FD please bring back Expansion Pack for sale during Gamma, for higher price

Myspace Kaitsu80 · Nov 10, 2014

I dont know what new products FD is planning to sell during Gamma as revenue from new Beta players is depleted, I would suggest bringing Expansion Pack for time of Gamma, say maybe at 40-50£ price? Then it would not be "unfair" for previous owners of Expansion Pack (like me).

There must be thousands of newer and older backers who would love this, maybe even were close to buy it last time but for some reason did not. Many might still be wondering, if to buy ED yet, they would perhaps get this bate and pre-order it now just to get future expansions.

All that money could then be used to iron out any possible issues as fast as possible (double staff?

) during Gamma (and even at start of release), and also used to develope the game (even) more, even first expansion (earlier?).

There could still be money left from these new sold Expansion Packs, so you can do some marketing and get even more new customers (who then will pay for expansions instead).

I would not be worried that FD needs money from backers buying expansions, think (as also explained above, why) there will be much more players to take their place as income from expansions. There needs to be more joining us anyway, really, 150k still seems too small.

EDIT (new idea to keep more funds coming during Gamma):

Ok, had another thought on this...

If they will not sell Expansion Packs anymore...

Maybe permissions to Sol and other main systems (during Gamma, for same price people used to upgrade for Beta partly because of that).

Many may not yet know about permissions (or even about the game before Gamma launches and gets publicity), are still undecided but would then like permission during Gamma, have no extra 15£ this month...

Swan · Nov 10, 2014

I doubt anyone who's paid £40 for game only will pay £40-£50 for an expansion pack tbh.

Myspace Kaitsu80 · Nov 10, 2014

Swan said:
I doubt anyone who's paid £40 for game only will pay £40-£50 for an expansion pack tbh.

Maybe offer them cheaper pre-order withouth Mercenary Pack (game+it now 40 euro), but instead with Expansion Pack option (too).

I would buy now one more account with 70 euro (gift) if it had expansion pack.

EDIT: And 70 Euro is what video games today costs, as I see.

Swan · Nov 10, 2014

Myspace Kaitsu80 said:
Maybe offer them cheaper pre-order withouth Mercenary Pack (game+it now 40 euro), but instead with Expansion Pack option (too).

I would buy now one more account with 70 euro (gift) if it had expansion pack.

Sorry, do you mean the lifelong expansion pass? In that case I would agree with you.

But if you're talking about expansion packs, then really, if it's going to work, they should be no more than £20 each, and even that's pushing it. The moment a publisher starts charging near enough the cost of the base game for expansions, I start to worry!!

Myspace Kaitsu80 · Nov 10, 2014

No no, Lifelong Expansion Packs ofc, same we backers received/were able to buy earlier.

Myspace Kaitsu80 · Nov 10, 2014

Swan said:
.......
But if you're talking about expansion packs, then really, if it's going to work, they should be no more than £20 each...

I have faint memory about this level of pricing on expansions mentioned, 20 Austria-Hungary money or something 20.

asparien · Nov 10, 2014

As a player who has only discovered the existence of Elite in time to sign up for Beta 2.04, I would welcome the opportunity to purchase a Lifelong Expansion Pack. I can see this game becoming a rather scary addiction...

Asp

SAB380 · Nov 10, 2014

The expansions are pretty much the ONLY way Frontier is going to make real money post release from players.

Of course many more people want to buy it now that the game is 99% done and everyone can see it for themselves.
So I don't think it should be brought back now.

Myspace Kaitsu80 · Nov 10, 2014

SAB380 said:
The expansions are pretty much the ONLY way Frontier is going to make real money post release from players.

Of course many more people want to buy it now that the game is 99% done and everyone can see it for themselves.
So I don't think it should be brought back now.

Dont you think we will get at least double nowadays numbers pretty soon after release? Star Citizen fanboys are getting tired already. Just wait when we will have planet landings expansion, rest will hop to ED too...

anikaiful · Nov 10, 2014

SAB380 said:
The expansions are pretty much the ONLY way Frontier is going to make real money post release from players.

Of course many more people want to buy it now that the game is 99% done and everyone can see it for themselves.
So I don't think it should be brought back now.

I don't see them as money grubbers like e.g. PWI. They can make revenue from other things, like the current paint-jobs, etc. So, expansions aren't the "only way" by far. I like their art with the paint-jobs a lot, and though I can't see them in space (just on station).. they're something I'll put my money - at least others can have some eye-candy ... be it before they go down in flames or we depart with happy greetings.

Harbinger · Nov 10, 2014

I don't think you'll see the reintroduction of the lifetime expansion. Newsletter #33 used some pretty strong language:

With only four days of hard work to go before we release Elite: Dangerous Beta 1, there are also only four more days left to take advantage of the Lifetime Expansion pass so don’t forget to grab it before we withdraw it forever.

(Emphasis mine)

xxThe_Dice_manxx · Nov 10, 2014

Maybe they should just put up the first expansion pack for pre-order right after the games release on Dec 16th , 20 squids is reasonable per pack, I'd buy it.

I would like to see the FPS expansion before planetary landings.

RGS · Nov 10, 2014

I wouldn't mind seeing them go up for sale again at a slightly higher price.

Strikes me as a bit odd that FD stopped selling them at the release of the Standard Beta (AFAIK). I never really understood this - Basically if you'd played the game at this point (Alpha + PB) you already had the expansions as part of your package, but if you hadn't you had to go in blind. Wouldn't it have made more sense to let people play the SB and then decide whether they wanted to plump for the expansions too? (esp. bearing in mind that SB was/is still £50).

Zargor · Nov 10, 2014

RGS said:
I wouldn't mind seeing them go up for sale again at a slightly higher price.

Strikes me as a bit odd that FD stopped selling them at the release of the Standard Beta (AFAIK). I never really understood this - Basically if you'd played the game at this point (Alpha + PB) you already had the expansions as part of your package, but if you hadn't you had to go in blind. Wouldn't it have made more sense to let people play the SB and then decide whether they wanted to plump for the expansions too? (esp. bearing in mind that SB was/is still £50).

It was a "leap of faith". Those who bought it, did it only on their trust to FD. It would be unfair to offer the pack now that the game is almost finished and everybody can see it's turning out great so they want to jump on the wagon. Sorry, that ship has sailed!

Hexen · Nov 10, 2014

I didn't bought the pack earlier because I'm fed up with Steam Early Access, Kickstarter, crowdfunding in general and false promises. Too much lies around. Elite: Dangerous is a rare exception here. I paid for beta and got rather good game to play already. And I will pay extra (say 100$ and below per expansion seems reasonable for me) for everything that Frontier offers in the future. Once it is ready to test and play, but not earlier. I do respect what Frontier does and I like what they do but I will not indulge in crazed fanboyism anymore. Gotta show some respect to money that I earn and stop throwing it around.

I think there might be other players that share my view and I thought it was worth mention.

RGS · Nov 10, 2014

@Zargor

Yeah, maybe. Still seems a bit odd to me as those willing to trust FD at that point and with money to burn on a single un-released title most likely already had alpha or PB access. Seemed to me like FD were trying to sell an expansion to those who hadn't yet bought the game (+ if you were keen enough to buy the game but without going as far as PB access, prob. unlikely you'd spring for the expansions too at that stage). I'm also not a fan of the way they're handling some of the ship skins (both pricing and availability window) so I guess I just have different ideas about things than FD do - It is their game though!

.

Myspace Kaitsu80 · Nov 10, 2014

xxThe_Dice_manxx said:
Maybe they should just put up the first expansion pack for pre-order right after the games release on Dec 16th , 20 squids is reasonable per pack, I'd buy it.

I would like to see the FPS expansion before planetary landings.

This could actually be very good idea, if FD has made up their mind about all expansion packs by one purchase at any form or price.

Myspace Kaitsu80 · Nov 10, 2014

Zargor said:
It was a "leap of faith". Those who bought it, did it only on their trust to FD. It would be unfair to offer the pack now that the game is almost finished and everybody can see it's turning out great so they want to jump on the wagon. Sorry, that ship has sailed!

I think this is not really reasonable. Feels more like childish arguement "I were there first and had it so now you cant play with it!".

You would not lose your own Expansion Pack if more people got it.

Nor could it do any harm to the game in general.

cmdr awesome · Nov 10, 2014

Myspace Kaitsu80 said:
I think this is not really reasonable. Feels more like childish arguement "I were there first and had it so now you cant play with it!".

You would not lose your own Expansion Pack if more people got it.
Nor could it do any harm to the game in general.

That's not what he's saying.
- FD promoted the expansion pack as a one time offer, and we expect them to stick to their word on that. This seems a reasonable expectation, as they have demonstrated that they do stick to their word on these matters. Many of the original kickstarter rewards have not been made available since (such as the cobra starting points), but they have also found ways to please the newcomers (such as the free mercenary eagle).
- Nobody is saying you shouldn't be able to buy the expansions, just that you shouldn't expect to be able to buy the unlimited expansion pack.
- The people who pay out early do deserve to get more for their money than those who wait for the product to be ready - because they are taking a bigger risk. Investing early at greater risk is not a childish concept.

Robert Maynard · Nov 10, 2014

Myspace Kaitsu80 said:
I think this is not really reasonable. Feels more like childish arguement "I were there first and had it so now you cant play with it!".

You would not lose your own Expansion Pack if more people got it.

Nor could it do any harm to the game in general.

It could do harm to Frontier's image in that expansion pass sales ended *forever* on the stated date - to re-introduce them for sale now would undermine Frontier's credibility. Similarly if any of the limited edition skins (flags, wireframe Cobra, chrome Viper) were to be released for sale after the end of the "one chance to buy".