I can see the appeal, and the 156 a year cost is actually a dollar less per month than most MMORPGS. So...not a bad deal there (I won't mock the 'but I shall not pay per month! crowd as it's useless).
The cost for add-on stuff though...steep. I see precisely what they're doing, mind: Race simmers tend to be junkies, and when it's 'Donington Park for 20 bucks!' they might just do it. Frequently. People do, after all pay, for third-party mods to popular games. This isn't really that different.
The 'free month' for 20 bucks is a scam. Paying more than the usual monthly fee for what amounts to a demo...that's the most questionable thing about this, at least to me.
Overall, I love the idea: Massively multiplayer online racing with software that can't be modded on the home comp for an easy cheat, against people who really love sim-level driving games. Aiming for that demographic means they have to look for ways to make up for what'll be a small customer base though, hence the add-on stuff being so expensive. That just feels a little exploitative to me.
I'll stick to City of Heroes, with it's quarterly massive content updates that don't cost me anymore than the subscription fee.
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