So recently, I’ve noticed that a lot of people here aren't so thrilled about the replacement of permanent ranks with subscriptions. The main suggestion I see people demanding is for this change to either be reverted entirely or for ranks to return alongside the new subscriptions. However, I don't think it is in Cubecraft’s best interests for it to continue to rely upon the old rank system for them to maximize their revenue. Instead, I would like to propose an alternative that would be just as profitable as subscriptions in the long term while also being much more appealing to the majority of Cubecraft’s current player base: The usage-based model.
That is, I think it would be better if we're allowed a set number of uses for each perk ranks provide each time we purchase them, rather than being given an infinite number of uses over a finite time. I’ll use the Lucky Games rank as an example. In a usage-based model, purchasing the lucky games rank/subscription would allow users to vote a set number of times, for example, 200 times, before requiring it to be repurchased. The same could go for being able to hold private games and use map selection. I would recommend that cosmetics be permanent, but have additional cosmetics be given out each time a user re-purchases their rank. This would mean purchasing the rank the first time could give that player the first prefix, purchasing it again would give the second prefix, and so on.
Why would players prefer this over subscriptions?
- The main reason people don't like subscriptions is that it restricts them to a specific time limit where the subscription can be taken advantage of. The way to get the best value out of a subscription is to play on the respective game mode of that description as much as possible within the 30 days, which most people wouldn’t want to do. It’s like how an all-you-can-eat restaurant only appeals to a small demographic of people because getting the best value requires consuming so much that it becomes uncomfortable. The majority of people I know who play on Cubecraft have a handful of favorite game modes they prefer switching between regularly, but a subscription encourages players to play one particular game mode nonstop. There’s also the fact that the majority of Cubecraft players are either in school or have jobs that make them only able to play during weekends, which makes a 30-day subscription essentially an 8-day subscription. In contrast, a usage-based model offers players a great deal of flexibility and would allow players to get the same value out of their purchase, regardless of how often they play or choose to use their perks.
Why would this model be profitable?
- I think the main reason Cube switched to subscriptions is that lifetime ranks were extremely ineffective, especially long-term. It confined Cubecraft to only being able to make money off of new players who purchase ranks for the first time, or out of new ranks being created for new game modes. With this system, any costs of maintaining and updating existing game modes wouldn’t create much money in return, and constantly creating new game modes is obviously unsustainable. A subscription-based model is much better in this regard, since long-term players would provide a steady flow of money even in the absence of new players or game modes. However, a usage-based model would be even superior, as the amount of money Cubecraft would make would directly correspond with how much people are playing their games and using the benefits of their ranks. One disadvantage that even the subscription-based model fails to fix is that the amount of money Cubecraft makes is extremely dependent on its player count. This is unideal because Cubecraft is already the second-largest server on Bedrock, and can not realistically grow significantly larger without massive development costs. It also means that Cubecraft’s revenue is strongly impacted by the number of people playing Minecraft as a whole, which Cube has no control over. However, a usage-based model would also make Cubecraft’s profits dependent on how much each player is playing in a given day, because the more that someone plays, the more they would keep purchasing the rank. Unlike a traditional rank or a subscription, Cubecraft would see a direct increase in money being made as a result of content updates for existing game modes, expanding the potential for growth.
In conclusion, a usage-based model would be just as widely appealing as Cubecraft’s old rank system while also ensuring that long-term players continue making purchases, providing Cubecraft with the steady flow of money that they are attempting to achieve.
That is, I think it would be better if we're allowed a set number of uses for each perk ranks provide each time we purchase them, rather than being given an infinite number of uses over a finite time. I’ll use the Lucky Games rank as an example. In a usage-based model, purchasing the lucky games rank/subscription would allow users to vote a set number of times, for example, 200 times, before requiring it to be repurchased. The same could go for being able to hold private games and use map selection. I would recommend that cosmetics be permanent, but have additional cosmetics be given out each time a user re-purchases their rank. This would mean purchasing the rank the first time could give that player the first prefix, purchasing it again would give the second prefix, and so on.
Why would players prefer this over subscriptions?
- The main reason people don't like subscriptions is that it restricts them to a specific time limit where the subscription can be taken advantage of. The way to get the best value out of a subscription is to play on the respective game mode of that description as much as possible within the 30 days, which most people wouldn’t want to do. It’s like how an all-you-can-eat restaurant only appeals to a small demographic of people because getting the best value requires consuming so much that it becomes uncomfortable. The majority of people I know who play on Cubecraft have a handful of favorite game modes they prefer switching between regularly, but a subscription encourages players to play one particular game mode nonstop. There’s also the fact that the majority of Cubecraft players are either in school or have jobs that make them only able to play during weekends, which makes a 30-day subscription essentially an 8-day subscription. In contrast, a usage-based model offers players a great deal of flexibility and would allow players to get the same value out of their purchase, regardless of how often they play or choose to use their perks.
Why would this model be profitable?
- I think the main reason Cube switched to subscriptions is that lifetime ranks were extremely ineffective, especially long-term. It confined Cubecraft to only being able to make money off of new players who purchase ranks for the first time, or out of new ranks being created for new game modes. With this system, any costs of maintaining and updating existing game modes wouldn’t create much money in return, and constantly creating new game modes is obviously unsustainable. A subscription-based model is much better in this regard, since long-term players would provide a steady flow of money even in the absence of new players or game modes. However, a usage-based model would be even superior, as the amount of money Cubecraft would make would directly correspond with how much people are playing their games and using the benefits of their ranks. One disadvantage that even the subscription-based model fails to fix is that the amount of money Cubecraft makes is extremely dependent on its player count. This is unideal because Cubecraft is already the second-largest server on Bedrock, and can not realistically grow significantly larger without massive development costs. It also means that Cubecraft’s revenue is strongly impacted by the number of people playing Minecraft as a whole, which Cube has no control over. However, a usage-based model would also make Cubecraft’s profits dependent on how much each player is playing in a given day, because the more that someone plays, the more they would keep purchasing the rank. Unlike a traditional rank or a subscription, Cubecraft would see a direct increase in money being made as a result of content updates for existing game modes, expanding the potential for growth.
In conclusion, a usage-based model would be just as widely appealing as Cubecraft’s old rank system while also ensuring that long-term players continue making purchases, providing Cubecraft with the steady flow of money that they are attempting to achieve.
