@OP...It sounds like you are asking for a variety of available billing options that would suit each person. I honestly don't think that you are going to please everyone no matter how many different billing options that a company sets up. It just won't happen.
I actually believe that the DDO/LOTRO billing model is going to be the foundation for the majority of Western MMOs in the near future. However, I would restrict the cash shop to only game features and not ingame items. For instance, the cash shops would sell additional bank slots, additional character slots, premium character classes, etc.
The only other billing model that I can see working is an itemized monthly billing model. This means that a player will pay 0.75 cents each day a player logs into his account. The billing is done at the end of each month, so if a player logs into his account every day of the month then it will cost that player about $22.50 for the month. However, the player could also choose the standad billing method of $15 a month instead of the itemized monthly billing, and he would come out ahead. Now, for a player who plays for 20 days a month or less then the Itemized billing method would be cheaper.
I just don't see the hourly billing rate taking off with Western MMOs.
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@OP...It sounds like you are asking for a variety of available billing options that would suit each person.
I honestly don't think that you are going to please everyone no matter how many different billing options that a company sets up. It just won't happen.
I actually believe that the DDO/LOTRO billing model is going to be the foundation for the majority of Western MMOs in the near future.
However, I would restrict the cash shop to only game features and not ingame items. For instance, the cash shops would sell additional bank slots, additional character slots, premium character classes, etc.
The only other billing model that I can see working is an itemized monthly billing model. This means that a player will pay 0.75 cents each day a player logs into his account. The billing is done at the end of each month, so if a player logs into his account every day of the month then it will cost that player about $22.50 for the month. However, the player could also choose the standad billing method of $15 a month instead of the itemized monthly billing, and he would come out ahead. Now, for a player who plays for 20 days a month or less then the Itemized billing method would be cheaper.
I just don't see the hourly billing rate taking off with Western MMOs.