Quote:
Originally Posted by tad10  Blizz could charge $9.99/m for the basic game (no Arenas/BG or Raid). It could then offer three premium subscrptions: Arena/BG ($2.99), Raid ($2.99) or both Arenas/Raid ($4.99). |
For me that makes sense, but I would include BG's as part of the basic fee, and instead leave Arena and Raid as premium options. My reasoning is both raiding and arenas require preparation and effort on the player's part to pursue them. Be it creating a team or joining a raiding guild. You're not likely to find yourself in a 25 man raid out of the blue, for example. BG's on the other hand are accessible to players throughout most of the game and are quite easy to do when you please so it would be better to include them as part of the core game.
The premium content should really be for things that the player has to decide if he wants to participate in them or not. If I want to play Arena I just purchase the premium content pack for it. Likewise, if raiding is important to me. At least, that's how I view it as a player.
I'm sure marketing-wise it would be better to include BG's with Arenas, thus forcing me to pay more even if I'm only eligible for part of what I'm paying. Similarly I can see them luring people into buying the raid pack with the 10 man instances as part of the raid pack, when there's a vast difference between 10-man and 25-man.
Honestly, the more micro they go the better. That way I could pay for 10 man content, but not feel like I'm being cheated into paying for 25-man, 40-man content, which I know I won't be doing. Because once you start giving people the option to pay less, yet force them to pay more through "clever" marketing then you're more likely to piss people off. At that point you're better off with a flat fee.