[Suggestion] Sell beta keys for a small fee

I considered posting this in the "Official "Please let me in the Beta!!" Thread", but this is a legitimate suggestion not just begging for a key sooner. I would like to add that I'm not suggesting you stop giving away free keys just suggesting that there is a way to monetize the fact that you have people chomping at the bit to play who can't play for lack of a key.

So that it doesn't look like a shameless cash grab or a move towards pay-to-play I'd suggest giving the accounts that purchase a beta key pizza equal to the amount that the key costs. It seems like it would be a win/win situation to me. A person who waits for their free key can still get in without paying, a person who does pay is guaranteed income for the company in a way that a person receiving a free beta key is not.

As for the price, my suggestion is $5 for a key and $5 worth of pizza. Why that amount?

A: IIRC that's the minimum amount one can purchase pizza in.

B: It's small enough I think you'd have more takers.

C: That's how much I have sitting in my paypal account.

 

I was totally on board with buying a beta key a few months back but... Then the Hex Kickstarter popped up and now I have no money for one.

 

No, no, no, a thousand times no.

 

I like this idea. I have more money then patience.

 

While I certainly expect there to be a number of people who disagree with the idea I'm curious as to why those disagreeing would find it problematic. Doubly so when the disagreement is so vehement.

 

Well, some time ago the devs mentioned they were sending 100-200 new invitations each day so assuming they've kept up the pace everyone still waiting should get in relatively soon anyway and it might not be worth the time of setting the whole thing up.

But I personally don't care either way, whatever Blue Manchu decides to do here is fine by me.

 

I see one big problem: if you look at Steam or on the web, the software house who sell a beta key let the beta testers to change the game.
And in fact I think a lot of people could say: " I payed for this beta, I want this changed."
And even with a small fee, how you can deny this?
They payed for something "in progress", so they could be seen as a "virtual" staff member, or a "virtual" investor, who can, and most of the time want, say something and do something, and not only in form of a suggestion.
I totally disagree with the "Pay to be a betatester", that's it.

 

Which is one of the reasons I said that those paying the fee should receive pizza equal to the dollar value being charged for getting a beta key. They aren't a "virtual staff member" or "virtual investor" anymore than the people who have already purchased pizza are. Have you heard anything about them listening more to those who have purchased pizza than to those who haven't?

 

This is the second problem: there are a lot of people willingly to pay to play, but other people asking to play the beta (without paying).
So, you really want to "favor" (talking about a beta game, not a finished one) paying people?
This could be seen as a little "discrimination".
They give 100-200 invitations each day; so at the end, everyone could be in the beta.

 

And nobody is suggesting that people not be allowed to play the beta without paying. I even highlighted that in red and underlined it. My plan still has them sending out 100-200 invitations each day (I thought it was 300 though?) but also adding a small (and inexpensive) shortcut for those willing to take it. Is getting to play a little bit sooner really privileging people enough that it would feel discriminatory to a sizable fraction of the user base?

 

I know that you don't suggest to not allow people who's not paying.
But I really feel something like that discriminatory, for those who are waiting patiently for a beta key.
Sorry, I don't want to be rude or mean, it's only my opinion.

 

Pay to join beta is so common place these days that i can't possibly imagine a backlash from it that said i think they are doing fine and clearly they are adding a lot of new people all the time.

 

I've seen quite a lot of games selling pre-orders during closed beta. You basically buy a pack of goodies (like pizza) of a certain value, and get a beta key with your purchase. The only possible disadvantage is that it takes the control of the number of players out of the developers hand, with a risk of too many players rushing in and slowing down servers and the like. But maybe that is a bit less of a risk for a more niche game like Cardhunter. Ultimately selling beta keys might be a good intermediate period between closed and open beta.

 

I would like to resurrect this thread. I want to play the game, im willing to pay for it and im denied access.
The only problem i see is the servers not being able to handle so many people at the same time cause trust me, there would be a lot o people paying.
For those of you that disagree or say that the game is almost out... Its easy to say that when you are already playing it right ?...

 

Really just comes down to if the game is ready for that sort of player influx. Apparently not or I'd guess they'd be doing it.

 

I am in the beta now and I still think this is a good idea. Perhaps institute a limit on the number of slots to keep the influx from exploding the servers, sure.

 

But then you come to the same point we are at now. They limit the number of invites. So limiting the number of invites, but then charging for them is better? (Well better for BM of course...)

 

Moar money for BM is good for the players.

 

They sell pizza in beta anyway, so they are making something. Plus they are seeing realistic purchasing behaviour.

Charging for the beta of a FTP game would seem perverse to me. If you charge for the beta, why not charge for the finished game?