How many Subscriptions do you think this game has right now

[star-forge]

im cancelling for a few months as this game has too many issues for a subscription based game

[Redrum]

Two less~

[Xanikk]

Two less~

 

Ignorance is bliss.

[Redrum]

Ignorance is bliss.

 

 

You would know wouldn't you? Clichés and memes are always convincing...of one's inability to articulate original thoughts....

 

I for one am not surprised that mediocrity is acceptable.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Redrum

[DalrisThane]

Deleted. No point. Everyone is TLDR these days. +See Sig. Edited March 31, 2013 by DalrisThane

[Necrolepsy]

1.9 to 2 million. Growth is obvious but it's steady. I expect it to ramp up prior to MoP launch, dip slightly then rebound again since MoP will be a joke anyway and people will have finished their annual pass subs.

[AndasKastor]

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m part of the problem.

 

I’m one of those people that have no problem paying a monthly fee for a single person game. Even one that I log in an hour or two a day. Obviously, I’m on the low end of that 4 hour per day estimate, but some of them have to be to average out at 4. Some have to be less than 4, to balance the heavy players. And, less than 4... that’s me.

 

And, I’m here to play KOTOR-3, so the only time you’ll see me, is when I’m going between a solo quest hub, and an instanced dungeon, or, doing the odd outdoor solo mission. General Chat is off. And, I play on a RP low pop server (low pop on PURPOSE), during off hours, to maximize the chance that there won’t be other players going after the “mission phase 3-4” unique Elite mobs in the outdoor zones.

 

Then, there’s the people I know, with different shifts now (so I haven’t played with them in a while) that are doing the same thing. And, those that play TOR in between Uncharted 3 and/or (now) Mass Effect 3.

 

So, in simple, we’re subbed, but we’re rarely on. And, if you do the math, 200 hours / class / 1.5 hours per day = Maxed after 133 days i.e. 4 months. x8 classes = 32 months, which I’ll round down to 24 just to make people happy.

 

That’s 2 years, assuming not a single drop of content is added to the story / single player element, from a player that is using up tiny bandwidth, doesn’t complain with “more content please” feedback, and is guaranteed income.

 

IF the old adage of “80% of the resources of a company is consumed by 20% of the customers” is true, I’m part of the golden 80% of the customers that use up 20% of the resources.

 

Heck, the game could go down to 50k subs, and it affects my gaming experience… exactly… zero… at least for the next 2 years.

 

So, to answer, as a GUESS, I’d say there’s a lot of subs, but not a lot of people, because either they’ve quit but there’s still time in their subscription, or they play single player a lot, or they just don’t play a lot.

 

Makes sense. If you play more than 4H a day (since 4H is the average, then quite a few have to play more than 4 to make 4… the average), you’re basically done by now. We (i.e. me and my friends) and far from it. And, it seems, we’re the target market. I won’t lie… doesn’t suck… And I’m EA’s best customer, as I’m “guaranteed” to be around for 2 years, and they don’t have to put 1 line of code for that 2 year sub of mine to stick around. Now imagine how long I’ll stick around if/when they add “Chapter 4” or 5, or 6…

 

So, again, sorry, but I’m part of the problem as far as players are concerned. Sadly for some of you, as far as EA is concerned I’m the “ideal” customer. 2 Years of bank… guaranteed.

 

TL;DR = As many have said there may be lots of subs, but it doesn’t show IN GAME because either people solo a lot more than most think, or they don’t play at lot, or they’ve already quit despite pre-paid time.

 

^^^ My wife and I are the same way. We will play 5 or 6 hours on Saturday and Sunday. She will log not log on during the week and I will play an hour here or there on alts during the week.

 

I am sure EA loves us.

[Folgrin]

1.64 million and a half subs. Edited March 9, 2012 by Folgrin

[rkopczak]

plenty.

[Koalachan]

Gonna say over 1.7 million. I'm guessing that SOMEBODY in Asia and Australia have probably bought the game this week, or else BW's marketing there sucks.

 

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-08-star-wars-the-old-republic-sitting-at-nearly-1-7-million-paid-subscribers

[Touchbass]

Gonna say over 1.7 million. I'm guessing that SOMEBODY in Asia and Australia have probably bought the game this week, or else BW's marketing there sucks.

 

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-08-star-wars-the-old-republic-sitting-at-nearly-1-7-million-paid-subscribers

 

Yeah, I think there will be a boost, not sure how significant though. Maybe 1.8m~+? They only opened three servers which tells me a lot of people bought the game previously over there like in Australia.

[Malefactor]

Yeah, I think there will be a boost, not sure how significant though. Maybe 1.8m~+? They only opened three servers which tells me a lot of people bought the game previously over there like in Australia.

 

Don't forget about their plans to expand and launch in more regions, pretty sure there was something about getting into Asia and that they are currently in talks to do so in the last conference call. Let's also bear in mind they are increasing advertising with Tv ads and things like the recent invite friends for a free trial. I suspect we will see more marketing and more things to grow the population as time goes by.

 

No one can deny that 1.7 million is an excellent start (well they can but they'd be utter fools that are lying to themselves). Those are numbers that most MMOs would kill for.

[Tekkoclarky]

I think it will be a bit lower than the last numbers we were given, it will probably rise though in April.

[Samborino]

Less than a 1mill and shrinking every day

 

Lol sorry to dissapoint but 1.7 million as of end of february, and thats before the asia pacific launch.

 

Also it stayed steady at 1.7 through the month of february as it had 1.7 on february 1st as well.

 

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-03-08-star-wars-the-old-republic-sitting-at-nearly-1-7-million-paid-subscribers

 

With the asia pacific launch i can imagine the numbers climbing up at least a couple hundred thousand with honkong singapore NZ and australia. I bet the analysts will be right and it will be around 2 million by end of june. Especially with people getting out of school for the summer and looking to pick up an mmo.

 

Also i think we will see a resurgance in people resubbing after 1.2 .

[SirRobin]

Well I canceled after reading Electronic Arts reveals new Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars online numbers. This would hardly be the first time a CEO has "exaggerated" to protect his job or ego and I'm sure it won't be the last. I'm just tired of them assuming we're stupid.

 

On March 8th John stated that TOR has "1.7M active subscribers." Even the article states that it appears nothing much has changed. Then we get the spin about the "vast majority" being passed the first thirty days. So what? Back on February 1st John said they had 1.7 million "active" units.

 

Did no one buy the game in February?

 

Didn't this "most successful MMO through this period in the history of the industry" open up in four new markets on the 29th? They chose to bring up ME3's sales "estimates" a day or two after it launches and talk about TOR's "actives," but not one whisper about TOR's sales?

 

Not to mention the whole "most successful" comment is pretty silly. World of Warcraft launched in November of 2004 and had phenomenal growth for months. Including the months John is talking about. I watched the seemingly endless flood of new players swamping the servers.

 

A very different experience compared to the first couple of months here.

 

So, "history of the industry?" Hardly.

 

Going from 1.7 to... 1.7 isn't growth. This isn't the second or third year of TOR. Its the second or third month. This pay-to-play mutliplayer game, which cost almost two hundred to make, has already peaked? Well 1.7 million may be paying but it certainly doesn't seem like they are playing.

 

That's when it hit me. I'm one of those paying but not playing. I'm one of those 1.7 million. I'm not part of the solution by making it possible for John to pretend TOR is doing great. I'm part of the problem. So I canceled my account yesterday.

 

I don't hate this game. It is just a game after all and its not like we haven't seen this same scenario play out over and over again in the last five plus years. However, I do not like hype and spin and John's comment about TOR in yesterday's article reeked of both.

Edited March 9, 2012 by SirRobin

[zrinking]

Well I canceled after reading Electronic Arts reveals new Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars online numbers. This would hardly be the first time a CEO has "exaggerated"

 

 

I stopped reading when I realized you had to invent conspiracy theories to quantify your opinion.

[Xothos]

Well I canceled after reading Electronic Arts reveals new Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars online numbers. This would hardly be the first time a CEO has "exaggerated" to protect his job or ego and I'm sure it won't be the last. I'm just tired of them assuming we're stupid.

 

On March 8th John stated that TOR has "1.7M active subscribers." Even the article states that it appears nothing much has changed. Then we get the spin about the "vast majority" being passed the first thirty days. So what? Back on February 1st John said they had 1.7 million "active" units.

 

Did no one buy the game in February?

 

Didn't this "most successful MMO through this period in the history of the industry" open up in four new markets on the 29th? They chose to bring up ME3's sales "estimates" a day or two after it launches and talk about TOR's "actives," but not one whisper about TOR's sales?

 

Not to mention the whole "most successful" comment is pretty silly. World of Warcraft launched in November of 2004 and had phenomenal growth for months. Including the months John is talking about. I watched the seemingly endless flood of new players swamping the servers.

 

A very different experience compared to the first couple of months here.

 

So, "history of the industry?" Hardly.

 

Going from 1.7 to... 1.7 isn't growth. This isn't the second or third year of TOR. Its the second or third month. This pay-to-play mutliplayer game, which cost almost two hundred to make, has already peaked? Well 1.7 million may be paying but it certainly doesn't seem like they are playing.

 

That's when it hit me. I'm one of those paying but not playing. I'm one of those 1.7 million. I'm not part of the solution by making it possible for John to pretend TOR is doing great. I'm part of the problem. So I canceled my account yesterday.

 

I don't hate this game. It is just a game after all and its not like we haven't seen this same scenario play out over and over again in the last five plus years. However, I do not like hype and spin and John's comment about TOR in yesterday's article reeked of both.

 

You're trying way to hard to sound smart and troll here

[Dayln]

whoever guessed 1.7 million... won

 

whoever gessed a lot less than that.... LOL

[SirRobin]

I stopped reading when I realized you had to invent conspiracy theories to quantify your opinion.

 

Congratulations for an apparent lack of ability to pay attention to the last decade or two of corporate history?

 

You're trying way to hard to sound smart and troll here

 

Sorry, I like to think. Though I realized quite some time ago that many apparently prefer to be unimpeded by the thought process.

Edited March 9, 2012 by SirRobin

[lordkains]

I log on and see less and less on.Only 24 on fleet almost all day.

[Tarka]

It may be a business but never underestimate how big the egos involved might be. Remember McQuaid and Vanguard? Daniel's mini-rant? Lord British and Tabula Rasa? Expecting people to pull their heads out of their rears, when reality comes knocking, often ignores how they got their heads stuck there in the first place.

 

Hell, even Gordon's takeaway from JTL was that RPG players must not "do 3D well."

 

QFT. when it comes to using logic and reasoning to determine how likely MMO devs are going to do something, the first rule of thumb is: don't bother. As SirRobin states, egos and arrogance often over-ride any logic in play.

 

As I figured it would be, the "guild summit" was nothing more than a showcase for 1.2 coupled with a few vague "we really want to do XYZ in the future" statements. No concrete roadmap beyond the 1.2 patch. Good intentions are nice and all, but customers don't pay for good intentions. They need reasons to continue giving Bioware their subs.

 

Once again Bioware try to play their cards close to their chest, but that may ultimately bite them in the proverbial ***.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Tarka

[Tarka]

Well I canceled after reading Electronic Arts reveals new Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars online numbers. This would hardly be the first time a CEO has "exaggerated" to protect his job or ego and I'm sure it won't be the last. I'm just tired of them assuming we're stupid.

 

On March 8th John stated that TOR has "1.7M active subscribers." Even the article states that it appears nothing much has changed. Then we get the spin about the "vast majority" being passed the first thirty days. So what? Back on February 1st John said they had 1.7 million "active" units.

 

Did no one buy the game in February?

 

Didn't this "most successful MMO through this period in the history of the industry" open up in four new markets on the 29th? They chose to bring up ME3's sales "estimates" a day or two after it launches and talk about TOR's "actives," but not one whisper about TOR's sales?

 

Not to mention the whole "most successful" comment is pretty silly. World of Warcraft launched in November of 2004 and had phenomenal growth for months. Including the months John is talking about. I watched the seemingly endless flood of new players swamping the servers.

 

A very different experience compared to the first couple of months here.

 

So, "history of the industry?" Hardly.

 

Going from 1.7 to... 1.7 isn't growth. This isn't the second or third year of TOR. Its the second or third month. This pay-to-play mutliplayer game, which cost almost two hundred to make, has already peaked? Well 1.7 million may be paying but it certainly doesn't seem like they are playing.

 

That's when it hit me. I'm one of those paying but not playing. I'm one of those 1.7 million. I'm not part of the solution by making it possible for John to pretend TOR is doing great. I'm part of the problem. So I canceled my account yesterday.

 

I don't hate this game. It is just a game after all and its not like we haven't seen this same scenario play out over and over again in the last five plus years. However, I do not like hype and spin and John's comment about TOR in yesterday's article reeked of both.

 

I agree. I pay, but hardly play. Compared to a month ago, I only now log in to do a flashpoint with friends.

 

I'm what John Riccitiello calls a "core user", or what Daniel referred to as the "traditional MMO mindset". The Legacy system doesn't interest me. I want to progress my current end game character, not just continually "roll alts".

 

I've experienced the content in the game that interests me (one run through the levels + experienced the PVE end game content), but I find that what is included in the game isn't enough. To me, this product lacks the additional reasons to keep me logging in. Just throwing another flashpoint / operation / warzone at it won't do that for very long for me.

 

To me, right now this MMO is like an emaciated animal. It could possibly be nursed to full health over time, but that might take quite some time and may ultimately end in failure if the right measures aren't taken.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Tarka

[MGriffith]

Well I canceled after reading Electronic Arts reveals new Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars online numbers. This would hardly be the first time a CEO has "exaggerated" to protect his job or ego and I'm sure it won't be the last. I'm just tired of them assuming we're stupid.

 

Sadly, upon reading these boards it is not much of an assumption ...

 

On March 8th John stated that TOR has "1.7M active subscribers." Even the article states that it appears nothing much has changed. Then we get the spin about the "vast majority" being passed the first thirty days. So what? Back on February 1st John said they had 1.7 million "active" units.

 

Did no one buy the game in February?

 

About a 100.000 if memory serves me correctly. Some people left, some others bought the game. Those numbers turned out to be pretty much in balance this past month.

 

Didn't this "most successful MMO through this period in the history of the industry" open up in four new markets on the 29th? They chose to bring up ME3's sales "estimates" a day or two after it launches and talk about TOR's "actives," but not one whisper about TOR's sales?

 

If you had bothered to read the interview you would have seen that the numbers were from before the 3 asian/pacific servers were opened.

Today SW:TOR is one of the most successfull MMOs that you can play. They also set the record for initial sales. That is like how movies brag about the number of their opening weekend viewers. It means that a lot of people wanted to play the game pretty badly and that their initial marketing campaign was succesful.

A 85pct retention rate over the first two months is also pretty impressive for this type of game. You may not like it but it is way ahead of the curve compared to other games that were released the past 5 years.

 

Not to mention the whole "most successful" comment is pretty silly. World of Warcraft launched in November of 2004 and had phenomenal growth for months. Including the months John is talking about. I watched the seemingly endless flood of new players swamping the servers.

 

That doesn't negate the fact that WoW did not sell 2 million boxes in less than a month. Which is what EA was bragging about. Or that a lot of WoWs 10 million are guestimates because their big asian market does not use a subscription model and Blizzard has to guess how many actual players each internet cafe account represents. That does not mean that WoW is not a huge success still, but it does mean that to be fair you should compare their sales in the USA and Europe the first months and ignore the asian markets if you want to compare how the two games sell. (and yes, WoW would still come out ahead but not by such a huge margin).

 

Going from 1.7 to... 1.7 isn't growth. This isn't the second or third year of TOR. Its the second or third month. This pay-to-play mutliplayer game, which cost almost two hundred to make, has already peaked? Well 1.7 million may be paying but it certainly doesn't seem like they are playing.

 

Considering that most MMOs steadily lose players the first months keeping a stable number of active accounts is a bit of an achievement in and of itself.

 

That's when it hit me. I'm one of those paying but not playing. I'm one of those 1.7 million. I'm not part of the solution by making it possible for John to pretend TOR is doing great. I'm part of the problem. So I canceled my account yesterday.

 

I honestly have no idea what you hope to achieve with that. If you don't like the game then by all means cancel your subscription and find another game or hobby you enjoy more.

If on the other hand you stop playing just to stick it Bioware and EA then .. well, I have really no idea what to think or say about that.

[Maltra]

about 1mil500, but the ones actually playing range from 800k to MAYBE 1mil

[SirRobin]

About a 100.000 if memory serves me correctly. Some people left, some others bought the game. Those numbers turned out to be pretty much in balance this past month.

 

Have sales really dropped off that much already?

 

If you had bothered to read the interview you would have seen that the numbers were from before the 3 asian/pacific servers were opened.

 

I did read the interview. The initial impetus for the article seems to be revealing the initial sales estimate for Mass Effect 3. A game which had been on the shelves for only a day or two. Then it goes in to The Old Republic but no mention of sales in the new markets that its been in for a week?

 

Today SW:TOR is one of the most successfull MMOs that you can play. They also set the record for initial sales. That is like how movies brag about the number of their opening weekend viewers. It means that a lot of people wanted to play the game pretty badly and that their initial marketing campaign was succesful.

 

TOR is "one of" the most successful MMO's that you can play? Absolutely. "Most successful MMO through this period in the history of the industry" is a far cry from "one of" however.

 

A 85pct retention rate over the first two months is also pretty impressive for this type of game. You may not like it but it is way ahead of the curve compared to other games that were released the past 5 years.

 

Well the first few months is when a new mmo is hottest. So it should do very well for the first few months. While I suspected the subscription numbers were already "settling," to actually read it was surprising.

 

Considering that most MMOs steadily lose players the first months keeping a stable number of active accounts is a bit of an achievement in and of itself.

 

TOR peaking before the beginning of February is a good thing?

 

I honestly have no idea what you hope to achieve with that. If you don't like the game then by all means cancel your subscription and find another game or hobby you enjoy more.

 

I'm not actually trying to "achieve" anything. I noticed that the commentary seemed to be ignoring some parts of the article. Parts that stood out to me and with the realization that followed... I posted about it.

 

If on the other hand you stop playing just to stick it Bioware and EA then .. well, I have really no idea what to think or say about that.

 

Well this is the official forum for the game and the part of it for general discussion. I'm not trying to "stick it" to BioWare or EA. Even if I wanted too, I wouldn't need too.