VIP program changes in 2016 – Page 2

tonypmm · 2015-11-01T20:18:33Z

Pokerstars rep Matthew has released an official statement on 2+2 about the upcoming VIP program changes, which is quoted below for convenience. (The below link to Pokerstars' blog is not viewable by Russians whose ISPs block access to their main non-mirror site. Instead, anyone who can't follow that link need to follow this one.) Originally posted by Pokerstars Matthew SpoilerPokerStars is announcing 2016 VIP Club changes as well as new policy towards third-party software. You can read more on our corporate blog here.VIP Steps will be implemented in all licenses on January 1st. VIP Steps is more intuitive and visible for players that is easier to understand and should engage more players than the current system. Along with this change, players will earn StarsCoin rather than FPPs. Most players between BronzeStar and GoldStar statuses will be able to earn a similar level of rewards with VIP Steps as they currently do. In some cases, players will receive less; in some cases, players will receive more. However, for those who are high-volume players, there are significant changes that will be implemented on January 1st, 2016. Rewards for players who earn >200,000 VPPs will be capped at 30%. Players who earn SNE in 2015 will receive a specific level of rewards of 45% rakeback in 2016. By January 1, 2017, Supernova Elite VIP status will be discontinued. It’s not a decision that we considered lightly; it’s being made after months of analysis and investigation to find the best possible model for the long-term viability of our poker ecosystem. Over time, the VIP Club rewards have become so enticing that we have inadvertently altered why some people play and how they play. The significance of this change is not lost on us. The dedication and passion demonstrated by our highest status VIPs has been astounding. We are introducing these changes to move towards a more balanced long-term poker economy and to return the game back to one that rewards skill via winning at the tables rather than playing primarily for volume. We are also announcing plans to roll out new policies that will reinforce the fundamental elements of human competition by limiting certain software programs that may provide an unfair advantage to some players. The new restrictions on third-party software will extend recent changes to our third-party software policy. Last month, we reduced data mining in Zoom!, restricted the use of heads-up displays, and limited the use of Spin & Go seating scripts. Our intention is to expand these restrictions through major changes within our own software that we will communicate in more detail through 2016. For the majority of our player base, we believe these changes will have an overall positive impact by making the VIP Club more visible to players and easier to understand, by engaging them in a single session rather than on a monthly/yearly basis, by limiting the advantages some players gain by use of certain software, and by improving the long-term viability of our poker ecosystem. The VIP Club changes are as follows: • All rewards will be given in a new currency, StarsCoin, each of which will have a fixed value of $0.01 o All FPPs will be converted to StarsCoin on January 1 at a rate of 1.2 StarsCoin for every FPP. o Players may use their FPPs as they currently do to purchase cash bonuses, tournament tickets and merchandise at current FPP prices until midnight ET, December 31. o All prices in the VIP Store, including tournament tickets and cash rewards, will be updated on January 1 to reflect the StarsCoin value of $0.01. o Tournament buy-ins will be updated to StarsCoin values. • All current rewards – FPPs, Stellar Rebates, and Milestone Rebates – will be consolidated into a single form of reward called StarsCoin earned via VIP Steps o Complete details for VIP Steps and how many StarsCoin will be rewarded for each Step will be posted on our website soon. o Players who earn Stellar Rebates and Milestone Rebates in 2015 will still be able to purchase them in the VIP Store in 2016. o On average we are aiming for the following percentage of rewards as compared to the current reward system: 2016 Average Rewards by Status BronzeStar - No change ChromeStar - Up to 10% increase SilverStar - No change GoldStar - No change PlatinumStar - Up to 10% decrease Supernova - 0%-27% decrease 200k+ - 44%-60% decrease (30% rakeback cap) • VPPs will not be earned in high-stakes cash games. High-stakes cash games include pot-limit and no-limit games with blinds of $5-$10 or higher, 8-game $10-$20 or higher, and other limit games with blinds of $10-$15 or higher (limit hold’em of stakes $15-$30 and higher). • VPP multipliers for all shared liquidity licenses will be as follows: o 5.5 VPPs for each $1.00 USD or CAD in fee paid, 6.5 VPPs for each €1.00 EUR in fee paid, or 8.25 VPPs for each £1.00 GBP in fee paid for all tables, no matter how many are seated at the table. o Microstakes games are as follows: VPPs awarded ...

_Anonymous_

05.11.2015, 05:20 0

I have heard whispers of this being somehow connected to a possible push back into the US market in 2016.
Who knows....
As a former US player who hasnt played on Stars or Tilt since BF, i really have no dog in this fight.

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Janosikgdy

Joined: 06.05.2007

Posts: 3,977

05.11.2015, 19:19 0

Originally posted by JuiceClouds
I have heard whispers of this being somehow connected to a possible push back into the US market in 2016.
Who knows....
As a former US player who hasnt played on Stars or Tilt since BF, i really have no dog in this fight.

there are also rumors that people from us will plaz in seperate player poll.

Mój mikro PLO blog

Zapraszam wszystkich zainteresowanych rozmowami na temat PLO na skype: Janosikgdy

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