I was going to tackle the "I'm a X-year vet and CCP should give me a free Omega clone" or the equally mind-boggling "I'm a vet, my Alpha clone should allow me to use all the skill points I've paid for!" that has been going around social media for the last week.
I started writing but knocked myself out face-palming trying to explain how a business works so don't have a full post on that. What I would like to cover instead, as its nice and easy, is the statement that accompanied some of the discussions on this topic...
"Well I hope everyone starts to use PLEX to pay their sub and CCP lose money that way".
Obviously some people seem to think PLEXed accounts are bad for CCP which is exactly the opposite. There appears to be some out there who think PLEX are not as good as other forms of subscriptions for CCP and if everyone subbed via PLEX CCP would be in trouble. Here is another shocker after CCP giving free access to their paying customers is bad:-
CCP would love it if EVERYONE subbed via PLEX!
I'll take you through the numbers...
I sub my main through 12-month credit-card. As the prices for PLEX on my phone are in US dollars I'll just use that for this worked example.
A 12-month sub is 131.40 USD which is $10.95 per month. Just looking on my phone I see CCP is selling 12 plex for $209 which, if used to sub an account for a year, is $17.50 per 30 days (not even a full month).
99% or so of all PLEX on the market are there because a player has bought them from CCP or an authorised re-seller and put them on the market. Yes there are some on there that CCP give out as prizes, rewards etc. However most are player bought.
Therefore CCP is making extra cash every time someone PLEXs their account as opposed to a credit-card payment. Depending on the PLEX package and which subscription package this could be as much as $9 per month per account. If I bought 28 plex at $489.86 that would keep me going nearly 2 years and 4 months. However that is $17:50 per month. Still more expensive than paying by credit card even on a 1-month plan.
PLEX prices direct from CCP are below:-
1 PLEX = 19.95 = 1 Month Equivalent = 19.95 a month.
2 PLEX = 34.99 = 2 Month Equivalent = 17:50 a month.
6 PLEX = 104.97 = 6 Month Equivalent = 17:50 a month.
12 PLEX = 209.94 = 1 Year Equivalent = 17:50 a month.
28 PLEX = 489.86 = 2 Years and 4 Months Equivalent = 17:50 a month.
28 PLEX = 489.86 = 2 Years and 4 Months Equivalent = 17:50 a month.
See a pattern there? Yeah, PLEXed accounts are $17:50 a month. Compare these to CCP's credit-card subscriptions:-
1-month-plan $ 14.95
3-month-plan $ 38.85 ($ 12.95/month)
6-month-plan $ 71.70 ($ 11.95/month)
12-month-plan $ 131.40 ($10.95/month)
3-month-plan $ 38.85 ($ 12.95/month)
6-month-plan $ 71.70 ($ 11.95/month)
12-month-plan $ 131.40 ($10.95/month)
Got it now? PLEX is more cash to CCP than a subscription most of the time!
My understanding is the PLEX CCP give away were confiscated when they ban people for RMT so all of them were originally purchased using real world cash.
ReplyDeleteIf ccp would "love" to have players sub their accounts with plexes then companies like basic-fit and most 'scam companies phoning you up to sell 3-month/12-month subscriptions' would not have a reason for existance.
ReplyDeleteThe business premise behind subscriptions vs plexes, is the one that its easier to retain a existing customer then to attract a new customer.
A player subbing his 5 accounts , this month, with 5 plexes, gives no assurance to ccp that that same player will spend another 5 plex , next month.
CCp will have to win him over , next month again.
While a subscription player, that pays every month/3-month/12-month, that player garantees ccp income of that month/3-month/12-month at least and has a "retention premium that he will probably also pay next month/3months/12 months".
Thats why plexes will always cost a premium over subscription costs. THe height of the premium reflects , how much "hate/love" ccp feels for plexes. high premium, ccp thinks , no this game is not for the masses, retention of new players is low, lets get us the max out that we can. low premium.. hmm.. this game is for the masses..high retention of new players. I think a game of eve-online will always have a high premium vs subscriptions. (+20%)