This was answered maybe a hundred times but here we go again:

It is badly worded.

You dont have a payed subscription, it just means that Stardock commits to at least one year of updates to the game. Which is different to most publishers that plan for one update and then be done and start working on other games.

I hope this answers your question.

It's really just a marketing scheme. Basically, they are just saying they will be actively developing lots of free content for the game for one year. Then, an expansion pack will be released (around that time), adding more content. 

If you want the further "free content booster packs" then you'd probably have to purchase the expansion pack. Bugfixes would probably be back-ported to the non-expansion pack editions (I hope), but I doubt you would see more original content. The first expansion will be free for everyone who purchases the game before 1.3 (a peace offering for the rough release). 

Stardock has a good reputation for support games for the long haul (Gal Civ's got a *small* patch sometime last year, which was several years after its release). This is just their marketing team trying to capitalize it in a - in my opinion - confusing and misleading manner. 

Basically... don't worry. Elemental will get patched for free for at least a year, and it's being used to drive sales. That's all there is too it. No subscription (: 

Good. I guess I don't have to worry then. But it's really misleading. Thank you for your answers.

whats even more disturbing is imagining brad sleeping...i thought he was some superhuman immortal that never slept ate or drank.

lol.  i am going to buy this game in ten years and demand that they live up to that ad. 

Date on the image is 08/27/10, and people "just got this" they said. Sounds like it is new and post-release.

I think it was an attempt to stress that Stardock is committed to improving the game in the near future, and that your purchase of the game gets you some sort of input into the process.  Capitalizing on the whole "Stardock isn't like ____ developer, they care" feeling that people have for them.

Sadly, like other things found in the forums lately (posts by staff, or Brad) the wording isn't exactly "ready for the masses" and is easily misunderstood.  I wonder if they have a marketing person that handles this stuff, or a PR or community relations person that filters thing before they go out ... I get the feeling they do not.

The ad says that they'll offer a years worth of free updates. It doesn't specify that those updates begin when you immediately purchase it. If they provide updates for a year, they will be living up to the ad.

*sigh* This is just a marketing attempt that turned into a big faux pas because people don't understand what they mean. They mean they will be working on the game for at least a whole year adding content, fixing bugs, improving functionality. The kind of stuff you would normally see in a n expansion you would have to pay for. And ALL of this will be FREE for people who have purchased the game rather than having to pay for an expansion or DLC. After that they'll likely still be doing bug fixes and may even provide some free content but then the major improvements will probably go toward an expansion you have to pay for if you want it. This is MUCH better than you get with most companies.

Even if i try to interprete it with the worst intention in mind, i have no clue how you can come to this conclusion.