I have written about this subject many times before, but after the recent awards went out, its clear that Huddle is still a bit green on what VIP means. Im going to do my best to break down what we know, and comment a bit on the more gray areas of the program.

Program Background

This game has always had a pay to play element involved. That should be apparent, going back a long way to showcase how far one can go when you spend real money. After the first month of 2014 Bunt, a VIP program was announced to give support to the people who help provide the cash flow needed to run/maintain/improve the app. This program made its first appearance in Huddle last month, and I would expect it to ramp up exponentially as the season moves on.

Bottom line, if you spend a lot of real money, this program is for you. If you are a free to play fan, no problem, you wont miss a WHOLE lot.

Program Perks

Each level of VIP has its perks, all of which include a weekly coin bonus and a special reward card. Other items include better email support, and more access to special packs that are only available to people who have crossed each level. Again, none of these things are going to win you a weekly chase, but they dont hurt either.

The perk that really means the most is the weekly coin bonus, which can range from 60k+ for gold, all the way up to a million per week. You may think this is a windfall of riches, but remember how much money many are spending to get to this point. For the black and diamond members, it might be a drop in the bucket.

I fully support this program as it is always a good idea in business to help out your best customers. Apps are crazy expensive to build and run, especially with licensing involved, so you need this money to make it work. Free players can complain until they are hoarse, but in the grand scheme of things, Huddle cant exist without the people who spend the money they do. Losing these players with a lack of appreciate is bad for everyone.

This month, we also see that each level will get a reward card. Last month, the Gold VIPs got a Peyton Manning Valor insert, the Black VIPs got the Manning and a Julio Jones BB, and the Diamond got Manning, Julio and their own choice of a diamond VIP card. I would guess that with the BBs ending, there will be a special blue or higher card for the Black VIPs this month, but you never know. Im not going by what the article says this time around.

Achieving the Levels

No one knows exactly how much it takes to reach each level each month, and it might not be a set number either. Its not worth asking, because its one of those sales tactics. Topps hiding the goals means that more people will spend, but it can be a double edged sword.

What I have come to understand is that the monthly coin bonus should equal a minimum of 20-25% of what you spend in game. So, if the bonus is 250,000 over the month for the gold membership, you are going to need to purchase the eqvuivalent of close to a million coins or more. A million coins costs about 100 bucks, so as long as you spend that much, I would be shocked if you didnt end up as gold.

Some of you might be thinking – MY GOD THAT IS A TON OF MONEY! It is a lot, but for many people, this game is a fun hobby and the money isnt much, or its a business venture that can be recouped by selling cards on the secondary market.

Overall, the VIP program is a good thing. It is a very good thing. I encourage you to ask questions if you have them, but the information may not always be available to answer it.