Champions Online Subscription Offers: Star Trek Online Beta Access, $200 Lifetime Sub

September 1st? WTH. This game isn't even near completion. Been in beta awhile I we all just keep waiting for that patch that's going to fix everything and add all the features but it never comes.

They have no idea where they are going with the combat and skill system, it changes with every patch.

So sad.

That 6mo sub isn't really that bad of a deal. I easily got 6mo out of City of Heroes, and if it means beta access to STO, even better!

The lifetime sub only makes sense if I expect to play CO for at least a year and a half. Up to that point I'd be losing money on the deal.

now i'm worried. If they think their game is good then there would be no reason to offer a lifetime subscription.

Bill Roper has his hands in this. I wouldn't risk that amount of money if i were you.

I would never buy a lifetime subscription. However, I don't see that as an indication of this game being bad. Considering it's being made by the same guys that did CoH/CoV, and it's basically the same type of game with many gameplay enhancements - I would be greatly suprised if this game actually sucks.

hellgate london'd lol

lifetime subs hahaha

Crazy, when you read the comments! People want to pay monthly fees WTF? I think I may have just reached the label ‘OLD school gamer’ by the looks of it.

I miss the old days when there was no such thing as monthly payments, mmo’s suck balls as it is, I personally think they are destroying the game universe balance if there where such a thing.

I thought people would applaud this option of a onetime payment.

Why do people want to pay monthly just so they can play with their friends? I will never understand this? No one can tell me an rpg MMO can ever touch a single player game.

So for $200 you get the chance to play a decent game . . . .

wow

Two words:

Blow me

To break even you'd have to play the game for 16 months. Do any of you honestly think you'll be playing this game fall of 2011 and into 2012? Really?

Interesting. I'm torn.

On one hand, Hellgate. And the fact that, hey, the game COULD suck and I would play for less time than it would take to recoup the 2 hundy.

On the other hand, Cryptic isn't likely to die anytime soon, and I do think I'll enjoy the game. It's still a risk, I know. Plus the pot is sweetened quite a bit by STO beta, although once again that's a toss of the dice.

I can afford two hundred bucks. But I would really, really be upset if I plunked that down for CO and then something went wrong. I would expect much higher than average product and services, and I doubt that would happen.

Why would Roper even do this, assuming it is his decision? Does he not see the obvious parallel to Hellgate London, a parallel he'd do better to avoid?

Woah, I don't give two shits about Champions Online, but would definitely like to get my hands on Star Trek Online. Hm, sounds interesting.

I think it would be cheaper for me to buy the game for $60, play for a month, and if I don't like it, I'll give it to a friend for him to play and pay. If he doesn't like it then I'll just let someone else borrow the account.

I'm sure I'm breaking all kinds of rules doing this, but I'm getting tired of paying the upfront cost of the game and then the reocurring costs each month. Atleast, now I can justify the upfront cost by saving my friends the up-front cost. Also, I'd have some high level characters if I come back =)

If one of them ends up liking it, I'll just sell him the account.

On a side note:
"Executive producer Bill Roper's previous MMO Hellgate: London also offered a lifetime subscription for $149, which proved to be good for only fifteen months as developer Flagship Studios faced financial woes and the servers shut down in Feburary this year."

I think the difference here is that, I don't believe Cryptic will be shutting down anytime soon. I'm not saying that champions can't meet the same fate, but it's not going to be because the company has shut down like the quote implies.

This reeks of desperation.

Thanks for properly describing the beta.

Mr Roper, Mr Roper...

Personally I will never sign up for a lifetime sub. It has nothing to do with the price tag, but the fact that once you buy the lifetime sub, what little leverage you have as a consumer is now gone. You can't cancel! They have your money and who cares if you're not happy about the game? I realize one lonely gamer isn't going to change some big MMO producer's mind, but if enough people start buying lifetime subs (unlikely at $200) then the MMO producer has even less incentive to care what their customers think.

After the embarrassment of Hellgate and Age of Conan, who actually wants to risk $200 on an unproven MMO anymore?

Wtf if up with everyone using that art style? Well ok Crackdown, Borderlands and now this.

God I want the Star Trek Online access, but I am not paying $110 to get the privilege of playing testing a game. I also don't have time for an MMO that I have mild interest in playing. Yes, I have been in the CO beta for a few months now.

I remember the lifetime sub from Hellgate: London

My question here is: If these people expect their game to do well, last long, and be good: Why miss out on the money they would make if people would play it for like 5 years?

Saying that the 6month deal sounds not too bad. I usually will give an MMO at least 2 months anyway. Are these deals only for North America?