Investor conference call

[Tiaa]

Specially when you make the game unfriendly to casual players. Put in Cross server LFG tools and you retain most of those customers.

 

I disagree.

 

This game was made for casual players. But not casual MMO players, casual KoTOR fans who are mainly anti-social and kill the MMO aspect of the game.

 

The PROBLEM is that casual MMO players were thrown into the the same group as the...

 

"I WANT A SINGLE-PLAYER MMO!" group.

 

The single-player crowd, who usually care very little about MMOs, is what Bioware obviously aimed for.

 

They made a huge mistake and instead should have focused on ways to bring players together instead of apart.

 

It's very easy to tell that the community isn't a whole by just reading this forum.

 

Everything about SWTOR is polarized. In game and out.

 

That's the only innovative thing about SWTOR.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Tiaa

[Verce]

In minute 35 on the EA conference call they clarified that PAYING users are actually up. The ones who left were predominantly people who didn't enter the payment cycle and cancelled after the free time was up.

 

http://www.shareholder.com/visitors/event/build2/mediapresentation.cfm?companyid=ERTS&mediaid=53330&mediauserid=6163635&TID=1856559054:6f771d90fd3d75066f12d2e9730b9129&popupcheck=0&shexp=201205080537&shkey=053c04f7b98556265c00d204e7b6c3ec&player=3

Edited May 8, 2012 by Verce

[Raxonar]

Maybe for some older F2P titles. GW2 will not be like this. Their Micro Transaction market will be there for Asthetic purposes only and in no way effect the advancement/power of a character's avatar or allow the purchase of any special content with real money.

 

Are you sure you don't want to rethink your response about there only being asthetic items in GW2's cash shop? http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/28104-cash-shop-items-leak/

GW2 will be just another pay-for-advantage game that goes hand in hand with the F2P model.

 

Number one Developer priority in P2P vs F2P

P2P = Produce content that keeps people engaged over extented periods of time.

F2P = Spend time working out as many ways as possible to get people to use the cash shop.

 

One of them is trying to make the game fun and interesting to keep you around, the other is trying to make things so inconvenient that you may very well concider doing yourself bodily harm.

[Maxil]

In minute 35 on the EA conference call they clarified that PAYING users are actually up. The ones who left were predominantly people who didn't enter the payment cycle and cancelled after the free time was up.

 

http://www.shareholder.com/visitors/event/build2/mediapresentation.cfm?companyid=ERTS&mediaid=53330&mediauserid=6163635&TID=1856559054:6f771d90fd3d75066f12d2e9730b9129&popupcheck=0&shexp=201205080537&shkey=053c04f7b98556265c00d204e7b6c3ec&player=3

 

It's either predominantly or not at all. That whole segment was a bit *** as they were jumping between release numbers and current numbers. The way it's formated as he says it, we've lost customers since release, but we number of customers has increased. But AFAIK it's not possible to sell what, 2mil copies, be at 1.3mil subscribers, and say you have positive retention.

 

That whole bit was just cleverly worded investor fluff, because you don't need official statistics to look around the game servers in just the last 2 months alone and know there are less people playing, meaning most of the subs they are considering to be active are just not being played and will lapse out. But I'm not going to fire up the argument of when what numbers were gathered because there's enough of that in other threads and no one has enough proof from that call to actually know where in the timeline they are addressing.

 

TY for the link, will put it in the OP.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Maxil

[ISTrick]

who told them this?

or maybe the casuals just pay month to month?

 

if this game goes f2p ill be quitting. they always end up putting too many restrictions on games when theyre f2p trying to force you to spend more money...

 

no thank you...

 

F2P can go frak itself, I'd be happy to cull the herd further, get rid of 300,000 whiners to a nice even 1 million, merge some servers to make it all full again (not a problem I have, being in New Zealand.. we're heavy-full a large percentage of the time down under on our servers) and bring in what should have been brought in on 1.2 (Rated Warzones etc) plus keep the content rolling.

 

The future is rosy. I'm off for a drink and a cigar.

[kevlarto]

scoff at the sims all you want but it is a huge money maker for EA, look at the top selling games there always seems to be a version of the sims in the top 5 or 10..It is not a game I play but I know lots of house wives that live a fantasy through it. EA owns pogo, facebook games are huge..EA is huge and diverse, they are are not going to put all thier eggs in the Tor basket, besides they do not own Tor, it is not thier baby to do as they please, it is still a lucas Arts property, EA has only aquired rights to it for a length of time, So I understand where EA is coming from, this game will make them loads of money, along with the other eggs in the basket..

[UltimateKrucible]

From the BBC:

 

For the fourth quarter as a whole EA's net income totalled $400m (£247m), up from $151m the previous year. Sales rose 20% to $1.4bn.

 

£247m a quarter is a heck of a lump of change ... and a heck of a lot of lightsabres.

[Vialator]

This makes me worry about swtor - I have unsubbed and don't think I will come back- free to play with micro transactions sucks!

less support and ends up costing a lot more till they get enough money back to cover losses- then close the game down- every mmo that has gone that path does it!

 

Look at how age of conan is doing-its the exact same formulae as what they are planning!

[ISTrick]

This makes me worry about swtor - I have unsubbed and don't think I will come back- free to play with micro transactions sucks!

less support and ends up costing a lot more till they get enough money back to cover losses- then close the game down- every mmo that has gone that path does it!

 

Look at how age of conan is doing-its the exact same formulae as what they are planning!

 

The report doesn't say anywhere that SWTOR is going F2P, it says that some of their titles will be going F2P (and they have more than anyone on planet Earth.. )

[jimmyquinella]

Was an interesting meeting, read between the lines and one can get a good idea of the direction certain games are going.

 

 

 

Off topic- Sim City 5 looking to be SOLID! (Hurray super polluted cities!!)

[Mindsplitter]

Where is this "high demand for achievements" coming from? Certainly not on this forum.

 

Stock market investor meetings, making up crap for investors since 1817.

[tloops]

Specially when you make the game unfriendly to casual players. .

 

lol thats funny...this game was made for casuals,and now they are leaving. once the harcores get bored this game is dead.

[kidatwood]

lol thats funny...this game was made for casuals,and now they are leaving. once the harcores get bored this game is dead.

 

I don't think he specified what type of casual. He could very well mean people who jump from mmo to mmo

[HammersteinSW]

Good job - right after the quarterly statement they break an important item that players use. No wonder they bleed subs.

[EJedi]

I used to love BioWare, but ME3 and SWTOR are making me HATE them.

[Kelnoar]

Specially when you make the game unfriendly to casual players. Put in Cross server LFG tools and you retain most of those customers.

 

I beg to differ. I'm casual, and I love the game. I got a Sith Warrior to 50 finally, and started the story line for the Jedi Knight. I think it depends on what you look to get out of the game. Myself, I love the story aspect, and PvP. Both I can do on my own time and don't need to rely on other people to do it.

So your statement "they always do" isn't completely accurate. It's more accurate to say that most "deemed casual" players aren't really casual at all. Just less motivated to pursue their expectations of the game.

[Jtheargonaut]

I realy don't think half the posters actualy listened to the call, or understood it.

 

the player sub numbers is currently what was projected by their analysts.

 

the ceo even says theres more active credit card subscribers, says many times game is profitable, and that it's going to be profitable in fiscal 13.

[Dezzi]

From another thread...

So you, glanced at an article and decided to start spreading lies and false information?

 

Next time you want to spread fear, read what you link to.

Absolutely correct, but that still leaves the matter of them talking out of both sides of their mouth...

 

EA earlier stated that the rumors of layoffs were just rumors, but now we know they actually are laying people off, regardless of any net gain in staff--the distinction doesn't matter to those being laid off. At the same time Daniel Erickson was saying--just two weeks ago--that SWTOR's subscriptions hadn't changed, but now we know they have.

 

Does this kind of double-speak and smoke and mirrors showmanship inspire confidence in you?

[Muskaan]

So, EA admits that SWTOR didnt even make it to EA top 5.

[Tuscad]

EA owns 100 percent of Bioware, they are the same corporation.

 

Together they form: BEAware

[mikphobos]

i doubt people understand that EA is the one that give the money to BW for develop and add things to the game.

 

if EA already drop SWTOR from they top 5 to the top 10, is that a GOOD thing?

you must be really bad at simple logic if you think thats a good thing.

 

sure is in they top 10 right now, but how long before they drop from there?

and no money means no new things for the game not chance to make it get better, sure 1.3m is Fine and decent

but many fail to remember some other games launch soon, and they will take people with them

okay maybe wont affect the subs at the begin, but, how long till that people start liking more that games

because of the lack of new things on SWTOR, and they just decide to cancel they sub since they barely log on it

 

so please, think with some logic, this game need more support now than ever if we want it to stay alive, starting for us

lets have some hope, lets give some more time to BW to see how they answer, but lets be honest too, top 10 is not a good thing, and the next update for SWTOR will be critical, so lets hope for the best.

[misterjdw]

Part of the problem is that SWTOR is new. Like anything new, there are those who will try it and not like it. The game is very "fan based" also, and like many comic book movies, if the fans feel that the item has strayed to far off base, then you lose them too.

 

Look at what happend with the new Star War movies.

 

The game is a fine game, I do not compare it to any others I have played because it is a different game.

 

If you must know, the best game that I feel is out there as an MMO is Heroes/Villians. The character creation is a mark of genius, the quests are good. PvP is a bit non-balanced, but then again, I do NOT believe in balance in any game, PvP or not.

 

If I am playing a sniper, I expect to be good at being a sniper. If a tank is about to roll over my poor squishy body, I do not cry "foul! not balanced!", I simply expect to become one with the ground. I do not ever expect to be able to take out said tank. That is for someone playing a tank buster type.

 

No where in any of the articles quoted does it put the blame on SWOTR about poor stock or layoffs. It is simply a sign of the times with the economy the way it is. Many can not afford the games like they used to.

[crrypto]

So, EA admits that SWTOR didnt even make it to EA top 5.

 

EAs top 5:

 

1 - FIFA (you'd be surprised)

2 - BF3

3 - Madden

4 - Need for Speed franchise

5 - Sims franchise (still very popular)

Edited May 8, 2012 by crrypto

[Blistrich]

Subscription + microtransaction hybrid doesn't work. Examples: DCUO and EQ2

Subscription + microtransaction hybrid does work. Examples: LOTRO and DDO

 

We can do this all day.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Blistrich

[Tiek]

i think their understanding of how we as gamers differentiate between casual players and hardcore players is pretty off.

 

i think what they meant by casual was "oh, maybe ill give this game a try, whatever."

 

not exactly what we term as a casual player.