AUG. 26, 2009 • Cryptic Studios wasn’t prepared for the huge response it received to its promotional $199 lifetime subscription offer for the upcoming Champions Online. Around Aug. 24 the developer announced it was running low on its allotment, and the remainder of the promo subscriptions sold out within a day. Rather than anger consumers who missed out, the studio extended the deadline to Aug. 31 to anyone who wished to get in on the deal.

Impact: Heavy users have been known to stick around popular MMOs for five or more years so lifetime subscription is a pretty good deal for those consumers as the cost pays for itself within two years.  Of course, this is assuming that they are the type of consumer that plays for the long haul.  For an operator, lifetime subscriptions are an interesting possibility.  This model has been done in other areas like health clubs and the danger is your heaviest users become your worse customers.  It is always great to have the money in the bank earning interest, but you lose out if customers keep using the product.  On the positive side, add-on models like upsells of virtual items allow for additional sources of revenue beyond the subscription.