I just take WOT as example because I actually think they did an amazing job with their game.
1) Aggressive advertisement on lots of sites, magazines, radio, tv, etc that allowed them to attract tons of players to the game.
2) Free and fun to play from day one (with no real need to deposit for at least a couple weeks (for a casual player)) allowed them to hook a very high number of those players to the game.
3) Offering constant bonuses / discounts and keeping the cost to play rather low for the vast majority of players assured them a high retention over the years.
Is by far the most popular game both in my friends group (highschool age) and in my brother's friends group (30-40 years old); I think I personally know (IRL) at least 40 people or so playing the game, and with two exceptions (me and another guy) they're all (small) depositors.
So yeah, I think that a luxury tax (like the TP one) taken from the big depositors/spenders in the game, would help with the second step in this plan - hooking the new players to the game before transforming them in depositors. Yeah, for sure, it probably isn't really fair towards said big depositors / spenders, but I really think it would be better for the game.
Yup, you're right, it wouldn't be fair.
You keep comparing how "other" games charge for things such as TP usage and whatnot, but you are missing the very obvious difference between "other" games and Entropia Universe: EU has a two-way distribution of funds, meaning you can take money out of the game, whereas most "other" games only have a one-way distribution of funds.
Sure, WOT is quite popular, although I did have to google it just to find out what it was. LOL Certainly, there is an option to play casually for no cost. People purchase "gold" in order to increase their power/fun/status in game, and they know that the money they use to purchase this gold is simply "entertainment expenses". Because no money can be taken out of the game, the developers can create all the in-game currency that they want, and hand if out like candy if they want, because it's ALL VIRTUAL, period.
Entropia Universe is quite different. Yes, there is an option to play the game, with patience and time, at no cost. Yes, people can and do deposit money by purchasing PEDs, universal ammo, strong boxes, etc. The huge difference is that every single PED in game has the potential of being taken out of game and converted to real world currency. If you take a look at MA's financial statement for 2014 (still waiting to see the one for 2015), there's this one line that says "Contingient liabilities", for a value of nearly 97 million SEK, or 12 million USD. These are the assets/peds in game that have potential to be converted to real world currency. MA cannot create PEDs just to do so, there has to be funding to back those PEDs.
In WOT, the more "gold" you purchase, the greater discount you get. In EU, the more PEDs you purchase, you pay the exact same amount, 1 USD for 10 PEDs. There is no discount because, as I already stated, every PED has to be backed by real world currency, and cannot be "just created".
Think about it this way:
I walk into Casino A, where I always love to go, to play at the dollar slot machines. I am told that there has been a change, and in order to sit in the seat at that slot machine, I need to pay an hourly fee. Yes, I could probably stand, but how long before that casino gets wise to players standing instead of paying to sit in the chair, and starts to charge simply to use the machine (aside from the normal cost of gambling)? How long before people choose to go to another casino that doesn't charge for sitting down?
Now, I walk into Casino B, where I have also been before, and find they have added a large wing off to the side. I discover that this wing of the casino contains some new casino games that are interactive, and they are incredibly fun to play. I am informed that in order to go into that wing of the casino, I must pay a fee to enter. I've been told that these particular games are really a "must try", so I willing pay the fee, as it seems reasonable.
Not sure about you, but I would pick Casino B any day, as I don't have to pay any additional fees in order to play the "regular" slot machines.
The point here is, you don't put a fee on something that has been an integral part of an institution/operation/game since it's inception. Want to raise funds to "pay for jobs", then put in something NEW that would excite people, and that people would be willing to pay for the experience.