Maybe I missed something, but...

If the players who were reactivated in the Living Legacy push do decide to come back, don't they still have to purchase the game?

And many companies give perks to first time or returning customers. It is the whole free toaster thing from the bank. I'm not saying it is always fair, but it is what it is. And the benefit to the customers who have been there all along is that if it helps the game/company prosper, they will be able to enjoy it longer.

No one wants to see their favorite game mothballed.

@tanek well they would only have to purchase the game if they didn't keep their original copy of game although i also believe if they could just play if they downloaded the free trial client

To tanek: No, they would not have to purchase the game. They can pay $15 (sub for 1 month) and have the game, plus all 14 expansions (or 3, in the case of EQII), even if all they ever had before was a free trial account. One of the MANY reasons current players are pissed off. There is no problem with bringing players back to the game, but fucking your current paying supporters in the process is just bad business.

Ah. See, I thought that since this was also enabling previous trial accounts that it would be acting like an extended trial. Where, if you decide to stay, you go buy the game, enter your key, then start up your subscription.

At the same time, with an expansion coming up, I'd guess the goal is to get any returning players to purchase *that* box. And, assuming the new expansion follows the same model as the last one, that box will give access to all previous expansions and whatnot anyway.

Of course, when Kunark came out I heard complaints about the inclusion of previous expansions being unfair as well. Can't win. :)