EA confident that people will be playing The Old Republic a decade from now

[kevlarto]

No, the layoffs that happened a little over a week ago. Those layoffs. Things change - posting nearly 2-month old articles speaking about their empty promises means nothing. They also promised us we could use emotes on mounts back on Jan 4th and we were promised content quicker, month after month, just before 1.2 was released. Empty promises mean NOTHING!

 

I agree, kinda makes me wonder how long the internal problems have been going on. /sigh

[dandamanno]

That is actually pretty normal for corporations. They like to announce restructurings and lump a lot of stuff into them from all over the company. There is usually a major event that triggers them, but then they scoop other stuff in before the restructuring charge (its a one time charge on their books) is closed. Restructurings make great umbrella actions because they have very specific reporting and tax consequences and structure to them. Companies can actually hide a lot of little bits and pieces under them. So if its an EA announcement, they could scoop a lot of things into the restructuring, including costs that normally would hit an operations line in their reporting.

 

Yah that was my point. It looks like they are just using the "ongoing restructuring until sept 30" as a way to hide the fact that the game is declining.

 

"More layoffs? Nah that's that thing from May we announced forever ago! Nothing to see here! Old news!"

 

Hopefull this last round is the final batch. Like I mentioned in other threads the game appears mostly stable now, or at least not in free fall like a few months ago.

[Leggomy]

Then they are all going by the generic "Community Support" title with the exception of Allison and Amber which I think is a bad move on their part and the mods must be more lax and locking threads at a slower rate too. The rate at which things are now being locked and moved definitely feels like a one man job.

 

Its the same thing they did with the CS droids. That way you dont need special logins for all the admins.

[Tuscad]

We agree!

 

Please make a note of that in your journal Tuscad. I know I am going to.

 

Yay! *hugs*

[TUXs]

In case you missed the link. http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/ea-planning-upcoming-layoffs-completed-by-september-30-2012/ They have stated when they will be completed by...Not Indefinitely.......If there are more after 30 Sept 2012, Then there may be some concern.

 

Ah, so you're not at all bothered that of the planned "5 to 10 percent of EA's workforce, or approximately 500 to 1,000 employees." is being VERY HEAVILY slanted towards SWTOR's staff, to the tune of 40-50%? No matter how many employees they layoff between the announcement and Sept 30th, you're ok with it?!

[alifaraaz]

Meh that's what EA does.

 

"You're not making as much money as we want from you, so you're fired! Were gonna save this game by getting rid of half the employees and replace them with people completely unfamiliar with the project who will save the game."

[Tiaa]

All this article tells me is that SWTOR will be F2P soon.

 

This much is obvious by now.

 

No once again... But for the people with reading comprehension problems.

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/ea-planning-upcoming-layoffs-completed-by-september-30-2012/

 

Completed By Sept, 30 2012 Today is only July 30 2012....Same lay-offs.

 

Doesn't matter if there are two lay-offs, three lay-offs or one big massive lay-off.

 

Are you arguing that because it's only "giant lay-off" that it's some how better?

 

"Restructuring".

 

Cute terms for

 

"We are firing mass amounts of people because we are losing tons of money."

 

Fine print:

 

EA today confirmed plans to enact a "restructuring" among its employees, resulting in an unnamed number of layoffs companywide

 

This is alot worse than waves.

 

All it means is that tons of lay-offs have happened that we won't know about.

 

Bioware studio lay-offs are coming in waves. So there has been two as far as the community is concerned.

 

This article is referring to EA COMPANY WIDE.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Tiaa

[Taorus]

Ah, so you're not at all bothered that of the planned "5 to 10 percent of EA's workforce, or approximately 500 to 1,000 employees." is being VERY HEAVILY slanted towards SWTOR's staff, to the tune of 40-50%? No matter how many employees they layoff between the announcement and Sept 30th, you're ok with it?!

 

Ford Motor Company is laying off 1200 people....I don't think Ford is going out of business. I feel bad for the people being laid-off. But to think because a Billion dollar company like EA, Is laying people off from ONE of its divisions somehow translates to SWTOR is dying....is beyond a reasonable assumption. This Article is from a VP at EA is stating "We're going to be in the business from a long term standpoint", And that he would be in a better positon to know the future of SWTOR then You or I. All I said was I agreed....And I will be here a long long long long time.

[Tiaa]

Also let's point out that EA previously DENIED they were mass laying off people

 

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/16/ea-denies-report-of-incoming-mass-layoffs/

 

And then they turned around and did exactly that.

 

Oh yeah! I trust EA so much!

 

Bioware did the samething.

 

Bioware and EA promises mean zero.

 

Just spins and lies no better than fanboys on this forum making stuff up.

[Taorus]

All this article tells me is that SWTOR will be F2P soon.

 

This much is obvious by now.

 

 

 

Doesn't matter if there are two lay-offs, three lay-offs or one big massive lay-off.

 

Are you arguing that because it's only "giant lay-off" that it's some how better?

 

"Restructuring".

 

Cute terms for

 

"We are firing mass amounts of people because we are losing tons of money."

 

Fine print:

 

 

 

This is alot worse than waves.

 

All it means is that tons of lay-offs have happened that we won't know about.

 

Bioware studio lay-offs are coming in waves. So there has been two as far as the community is concerned.

 

This article is referring to EA COMPANY WIDE.

 

I also predict the Cubs will win the World Series...Soon. EA has an established track record of not taking games F2P soon. Beside Im not 12 F2P isn't the bogey-man it has been in the past, When I was 12 Stick-Ball was F2P...all it cost was my momma's broom handle.

[Tiaa]

I also predict the Cubs will win the World Series...Soon. Beside Im not 12 F2P isn't the bogey-man it has been in the past, When I was 12 Stick-Ball was F2P...all it cost was my momma's broom handle.

 

Funny you should say soon.

 

Yes you are right about one thing:

 

EA has an established track record of not taking games F2P soon.

 

Usually they don't make it free to play. Their MMOS get shut down and sold.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Tiaa

[Briq]

Ford Motor Company is laying off 1200 people....I don't think Ford is going out of business. I feel bad for the people being laid-off. But to think because a Billion dollar company like EA, Is laying people off from ONE of its divisions somehow translates to SWTOR is dying....is beyond a reasonable assumption. This Article is from a VP at EA is stating "We're going to be in the business from a long term standpoint", And that he would be in a better positon to know the future of SWTOR then You or I. All I said was I agreed....And I will be here a long long long long time.

 

GM laid off a ton of people.. then closed both the Pontiac and Saturn divisions....see I can make comparisons too!

Edited July 30, 2012 by Briq

[Taorus]

GM laid of a ton of people.. then closed both the Pontiac and Saturn divisions....see I can make comparisons too!

 

Well....GM is still in business. and Pontiac was around for nearly 80 years....Saturn 20 years. Ill take either for SWTOR.

[Briq]

Well....GM is still in business. and Pontiac was around for nearly 80 years....Saturn 20 years. Ill take either for SWTOR.

 

 

yeah good luck with that..

[Crash-X]

Anyone scared of F2P is just terrified of change.

 

Nothing is wrong with it. As long as you are not paying for advantages it's still the same as paying for content except that you're not paying 15 a month to get Makeb 6 months later...you pay 10 for Makeb when it releases and go about your merry way all the while still able to play the game.

 

I really don't think there will be many P2P games in the future. Not only because some MMORPGs are moving towards F2P but also that you are starting to see more MMOs period. MMOFPS games MMORTS games and if a game like NBA2k every got its 'My Player' mode right you'd have a MMOSports game....all would either be B2P or F2P and with such high quality games moving toward freemium, it means games that are P2P are going to be held to a much higher standard.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Crash-X

[Tiaa]

Anyone scared of F2P is just terrified of change.

 

I agree.

 

There is nothing wrong with this game going F2P.

 

It actually reminds me of DCUO which should had been F2P to begin with imo.

 

This is a hub / instanced game and obviously heavily casual.

 

I don't talk about content because I like to enjoy small content for a long period of time but at this point:

 

I'd rather pay for legacy perks than pay a sub fee and deal with these tedious cash sink grinds.

[Crash-X]

I agree.

 

There is nothing wrong with this game going F2P.

 

It actually reminds me of DCUO which should had been F2P to begin with imo.

 

This is a hub / instanced game and obviously heavily casual.

 

I don't talk about content because I like to enjoy small content for a long period of time but at this point:

 

I'd rather pay for legacy perks than pay a sub fee and deal with these tedious cash sink grinds.

 

Yep DCUO should have started that way. It is often seen as a failure when a game goes F2P. I think that hurt it some (along with the whole hacking mess)

 

But I get tired of seeing people say "Pay 2 Win!" maybe from some obscure Korean MMO...but not in these titles that are doing it now.

 

The idea is that you are just directly paying for the content. So it is more like DLC. Some people say "Well I don't want to pay for it..." you are paying for it any ways with your sub...and if the devs are not producing content in a timely manner than what are you paying for some months? With F2P models you are paying directly for what you want and while something like Makeb would be premium content, something like HK droid could be something given away for free.

 

The only problem with this game going F2P are some people would quit if it did so.

[Taorus]

Yep DCUO should have started that way. It is often seen as a failure when a game goes F2P. I think that hurt it some (along with the whole hacking mess)

 

But I get tired of seeing people say "Pay 2 Win!" maybe from some obscure Korean MMO...but not in these titles that are doing it now.

 

The idea is that you are just directly paying for the content. So it is more like DLC. Some people say "Well I don't want to pay for it..." you are paying for it any ways with your sub...and if the devs are not producing content in a timely manner than what are you paying for some months? With F2P models you are paying directly for what you want and while something like Makeb would be premium content, something like HK droid could be something given away for free.

 

The only problem with this game going F2P are some people would quit if it did so.

 

Games in current development are being designed F2P. Its the future...not a fad

[Fornix]

Ford Motor Company is laying off 1200 people....I don't think Ford is going out of business. I feel bad for the people being laid-off. But to think because a Billion dollar company like EA, Is laying people off from ONE of its divisions somehow translates to SWTOR is dying....is beyond a reasonable assumption. This Article is from a VP at EA is stating "We're going to be in the business from a long term standpoint", And that he would be in a better positon to know the future of SWTOR then You or I. All I said was I agreed....And I will be here a long long long long time.

 

Maybe Ford must be going free-to-drive, with optional custom seating, tires and in-built audio ;-).

 

Considering as to how EA gets rid of hundreds employees on a yearly basis for their games, it's always surprising again to see how people keep on giving their own interpretations to that. But I'm sure all those people are experienced with running their own multi-million dollar gaming projects.

[Goretzu]

Anyone scared of F2P is just terrified of change.

 

Nothing is wrong with it. As long as you are not paying for advantages it's still the same as paying for content except that you're not paying 15 a month to get Makeb 6 months later...you pay 10 for Makeb when it releases and go about your merry way all the while still able to play the game.

 

I really don't think there will be many P2P games in the future. Not only because some MMORPGs are moving towards F2P but also that you are starting to see more MMOs period. MMOFPS games MMORTS games and if a game like NBA2k every got its 'My Player' mode right you'd have a MMOSports game....all would either be B2P or F2P and with such high quality games moving toward freemium, it means games that are P2P are going to be held to a much higher standard.

 

 

Hmm....... I can't think of a MMORPG that is better with F2P rather than subscription, they may exist with F2P when they might not have done with subscription, but that's not the same thing.

 

I can think of one or two MMORPGs that have gone F2P and haven't become much worse, but that's about it.

 

Although I guess if F2P results in expansions that might be an improvement.

[DarthCDiv]

It's easy to imagine yourself being here for the long run if you haven't already maxed several characters.

[TUXs]

Ford Motor Company is laying off 1200 people....I don't think Ford is going out of business. I feel bad for the people being laid-off. But to think because a Billion dollar company like EA, Is laying people off from ONE of its divisions somehow translates to SWTOR is dying....is beyond a reasonable assumption. This Article is from a VP at EA is stating "We're going to be in the business from a long term standpoint", And that he would be in a better positon to know the future of SWTOR then You or I. All I said was I agreed....And I will be here a long long long long time.

 

If Ford fired half the employees working on the new Taurus, I'd be worried about the future of the Taurus.

EA is a billion dollar company sure, but SWTOR is a pile of dog **edit** compared to the 85 MILLION copies of Madden they've sold over the years, the 150 million copies of The Sims or the 100 million copies of FIFA OR Need for Speed. EA doesn't care about this game, the layoff's have proven they don't. SWTOR is an expense and a liability, not an asset. That's why you're seeing a massive amount of Bioware Austin layoffs.

[Temad]

F2P is the model of the future that is essentially here now.

 

All that will be needed to seal the fate of any monthly sub games is when Blizzard announces their new MMO will be F2P with a box purchase and regular 49 dollar expansion box purchases. Guild Wars has the model that will be used going forward. It gives a game company the best of both worlds. Box sales and cash shop.

 

You can whine all you like but with EA being the biggest pusher of pay download content for consoles and pc games...its coming for SWTOR and soon.

[Neloth]

Well if TOR is to last a decade then they better implement some player driven end-game pretty darn soon. Running FPs and OPs over and over doesn't last very long before people give up.

[Taorus]

If Ford fired half the employees working on the new Taurus, I'd be worried about the future of the Taurus.

EA is a billion dollar company sure, but SWTOR is a pile of dog **edit** compared to the 85 MILLION copies of Madden they've sold over the years, the 150 million copies of The Sims or the 100 million copies of FIFA OR Need for Speed. EA doesn't care about this game, the layoff's have proven they don't. SWTOR is an expense and a liability, not an asset. That's why you're seeing a massive amount of Bioware Austin layoffs.

 

Ok. So a VP from EA states that EA will be in the SWTOR business for the long term...translates to "SWTOR is an expense and a liability, not an asset". Proof? And I would visit Mr. Webster for his current definition of Massive, instead of the pure hyperbole in your attempted to juxtaposition.