Subscriptions basically give someone “buyer’s remorse” before they even buy the game. They fear that subscription before they even plunk down the initial $50 for the game. That is a very ineffective marketing message, and it most certainly reduces sales dramatically.

I may be in agreement with the sentiment that this may introduce “buyer’s remorse”. But is it an ineffective marketing message? I would argue that it is certainly a message we would like to SEE be ineffective, but is it really? I suppose, if they had a more possitive marketing message, they would have their 4 million US users, be translated into what, 6? 10? I would suggest that while undesirable, it is not much of an impediment.

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Quote: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10011559-52.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Prior to its release, no American massively multiplayer online game (MMO) had ever reached what was then seen as the magical million subscribers level–even major hits like EverQuest and Ultima Online. Yet almost before anyone could blink, WoW, as it’s known, had surpassed 4 million paying users and now has more than 10 million worldwide, and at $15 a month for most users, it may well be bringing in more than $1 billion a year.