Facebook PBEM Games

[aagamer_kc03]

Thanks Kandelon!

I think this is reasonable and considering you guys have fixed many of the bugs and have allowed people to choose their side I think it's a very fair amount!

[Devereau]

$3.95 per month comes to $47.40 US per year. Still too steep for me. Will there ever be a possibility of an additional discount for a yearly subscription?

[Kanino]

I'm undecided as of now...a bit higher than I thought it should be.....

[Kandelon]

Pricing is a tricky art but we're feeling pretty strong about $3.95, especially since it's for unlimited play. It was originally going to be a bit higher but we decided to start here as a kind of "introductory price". We reserve the right to raise it in the future, but as I mentioned once you've got the subscription it stays at that price as long as you don't cancel. I won't rule out the possibility of a yearly or limited play monthly level, but it's not something we're thinking about at this time.

Besides, $3.95 is like...less than half of a movie ticket...or a very small bag of tacos...or $3.95 worth of sand. What would you do with 200 pounds of sand a month? Can't be as much fun as infinity games of A&A. Besides, that's bulk wholesale sand that you'd have to get by the ton. You'd be lucky to get 5 pounds at retail. In fact, you probably can't even get sand for $3.95; You'd have to get a 5 pound bag of pebbles and crush them yourself. Who has that kind of time? Your time would be much better spent playing PBE games here.

[GuderianKrieg]

use to love sand as a kid...

[rem400]

So I can play an infinite number of A&A games just by skipping Starbucks for one day a month. Actually, I could get almost 2 months of unlimited A&A just by skipping Starbucks for one day a month.

[griz12]

So the price per month is about what 15 games would cost if you bought them individually? Not interested. You really can't compare Axis and Allies to a movie, or other forms of entertainment. What you can compare it to is other play by email strategy games. And when you compare it that way, this does not look like a good deal at all. I am not going to spend $50 a year for this when there are alternatives out there.

[tootall72]

$4 a month is too much. Unless you play all of the time it seems to cost as much as the pay-as-you go model, so from a cost issue it is not worth it.

Maybe I underestimate the number of players that PBEM, but it does not seem like that many. So from a revenue standpoint I can't believe it makes that much impact to GTO's bottom line. (this is of course pure speculation on my part)

I will also note that I check the open games about once a day, and I have only seen three names posting three coin games. I assume more than three people have signed up, but if it appears the community is small then I am less inclined to pay anything. Good luck, but for now I am not interested.

[RobEng]

Ultimately it is your choice if you find the PBE subscription a value or not. Last year I paid $35 for a 1 day Blood Bowl tournament but I would not pay $1 for a weekend long Magic the Gathering tournament. The latter is a better value but personally I don't value Magic enough. The bottom line we think the prices are fair to those who value the gaming we offer.

[griz12]

Rob, would you have paid 35 dollars for the blood bowl tournament if there was another one being held across the street for free? And if there was one being held for free, do you think that the business charging 35 dollars would do well?

[RobEng]

Rob, would you have paid 35 dollars for the blood bowl tournament if there was another one being held across the street for free? And if there was one being held for free, do you think that the business charging 35 dollars would do well?

Oh of course I would sign up for the free event in the scenario you present. The $35 venue would have to offer more. Additionally if free venue if it were not meeting its expenses and disappeared and I would end up playing at the $35 place.

I had a debate with a cheap friend of mine who was arguing to why I have paid to go to GenCon as I can buy the merchandise online cheaper and 90% of the games I play, I play at local game gatherings. I told him I pay for the 10% of games that I don't play regularly and the whole experience.

[aagamer_kc03]

Having gone to GenCon...11 of the last 13 years I concur with Rob....it's well worth the cost, nice to play live and play against some of the toughest talent around

After my 2nd year there we re-named it sleep deprevation week lol...don't plan on getting much sleep if you go

[griz12]

I agree with you Rob. When do you plan on adding more content then? Or do you plan on the free alternative to stop existing?

[RobEng]

I agree with you Rob. When do you plan on adding more content then? Or do you plan on the free alternative to stop existing?

We are have been adding more content over time, plan to continue doing so, and offer a fair number of free game titles and live Premium Games for a single activation fee.

[Kanino]

Are there any plans for adding content or lowering the price of pbem games? As it is, fifty bucks is way too much for what you are offering.