They know they have a large fan base and they want to make a bigger profit for it, this is just to see how the fans feel so just make sure you let them know you dont like it. CoV is really just an expansion it runs the same engine will take a lot of the same updates, and will even play together with CoH so like all expansions it should not have its own annual fee.
I know this is a horrible comparison and I dont even play it anymore but SWG just released their space expansion, thats a completely new engine of sorts and SOE (SOE!!!) didnt make a second annual fee (noted if they did it would kill them beyond what they are at now).
Edit: Also CoH rocks so I dont discredit them for thinking about a second annual fee, they possibly could pull it off better than any other MMO.
