Subs down 25%

[Sabilok]

EA just released their earnings and Star Wars subs are down 25% for the quarter. This can't be a good thing. Can we get server mergers ASAP?

 

Added link

 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ea-sales-beat-targets-star-wars-takes-hit-2012-05-07?siteid=yhoof2

[Sibonk]

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[grasstomouth]

I can't wait for EA employees like Rayla to start coming in and telling us losing subs is a good thing.

[Brimmer]

EA just released their earnings and Star Wars subs are down 25% for the quarter. This can't be a good thing. Can we get server mergers ASAP?

 

Added link

 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ea-sales-beat-targets-star-wars-takes-hit-2012-05-07?siteid=yhoof2

 

24%

Edited May 8, 2012 by Brimmer

[ZaRree]

Some info to those who are to lazy to search them self

 

Let me provide you with an update on Star Wars:

 

Through the end of the quarter, approximately 2.4 million units have sold through. In our last

call we indicated that we had 1.7 million active subscribers, and as of the end of April we now

have 1.3 million, with a substantial portion of the decrease due to casual and trial players

cycling out of the subscriber base, driving up the overall percentage of paying subscribers.

We have already launched a number of initiatives designed to grow subscriptions.

 

The initial responses have been positive and we are encouraged by the gaming community’s reaction.

In summary, we delivered an extraordinary launch of a solidly profitable long-term franchise,

which contributed to both our gross and operating margin improvements in fiscal 12. We expect

this title will further expand our margins in fiscal 13 as we get the full year benefit of subscription

revenue.

 

Let us give you two additional points of perspective as it relates to our current subscriber base

and its impact on our fiscal 13 guidance. First, the current number of active subscribers, 1.3

million, is very consistent with the original assumptions we made when we acquired BioWare in

2008. Second, while this franchise is very profitable, it only represents a mid-single digit

percent of our total profitability in fiscal 13.

 

 

 Star Wars: The Old Republic now has 1.3 million subscribers, with a much higher mix of

ongoing credit card consumers, but on a lower absolute number of subs. The service is

stable, profitable and we have strong plans to grow it in fiscal 13.

 

 The 143% growth in subscriptions, advertising and other revenue was driven by the

December launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic.

 

 Star Wars: The Old Republic was the most successful subscription MMO launch in history

and is now firmly established as the #2 MMO in the west. The service is extremely strong

on the operations level.

 

 Full game downloads were up 76% year-over-year. Origin contributed $48 million of nonGAAP revenue, fueled by Mass Effect 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic and revenue

generated from our third-party publishing relationships.

[bennygold]

I can't wait for EA employees like Rayla to start coming in and telling us losing subs is a good thing.

 

Also all the people who say this game will be fine with 250k players are wrong! How much of that 200 million do you think they downscaled after the game went live. I bet it costs more after the launch than prior to.

[illgot]

Diablo 3, Guild Wars 2, and The Secret World do not have to be great games to have a heavy impact on TORs currently pathetic server population.

 

What happens when those games come out and distract people for 2-3 months. How long will people stick around without the ability to PvP or PvE due to their servers lack of players?

[Rezakh]

The backlash from all the "TOR is dying" folks I think really comes from the let down. This game was supposed to be the major competitor to WoW and it failed, horribly, ignoring the very development points that BW advertised would need to be done to actually compete with WoW.

 

I wonder if this was the SoE crew that came over or someone else. The sooner they can dismiss those employees the better this game will be.

 

I have a full post on this here:

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=447469&page=124

[BlueFromMoon]

I call ********.

 

I keep hoping Elder Scroll Online is going to do it!

[DarthVindictus]

Diablo 3, Guild Wars 2, and The Secret World do not have to be great games to have a heavy impact on TORs currently pathetic server population.

 

What happens when those games come out and distract people for 2-3 months. How long will people stick around without the ability to PvP or PvE due to their servers lack of players?

 

I think D3 and GW2 will impact player activity more than subscriptions.

[DarthVindictus]

I call ********.

 

I keep hoping Elder Scroll Online is going to do it!

 

ESO is not going to play like an Elder Scrolls game.

 

It's going to be a GW2 clone, on the Hero Engine (same Engine as TOR that lags if you have more than 10 people on screen)

 

It's even going to retcon Elder Scrolls lore.

[JohraTon]

Was kinda to be expected in my opinion. However unrealistic people claim it is to compare this game to those who have been out for years, It will still effect subs. As we keep getting told casuals are who give the games the high sub numbers and they want a game they can pick up, play and put down again. With the number of bugs and "missing features" preventing casuals doing this we're not gonna get the consistent stream of new subscribers which is required to compensate for the number who are leaving.

 

Losing rated War Zones at the last minute has put off alot of PvP players who were fed up anyway and many of those who did stay got put off by the class changes which also came in 1.2

[Hellmet]

40% drop since launch.

[Synxos]

I'd bet a ton of money that the 1.3 mil figure is including the free months subscription they gave out....

That 1.3 figure is also BEFORE DIablo 3 and Guild Wars 2 are released.

 

They'll be lucky to have 1 mil subscribers by the end of the month.

[illgot]

I'd bet a ton of money that the 1.3 mil figure is including the free months subscription they gave out....

That 1.3 figure is also BEFORE DIablo 3 and Guild Wars 2 are released.

 

They'll be lucky to have 1 mil subscribers by the end of the month.

 

you mean they gave out that 1 free month just to bolster their numbers for this report... what!?

[Goretzu]

40% drop since launch.

 

That's actually still not bad compared to most MMORPGs.

 

I suspect it will be higher in the end.

 

But still I can see a solid long term (Western) subs base of 500,000 to 1,000,000 for SWTOR, which at the upper end is still pretty good.

[stonelead]

The main point is that GW2 has no sub fee at all...

 

Why the hell do they need it here? we already paid for the game... if something needs to be fixed then fix it, we dont need to pay for fixes... dosent make sense...

 

I have 3 months left (fanboy) but i have unsubbed, cause to have PVP i (and friends) need to gank a pub base for 30 mins until some enemy guilds come in to stop us... this causes 15 mins of fun until we are overpowered...

 

when we get back there.... everybody is gone...and the gank starts again.

[nissanmaxima]

Well at least there is one populated server to play on, Fatman. Its where all the cool kids are hanging out

[Satanski]

you mean they gave out that 1 free month just to bolster their numbers for this report... what!?

 

Wondering that myself.

[Synxos]

you mean they gave out that 1 free month just to bolster their numbers for this report... what!?

Um no, I didn't say that at all.

I said they're including those subscriptions, and the numbers will no doubt decrease because not nearly enough people will resubscribe....

 

I said nothing to imply that they gave out the free month just so they could boost their numbers for the report. Although it did have that effect.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Synxos

[HuggyTheBear]

Well if they cut about 35% of the servers down(look and count the freaking listing its huge.) It would increase the "high population feeling" for most people. Then they can all go back to fighting for spawns and World bosses.

[Sanxxx]

'Frank Gibeau - President, EA Labels: Sure, this is Frank. The trend line on STAR WARS is as follows. When we launched the product back in December, it was an event launch, we brought in a lot of users and with a brand like STAR WARS it reaches out much past the hardcore MMO fan base into the broader market. And as the service evolves from here what we're seeing is that the most initial casual customers has gone through a billing cycle and decided not to subscribe to the game. But for the most part we are seeing very good retention amongst core MMO users, which has given us a solid base of around 1.3 million on subscribers. The percentage of paying subscribers from our peak until now has actually gone up and the folks that we have are as engaged as they were when they first bought the product, and in fact if you look at how we are going to be releasing content going forward, we have a lot of elder game play, a lot of extension content that will keep them engaged and continue to grow on subs. Make no mistake, BioWare intends to grow subscribers. This quarter alone we released two major content upgrades designed to drive subscription royalty and again we have got many more plans throughout the year. We are also having a lot of success with our free-to-play weekends, and buddy key promotions, which is helping us drive acquisition and we will continue to hit those. We are actively planning territory and platform expansions and extensions in Europe and Asia for STAR WARS-The Old Republic. So, we feel like we have got a very strong base that over the long terms we are going to continue to grow.'

 

Frank Gibeau - President, EA Labels: Sure, this is Frank. The trend line on STAR WARS is as follows. When we launched the product back in December, it was an event launch, we brought in a lot of users and with a brand like STAR WARS it reaches out much past the hardcore MMO fan base into the broader market. [that in the very next sentence you say have left] And as the service evolves from here what we're seeing is that the most initial casual customers has gone through a billing cycle and decided not to subscribe to the game. But for the most part we are seeing very good retention amongst core MMO users [just what is a core MMO user ?], which has given us a solid base of around [!]1.3 million on subscribers. The percentage of paying subscribers from our peak until now has actually gone up [well that's a no brainer statement once you're past any mmo launch] and the folks that we have are as engaged as they were when they first bought the product [apparently not because according to BW they're playing less], and in fact if you look at how we are going to be releasing content going forward, we have a lot of elder game play, a lot of extension content that will keep them engaged and continue to grow on subs. Make no mistake, BioWare intends to grow subscribers [ in other words, this is your final warning BW!]. This quarter alone we released two major content upgrades designed to drive subscription royalty [except it did'nt] and again we have got many more plans throughout the year [so have I]. We are also having a lot of success with our free-to-play weekends, and buddy key promotions, which is helping us drive acquisition and we will continue to hit those. We are actively planning territory and platform expansions and extensions in Europe and Asia for STAR WARS-The Old Republic. So, we feel like [feel like, nice choice of words]we have got a very strong base that over the long terms we are going to continue to grow.[ except it hasn't 'continued to grow' !]

[vsalcedo]

The backlash from all the "TOR is dying" folks I think really comes from the let down. This game was supposed to be the major competitor to WoW and it failed, horribly, ignoring the very development points that BW advertised would need to be done to actually compete with WoW.

 

I wonder if this was the SoE crew that came over or someone else. The sooner they can dismiss those employees the better this game will be.

 

I have a full post on this here:

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=447469&page=124

 

No one said it was going to be a major WOW competitor lol. The game has a different player base then wow see all the negative PvP post those players don't belong in this game. MMO's aren't meant to be an all classes are exactly i alike type of deal. What those players call crappy PVP I call fun PvP. It's got problems but it's still a growing game.

[Synxos]

'

which has given us a solid base of around [!]1.3 million on subscribers.

 

 

 

 

I explained earlier in this thread how statement 1 is false. It is not a solid figure at all.

[JeramieCrowe]

Pick pick pick pick. Moan moan moan moan. This is the most cherry picking Chicken Littling unrealistically hyperbolic group I've seen for a long time. Compare/contrast. Step back, be objective. Numbers are numbers, people, and they don't lie. 24% is well above the typical MMO trend from launch out, when most other MMOs are at 50% or more at 6 months.

 

But you'll probably continue to ignore that and try to pull that sky down just to prove you're right.

 

Anyway. See you all in a year when subs have trended upwards.