What's your preferred business model for Classic?

[ZazuuPriest]

in the end the only reason people dont want classic sub to include retail is that they will use the revenue from classic players to falsely claim that retail is doing better than ever

[gushDH]

I love how they say "FREE" with current wow sub.

Yea, you mean that you just have to sub to play classic, it's not free, you pay for it.

Otherwise I can very well say, you can sub for classic wow and play retail for free!!

[ablib]

There must be a lot of new players in this thread who do not know that Blizzard has historically changed direction MANY times, based on feedback from the player base.

So threads like this aren't pointless.

The only reason option 1 is winning on here, is due to, as usual, the player base/MMO-C community has the intelligence level of an 8th grader.

Blizzard chose option 1 for monetary reasons.

Knowing the private server player base as I do, option 3 is the smartest to get the most players back to the game. I suspect that in the long run, Blizzard will choose option 3. It's business basics -- it's easier to justify lowering a price, than it is to raise it. It will be $15 at the start. If business is booming, and private servers die off, then it will stay $15 and I'm wrong. If it's the opposite, they will likely introduce a Classic only option for less than $15.

[tacoloco]

in the end the only reason people dont want classic sub to include retail is that they will use the revenue from classic players to falsely claim that retail is doing better than ever

People who are "concerned" about that are overestimating the popularity of new classic. It's going to be very popular at first. But a whole lot of people people are going to quickly realize how primitive it is compared to modern games and nope out. I don't think it will ever draw the kinds of numbers to make it viable as a standalone subscription. Blizzard is relying on some of the retail revenue to keep classic afloat.

[Powrprincess]

People who are "concerned" about that are overestimating the popularity of new classic. It's going to be very popular at first. But a whole lot of people people are going to quickly realize how primitive it is compared to modern games and nope out. I don't think it will ever draw the kinds of numbers to make it viable as a standalone subscription. Blizzard is relying on some of the retail revenue to keep classic afloat.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. I believe most or all major titles have gone in the direction of "less immersion". At least WoW, GW2 and LotrO have. There's still a lot of players who like to be immersed. Next to that WoW classic is still considered one of the best mmorpg releases ever made. I think the mmorpg industry misses out on an mmorpg where you feel immersed.

[tacoloco]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. I believe most or all major titles have gone in the direction of "less immersion". At least WoW, GW2 and LotrO have. There's still a lot of players who like to be immersed. Next to that WoW classic is still considered one of the best mmorpg releases ever made. I think the mmorpg industry misses out on an mmorpg where you feel immersed.

I'm absolutely sure of it. There will be a big surge of initial interest followed by almost equal exodus at some point. I also don't think people who don't play wow are going to show up to experience a game as it was in 2004/2005. Don't get me wrong, I'm not rooting for classic to fail. I really hope that it is wildly successful. I just don't have a lot of faith in that outcome.

[Coffeh]

Separate subs with a discount option for both would have been best. The Current WoW trolls are going to be out in force since the game is free for them.

[Armourboy]

Separate subs with a discount option for both would have been best. The Current WoW trolls are going to be out in force since the game is free for them.

Thing is when you think about it, part of releasing Classic for Blizzard is the hope of getting people to come back and try out retail as well. Two separate subs makes this less likely, while one sub covering both makes it easy to switch back and forth.

Couple that with the fact it makes billing a ton easier, which saves them money in the long run, and it just comes down to being the logical choice.

I'll be moving to Classic full time once it's out, I only bought BfA to kill time til then. I assumed when they announced it that I would be paying 30$ a month if I wanted to play both, so I'm surprised I'll be able to get retail for free. Not much to complain about there.

[Deleted]

Blizzard doesn't have to explain to you, or me, or anyone else why they chose which subscription model they did. Our choices are pretty easy, 1) pay it and play... or 2) not pay it and not play.

We dont have to like what they chose.

You're assumptions don't matter because the comment was aimed at the poll. Why wouldn't people want a cheaper classic with the option to upgrade to retail if they spend on a full subscription.

[Seranthor]

People who voted option 1 are objectively just mean people. There exists no reason not to have that benefit of being able to sub to both services, and also be able to only get Classic.

How exactly are they 'mean' people? No, seriously, I'm dying to watch the mental gymnastics you go thru to explain this.

- - - Updated - - -

You're assumptions don't matter because the comment was aimed at the poll. Why wouldn't people want a cheaper classic with the option to upgrade to retail if they spend on a full subscription.

There were zero assumptions made, but you already knew that.

[kamuimac]

I'm not sure this was asked before, but I can't find anything on this subject since the WoW Classic Demo was made available, so here we go...

Going off this thread here: https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...st-for-classic

The question is in the title: all things considered, how would you prefer to pay for Classic? There's no option for "free", because... well, let's be realistic: that's not happening.

there is nothing to discuss here .

you pay 15 $ you get access to blizzard servers.

and if you cannot pay 15 $ for game you like then maybe stop playing games and do some minimum wage work.

[Nynax]

Unless they want create some dynamic payment method, only sensible options are either two separated subs or everything under one sub. With 3rd option, custom service could be easily spammed by "refund my classic sub now, I payed full sub now, so I should have access to both" or some other shitty compensations requests.

I'm happy with the first option. But I would imagine that It would be as simple as Netflix, do you wanna pay for simultaneous streaming on 1 screen or 2 or more?

[Vorkreist]

You're assumptions don't matter because the comment was aimed at the poll. Why wouldn't people want a cheaper classic with the option to upgrade to retail if they spend on a full subscription.

Because 15$ shouldn't be an issue. There is no reason for classic to be cheaper than a standard sub. If you are really interested in classic you shouldn't care what else you have access to with that 15$ sub. If 15$ is an issue you have bigger problems on your hands that you have to attend to before debating about sub based mmos.
As I said time and time again. If you cry about having to pay for classic or how much you are not really interested in classic so what you say doesn't matter to anyone especially less to blizzard.
Did you cry on public forums about having to pay a sub for wow in 2004?
I hate retail too but I'm more glad I get to play blizzard hosted vanilla servers so that does worth at least a 15 $ sub to me and to more than enough other people.

[kamuimac]

Because 60% of people are morons. We have stats to prove it now

Or they're Blizz shills who deliberately vote for an anti-consumer choice in order to spite people who only want to play Classic and have zero interest in ever even considering playing "live".

No wait, that would still make them morons.

the only thing this poll proves is how many of forum posters enjoy BfA and now amount of whining will change this

[Boricha]

I'd go with option three. Have the retail sub include classic, but let the people with no interest in retail get classic at a cheaper rate.

[Gavll]

Well, because it's trap. While it seems like the "best option", it could also lead to paying more than necessary in some cases.

If I want play Classic so I pay separate sub and in the middle of sub time, I want check new patch for retail..what should I do? Pay another 15 bucks for retail? Will they refund me Classic sub? I doubt that.. So for that single month, I could just pay more than I normally should.

Surely this is EVEN better for Blizz because now they have 1 person paying for 2 subs! If only everyone who voted for option 1 had realised the extra profit in option 3 for Blizz, they could've voted option 3

[ManiaCCC]

Surely this is EVEN better for Blizz because now they have 1 person paying for 2 subs! If only everyone who voted for option 1 had realised the extra profit in option 3 for Blizz, they could've voted option 3

If customer support would be free, maybe. But it's not. Nor is perception of community.