Sony Responds To DC Universe Cost Complaints

52 responses to “Sony Responds To DC Universe Cost Complaints”

1. 

   Braaains

   February 10, 2011 at 2:10 pm

   “Sony still hasn’t necessarily responded as to why Australian consumers are being asked to pay more for a product that is distributed digitally.”

   The same issue exists with PSN (look at the cost of games on the AU store vs the US one), and they haven’t shown much interest in changing that either.

   Reply
   1. 

      Alinos

      February 10, 2011 at 2:59 pm

      actually they could justify that based on the fact that the games have been rated for release in australia(for the ones that are PSN only) along with the fact that they have to have a seperate AU store

      the issue with DCUO is the fact there is absolutely no reason why we pay more because they haven’t run Aussie Servers or anything that is specific to the australian market that could justify charging us the extra other than the fact that there charging AU dollars

      Reply
2. 

   Cham

   February 10, 2011 at 2:13 pm

   So lemme get this straight, instead of reducing the by-month price, they’re offering a 3-month plan, that should be cheaper then a by-month plan, at the same rate as the US by-month plan? Maybe the plan is to get people to play for 3 months, get them to like the game so that they’ll just go back to the more expensive plan?
   Utterly ridiculous.

   Reply
   1. 

      Daniel

      February 10, 2011 at 2:16 pm

      Yep. Get them addicted. Keep them coming back at the higher price.

      Reply
   2. 

      oggob

      February 10, 2011 at 3:00 pm

      Actually, it’s not a one off.. if you choose to buy in to that subscription, you will continue to pay that amount for each renewal as long as you keep your subscription going. So technically, you won’t be going back to the ‘expensive’ price if you continue to play.

      Only if you choose to cancel and then later on decide to re-sub, then it’s regular pricing.

      Reply
   3. 

      Tribute

      February 11, 2011 at 10:13 am

      And we didnt know about the different aussie subs until afterwards!

      Read this http://forums.station.sony.com/dcuopc/posts/list.m?topic_id=19214&#168898

      Reply
3. 

   Rod

   February 10, 2011 at 2:18 pm

   I’d much prefer they were “cognisant” than “cognoscente”…unless they’re suggesting that understanding the Australian mind is an art form?

   Reply
   1. 

      Aidan Dullard

      February 10, 2011 at 2:58 pm

      +1. Using big words doesn’t look good if they’re wrong :/

      Reply
      1. 

         WTHfor

         February 10, 2011 at 11:34 pm

         Corcordantly, he’s suffering from “The Architectitis”. 😉

         Reply
4. 

   Denaz

   February 10, 2011 at 2:18 pm

   “While SOE have no price change to announce currently, we have recently commenced a promotion for the 3-month PC and PS3 subscriptions reducing the price for a period from AU $54.95 to AU $39.95. This is in addition to the 30 day trial offered at purchase. We will continue to review this structure as we expand.”

   You see the problem with this is, every region gets this deal. So we are STILL paying more. Absolute BS if you ask me (and probably every other aussie).

   Reply
5. 

   f4cti0n

   February 10, 2011 at 2:19 pm

   Oh well, I was hoping it would be a positive change which would encourage me to give it a try. ALAS, no…

   Reply
6. 

   Icarus

   February 10, 2011 at 2:25 pm

   Oooh “cognoscente”, fancy words 😛

   Reply
7. 

   Ren Finlayson

   February 10, 2011 at 2:28 pm

   SOE have pretty much just been money hungry failures for years now. I refuse to get any of their stuff now. Their games feel tacky now.

   However if Planetside 2 is decent I’ll prolly cave in.

   Reply
8. 

   Adam Bax

   February 10, 2011 at 2:30 pm

   Not paying more for a crappier poduct (latency etc). My free month just ran out and i have no immediate plans to renew lol.

   Reply
9. 

   Michael Traun

   February 10, 2011 at 2:34 pm

   Poor form on SOE’s part. It’s a scam. They know it’s a scam. ‘effem, I say.

   Reply
10. 

    Tim Harrison

    February 10, 2011 at 2:49 pm

    Well I just cancelled my subscription that was due to be renewed today. The game itself is fun, but I can’t stand to be forced to pay at a different rate as everyone else.

    Reply
    1. 

       Jimu Hsien

       February 10, 2011 at 3:06 pm

       We need more like you.

       Reply
11. 

    matt30822

    February 10, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    SOE has been a joke for years. It’s funny because to me it seems like PC users are getting the better end of the stick (mind you it is a crap stick) in DCUO and the PS3 users are getting shafted with pricing, with the lifetime sub not really that much.

    Although, why anyone would want a lifetime sub to a SOE game is beyond me. If SOE had a face then i would punch it in the balls.

    Reply
    1. 

       wewe

       February 11, 2011 at 4:24 am

       The face doesnt have balls =]

       Reply
12. 

    NRD80Y

    February 10, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    Kotaku AU, please keep chasing this up direct with SOE for the actual reason we are being charged more.

    Reply
13. 

    Axiom

    February 10, 2011 at 2:57 pm

    The reduced (Legends) pricing is not something they did to appease Australians. The temporary pricing scheme is available to ALL regions but is based off the current sub prices. So while we can get a cheaper sub it is still more expensive than other countries. This does not address the issue at all, even mentioning it is just the smoke and mirrors routine they pulled when it was first raised.

    Reply
14. 

    DNR

    February 10, 2011 at 3:00 pm

    And still thats not an answer thats a hey we lowered the price for EVERYONE, but you Aussie still pay more for no reason… now look at the shiny game to forget you actually have a legitimate concern.

    Reply
15. 

    Ross Moir

    February 10, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    “We don’t know why you’re being charged more, but it’s too much trouble to fix it so we won’t. And because nothing will be happening in the forseeable future, we’re going to stop you from complaining about it.
    “Please continue to pay more for our product, even though you’re getting a worse version, while we focus on ignoring you and putting more content in the game, which is done by an entirely different department than the one who should be sorting out the expense issue.”
    Media spokesperson talks with forked tongue.

    Reply
16. 

    Michael Barnes

    February 10, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    I was going to get this game. Then I realised it was pay to play. I don’t pay for games I already bought.

    Reply
    1. 

       Denaz

       February 10, 2011 at 3:40 pm

       Its a MMO, they are all (primarily) pay to play

       Reply
       1. 

          Michael Barnes

          February 10, 2011 at 4:32 pm

          Very true. Thus why I don’t play any MMO’s 😛

          Reply
          1. 

             MadAugust

             February 10, 2011 at 5:53 pm

             Do you even understand the concept of a MMO bro?
             The idea of it all is you help maintain the server and development of content.
             Much like a car you bought, you kinda need to open the wallet if you want new wheels, and you have to open it again if you wish to use the public roads.

             Reply
             1. 

                Denaz

                February 10, 2011 at 6:27 pm

                “The idea of it all is you help maintain the server and development of content”

                Yup, true for everyone except SOE 😛 lol

             2. 

                Zack

                February 17, 2011 at 1:15 am

                Guild wars.

17. 

    Cody

    February 10, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    They haven’t “responded to the community”, they’ve totally ignored what people were saying. The same promotion is running in the US. It does nothing to address the exchange rate differences. It’s a complete blow off.

    Reply
18. 

    Denaz

    February 10, 2011 at 3:41 pm

    I still want to know why NZ PC players get to pay the US subscription fee. That still has me stumped (and they STILL haven’t replied to my post).

    Reply
19. 

    Adam

    February 10, 2011 at 3:53 pm

    Champions Online is free with optional subscription or micropayments. It doesn’t have batman, who I believe should be present in all IPs regardless of setting, but isn’t bad otherwise.

    Reply
    1. 

       Darren

       February 10, 2011 at 6:56 pm

       Champions online is a pretty good game considering it’s free to download and free to play.

       Reply
20. 

    Dan

    February 10, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    I’ve cancelled my subscription. They have me until my 30 day trial expires but I’m gone if they haven’t properly addressed the situation by then.

    Reply
21. 

    Stan

    February 10, 2011 at 4:31 pm

    DCUO looks like a terrible game anyways, Pay or no pay I’m not playing rubbish. If I need my Batman dose Arkhim City will surfice. I’ve had enough of paying for content that is originially provided in the game.

    Reply
22. 

    Repneiras@live.com

    February 10, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    I don’t play DC:U (don’t have a PC), but Sony, equal prices or gtfo.

    Reply
    1. 

       Repneiras

       February 10, 2011 at 4:34 pm

       *PS3

       Reply
       1. 

          Repneiras

          February 10, 2011 at 4:38 pm

          Nvm, something happened to my original comment :/

          Reply
23. 

    Filip Maslovaric

    February 10, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    If you’ve got an active subscribtion – you cannot complain. You’ve accepted the price and are taking it.

    Either take it, or not. The only way they will change the price is if subscriptions drop and there’s suddenly less money in their (SOEs) pockets.

    Remember who you’re dealing with: Sony Online Entertainment. The same pack of imbeciles who thought that the “New Game Experience” was a good idea for Star Wars Galaxies.

    Reply
    1. 

       Beavwa

       February 10, 2011 at 8:21 pm

       That’s not entirely true. The Australian price wasn’t advertised before launch – the FAQ only had the American prices.

       http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/01/are-australians-being-charged-more-for-dc-universe-subscriptions/

       Reply
    2. 

       Daniel

       February 10, 2011 at 9:07 pm

       I think you have a right to complain when you only find out the ACTUAL subscription price after you’ve already registered your game and made it impossible to return. Advertised at $15USD, and told you’re paying $20AUD at the last stage is criminal.

       Reply
24. 

    R

    February 10, 2011 at 7:20 pm

    You THINK that SOE have thrown you a bone – well.. actually, not only did they reduce the price for you, they reduced the price for everybody. They didn’t do anything for the Australians here that they are ripping off.

    US will pay $29.99US for three months

    http://www.dcuniverseonline.com/news/archive.vm?id=17&month=current

    Rest of world
    http://community.eu.playstation.com/t5/DC-Universe-Online/Legend-Pricing-For-Legendary-DCUO-Players/m-p/12381722

    Lame lame lame.

    Reply
25. 

    RichardH

    February 10, 2011 at 11:13 pm

    I’ve now cancelled my account for this very reason. I like the game. Heck, I think it’s one of the best MMOs since WoW, but you know what? I can only justify playing one subscription MMO at a time, and it’s not like there isn’t competition popping up every other day.

    I am saving my money for a company that isn’t bigoted.

    Reply
26. 

    Jason Oliver

    February 10, 2011 at 11:43 pm

    $40 is a bit steep for an MMO let alone $55 I reckon. Not to mention that the PS3 version costs more than the PC version and this has FAIL written all over it.

    Reply
27. 

    pixels+props

    February 11, 2011 at 12:30 am

    More people need to exercise some self control and vote with their wallets, ie dont pay/play.

    If the place became a ghost town you can bet Sony would drop the price of admission faster than a sailor in a brothel drops his dacks.

    Reply
28. 

    Pylgrim

    February 11, 2011 at 2:17 am

    I’m surprised the writer of the article didn’t dare to expose the statement as the thinly veiled smoke bomb it is:

    “Yeah, sure we do hear you and though we don’t plan to actually fix the blatant daylight armed robber, -er price discrepancy, we’re throwing you a bone in the form of a random discount if you commit to play at least 3 months. That said, do shut the hell up, whiners, these threads are only for people to comment how awesome the game is.”

    Reply
29. 

    Tribute

    February 11, 2011 at 10:11 am

    New thread up here http://forums.station.sony.com/dcuopc/posts/list.m?topic_id=19214&#168898

    if your an Aussie its time to support it!!!

    Reply
30. 

    NRD80Y

    February 12, 2011 at 9:28 am

    Well now that my 30days is up I can no longer post on the DCUO forums. This will mean less and less Australians will be on the forums when their 30days expire, so I hope Kotaku keeps chasing this issue up with SOE for us.

    Reply
    1. 

       Tribute

       February 14, 2011 at 3:09 pm

       Yeah I cant post anymore as well….

       I think the thread is pretty quiet now and that probably means most of us got tired of having our threads locked for no reason + the ripoff + soe’s bull and canceled.

       Soe is like a naughty dog. BAD SOE, no bones for you!!!

       Reply
       1. 

          Chris Lynn

          February 14, 2011 at 4:51 pm

          It’ll be dropping into silence pretty soon, won’t be many concerned subscribers left.

          Reply
31. 

    Vaughan Gale

    February 15, 2011 at 7:25 am

    Still posting (TestEagle), my times up soon too, the servers are emptying out from what I hear, so guess I’ll head back when f2p hits lol.

    Reply
    1. 

       Tribute

       February 18, 2011 at 10:03 am

       Yeh I decided to download champions online because its f2p now and its actually pretty good. soe can eff themselves.

       dont get why they dont try to keep their customers now. 10 customers at 20 bucks or 100 customers at 15 bucks?

       Reply