I don't know why it's so amusing it it something that you are getting without any added cost to you. You are already paying a sub. The only ppl who can claim to be paying for it are the ppl who resub on the exact same day the patch hits. And even that is a stretch. On the other hand, if you have a lifetime or 6 moth sub, you just got more value... free.

I won't even try to engage with that sort of logic.

Why not? I can be convinced. What's wrong with the logic of saying "This is what you were getting for this monthly amount. Now you are getting this plus that for the same amount." To that end, what's wrong with saying, "You paid $200 to get these things. Now you will get this at no additional cost."

Where is my logic wrong?

Well in all seriousness you monthly fee is paying for access to the service. Nowhere does it state that have to add new content to it. They could save it all up and release it as a paid expansion 3-6 months down the road.

I am fairly certain that it does not state anywhere in the Eula or anywhere in your monthly subscription agreement that they are required to give you "free content".

So yes this is Free content they are giving you. It's above and beyond that monthly fee you pay.

I think people have developed this strange idea that there monthly fee makes them entitled to content additions for the game forever. Thats not the case and I think you are going to be sadly brought into reality when the future of MMO's revolve around you paying an extra fee for any type of content addition above and beyond what comes in the box. It's already started for single player games (DLC) and MMO's are already starting to make that move (World of Warcraft RMT with additional mini pets and character changes) with RMT. It's just a matter of time tell the dev's and companys catch on and move full into the system.

In the context of a subscribing person, this content comes free. Why? Because it costs nothing beyond the regular subscription fee.

Yes these things do get a little fuzzy in a game with a subscription and a item store.

It is certainly interesting how it is phrased, but not anything new. MMO companies have been doing that for years now and for Cryptic is is business as usual. All the new issues (content updates) in City of Heroes/Villains were for a long time labeled as "free expansions".

Since it is not well defined what is actually included in the subscription fee, the message will be adjusted to whatever fits the situation.

In this case it is "free" because the marketing wants to point to particular items. Another situation could be arguing about haveing a subscription fee at all and in that case it would be pointed out how much is "included" in that fee.

I believe the term you maybe looking for is "nickle and diming," Russell. Because a real games would emphasize that subscribers are valued customers and not after-thoughts that only get the good stuff only after you pay more for it. But apparently many are okay with that. ("Progressive business model" I believe was the term used to describe this, though it looks pretty regressive to me.)

Also, you are corrected if you feel this is an indication that most of the new costume pieces released after in CO will likely not be for free.

Tom316, thankfully Bill Roper doesn't believe that subscribers just 'get access' to the game (well, at least, not in public.) Read of his plans for content releases, and how much of the content has been changed so far based on player (read: subscriber) feedback...

http://rpg.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=18879

Mr. Roper knows that regularly releasing new and updated content is just the way MMOs have to work to stay competitive, and to keep their easily-bored subscriber base. They don't do it to be altruistic.

Question is, where do we as subscribers draw the line between what a company should be morally obligated (yeah, I know I mentioned the words 'company' and 'morally' in the same sentence!) to release, and what a company could release if they were feeling generous. Cue flames about not living in the real world, yada yada yada.

I'd certainly be interested in understanding a little more about what everyone expects out of their subscription fees. Seems there's some differing opinions. Personally, while I don't expect the CEO to give up his/her first-born as a sacrifice, I do certainly expect some value-add above and beyond 'getting access to the service'.

Anyone?

It wasn't until the CoH that I started to expect regular free updates. Every time a new issue came out, I felt like I was getting something ettra. Between that Eve,and WoW, I came to expect that to be the norm, those being the only games I spent lots of money on. I don't know what it was like in the everquest days, but I kinda like it this way. Sure I fully expect at some point for a full fledged expansion to come out and them to charge for it, but I think a decent balance has been struck.

But now we have this microtranaction business. It seems like for the most part they are selling things that ppl really weren't entitled to to begin with. Who are we to demand additional character slots, race changes, retcons, etc? They weren't a normal part of the deal to begin with but slowly it has come to the point where we are willing to pay for things like the ability to lvl faster, snazzy duds, pretty weapons, all things we used to have to work for.

I don't blame a business for seeing an opportunity to make money and taking it. I blame the suckers who made it profitable for them. To date I have yet to spend a dime on any of these miscrotransaction. No server changes, costume slots, Mighty Swords o' Swingin'. The only reason I picked up the cyber set in CO was because I had points given to me when i bought the game

At least I think so. I may be a big hypocrite and just don't remember. Can't imagine what else I would have spent those point on. But Assuming I am wrong, look how long I held out. And those wings are so cool...