Subscription Pricing Alternative

Tom and Ashley I would like to propose the following alternative or compromise to subscription pricing, which I think will allow Scirra to maintain a similar revenue stream to your original plan, while preventing the loss of many users who may defect at subscription only options:

• $125 gets you the first year of Construct 3 access online / offline. Can use cloud any time or download offline versions and updates for 1 year.
• If I choose to renew the subscription on or before expiration it will continue at $99 per year. If I don't renew then I will lose cloud access, but can still use the last offline version I downloaded while my "subscription" was active.
• If I wait to renew more than 30 days after expiry, then it will again be $125 per year.

With this pricing scheme, Scirra gets the benefits of a subscription model from those who see the value, but doesn't alienate the customers who can continue to use it without interruption and don't see the value in paying Scirra for updates. Additionally, the $125 vs $99 provides an incentive to maintain a subscription instead of renewing only when needed. Conversely, if I know I will be bust for 2 years, I can hold off and wait....

Any thoughts?

+1 This is much fairer to users, but also acknowledges that a continued revenue stream is important for the devs. It feels more like we're meeting in the middle and I for one would much rather something like this than what is currently being proposed.

i would opt in if the editor continued to be usable as well

Though, the offline editor will not be ready at launch, and we don't know if it will be after a year either (or ever? I don't believe it's guaranteed, just "planning to"), but you'd hope so..

I have one model in mind:

$99 yearly subscription but we get a standalone software (even if it's just a browser wrapped).

Every last day of each month we get a standalone version for last updated release.

After a year users can choose to continue with the subscription or wait for more features and updates.

If the user doesn't re-subscribe he/she at least has the last updated version for which he/she paid for.

The main problem here (at least for me) is renting instead of owning. If I stop subscribing at should at least have ownership of the software for which I paid for. This can happen if we have standalone versions (even if they are just a browser wrapped versions) as Tom and Ashley have said that implementing something similar online will be difficult.

And if the online subscription model is introduced to curb piracy, well it's hard to argue on that level but it would mean disappointing a lot of loyal and legitimate users.

While Scirra stated that you won't be able to edit your projects after the subscription ends, I hope they reconsider ethanpil 's suggestion. I think that would be the best solution. I want to pay Scirra for a software that deserves it, but I also like to own in some manner what I purchased. There has been examples posted by the Community in the C3 section of software that does it that way and the users are satisfied. On the other hand Scirra would have to find a suitable DRM for C3 to let users install the downloaded version after the subscription ended, but still being able to block the possible pirated copies.

I don't think they are open minded about this. You will either pay forever for C3 or you won't get full access anymore.

If I don't renew then I will lose cloud access, but can still use the last offline version I downloaded while my "subscription" was active.

You will still be able to use your offline version even if you don't plan to renew, but you won't be able to access the cloud services such as exporters etc...

Other than that, they aren't changing the payment method.

> If I don't renew then I will lose cloud access, but can still use the last offline version I downloaded while my "subscription" was active.

>

>

You will still be able to use your offline version even if you don't plan to renew, but you won't be able to access the cloud services such as exporters etc...

Other than that, they aren't changing the payment method.

Have they told you this?

>

> > If I don't renew then I will lose cloud access, but can still use the last offline version I downloaded while my "subscription" was active.

> >

> >

> You will still be able to use your offline version even if you don't plan to renew, but you won't be able to access the cloud services such as exporters etc...

> Other than that, they aren't changing the payment method.

>

Have they told you this?

Nope

X3M I am pretty sure that Tom made it clear that if you miss paying the rent, you no longer can edit your projects until you do so. You will be running the free demo version instead. And if your project exceeds the limitations (which it most certainly will), the editor will lock you out of it - putting your whole enterprise on hiatus until further payment.

What happens when you don't pay the electric bill?

You will still be able to use your offline version even if you don't plan to renew, but you won't be able to access the cloud services such as exporters etc...

Other than that, they aren't changing the payment method.

What I am suggesting is that you can continue to use the full versions of offline exporters and all other offline features that were in the last version one downloaded when the subscription was active. (The updates to these exporters and other new features would not be available because the new version would need an active subscription to download.)

What I am suggesting is that you can continue to use the full versions of offline exporters and all other offline features that were in the last version one downloaded when the subscription was active. (The updates to these exporters and other new features would not be available because the new version would need an active subscription to download.)

Updates include bug fixes which makes the legality of that arguable.

You can't license something and not have a working product.

What happens when you don't pay the electric bill?

...

Software is not analogous to electricity.