PRICING CHANGES, ONE-MONTH SUBS AND AUD OPTIONS

[NQ-Deckard]

 

In our latest community Q&A vlog, we announced that with the launch of the Demeter update we will introduce several changes to our subscription model. 

 

As beta has progressed, we’ve come to better understand the actual operating costs of running an ambitious game like Dual Universe. We’ve been making modifications wherever possible, such as reducing our database costs as explained in The Future of DU articles published earlier this year. Adjusting the subscription price of Dual Universe is one element of that equation, but it’s not the only one, as we’ll explain below. 

 

INTRODUCING A ONE-MONTH OPTION

The one-month subscription option was offered temporarily last year as a special promotion, though not on the main Dual Universe website. Thanks to these pricing changes, we are introducing a limited-time offer for one-month subscriptions on the Dual Universe website, as an incentive for new players to try DU without having to commit to a longer subscription. This is a great opportunity for existing DU players to fire up their Recruit-a-Friend codes and invite friends to come join the party. Remember, both the recruiter and their recruits get virtual goodies for every enlistment.

 

SETTING THE PRICE IN AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR

Our friends down under will be pleased to hear that we will now have a set price in their local Australian currency. So far, the price of a DU subscription was available only in the following currencies: Euro, US Dollar, British Pound, and Canadian Dollar. Other players are defaulted to paying in Euro or USD, and as such their subscription renewals vary depending on the current exchange rate. Well, not any more for Australian players! The  newly set price in AUD is shown in the chart below. 

 

GIVING OTHER PLAYERS THE CHOICE

For other players who are not in one of the countries where the currency is set, we will be adding an option on the site to pay in the set currency of their choosing (EUR, USD, CAD, GBP and the new and shiny AUD) instead of being defaulted to EUR or USD as is currently the case. 

 

INCREASING THE PRICE OF A DU SUBSCRIPTION FOR NEW PLAYERS

IMPORTANT NOTE: The pricing changes will only affect new players or returning players whose subscriptions will be renewed at the new rates.

 

It is always a difficult balancing act to find the right price for a subscription, especially when you aim at making that price as accessible as possible while ensuring the financial stability of a game. 

As development has ramped up, we’ve come to realize that the original subscription price of  6.99 EUR/USD was based on optimistic server cost estimations. Now that we’ve been at this for a while, we have a much better handle on the real costs of providing the level of service we want to give our players. This means we need to adjust the price of the DU beta subscription while keeping the following in mind:

• Staying true to our initial promise of a price of 6.99 EUR/USD per month, at least for the duration of the beta.
• Keeping a competitive price versus other MMOs whose monthly charge is in the vicinity of 15 EUR/USD per month. 
• Having a price that makes sense financially and remains attractive for the one-month option to encourage a trial of the game.

 

The main change is that instead of getting the 6.99 price for a three-month plan, you now get that price if you commit to a full year. We’ve also changed the way the monthly prices are calculated and rounded so that it’s easier to see the savings you can get for a longer commitment. 

 

Without further ado, here’s the new pricing structure. Obviously, to calculate the total price you’ll need to multiply the monthly price by the number of months.

 

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND that these changes only apply to new and returning players. If you are an existing player with an active subscription, your renewal price won’t change, at least until the beta is over; however, if you cancel your subscription and decide to come back to the game later, it will be at the new pricing.

 

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

 

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has shown their support by subscribing to DU so far, and we hope that you’ll continue to do so. There are a lot of MMOs out there. Thank you for choosing ours as your game of choice. We pledge to do all that we can to provide the best service and gameplay experiences possible.

 

If you’ve been on the fence about trying DU, now is a great time to check it out to lock in the current pricing before these changes go into effect.

 

You probably have a question or two, or you’d like to share some feedback about these pricing changes. Join the conversation here.