Who thinks a family plan for multiple users in the same home would be fair? After 16 years, Blizzard has made its money. Why not? But let’s be fair, it’s a business too, so how about this: (all prices USD, see store for conversion)
1 user: $15/month (current rates)
2 users: $12/month each but must be purchased together at same time
4 users: $50/month
Purchase of 3, 6, or 12 month packages would provide the same percentage discount as current as well as the perks.
As a player, I’d like to get my family involved but I can’t afford to pay so much for multiple accounts. I’d like a discount.
As a business, Blizzard still gets its money and their profits take a minor dip but long term subscriber numbers will be steadier than it is currently and the number of active subscribers looks a lot better on those quarterly earnings calls.
Maybe I’m not being realistic, maybe it could work, maybe it won’t. What do you guys think?
12 Likes
I dont think blizz would do this.
And i think itd definitely be abused by people. Also think its weird you pay less money for 2 users compared to 1 user for a month… is there even a way to restrict a game from only being played by people in the same house? I feel itd be more like netflix with multiple users in different places.
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Well most streaming services are going that way now anyway and it could be argued that ANYTHING Blizzard does could be abused. I think the multiple users concept benefits family and friends while keeping sub numbers up.
I think this is a great idea!
Smells like a multi-boxer wanting to save money.
11 Likes
That’s how most phone family plans work.
I think each account would have to buy a license for the game itself though (the expansion basically) just like each person on a family phone plan has to buy their phone.
I think it is a great idea. I am paying for two accounts now and eventually will have to pay for 3 when my son gets a little older and gets tired of using mine or my wife’s. 4 if my girls get more interested in the game beyond making pretty hunters and playing dress up with them.
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Oh this would be awesome for my family.
Sherlock Holmes, ladies and gentlemen.
You took the words right out of my brain.
Multiboxing is dead. At least a bannable offense now. (The term multiboxing does imply the use of the required 3rd party programs.)
Multiboxing is allowed, input broadcast software is banned, multiboxing is not.
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The term multiboxing has included the implication of the 3rd party software for a long time now. No one ran around with 5 -10 toons without it. You couldn’t even collect an herb on all 5 characters before it disappeared without it. You might catch someone running 2 toons now, but you won’t see 5-10 anymore unless they’re gold sellers.
I think this is a fantastic idea for households with multiple players. It is what most platforms are doing now.
Family plans work in situations where it would actually increase the total number of subscribers. In reality, this won’t really bring NEW subscribers into the game, as realistically households where everyone plays already have subscriptions for everyone.
Second, it makes no sense financially to offer a family plan for less than the cost of single person. Each additional subscriber is going to increase your overhead (in terms of servers, support staff, etc) You don’t increase your overhead and charge LESS for it. A normal family plan would look like this:
1 user: $15
2 users: $25
3 users: $33
4 users: $40
Still a value when you break it down per person, but still increasing revenue for the company to cover the additional overheard.
Now if it was a FRIENDS AND FAMILY plan, where any five people, regardless of whether or not they were in the same household, could be on one account now you might get somewhere. Because people who have been trying to get friends back in the game or convince friends to start playing could do so affordably. THAT would be how you increase the subscriber base.
Just to clarify for some people the OP is suggesting that a two-subscription household should pay $12 PER SUBSCRIPTION, not $12 total.
When going through the forums, it helps to not assume the worst about people or what they are saying.
All that being said, I am not sure that this would work or not be abused but it is something that Blizz should at least consider.
Edit: the OPs math might be off on 4 subscriptions at $50 total since this would be $12.50 per subscription instead of $12 per subscription for two subscriptions. But that is beside the point and doesn’t affect the overall message.
2 Likes
While I saw the “each” in the second line, that contextually doesn’t make sense in light of the third line, unless he genuinely means “2 people play $12 each while 4 people pay $50 each.”
Come on, it’s pretty obvious what the OP intends. Again, don’t assume the most nonsensical interpretation of what someone says.
Excellent point. Perhaps if I clarified like you did such as:
1 for $15 total
2 for $24 total
3 for $33 total
4 for $42 total
All prices are per month.
I’m also throwing random figures out just to display how it could work. Does it make more sense now?
Sounds like something that would be abused by boxers more than families would use.
you can change your ip and then get a cheap sub from a third world country. no bot in their right minds would pay for this kind of plan. lol