'We hear you loud and clear': CCP clarifies third-party application licensing fees

What should be a week of rejoicing following EVE Online's Incarna expansion going live has been soured by controversy over seemingly high-priced microtransactions and debate over fees associated with third-party application licensing.

Today, CCP has come out to address the second point and clarify its position. CCP Guard admits that the company didn't do the best job in explaining how third parties can charge a real-world money fee for their services apart from in-game currency, and he reposts an illuminating transcript of an interview with CCP Zulu regarding the licensing.

The problem came in the form of $99 licensing fees to use this new service, a charge that EVE players felt was extremely high. Apparently CCP agrees and will be looking into changing it to a "token charge" that will make the contract between CCP and the third party binding without it being a financial obstacle.

You can read the full explanation over at EVE Online, and while you're at it, you can snag yourself the expansion on Steam for $10.

Reader Comments (17)

Well looks like its gonna happen anyway but not at 99$ or more.

Now about that $70 monicule...

@Raikulxox Oh well you see the $70 monocle will balance the newly lowed licensing price of $29. ^_^ (I kid of course)

I don't think people get it on the micro-transactions...

I'm guessing the prices are intentionally exorbitant at this point as to not destabilize the PLEX market too much.

Introducing lots of low cost items would do just that... Give it a few weeks to settle out and I'm sure the prices will come down to an acceptable level.

@Tempes Magus

That's been occurring since Incarna was announced - forward speculation at work.

2 things are certain: CCP's not going to set the world on fire with $75 monacles, and there will be a mass exodus if they start nickel and diming on the micro transactions with in-game (not cosmetic) benefits.

It's a self-correcting problem.

I just don't care anymore.... do that you want.

I care. CCP is making compromises. More than pother game companies have ever done. This is a start

@Lateris Apparently you haven't seen how WoW constantly gives in of late to demands people have. The trick these companies are doing now is still netting them more porfits. This whole "token" thing will still be in a way costing real money, but just with clever words.

Actually, on Steam you get the whole game and 30 days of play time for $9.99, which is a decent deal.

The expansion is free for anybody who is already subscribed and has the wherewithal to patch.

@Tempes Magus

I think you'll find that the OP was referring to this [from the article];

"and while you're at it, you can snag yourself the expansion on Steam for $10."

Which (to the newcomer) would seem as though ONLY the expac costs $10, and that the original game would add-on to this cost/be brought separately . It's just poor wording on the journalists part, as usual.

@(Unverified) Yeah, what you said!

You notice there is no mention of making sites that take donations, have any adds, or charge/take donations in ISK having to pay the fee though do you.

If you have a blog that takes any kind of donations or if you have adds, even if they just supliment and defer part of your hosting fee, you have to pay the "Token" fee.

All this is because that Capsuleer app and those guys working on a light tablet interface client for doing some minor ingame stuff backed out because they couldn't charge and couldn't afford to eat the cost themselves.

So for this you attack the fanbase who help build and support your community?

The reason the monocle is so expensive is because it is what CCP has been looking through when they look at their playerbase....

@WolvenSpectre

Yeah, I'm with you on this one.
Capsuleer was OK app, I wouldn't have paid for it though, but whatever.

Dotlan is more useful than anything CCP has ever put out and I haven't seen Wollari crying about not being able to monetize it, quite the opposite actually - it seems he's happy doing it for the community and taking donations to keep it alive.

So just because Capsuleer devs threw a hissy fit for not being able to make money - I don't see why the rest of us need to get into this silly licencing deal.

It's not good for the community.

@SgtBaker1234556
Licencing deals are good, but CCP seem incapable of seeing why and where charging is ok.

(TIP for CCP: donations, ads and ISK sales are places where you shouldn't)

€€P Guard's comment regarding the micro-transactions issue (direct quote from the official forums):

"It's all in the eye of the beholder."

Classy...

CCP ruins their reputation in matter of few weeks. Great work ...

@Deadalon Yeah after all the work they did repairing their image and standing with the playerbase after the "we won't even look at working on any of your problems for two years if we do it at all while we have the majority of our staff working on what will be other games most of you can't or won't play, and by the way vote for us as best game" debacle and then they go and pull the licencing agreements and the outrageously priced Nobel Exchange Macrotransactions and they are looking as bad as they did when they started...

maybe they shouldn't have nerfed the CSM and maybe tried listening instead :X

'We hear you loud and clear': CCP clarifies third-party application licensing fees

Reader Comments (17)

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 4:34PM Karth said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 4:36PM Raikulxox said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 4:40PM Unshra said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 4:38PM mikejr said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 9:19PM mikejr said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 5:01PM Khai mann said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 5:14PM Lateris said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 5:28PM Alex Oglitchkin said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 5:27PM Wilhelm2451 said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 6:37PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:32AM Wilhelm2451 said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 6:38PM WolvenSpectre said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:52AM SgtBaker1234556 said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 2:07AM GaaaaaH said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 6:48PM Wensbane said

Posted: Jun 22nd 2011 7:52PM Deadalon said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 3:09AM WolvenSpectre said

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