Sony Online Entertainment spokesperson Ryan Peters stated, ”Certainly we want people to feel they are getting the value to that subscription. We understand we’re asking a lot and the equation I always give to people is that it’s similar to DLC – if you were getting DLC from Red Dead Redemption every month, I’d probably sign up for that because I buy every piece of DLC they throw at me. We’re trying to keep it on par with that kind of experience where it’s compelling and you feel like you’re getting good value.”
Peters compared the $15/mo subscription model as favorable when comparing going to see a bad movie, saying, ”It’s not so much a re-education process as saying, whatever price you’re paying in your country, $15 in the States is a ticket to the movies and I guarantee you’re going to get much more time and enjoyment out of this – especially the movie I saw last night which was The American with George Clooney which was awful. It was absolutely awful. 16 Euros to watch it in my hotel was the worst investment. I thought, there was a month’s subscription to DCUO right there, and I thought that was a better investment.”
At the moment, DC Universe Online is one of the hottest MMOs on the market, and Sony is promising “a really cool iconic character” for February. Peters hinted, ”Something that casual and hardcore followers of the DC brand are going to have a strong familiarity with – who knows, it may even be relevant to the time of year right?” What hero or villain is strongly associated with Valentine’s Day? Hmm.
Peters is confident that DC Universe Online won’t convert to free-to-play in the future, as such titles as The Lord of the Rings Online and Champions Online have, but of course, Sony may change its tune if the subscribership begins to wane – at the moment, there’s no reason to even consider it, of course.