On July 26 at noon – right after the prize drawing for the free browser games – we’ll simplify the structure of the PlayCatan accounts: From that moment on, the only accounts available will be Free Accounts (before: Trial Accounts and Normal Accounts) and Premium Accounts.

All Free Accounts are free of charge and eligible for participation in prize drawings. However, all PlayCatan players must accept the new General Terms and Conditions (GT&C) before they can continue playing the games.

Premium Account holders can play in the Catan Online World based on the old GT&C, at least until the end of their respective pre-paid subscription periods. For users with an automatically renewing monthly Premium subscription, there is a transition period ending August 31st before their account is automatically downgraded to a no-cost Free Account (instead of debiting the monthly dues).

On July 26, all existing Trial Accounts and Normal Accounts will be converted into Free Accounts. Subsequently, all Free Accounts are eligible for participation in prize drawings for the browser games; they remain free of charge.

In other words: Starting on August 2nd, all existing Trial Accounts receive weekly scores and will thus appear in the Hall of Fame ranking; they may enter the prize drawing at the end of each month, provided that their owners scored a sufficiently high number of points. For Normal Account holders, basically nothing changes apart from the name of their account type.

From this time on, all newly registered players will get Free Accounts. Address information is no longer required for this purpose - applicants only need to provide a nickname chosen by themselves and a valid e-mail address. First-time registration is, therefore, equivalent to registration of a current Trial Account.

In the future, it will not be necessary anymore to provide address information in order to win a prize: Unless the personal information isn’t already registered under „My PlayCatan“ (as in the case of former Normal Accounts), you will be asked for your mailing address for prize delivery if you win. As of July 26, an address correction under “My PlayCatan” will no longer lead to erasure of game scores; you will also be able to change your first and last name.

You will be required to enter your full name and address only if you upgrade your Free Account to a Premium Account. No changes will occur for already existing Premium players: If you cancel your Premium Account, or after your subscription package or coupon has expired, your account is downgraded to a no-cost Free Account; your address information remains stored so that you won’t have to reenter the information when upgrading to a Premium Account again.

Premium users must accept the new GT&C as well. However, they may continue participating in the Catan Online World as before, until the end of their respective pre-paid subscription period - for up to 12 months in case of a subscription package.

Users with  an automatically renewing monthly Premium subscription will have time until August 31st: During this transition period, their accounts will be continued based on the old GT&C; no automatic downgrading will occur. As of September 1st, automatically renewing monthly Premium subscriptions will no longer be renewed if the account holder has not yet accepted the new GT&C. In this case, the account will be downgraded to a no-cost Free Account; the Premium membership ends.