Increasing prices for costumes

[LaughingAlex]

http://co-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=303791

Personally I think it's a foolish decision and anyone defending this is not a smart individual at this point.  See, to me this usually indicates that the business itself is faltering, and is getting desparate, when they increase the cost of anything thats particularly low in demand for some reason or another.  It's a sign of incompetence, and this saddens me because they had made good decisions in the past this year, and then they do this.

Usually a company will raise the prices to try and squeeze more money out of existing customers when it's products are out of demand and then it falls.  Because people aren't foolish enough for it.  I'd voice my opinion there but I know they'd just call me a doomsayer or troll for it, or lie about me some more, or stalk me more.  But it's a genuinely poor decision for them.

[rebel 1812]

if the demand is increasing then it is a good decision to increase the price.  This is what happened with the price of DOTA costume pieces and sets.  It helps keep these somewhat rare.  But if demand is falling and you increase price, you sales will likely drop and your in a worse position then before.

[LaughingAlex]

Thats kind of why I think it's a poor decision, because due to the small community I know demand can't be high, there is no way :/.

[Angel Phoenix77]

if the demand is increasing then it is a good decision to increase the price.  This is what happened with the price of DOTA costume pieces and sets.  It helps keep these somewhat rare.  But if demand is falling and you increase price, you sales will likely drop and your in a worse position then before.

that's the thing Dota is considered a success, whereas co is universally considered a complete failure.
I agree with Alex, this is a boneheaded move by pwe/cryptic co is in no way shape or form a "safe" game. Meaning they could try something like this.

[LaughingAlex]

I was looking at some of the things people are saying in the forums today, and even trailturtle, at least when I read in between the lines, thinks it's a bad idea.  At least, to me it seems to me he thinks that, the way he actually edited someone elses post and the words he chose to replace, and the fact he even said why, suggests it.  People are finally exploding on it, though not to much so, but some are still trying to defend the decision, the same people are calling everyone sane who is saying it's a bad idea are also name calling and whatnot.

I also read some people's posts in the thread "Why are you here", also keeping away, one guy said, that they are always at war with one another, in his own words, that they'd already destroyed themselves.  I agree, it's not just disagreeing but people actively attack one another.  One guy in the thread discussing the price increase for costumes, well, just instantly calls everyone else embittered CoXers.  Like one person who said (I guess it's a she) is giving up all hope of the game ever getting a foundary.  OR even said that in doing this, even a foundary would not be acceptable anymore.

If I described it, it's, crushing.

[Relitner]

Increasing the price of anything inside the CO C-Store at this time is, in my opinion, counterproductive for attracting new or returning players. The problem is that PWE seems divested of those demographics, and content with collecting C-Store cash from the existing player base.

While I won't label the game with any provocative adjectives, there is an alarming set of circumstances surrounding it. It is a game without a helm, a crew, or a course - but it has plenty of passengers. And as long as the buffet tables continue to be filled with expensive goodies, some passengers may never leave.

In its present form, CO is a "complete" game, or at least it is from PWE's point of view. I see little commitment from them or Cryptic regarding any new significant content or gameplay. Cryptic had a great idea with creating both the Adventure Packs and the comic series. Both concepts had short, brilliant life-spans then... nothing more. And now many of them are broken beyond playability.

I've said it before. I want to like CO - but there's nothing much to like these days. Including the price hike.

[Angel Phoenix77]

Increasing the price of anything inside the CO C-Store at this time is, in my opinion, counterproductive for attracting new or returning players. The problem is that PWE seems divested of those demographics, and content with collecting C-Store cash from the existing player base.

While I won't label the game with any provocative adjectives, there is an alarming set of circumstances surrounding it. It is a game without a helm, a crew, or a course - but it has plenty of passengers. And as long as the buffet tables continue to be filled with expensive goodies, some passengers may never leave.

In its present form, CO is a "complete" game, or at least it is from PWE's point of view. I see little commitment from them or Cryptic regarding any new significant content or gameplay. Cryptic had a great idea with creating both the Adventure Packs and the comic series. Both concepts had short, brilliant life-spans then... nothing more. And now many of them are broken beyond playability.

I've said it before. I want to like CO - but there's nothing much to like these days. Including the price hike.

Your second paragraph is what caused me to stop playing all together, had they just continued the comic series and or the adventure packs I doubt many people would have quit. Now seeing what pwe/cryptic did do this game was willful, I truly believe they took all of their anger out on co due to either the fallout with Microsoft and Marvel over their first mmo attempt or selling City of. There was nothing stopping them from throwing assets at co to make it better such as sto, however, all they did was less and less. Now I know nothing will make co better it is far to gone.
Like you I liked this game enough to leave City of. :( because it had soo much potential that City of. did not have at the start. I also think this price hike could be the last straw of co.

[Noyjitat]

PWE just milks every game they get. You can be assured that your game likely won't be shut down anytime soon but you can also be assured of no content other than lockboxes. My guess is not many people are buying lockboxes in CO anymore with the addition of justice gear negating legion gear and all the vehicle changes. So they are hoping to make more money on costumes.

Atari sucked ass too but back then both games looked like they had a much brighter future.

[LaughingAlex]

I spoke with some people, one of them told me the population dropped another 50% or so since the whole price hike before the event.  I think the most insulting report was the whole "It costs nothing to maintain CO" in the article about cryptic's layoffs.  Honestly, I think they are both placating and saying "We aren't doing anything more with it".  And why aren't they?  I seriously suspect that, trying to read between the lines, that they were saying "the game is barely hanging on", especially with the whole "CO is going to keep chugging along for now." at the end of said article.

Which, if the population had dropped so much temporarily after the price hike before the stupid foxbaticon event, what does that mean for the game anymore?  I've been ready to move my characters back to paragon city for some time, I just don't want to have a waiting period between a shutdown of CO and the reboot of CoX.

[Xev]

I'm just gonna toss this in there about less players online.. I have a bandwidth limit on my Internet that I always am just on the last MB of every month and would normally go wayyyy over if I could and I'm barely using half my bandwidth since the weather changed last month.. Too much work this time of year plus I had some injuries and illness tossed in, yay.

It's like Spring here already and for anyone working outdoors that means tons of work plus when weather gets nicer a percentage of people tend to venture outdoors.

I always play way less this time of year and in summer there are times it's just too hot to play.

The only thing I know about costume prices is what price I can get for some pieces in the AE so I can't say anything about that stuff but I thought I'd toss in the weather thing..

My only real gripe with CO is their lack of endgame and is the reason I wouldn't pay full price (might do game cards on sale or even a half price LTS..) for a CO sub due to I can't see paying a premium sub price for a excellently but only half done game.

[LaughingAlex]

I'm just gonna toss this in there about less players online.. I have a bandwidth limit on my Internet that I always am just on the last MB of every month and would normally go wayyyy over if I could and I'm barely using half my bandwidth since the weather changed last month.. Too much work this time of year plus I had some injuries and illness tossed in, yay.

It's like Spring here already and for anyone working outdoors that means tons of work plus when weather gets nicer a percentage of people tend to venture outdoors.

I always play way less this time of year and in summer there are times it's just too hot to play.

The only thing I know about costume prices is what price I can get for some pieces in the AE so I can't say anything about that stuff but I thought I'd toss in the weather thing..

My only real gripe with CO is their lack of endgame and is the reason I wouldn't pay full price (might do game cards on sale or even a half price LTS..) for a CO sub due to I can't see paying a premium sub price for a excellently but only half done game.

Well when the game only had three instances before the price increase and it was closer to march.  But when it was september we had, 5 instances?  Then it dropped from that to three with that october PR disaster.  The price increase certainly wasn't received well naturally.  It's becoming undeniable.

Of course, some CO players have already created their own reality :/.  At least what I saw in the forums anyways(no, not posting there).

[Xev]

Our complaints are two things that make CO a great backup game.

You can leave for maybe a year or two even, come back, and the biggest change is costumes/costume prices and nerfs.

[Angel Phoenix77]

Our complaints are two things that make CO a great backup game.

You can leave for maybe a year or two even, come back, and the biggest change is costumes/costume prices and nerfs.

This would be sad if it wasn't true :)

[Xev]

Imo the best backup games are the ones that hardly ever change.

Everyone gets burnout eventually and when I hit my backup game I want to be just as uber and smart about the game as I was when I left.

Maybe toss me a couple of things to try like the Rampage rehash and a couple of new Alurts..Maybe a new Event.. and ofc some costume pieces. Vehicles, for those that are into them... A couple of powers maybe.

Then by the time I've been able to check most of this stuff out I'm over my burnout and all is well with the universe again. My nice, safe, easy, predictable backup game stashed away for when I need it again.

At one time CoH was one of my backup games for EQ. My wife didn't like playing it due to she thought it was way to easy.