Wow. I leave you guys alone for five minutes and you're already on about something new...
I currently have a powered toaster and remote which live in the studio. If I get back out gigging next year, I'll probably buy the Stage because I enjoy the performance mode / buttons and tuner on my remote. That's a larger footprint than the Player, but I don't use any other pedals. The Stage would still slim down my rig and also let my toaster stay nice and comfy in the studio. So, the Player isn't something I would need.
That said, I think it's a brilliant addition. If I look at it as yet another amp sim pedal instead of expecting it to be a Stage or a Profiler, it's clearly going to be a huge success. It's all the tone quality you'd expect from a Kemper, and for guys who don't care about performance mode (which I'm sure is a very large percentage of users), it covers most of their needs and fits on a pedalboard.
I also understand the intentional limitations. I wouldn't spend $1500 on a Stage if I could get the exact same thing for $700. If I want a Stage, I'm willing to pay for it. If I didn't need all that, I'd be happy with the Player's limitations and the money I saved.
Adding paid upgrades to different levels of functionality makes sense. However, like others my first thought was, "Is this a sign of things to come, an end to all the free OS updates and a move to pay as you go?" I have the same trepidations when a software company offers a subscription model even though they promise to still offer perpetual licenses (which often quietly disappear a year later).
If it was anyone other than Kemper this would be a serious concern, but these guys are the gold standard for product support. I can't imagine the company changing its DNA because of one product. They are who they are, so I expect ongoing support for all products to continue to be best in class.
Well done, guys. Wishing you much success!