Morvejones
SilkTone
For those asking why they don't get the $99 offer after paying monthly... It is because you only paid up to 1 month max in advance. On the other hand, if you paid a year's worth of membership in Jan, then you still have 6 months left. Hence the price difference.
Yes we understand that, but do you honestly think we would have paid £71.34 ($103) this year if we had known they would just wipe it off? NO, we would have renewed ($99) for the year...
It's very easy to say in hindsight what would have happened if things had been different than they were. I don't know if CW was already planning the lifetime deal at the beginning of this year, though I kind of think not, because it's probably been a headache for them trying to make it as fair as possible, even though it might be hard to see that from where you're standing.
Regardless, you had a choice between an advance purchase that would have saved you money over the long term, and a monthly payment plan that offers convenience and an easy opt-out, in exchange for a bit more money over the course of the year. You chose the latter, likely because it was more convenient to you at the time. None of us knew what would happen, we all made choices based on the information available to us at the time. So it goes.
... we have also invested £202 ($291) on platinum so far and still get the $199 deal the same as an X3 user that has invested nothing!
But you've had access to the software over the past year and a half, whereas the X3 user has not. You paid monthly and had access. By your logic, I could complain that I should get lifetime updates for free since I've already paid in $200 since Platinum launched, which is the same as an X3 user can pay today to get lifetime membership. But that would be ignoring the immense value that I've got from using the software over the past year and a half. (On the other hand, I've also paid money for things that I ended up not using very much, which is my loss based on my choice).
Look, I know it sucks to be in a situation that seems unfair, and it's easy for me to be more philosophical because I have a $99 offer based on my upgrade earlier this year. But choices in life often have unforeseen consequences, and it's not up to CW to make everything fair for everyone, even if that were objectively possible - let alone try to make it fair according to what everyone thinks is fair, usually because it benefits them personally.
You are not being punished, but you can't always have your cake and eat it too. CW has made an offer that is as fair as they feel they can make it, and everyone has to decide whether the offer is worth it to them personally. It's just another choice.