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Flaye@Mistmoore wrote:

Dartak@Nektulos wrote:

 The only problem I have is completely free items not being given to existing players as well as returning players.

Word straight up.

People need to understand that when it comes to customer service & satisfaction, the little details are critical.

I started thinking about this even more last night after reading even more insults about people being ungrateful and whiny about them doing their best to fix the game.  A few more thoughts, not flames came to mind on this issue.

1. FREE EXPANSION: Something like this promotion has never been done on this scale by Sony.  Many of us are long time players who grew very accustomed to either buy the expansion or do without. At best you might buy it at a discount later on or wind up filling in expansions with the newest pack which would be inclusive.  Simply put, you did not get it free, plain and simple, not gonna happen, spend the money or learn to do without.  Yes were acustomed to cable and phone companies doing new customer promotional deals, but game companies seldom do this and Sony to the best of my knowledge has never done this before.  It came out of left field, how were people supposed to react?
2. VETERAN REWARDS:  Again, I believe many of us old timers somehow thought that the Veteran Reward was tied to months/years of "Accounts in Good Standing" as in PAID time. Never really had a problem accepting that you could plunk down a few hundred a year, never play and still be entitled to a reward.  Always thought that was one of their incentives to get you to keep those accounts alive.  Now I read that you may have played for a month, left for a few years and resubscribing covers those "lost years". I'm not sure the logic behind it, guess it just shows that the rewards were fluff and cheap enough to just give out like company pens at a convention.
3. SPECIAL IN-GAME REWARDS: Human nature, being what it is almost dictates that "If you get it, and I can't have it, it must be something that I can't do without". I mean, if you feel it's enticing enough to really clinch the deal, then you must feel it has some value?  That's logical.  I think I would have approached this one from the angle of "During this celebration, were giving this out to all of our valued customers, both old and new".  That would garnish some extra community spirit in my opinion.  Were getting a reward because your coming back to us.  We gain, you gain, let the celebrations begin!
4. FUTURE DISCOUNT ON UPCOMING EXPANSION: So basically, after getting all the Veteran Rewards for inactive accounts, some in game special rewards, then gaining a free expansion all inclusive to date and gaining a few months of free gaming time; they also need a $5.00 discount off the next expansion?  If were that confident that just a taste of the old game with the new expansions and playing a few free months will entice them to stay, how is it we believe that paying $35 instead of the $40 will be the deal clincher?  Not really sure where this falls in?  It's not enough of a break in my opinion to make it a deal clincher.  It is however enough of a slap to point out that aside from missing the perks, the loyal customer is being rewarded (as of this time) with a higher priced expansion for the same content.

All in all, even if things remain the same in regards to perks, I will concede that it is a needed change. I will however hold on to my selfishness to the extent that the move was a swing out of left field and some of us feel like we got hit by the bat.   I still, for the life of me don't understand the reasoning behind existing players, should they not have RoK (which many don't) still having to pay for the expansion. EDIT:  I wanted to add something here and really stress a point.  First off, I have all the expansions on all my accounts, so it's not for self gain reasons.  Since this whole promotion is about bringing back people and building numbers, think about this.  Your a player who has been playing for sometime with an active account.  Like many in today's economy your a bit strapped.  You never purchased RoK for financial reasons.  (please don't give me the story of "if you can't afford it...because lots of people are tight with money today).  You now realize that people will be getting it for free + free play time.  Remember, it's a finance issue, so you don't care about the fluff rewards.  How exactly do you feel?