Lifetime Subscriptions: Worth the Hefty Price Tag?

By tekmojo August 31, 2009 10 Comments

A lot of new MMOs that come out these days will offer the most hardcore of users the option to pay one lump sum fee in order to play as much as they'd like. Some asking prices are around $200 for a lifetime subscription. So is the pricey entrance worth the risk/rewards?

First, no one can know how a MMO can turn out years down the line, or maybe just a few short months after launch. So the best way you can evaluate the lifetime subscription is to question the company first.

Who is developing the game, who is producing it, and how ambitious does the MMO look? It would be wise to do a track record on the company to see how their business has operated in the past. Have they shutdown any projects, cut funding, or sold their rights to any of their games when things started to turn south?

We all know that MMOs don't last forever, or that they often peak at certain times in their overall life. The best way is not to judge a game on its current status, but rather on the future.

It can be hard to predict a MMO's lifetime, so sometimes the best idea not to jump into a MMO right at a game's launch. Gather reports on how the game is doing after its first month or two. Read reviews, look at player subscription statistics, look at community messages and responses.

Once you have worked hard to conclude your own consumer research, now you can look into lifetime membership options. The last decision is purely your opinion on the game, and how much time you think you will invest in it.

In most cases with MMOs, you will always want to take breaks, so as not to burn out. A lifetime subsciption makes sense because if the game will be around for at least a couple of years, the gain of investment on your entertainment will be more than worth the hefty up-front fee.    

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