Note: This offer has now ended.
CCP is offering up 3 days of Omega time… that is what being subscribed is called in EVE Online, so all the subscriber benefits… for just 1 PLEX.
This weekend only
There are, of course, limitations, like one purchase per account. You cannot buy a decade’s worth of subscription time via this deal, so stop scheming. And the deal is only good until downtime on Monday, March 27th.
Of course, being the suspicious person I am, my first thought was to wonder what stats CCP is trying to juice here on the last weekend of Q1 2023? I mean sure, maybe they just want you to go try the new Faction Warfare direct enlistment, but I always week the ulterior motive.
But it is Friday, the sun is finally out, it is warm, and it has been a long week so I am too tired to think about it. So I turned to our new AI friends to tell me about why CCP might do this. Here were there responses.
Bing’s AI chat bot offered up the following bullet points:
- It’s at a good price and it’s convenient1.
- Players can just play for a weekend1.
- The added little PLEX on it is what really sells it for some players because that’s enough to fit out a nice micro ship or a few brawlers1.
Bing’s AI didn’t really understand the question and wrote about why CCP might offer 3 days for 50 PLEX as part of another deal. Bing does, however, like to link to its sources… I like a bot that shows its work… though it apparently can’t number footnotes correctly. Also, “a nice micro ship?” What does that even mean?
Google’s new Bard AI chat bot gave me the following reasons:
- To increase revenue. By offering a discount on PLEX, CCP can encourage more players to purchase it. This will increase revenue in the short term.
- To attract new players. By offering a free trial of Omega time, CCP can attract new players to EVE Online. These players may then decide to purchase a subscription to the game.
- To retain existing players. By offering a discount on PLEX, CCP can encourage existing players to purchase it. This will help to retain players who might otherwise have lapsed their subscription.
- To build goodwill with players. By offering a free trial of Omega time, CCP can build goodwill with players. This goodwill may encourage players to continue playing EVE Online in the future.
I guess. Not exactly a revenue buster, that one PLEX… however I suppose if you had zero PLEX and didn’t know you could just buy one in Jita, you might spend some cash on some. And the other are kind of on point, though a bit ephemeral.
And then there is ChatGPT’s response:
- End of the Quarter Sales Boost: The end of a financial quarter is a crucial time for any business, as it is the time when financial reports are generated, and targets are set for the upcoming quarter. Offering a promotion like this can help CCP boost their sales figures for the quarter and meet their targets.
- Player Retention: EVE Online is a complex game that requires a significant investment of time and effort to progress. Offering three days of Omega time for one PLEX can incentivize players to log in and continue playing, thus increasing player retention.
- Attract New Players: EVE Online has a high learning curve, and new players may be hesitant to commit to a subscription without first trying out the game. Offering a promotion like this can attract new players by giving them a taste of the benefits of Omega status without requiring a long-term commitment.
- Increase PLEX Demand: PLEX is a critical currency in EVE Online, and its value is determined by supply and demand. By offering a promotion that encourages players to purchase PLEX, CCP can increase the demand for the currency and potentially drive up its value.
It follows on with this quote:
Overall, the promotion of offering three days of Omega time for one PLEX on the last weekend of the quarter can be seen as a strategic move by CCP to boost sales, increase player engagement, and attract new players.
I agree with ChatGPT in that they are trying to boost some end of quarter measurement, but I am not sure selling something for 1 PLEX is going to is going exactly set revenue on fire. But there are other metrics in the sea of financial bullshit. They might be trying to get a lift on monthly active users or maybe total Omega accounts active in Q1.
After all, they gave away Omega time for a PLEX in Q4 as well with the launch of the Uprising expansion.
Anyway, I am sure there is an answer somewhere, though the likelihood of my ever knowing it is pretty small. So I spent the 1 PLEX and added 3 days to my Omega time.
The Ancient Gaming Noob 
Bing’s AI sems to do something materially different to any other I’ve seen in that it primarily finds a source and creates a link to it, then appears to think it’s done its job. It’s more of a documented auto-search tool than a chatbot.
Bard, so far, seems like a weak version of ChatGPT, which, as a a facsimile of a quasi-autonomous, reasoning entity, seems to be miles ahead of ther pack. It’s very happy to offer up unsolicited opinions and generally act like a person who likes the sound of their own voice. Bing would seem to be the most factually accurate, in that it provides actual sources, but its also the least creative by far. Whether the addition of faux-creativity adds informational value is another question but if I had to have a conversation with any of them I’d definitely choose ChatGPT.
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