Subs down 25%

[Muskaan]

They must have merged some servers they have many less server than release now don't they?

 

 

Warhammer didn't merge until far too late, but the time they did it everyone has left due to low pops.

 

And guess where those Mythic guys work now.

[Tenceriker]

I'm looking at things from a realistic perspective, it's much better really than to be angry and full of hate toward the game and people who like it which is the attitude you are presenting here.

 

If you consider yourself as realistic then I must disagree. I think you are a tad bit on the "optimistic and nothing is going to get me down" side and things here will get worse before they get better. As for my disposition I am not angry at the game. It is simply a sum of its parts and a far cry from what it could have been if it were better managed and delayed. I think your perception is limited by where you fall in community camp here.

[solidkjames]

24% was in one quarter WITH a free month added to keep subs "active". I for instance have cancelled but still have 101 days left. Hell, I might even give them a sub stat on their next quarterly report.

 

Game is going down. Thank 1.2

 

See it's this drivel that I'm referring to. The "free month" didn't even count in this as it was only for January til March. The free month didn't come until the end of April. And yeah you will give them a sub stat on their next report but honestly that doesn't matter. Good luck in whatever game you find that you are happy with but the game isn't going down for the vast majority of people. Just the people who are unhappy with the game in it's current state and want to cry hoping mommy will fix it.

[Zsavooz]

The problem with Star Wars: The Old Republic is that there are too few Skywalkers and too many walkers.

 

Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: EA ) is getting crushed today after reporting last night there were just 1.3 million active players by the end of March.

 

"Star Wars: The Old Republic is developing a committed community of players with more than 1.7 million active subscribers and growing," CEO John Riccitiello said back in February.

 

EA has poured a lot of money into that game. When you lose 400,000 players -- and all of your momentum -- in two months, you don't get that back.

 

Tell that to Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI ) . The world's largest video game company saw its World of Warcraft gamers peak at 12 million nearly two years ago. After relentless quarterly declines, the ranks of orcs, dwarves, and elves stand at 10.2 million by the end of December. We'll get a new tally when the company reports its quarterly results tomorrow.

 

Optimists argue that the defections decelerated in Activision Blizzard's most recent quarter. Just 100,000 net gamers bolted during the holiday quarter. However, the trend is still pointing in the wrong direction.

 

When EA raced to 1.7 million Star Wars fans during last year's debut of Star Wars: The Old Republic, many figured the players were coming at the expense of World of Warcraft. Now that EA's contender is slipping, could some of those 400,000 net defections be racing back to Activision Blizzard?

 

Don't bet on it.

 

There's a word to describe what's happening here -- and I'm about to coin it: Zynganization.

 

Zynga (Nasdaq: ZNGA ) has taught gamers to be fickle. Just as FarmVille players swap their farmlands for urban living in CityVille, social games don't stay on top for too long. There may never be another seven-year run of greatness like World of Warcraft accomplished.

 

Software developers don't see it that way. They still believe they can plug in expansion packs to keep a title going, but gamers are no longer as committed. Even Zynga found this out the hard way when Mafia Wars players didn't jump on Mafia Wars 2.

 

So, yes, Zynganization.

 

Keep that word in mind when Activision Blizzard reports further shrinkage tomorrow. Have the word handy when EA shakes its head three months from now, befuddled at how Legacy and Allies couldn't stop its dearth mauling.

[Tenceriker]

I understand since I have gone through the same cycle. I hardly post anymore because I don't like being negative,

 

In the end, swtor should have been great and perhaps been a WOW killer. But it is just too flawed and broken in major MMO concept and in implementation and imo that is the actual reason that people are leaving on the whole. .

 

The server pop issue is a chicken and egg discussion to me. Are servers empty because a lot of people are leaving or playing significantly less or are people leaving because servers are empty? It seems to be a downward spriral.

 

As far as the EA comment to the effect that casuals / new player types are leaving and core players are staying, my experience is exactly the opposite. My wife is a new player who is still in the new to MMOs and the just loving it stage while I am pretty much a core player. I would unsub in a minute but she is still enjoying herself and we love playing together. Even so, we both have discussed going over to WOW and are looking at new launches because even as a rank newbee, she has a number of frustrations with the game in spite of the fact that it still has the "new car smell" to her.

 

I believe that SWTOR will be remembered as the game that could have been and should have been, but never was.

 

I think that subs will continue to decline with blips along the way, but overall will show a downward trend until it stablizes at some point. I have no idea where that will be, but feel that it will be at a level that disappoints all but the most rabid fan boys and girls.

 

I wholeheartedly agree and I can't fathom SWTOR not being remembered as one of the most anticipated games of all time. I hope you and your wife can find an MMO you both enjoy. Perhaps once the leveling bubble pops she will decide to move on to greener pastures.

[solidkjames]

The problem with Star Wars: The Old Republic is that there are too few Skywalkers and too many walkers.

 

Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: EA ) is getting crushed today after reporting last night there were just 1.3 million active players by the end of March.

 

"Star Wars: The Old Republic is developing a committed community of players with more than 1.7 million active subscribers and growing," CEO John Riccitiello said back in February.

 

EA has poured a lot of money into that game. When you lose 400,000 players -- and all of your momentum -- in two months, you don't get that back.

 

Tell that to Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI ) . The world's largest video game company saw its World of Warcraft gamers peak at 12 million nearly two years ago. After relentless quarterly declines, the ranks of orcs, dwarves, and elves stand at 10.2 million by the end of December. We'll get a new tally when the company reports its quarterly results tomorrow.

 

Optimists argue that the defections decelerated in Activision Blizzard's most recent quarter. Just 100,000 net gamers bolted during the holiday quarter. However, the trend is still pointing in the wrong direction.

 

When EA raced to 1.7 million Star Wars fans during last year's debut of Star Wars: The Old Republic, many figured the players were coming at the expense of World of Warcraft. Now that EA's contender is slipping, could some of those 400,000 net defections be racing back to Activision Blizzard?

 

Don't bet on it.

 

There's a word to describe what's happening here -- and I'm about to coin it: Zynganization.

 

Zynga (Nasdaq: ZNGA ) has taught gamers to be fickle. Just as FarmVille players swap their farmlands for urban living in CityVille, social games don't stay on top for too long. There may never be another seven-year run of greatness like World of Warcraft accomplished.

 

Software developers don't see it that way. They still believe they can plug in expansion packs to keep a title going, but gamers are no longer as committed. Even Zynga found this out the hard way when Mafia Wars players didn't jump on Mafia Wars 2.

 

So, yes, Zynganization.

 

Keep that word in mind when Activision Blizzard reports further shrinkage tomorrow. Have the word handy when EA shakes its head three months from now, befuddled at how Legacy and Allies couldn't stop its dearth mauling.

 

VERY solid insight into the gaming conundrum going on in the world. GW2 will be in the same boat. Millions will buy it and then quit. That is why Blizzard is going after the facebook gamer HARDCORE with their new MMO codenamed Titan. It will be a social game that targets the facebook gamer and not the current WoW/SWTOR gamer. Most of the people happy with modern MMO's will be put off by it but the facebook social crowd along with people looking for something different will find a home there. SWTOR is the last Triple AAA MMO of this type that we will see, so if it doesn't make you happy nothing is coming down the pipe that will.

[RocNessMonster]

Perhaps Nexon can save this game. They at least have previous MMO experience, couldn't run it any worse then EA could they?

 

Part of this Zynganization as you called it is also prevalent in console games, their yearly editions lead to the next big game around the corner.

Edited May 8, 2012 by RocNessMonster

[Soul_of_Flames]

It's cause the majority of servers are under populated. But server mergers are not the answer. I do not want to be forced to change servers and change the names of my characters.

 

What I think they should do is open up server transfers from high populated servers to low populated servers and give every account that does so a free 15 days of play. Maybe even more. This would only be a one time thing though, so no hoping from server to server to get free play time.

 

Take a profit loss for a month or two and make up for it when more servers become more populated and fun to be on.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Soul_of_Flames

[Jederix]

This is what I've been saying everyone time someone says "good riddence" to the people that posted they were quitting SWTOR.

 

A game without subs isn't a game.

 

Your problem is you work under the ignorant assumption that you and your ilk constitute some kind of majority. Because you do not, your statement above carries very little weight.

 

It would be a much more enjoyable place if some of your ilk, and you, were gone from this game. As I said, the subscriber base still has some shrinking to do.

[Zsavooz]

Your problem is you work under the ignorant assumption that you and your ilk constitute some kind of majority. Because you do not, your statement above carries very little weight.

 

It would be a much more enjoyable place if some of your ilk, and you, were gone from this game. As I said, the subscriber base still has some shrinking to do.

 

I once shot an Ilk in my pajamas, how it got there, I'll never know.

[matzackjones]

The problem with Star Wars: The Old Republic is that there are too few Skywalkers and too many walkers.

 

Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: EA ) is getting crushed today after reporting last night there were just 1.3 million active players by the end of March.

 

"Star Wars: The Old Republic is developing a committed community of players with more than 1.7 million active subscribers and growing," CEO John Riccitiello said back in February.

 

EA has poured a lot of money into that game. When you lose 400,000 players -- and all of your momentum -- in two months, you don't get that back.

 

Tell that to Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI ) . The world's largest video game company saw its World of Warcraft gamers peak at 12 million nearly two years ago. After relentless quarterly declines, the ranks of orcs, dwarves, and elves stand at 10.2 million by the end of December. We'll get a new tally when the company reports its quarterly results tomorrow.

 

Optimists argue that the defections decelerated in Activision Blizzard's most recent quarter. Just 100,000 net gamers bolted during the holiday quarter. However, the trend is still pointing in the wrong direction.

 

When EA raced to 1.7 million Star Wars fans during last year's debut of Star Wars: The Old Republic, many figured the players were coming at the expense of World of Warcraft. Now that EA's contender is slipping, could some of those 400,000 net defections be racing back to Activision Blizzard?

 

Don't bet on it.

 

There's a word to describe what's happening here -- and I'm about to coin it: Zynganization.

 

Zynga (Nasdaq: ZNGA ) has taught gamers to be fickle. Just as FarmVille players swap their farmlands for urban living in CityVille, social games don't stay on top for too long. There may never be another seven-year run of greatness like World of Warcraft accomplished.

 

Software developers don't see it that way. They still believe they can plug in expansion packs to keep a title going, but gamers are no longer as committed. Even Zynga found this out the hard way when Mafia Wars players didn't jump on Mafia Wars 2.

 

So, yes, Zynganization.

 

Keep that word in mind when Activision Blizzard reports further shrinkage tomorrow. Have the word handy when EA shakes its head three months from now, befuddled at how Legacy and Allies couldn't stop its dearth mauling.

 

I tend to agree that it will be hard for any MMO to repeat WOWs success. It is a changed market now. I think EA are quietly pleased with their 1.3 million subs. I think the 2.4 million subs was a blip, just as you mention, and they elude to this as well. Ultimately, the game has achieved what was expected of it by EA and has a future ... but I think to secure that future BW need to undo a few decisions it made in knee-jerk reaction to the 2.4 million blip (i.e. server merges are a must IMHO).

[Jederix]

If you consider yourself as realistic then I must disagree. I think you are a tad bit on the "optimistic and nothing is going to get me down" side and things here will get worse before they get better. As for my disposition I am not angry at the game. It is simply a sum of its parts and a far cry from what it could have been if it were better managed and delayed. I think your perception is limited by where you fall in community camp here.

 

Of course you do. Whiners rarely agree with anything that doesn't fit their very narrow view of how things are. This decline is not the end of the world. Everything you have said above is your own personal opinion. Do not tout as fact.

 

Let me reiterate what I've said. The playerbase needs to shrink a bit more. Most of the people posting their "sky is falling" BS need to be among those leaving.

[Jederix]

They must have merged some servers they have many less server than release now don't they?

 

 

Warhammer didn't merge until far too late, but the time they did it everyone has left due to low pops.

 

So, reading comprehension is lost on you then. They have less servers because they closed some, after people transfered off.

 

Not one server was merged with another. The same will happen here. It really isn't that hard to figure out; at least, I didn't think it was.

 

THERE WILL BE NO MERGERS. NONE. ZILCH. NADA. Stop asking for them.

[Urael]

EA blames Star Wars: The Old Republic subscribers fall on casuals leaving game

 

EA's games label boss Frank Gibeau told investors last night the 400,000 subscriber drop was the result of casual gamers declining to subscribe to the MMO after going through a "billing cycle".

 

Yeah it was just the "casual gamers".

 

It didn't have ANYTHING to do with the lack of LFG, Rated Warzones, the fact that its very easy to level in the game, or all the myriad different reasons many have raised on these forums.

 

Yep it was "the casuals".

 

Right.

[Andryah]

the bar chart can be a bit misleading, the graphs showing in the mioolons, if you look closely tor and wow west hadroughly the same growth in the same rough amount of time before tor lost subs. at that time wow had its growth economy was in much better shape, and there was only swg, ffxi, and eq it realy had to contend with.

 

Tor on the other hand has had much more games to contend with being released at the same time with a much more unstable economy. if given the ideal conditons wow had i doubt we would have had the decline.

 

I don't disagree.

 

But the chart does show a fundamental post-wow characteristic of MMOs overall: locust consumption and abandonment.

 

Rremove WoW from the chart (since it is the reference point) and remove Aion because Aion released in Asia first, so it's an outlyer with much different characteristics in it's early months.

 

The rest that showed positive early growth are pre-WoW and were launched at a time when people were not sitting in a WoW capital city anticipating and salivating at the next "wow killer".

 

Whereas Rift, AoC, Warhammer, and SWTOR were all targets of much pent up demand and early pile on, followed by rabid consumption, followed by disillusion and migration to the next field of dreams.

 

Rift is an acutal recent reference point for post-WoW, much anticipated MMO with pent up demand, released recently (one year ago), and considered successful. So it makes and objective reference in the modern era. It's subscription results therefore are a credible reference for what modern MMOs face. So in a sense you can use it as the "canary" in the MMO community.

 

Since SWTOR tracks subscription dynamics pretty closely with Rift, it will likely follow similar sub dynamics. Meaning it will still be 1 million + subs one year after launch. Now, some people will call that "fail" but it is 2x what Bioware needs to be a profitable and thriving MMO in today's market.

[asbalana]

I wholeheartedly agree and I can't fathom SWTOR not being remembered as one of the most anticipated games of all time. I hope you and your wife can find an MMO you both enjoy. Perhaps once the leveling bubble pops she will decide to move on to greener pastures.

 

Thank you for your kind words. She hit 50 and obtained the "Darth" title on her Sith Warrior this weekend. What a proud moment that was for her.

 

We have started doing dailies and she is leveling up a JK now.

 

I will always be greatful to BW. My wife is a rabid Star Wars fan and it took this game to start her gaming. We can now look forward to sharing this form of entertainment together for many years. I do wish it could have been in the Star Wars universe.

 

LOL, playing with her has opened my eyes. The gentle loving woman in my life has turned out to be a leaping Sith Warrior who loves to fly though the air, land, and smash face. I never saw that coming.

[Goretzu]

Your problem is you work under the ignorant assumption that you and your ilk constitute some kind of majority. Because you do not, your statement above carries very little weight.

 

It would be a much more enjoyable place if some of your ilk, and you, were gone from this game. As I said, the subscriber base still has some shrinking to do.

 

"My ilk", eh?

 

I dunno who you think "my ilk" is, but I recoken SWTOR would be better WITH the 1,000,000 or so people that bought the game, but aren't playing anymore.

 

You do prove my point pretty well though.

 

 

(BTW how can Rift now have less servers and yet NOT have merge any servers? )

[Andryah]

Rift didn't merge servers. They allowed for transfers, then closed servers once everyone moved. This is not a merger.

 

You won't get mergers here either. They will follow the Rift model. Mergers are a messy business, just ask Warhammer Online.

 

So let's stop this merge server drivvel that everyone keeps spewing. You aren't getting them. And judging by all the chicken littles in this thread, the sub base needs to shrink a little more.

 

quoted for truth.

[chaosdefined]

Let me reiterate what I've said. The playerbase needs to shrink a bit more. Most of the people posting their "sky is falling" BS need to be among those leaving.

 

Sorry but I disagree with your "let's lose more players!" attitude. No game's company would like to see their subscriptions fall further just so people would stop whining on forums. They're paying customers, something the game needs. Don't like their whining? Just ignore it.

 

 

THERE WILL BE NO MERGERS. NONE. ZILCH. NADA. Stop asking for them.

 

There will be, they've already said Server Merges are something they're planning on it's just not a priority.

 

Also telling people to stop whining will have as much likeliness as you listening to me instead of replying angrily.

[Goretzu]

So, reading comprehension is lost on you then. They have less servers because they closed some, after people transfered off.

 

Not one server was merged with another. The same will happen here. It really isn't that hard to figure out; at least, I didn't think it was.

 

THERE WILL BE NO MERGERS. NONE. ZILCH. NADA. Stop asking for them.

 

That is merging servers, at least it's how most MMORPGs I've seen do it have done it (It's how Warhammer Online did it). You transfer off to a limited (possible only ONE) number of servers.

 

I've no idea what you think a merger is (may they take two server farms and a very big vice? )....... but it seems Rift did merge servers.

[Scerge]

Well with this many subs I guess we will have 300k subscribers at the end of the year and then 2013 the game will be dead and gone f2p..

 

I'm going to miss you TOR to bad the WoWnubs ruined you.

[metalgearyoda]

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.

 

You mean 80m - 500m?

 

Cause you have no idea what the actual cost of the game is.

[chaosdefined]

Well with this many subs I guess we will have 300k subscribers at the end of the year and then 2013 the game will be dead and gone f2p..

 

I'm going to miss you TOR to bad the WoWnubs ruined you.

 

Please, just for a laugh, tell us how the "WoWnubs" ruined the game that they were not in any control of developing?

[Andryah]

I tend to agree that it will be hard for any MMO to repeat WOWs success. It is a changed market now. I think EA are quietly pleased with their 1.3 million subs.

 

I very much agree.

 

No game needs to "kill WoW" or "beat WoW" or "be the biggest" to be successful for both the company that produces it and the players that subscribe to it. It just needs to make it's internal projections and plan for operations strength, growth, and contribution to revenue.

 

It is clear from reading the silde sets, the prepared notes, and listening to the actual analysts call that STWOR is materially making the numbers that EA expected and will continue to do so. In fact, they made a point of saying that it was strong operationally (which is corporate speak for: it's meeting it's plan numbers and contribution to the EA bottom line).

 

If SWTOR was an all or nothing crap shoot for EA, that their entire financial health relied on for success, it would be a different story. But IT's NOT. In fact, if you read their quarterly reports carefully for the last year, it is clear that MMOs are not where EA is investing in it's strategic future growth. It's an important part of their portfolio, but it's actually NOT their growth market.

 

The people most butthurt about the subs decline I believe are all those that wanted it to "kill WoW", which was never an objective or realistic thing to get focused on.

 

Once server transfers are active, this constant anxiety about what the sub numbers are WILL NOT MATTER. Sub numbers are simply a convenient target for impatient frustrations about not having server transfers yet.

[zxckakel]

Of course you do. Whiners rarely agree with anything that doesn't fit their very narrow view of how things are. This decline is not the end of the world. Everything you have said above is your own personal opinion. Do not tout as fact.

 

Let me reiterate what I've said. The playerbase needs to shrink a bit more. Most of the people posting their "sky is falling" BS need to be among those leaving.

 

+1(If there's any)