Topic: Feature Request: Lifetime Subscriptions
I think they should be $150 or less (and that's being generous, consider that much larger games like LOTRO have done this; at that rate it'd be more than 2 years worth of sub fee and assuming the game is around that long is definitely a risk).
Benefits:
You get an instant, large influx of cash to further the game in a variety of possible ways from hiring contracted temporary devs to fix/implement certain things faster, to more advertising, to purchasing replicated/linked servers in countries closer to most of your user base or increasing network bandwidth or even trying to market yourself to a publisher.
You get a small dedicated core of players who will keep the game alive; it's no secret the game is low pop and dwindling as it is. Having essentially pre-paid for a very long time gives people an incentive to check back when they get tired and leave for something else.
The built-in player base gives you more time and more flexibility in experimenting with controversial changes. People who have lifetime subs are far more forgiving and willing to give you a second chance than someone who is paying month to month gets nerfed in to the ground rage-quits and never looks back.
People who stick around longer are more likely to bring in new players from word of mouth, especially if they see positive changes occurring regularly (the longer they're around the more likely they are to do this; assuming they view most changes as positive).
Long term, this still leaves you the ability to sell expansions.
Detriments:
If the game is around more than 2 years your lifetime members aren't paying for server maintenance. However if the game is around that long it will mean that it's been steadily increasing in subs over all and certainly the influx of people would more than offset the lost maintenance money with their profits and then some.
<GM Synapse> please don't abuse our fresh players before blowing them up. And for god sakes, don't do that after it!