VRC MEMBERSHIP LICENSE???

[ever4motion]

As earlier announced, we are now introducing the VRC Membership License. This will be a voluntary license contribution to VRC, besides the Lifetime or other content subscriptions you may have purchased recently or in the past.

Let me explain the nature of the new Membership License. First of all it is ‘voluntary’ or ‘not mandatory’, which means that you are not obliged to purchase it in order to play VRC.

Why are we asking you to buy a Membership License? Very simple, the current revenues from content purchases are not sufficient to keep the VRC platform up and running in the long run. We need a certain amount of continuous revenues to pay for hosting and maintaining the VRC servers, doing the necessary software maintenance and running the VRC operation. Without the additional revenues from these Membership Licenses we will simply not be able to keep VRC up and running in the long run.

We will offer the Membership License for 1 month, 6 months and 12 months periods. At the end of the period it will automatically be renewed, and your PayPal account will be charged. This type of payment is called a ‘recurring payment’, PayPal will do it automatically. You can always terminate a recurring payment by going to your PayPal account and terminate it.

We hope that we will reach around 2000 subscribers to the Membership License program in 2020, that would secure the VRC platform future. If this number will not be reached, we may be forced to change the structure and make it a ‘mandatory’ Membership License, meaning only with a valid Membership License you will be able to use VRC Pro.

We have kept the cost of the Membership Licenses at a very low level, from €3.00 per month till €30.00 per year and should be acceptable for all regular VRC users. We hope and expect that you will wholeheartedly support the VRC platform by committing to the Membership License and thus securing this unique R/C platform to be available to you for years to come.

Thank you for your continued support of the VRC platform.

Pieter Bervoets
founder of VRC

[Rehaell]

Is there any type of content available to the subscribers only?

I get that you guys have running costs, but this sentence rubbed me the wrong way and almost sounded like you were threatening me...

"If this number will not be reached, we may be forced to change the structure and make it a ‘mandatory’ Membership License, meaning only with a valid Membership License you will be able to use VRC Pro."

I paid for this game because it had no mandatory licenses, I really don't mind paying 3 euros or so for month to help you guys, but I would appreciate if some content was released for subscribers only.

[ever4motion]

They should at least allow people to download the full game with the latest ghost cars before they shift to forced subscription/rental.
Make the game playable offline. Or refund the people here in steam if they won't allow people to play the game they bought.

[Billy D.]

Hold up... This is false-advertising and I want a full refund! When we bought the game, we were NOT informed that you may try and rip us off for 3 euro ~ $4+ per month. Otherwise, I would have never purchased it! The ONLY reason I bought it was because it didn't charge any fees other than buying the game and some DLC, IF I wanted it. Don't try and rip off the people who bought it now because your game became stale and nobody wants to play it anymore! Now you want to charge a monthly fee to use it? I think not, I will request a refund from Steam and my credit card company for false advertising if you pull this crap! Bite the bullet, pay your employees less, and pay for the servers. Otherwise, let it die and another company will create a better version that we won't have to pay any monthly fees for! Your controls don't even map correctly on the newest wireless xbox one pc controller with dongle. Up for throttle sucks and down for brake... The triggers aren't recognized in your game but work in every other game! This game is a steaming pile of...!!

[ever4motion]

Hopefully the devs can post here.
We should be able to download a version of the game that is playable offline with or without ghost cars. Or at least the last ghost cars available before they move to subscription.

[TTimmy]

Dev should make this game fully playable OFFLINE for people not interested in paying for a subscription or are not able to.

[Kaylem]

So, if it goes mandatory I assume those who have already paid for the game and DLC will get a full refund as they cant play a game they paid in full for unless they pay for additional costs that they did not agree to = they already fulfilled their part of the seller / buyer agreement? Its not really fair changing the rules / deal after the fact. Or, let those who already have the game use what they have paid for. This does not feel good at all.

[mushroom]

This rubs me the wrong way too, I've just downloaded the game after buying the base game and the full lifetime DLC pack, still north of $75 even after discounts. If you're now after an extra subscription fee that isn't honoring the lifetime deal, why are you still selling these packages on steam?

If you've got to do this, release a new updated game with more popular offroad classes and follow iRacing's model. Content purchases as a one off, with a subscription fee that lets you access the online play of the game.

If this turns in to another mandatory subscription required to play, I'll be after a refund too.

[Pegleg1972]

I will be after refund if this happens also as Professional Lifetime All-Inclusive member who doesnt even play online.This is ridiculous might not be legal either.

[Bdbtoys]

I'm assuming the OP is not Pieter, and this is a re-post. However, I would like to know where the source is to confirm.

That being said, I just purchased the game w/ the lifetime pass in December (after seeing that the game didn't have any membership fees). I honestly don't really have any interest in running in the events... as I got it mostly got just for practicing and a race or two against a friend.

IMO, the membership should really be for those that want to run official races or have automatic matchmaking. There should absolutely be an offline play for those that don't (and an ad-hoc mode to allow a user to host a race to play with friends directly).

Else, like others said... this would be a huge bait/switch. Almost tempted to put in for a refund for the 1st time due to the 'threat'.

[ever4motion]

They emailed current vrc users. That's the source.

[Bdbtoys]

Originally posted by ever4motion:

They emailed current vrc users. That's the source.

When did that happen? I haven't received anything... yet.

[ever4motion]

Got the email last january 8.

[Tec Kougeki Youtube]

hmmmmmm......

[lift_magnet1]

I don't know how many people here actually visit the official VRCworld website, but this is real and looking at Pieter's commentary the last few days should be very concerning to everyone. If he has his way the entire game will be going to pay to play model with no free offline mode.

Hopefully Steam will call BS on this and allow refunds outside of there usual 2 hours 2 weeks.
Either way I wish everyone who plays this would put up a negative review of the game to prevent anyone else from buying this bait and switch scam.

[Tec Kougeki Youtube]

The developers are probably reading this thread. I will definitely refund if they don't offer offline mode.