Huge subscription discount on offer as CEO makes extensive apology
CCP is offering a substantial subscription discount to a number of EVE players who quit the game during recent fan rebellions.
In June, a vast community of Eve players threatened to abandon their monthly subscriptions to the MMO, following a crisis in confidence over controversial microtransactions policies.
More than 5,000 accounts were due to be cancelled in protest, representing an annual loss of at least €1 million.
Now CCP is targeting those who followed through on their threats, according to a Massively report.
The company is offering a special rate of $4.95 for 30 days of subscription time. A monthly subscription usually costs about $15.
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CCP’s summer of woe began when leaked documents appeared to suggest that the company wanted to charge for virtual items that give buyers an advantage.
The subsequent uproar engulfed the company, before it promised that no such plans would go ahead.
Last week its CEO, Hilmar Pétursson, issued an extensive apology for the fiasco.
“We have re-examined our processes, hired experienced industry professionals for key leadership positions, reassessed our priorities, moved personnel around and, above all else, recognized our limitations,” he said.
CCP Games made more than $46 million in 2008, according to financial statements.
As it stands, Hilmar has issued many apologies (both recently and in past events where CCP clashed with subscriber trends) but the latest one is a bit of an odd one. It does not apologise in any way or form for either causes or occurance of the crazyness that put CCP on seperating itself from its customers. And more importantly, from that which pays the bills.
It is worth taking a second look at the second half of the original statement. It is interesting to observe that while several things were detrimental to CCP's strategic direction and results, Hilmar clearly announces these to persist and continue.
No lessons learned.
The offer is nice, but it is a case of bad timing. Considering CCP is taking some time to address by means of tweaking some structural game issues, it would have been smarter to open the test server to the unsubscribed as a proof of confidence. Followed by at a later date a tempting reactivation offer. Now, all customers get is a cheap month during which their fundamental experience is not improvided, another month of frustration effectively. This while the winter expansion is still roughly 11 weeks away.
