Paid membership update: the basics and a video test

It should come as little surprise to most of you that the engineering team here has been working on a paid membership product for Whiskey Media over the last couple of weeks. While I'm gonna wait for each of the sites to make formal announcements about what it includes I figured we're far enough along at this point to start talking roughly about our plan and get some feedback from everyone. I'll be releasing more details over the next couple weeks as we adjust with your feedback.
  
First, why are we doing this? 
 
It's easier for us to build towards what our users want, than what random visitors off Google require. We can either build a better product than our competitors and rely on our small, hardcore userbase to partially support us (that's right, you're now a pie slice!), or we can go for quantity as a content farm and build everybody-eats-it-but-nobody-likes-it web sites like our competitors. We like being able to be proud of our work, so door number one it is!
 
What am I going to lose if I don't buy any of this? 
 
Sorry, you must be thinking about someone else. We're in the not pissing off the Internet business. The site as you see it right now will remain largely unchanged.

What's this about unified Whiskey Media accounts? 
 
First off, we're going to create a unified Whiskey Media account system tied to your email that will work on any of our sites. You don't need to pay for that, everyone will just get it for free on day one after jumping through a couple account-linking hoops. Yes, you'll be able to retain different usernames across sites, but you'll only be able to link one account per site to your umbrella email account. If you end up deciding to upgrade to a paid account you'll earn the benefits across the entire network so no worries about us trying to make you pay more than once. 

• Stream and Download HD Video at 720p (we shoot and receive most source material in 720, 1080 would just be upscale). Here are a couple tests, let me know how they look (Wargames, Portal 2). We plan on doing this for our entire back catalog, but obviously the newer stuff will look better.
• A completely redesigned mobile site built in HTML 5 with video-watching, commenting and profiles built into it from the start. It will work on any smartphone with a web browser (iphone, android...etc). The site will continue to work as is for everyone else. Our iPhone app from last year is still free.
• No ads (if you go for yearly billing). Sorry but we need to be able to make reasonable guesses against our ad inventory, and we can't do that unless we know for sure what portion of our audience is in it for the long haul.

• Paid message boards. I just don't like segregating audiences.
• Anything that involves the wiki. Sorry, that's something we all built together and I couldn't ask anyone to pay for premium access or features there. We'll be rebuilding/redesigning all our wiki and API tools quite soon, but that has nothing to do with this. As far as the wiki goes, everyone is equal.
• Calendars of anime chicks?
• Free games from five years ago?
• Any sort of in-your-face hard sell. I've got the feeling most of you just want to support us and could care less about the features. That's great, we'll respect you back in the same way with not trying to do anything stupid when it comes to convincing you to make that decision.

It should come as little surprise to most of you that the engineering team here has been working on a paid membership product for Whiskey Media over the last couple of weeks. While I'm gonna wait for each of the sites to make formal announcements about what it includes I figured we're far enough along at this point to start talking roughly about our plan and get some feedback from everyone. I'll be releasing more details over the next couple weeks as we adjust with your feedback.
  
First, why are we doing this? 
 
It's easier for us to build towards what our users want, than what random visitors off Google require. We can either build a better product than our competitors and rely on our small, hardcore userbase to partially support us (that's right, you're now a pie slice!), or we can go for quantity as a content farm and build everybody-eats-it-but-nobody-likes-it web sites like our competitors. We like being able to be proud of our work, so door number one it is!
 
What am I going to lose if I don't buy any of this? 
 
Sorry, you must be thinking about someone else. We're in the not pissing off the Internet business. The site as you see it right now will remain largely unchanged.

What's this about unified Whiskey Media accounts? 
 
First off, we're going to create a unified Whiskey Media account system tied to your email that will work on any of our sites. You don't need to pay for that, everyone will just get it for free on day one after jumping through a couple account-linking hoops. Yes, you'll be able to retain different usernames across sites, but you'll only be able to link one account per site to your umbrella email account. If you end up deciding to upgrade to a paid account you'll earn the benefits across the entire network so no worries about us trying to make you pay more than once. 

• Stream and Download HD Video at 720p (we shoot and receive most source material in 720, 1080 would just be upscale). Here are a couple tests, let me know how they look (Wargames, Portal 2). We plan on doing this for our entire back catalog, but obviously the newer stuff will look better.
• A completely redesigned mobile site built in HTML 5 with video-watching, commenting and profiles built into it from the start. It will work on any smartphone with a web browser (iphone, android...etc). The site will continue to work as is for everyone else. Our iPhone app from last year is still free.
• No ads (if you go for yearly billing). Sorry but we need to be able to make reasonable guesses against our ad inventory, and we can't do that unless we know for sure what portion of our audience is in it for the long haul.

• Paid message boards. I just don't like segregating audiences.
• Anything that involves the wiki. Sorry, that's something we all built together and I couldn't ask anyone to pay for premium access or features there. We'll be rebuilding/redesigning all our wiki and API tools quite soon, but that has nothing to do with this. As far as the wiki goes, everyone is equal.
• Calendars of anime chicks?
• Free games from five years ago?
• Any sort of in-your-face hard sell. I've got the feeling most of you just want to support us and could care less about the features. That's great, we'll respect you back in the same way with not trying to do anything stupid when it comes to convincing you to make that decision.

"Will you support paypal? 
 
Right now we're thinking about going only with credit card processing. If there is wild outrage that paypal is an option I'd like to hear it."

Please, don't make me pay for quests. That would be ridiculously cheap, and yes, I realize the irony in wording it like that.

I expect that people will want Giant Bomb Memes on the shirts.

" Please, don't make me pay for quests. That would be ridiculously cheap, and yes, I realize the irony in wording it like that. "

as someone who has helped build a mobile formatted website, that looks amazing

Hell yes good sir.  
 
All I want on a t-shirt is a Giant Luchadeer on the back. 
 
Everything else sounds great so far though.

I really like the direction that Whiskey Media is taking with paid subscriptions. Very professional and upfront about it. A great policy. Looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with, and it's great news that the wiki tool is being revised.

Needs more lumbar support. 

Sounds all right.  A low-key and non-flashy t-shirt would be cool.

I would like to be able to post on the forums from my iPhone. And a shirt.  
I'll give you $600!

Will 720p content include older content (say endurance runs, quicklooks on GB) or only new content?
 
As for T-shirts - simply sell them to everyone and let paid members get one free (only pay s/h).

No calenders of anime chicks?  No sell!

yeh not using paypal will prob mean ill not sign up.... i only have a debit card sadly :'(

Sounds fine to me.

I'd love a t-shirt.. maybe a different color for my name (Where it says: "Post by: TurboMan") 
 
... I want that Gold for some reason.

All right good buddy.

Please support Paypal. A yearly charge sounds like something I would pay for, but credit card is out of the question for me.

" I expect that people will want Giant Bomb Memes on the shirts. "

" I would like to be able to post on the forums from my iPhone. And a shirt.  I'll give you $600! "

It doesn't sound like it's enough. i feel like a dirt bag for criticizing without coming up with a creative solution, but paid web services are always weird. I would want specific features, not just minor upgrades to what i get for free. I would like a GiantBomb shirt that's not black and it would have to involve Lincoln and Luchdeer in some way. Perhaps throw a Tank in there?

Would gladly pay for supporting you awesome guys anyways, extra features is just a plus :)

How about a super secret, exclusive Bombcast that goes up on Fridays???
 
Just kidding. I just want to say that I think there is a lot of demand in the community for GB merchandise, whether it be bottle cozies, chain keys, or t-shirts. I know I'd buy 'em. So it's not really related to the paid membership stuff, but I would love to see a robust and diverse GB store.

" I am fine with using a credit card online like every other normal person who makes purchases online. "

Will the universal logins combine private messages so I can be notified of replies to my GB threads while browsing Tested, for example? Will there be any forum combining aspects other than linking usernames to a master account?

I need that paypal. Out of all the people I know only two have credit cards and I'm not one of them.

Great stuff. I hope the prices are affordable.

Sounds reasonable so far, not too many sites I'd be as willing to fork over cash for but the content and features sound like they are worth it (plus I'd like to support WM  anyway). T-shirts would be cool, a Whiskey Media shirt would be ok with me.

this is great to hear. while these are not features that i exactly need, it's nice to hear that you won't be slicing the site in half with this stuff. 

 If I am going to be a part of this paid membership, I at least expect videos of the staff rolling around in the money.

US to EU shipping is $9 for shirts (I frequently buy from threadless and that's what they charge anyway) which I would gladly pay if you were willing to ship us some damn shirts here in the EU. As for what goes on the shirts, isn't that what Buzz_Clik lives for? Get his ass to work! 
 
I'm pretty comfortable with the changes you guys are looking to make, though i'm not going to commit until I know how much this is going to cost. 
 
As for additional features -  

• would it be possible to reserve my name on any new websites Whiskey decides to build? That way I don't have to rush out and create one on day one.
• more content featuring sean coonce
• alcohol!
• er...... I tend to forget stuff after alcohol.

Just the GB logo on the shirt would do it for me, maybe a bit of card sewn in with brad photobombing me over the shoulder? No? Ah well, I can add that myself...

Paypal support is a must I feel. Also, that portal 2 video felt slightly too compressed, higher quality would be much more welcome.

How about some extra titles for premium members? For example: 
 
- Pimp King of NYC 
- Lord of the Streets 
- High Baller

" @supermike6 said:

" I would like to be able to post on the forums from my iPhone. And a shirt.  I'll give you $600! "

There is a way to post on the forums using iPhone/iPod Touch right now. "

Im not saying Im against this but Im certainly not going to pay for anything. If I had my own credit card it may be a different story but Im not exactly going to ask my parents for their details for something that I don't really care about and doesn't really change anything of importance to me.  
 
Of course I hope this works out for you guys and will always be a Whiskey Media fan.

" How about some extra titles for premium members?

Watching those videos I said oooooooooo very nice 
 
 
 
That is brilliant, love the established tags, class. 

A few ideas for paid features:
 

• limitless flags
• no mod consent on wiki edits even if you're <1000 points
• a 10% or so increase in XP

" A few ideas for paid features:
 

• limitless flags
• no mod consent on wiki edits even if you're <1000 points
• a 10% or so increase in XP

"

" A few ideas for paid features:
 

• no mod consent on wiki edits even if you're <1000 points

"

I'd love to support you guys, this is my go to gaming palace.
 
 I just need Paypal support.

I would just like to say that, no matter what you give us or do not give us, no matter how much it costs, I will pay to support this site.  I give no fuck.  You guys rule and I want you to continue to rule.

" It doesn't sound like it's enough. i feel like a dirt bag for criticizing without coming up with a creative solution, but paid web services are always weird. I would want specific features, not just minor upgrades to what i get for free. I would like a GiantBomb shit that's not black and it would have to involve Lincoln and Luchdeer in some way. Perhaps throw a Tank in there? "

" @BeachThunder said:

" A few ideas for paid features:
 

• no mod consent on wiki edits even if you're <1000 points

"

NO! NO. NO. NO. 
 
No no no no no no no. 
 
Never. Never. "

Seems like you're taking the right mindset into implementing premium accounts. 
 
I was wondering why there were no new t-shirts in the store for a long long time, given the huge outcry in the community for new ones. Packing in a shirt with the premium account is a smart business move ;)
 
I want a t-shirt of Abe Lincoln wrestling Luchadeer on the moon while eating a durger.