Model

[Pretty_Boy]

This is going to be exiting, I love changes, changes make us all feel very alive. The worst thing that can happen, is that EW made us all an incredibly good deal, making us all want to put more money into this game. The actually best thing would be a totally mind blowing bad deal. A deal so bad that we all transcendence directly into the spirit world facing the divine, so fast that even St. Peter's hair is still fluttering at the gate.

My Membership expires in 2037, and a good deal for me would be Lifetime. Lifetime may be a good deal for EW too, I may have only a couple of years left to live (that was a joke).

[Tanngnjostr]

It is my opinion that TreeKiwi added fuel to the fire of doubt with this thread. Not sure if it was his decision or his boss's to make post this thread now

Well, some very popular membership options have been taken out of the game (Trailrunner et al. are gone, so are the "bare" 6-month and 12-month memberships), so I would expect our community manager to talk about it. The community would've asked anyway once they noticed this change. I don't think that Mat had a choice and in my opinion he found the nicest words possible. Some even called them "sugar coated", but in the end what happens is speculation of course.

So basically all we know is that right now we can only buy 3-month memberships, that memberships seem to be offered for em$ soon and that players with long term memberships will likely get a compensation for those. For some this means a glorious F2P future, for others it means the end is nigh. Personally I do think that they want to create an environment in which they can react to revenue changes faster. So I expect them to prioritize items that are able to generate instant revenue in the future and I expect them to keep the servers running until the game isn't profitable any more. I don't think we'll ever see another reserve and probably not even a new species. Mat said there'll be new items (like archery targets), so obviously they don't plan to stop development completely at this point. Call it "gloom & doom" as much as you want, but this has been a very successful business model and you don't change it for no reason. It's just natural that people begin to speculate after this announcement.

Anyway: If the new model helps keeping this game alive (even in its current state, without any "major" developments), that's great!

[Frew13]

Why no one thought that the 3-month membership remains available only until the business model changes, and not forever? Because the changes will occur in more than three months, players can still buy and use a membership now. Perhaps the membership will be removed completely. Players will be able to buy weapons, equipment and supplies for em$. I hope that the ammo will be renewable for free. This is the main reason I don’t want to buy new weapons (I don’t have a membership).

[Longmann]

I want to be the last one to kill a Water Buffalo, face to face while he charges me, and I shoot him in the 'think-spot' with my muzzleloading pistol. POW!!! (Puff of smoke, fade to black....)

Haha, that's the spirit!
While for EW it's a pure bussiness for many people here it has become a little more than just entertainment, for example making new friendships and connecting with others also in real life. Both, positive and negative feedbacks are showing that we care about this game. To be realistic: there's no doubt EW wishes to ensure the game is around for a long time yet but exclusively to get more money from us. If we were still paying even once the game is shut down I'm sure they wouldn't complain about it. Nothing wrong with that, as long as they deserve it.
Fingers crossed for the best outcome of these changes.

[HooCairs]

Mat said there'll be new items (like archery targets), so obviously they don't plan to stop development completely at this point.

That is really just one new item.

My guess is these targets are already being developed or maybe even finished. Such items require at least a programmer and a designer, and possibly a sound guy and a web developer. Too many to keep around for a downsized operation. They need to add missions and competitions for the remaining species, and then there is little left to do except customer service and the occasional event.

[JimboCrow]

TK is just the messenger, and a damn fine one at that. Here's a guy who has to walk out in front of a room full of emotional convicts and inform them that the supply of junk they've been shooting for the last ten years is going to be a little harder to come by in the future, while in reality no one is more affected by the decision than he, with his new family, and who had nothing to do with the decision in the first place. Regardless, he did it with such grace and aplomb that he actually managed to make the future look reasonably bright (even making some folks happy about it), despite the mere smattering of applause; and he stood tall and firm while knowing full well the tsunami he was about to be deluged with. Damn fine if you ask me.

There are no flies on you, Mat. Only the very best to you sir, and to all at EW. Hats off!

[kolobok12]

the beginning of the end..sadly. What about Valentine's day, Patrick's day, Easter, Summer Fiesta? What about events? if it's about the money, I'll try to call Mark Zuckerberg.

[HooCairs]

the beginning of the end..sadly. What about Valentine's day, Patrick's day, Easter, Summer Fiesta? What about events?

According to Mat they had additional events planned after the wolf culling, but delayed them due to the community's slight headwind. Next month he said:
https://forum.thehunter.com/viewtopic.p ... ts#p967686

Just makes me remember my first event competition back in early 2011 was the Expansive Worlds 1 Year Anniversary challenge that needed three Whitetail bucks. We had three reserves all holding Whitetails. I really wanted one of these nice trophies but failed horribly.



Maybe there will be a 10 Years Anniversary event this year?

[muldo]

My membership expires in 2 weeks, I'll renew for 3 months as I have no other option at present. After 9 years and with all the equipment I have, I'm not giving up on the game and will never play COTW. Hoping to find a new way forward for Classic, otherwise I'm staying on the ship till it goes. No more investment in the game from me until I have an idea of what the future is. Not negative, just real world realism.

[HooCairs]

My membership expires in 2 weeks, I'll renew for 3 months as I have no other option at present.

There are still 6 and 12 months memberships available to purchase in certain online stores.