WoW Loses 1.1M Subscribers, Down to 9.1M

[SithEater]

And everybody who believes it's a terrible move, etc. simply has no single clue on as to where the current gaming market is headed, cause if they did they'd know it'd be a game's death sentence to try and stay P2P. Give it 3 more years, and no MMO will ever be launching with a p2p model again.

And I repeat.

 

People keep saying this garbage like its a good thing. Great you are 100% right. All the F2P people who knew this was the way things were going are on the leading edge of the gaming industry, where fluff and taking your money for the fluff are more important than actual content. People see a paradigm shift and like sheep following the herdsman just assume its gotta be in the right direction. F2P means less content at a slower rate as they worry more about how to take your money thru micro-transactions than making the game bigger and better. Now add in the fact that the reason they are doing it this way is they realize (and you don't) that the in the freemium model people spend more than they would if they simply paid a $15 monthly fee.

 

WOOHOO!!! What a great idea...for the companies who are making more and giving you less at the same time.

 

BAAAA!!!

[Fornix]

And I repeat.

 

People keep saying this garbage like its a good thing. Great you are 100% right. All the F2P people who knew this was the way things were going are on the leading edge of the gaming industry, where fluff and taking your money for the fluff are more important than actual content. People see a paradigm shift and like sheep following the herdsman just assume its gotta be in the right direction. F2P means less content at a slower rate as they worry more about how to take your money thru micro-transactions than making the game bigger and better. Now add in the fact that the reason they are doing it this way is they realize (and you don't) that the in the freemium model people spend more than they would if they simply paid a $15 monthly fee.

 

 

WOOHOO!!! What a great idea...for the companies who are making more and giving you less at the same time.

 

BAAAA!!!

 

It's the gamer's choice really. By decreasing numbers engaging into subscription plans the gamers have shown to some extent to not have any interest in subscription based games.

[Cavell]

It's the gamer's choice really. By decreasing numbers engaging into subscription plans the gamers have shown to some extent to not have any interest in subscription based games.

 

Except...that isn't true. Subscription games have pretty damn good launches. TOR had an amazing launch. 2.4 million off the bat? Even WoW didn't do that. TSW launched well. Rift launched pretty well for a no-name studio. Etc. etc.

 

The problem is, people don't keep paying those subscriptions for games that don't give them what they want.

[HeavensTerror]

Only 9.1 million. Oh noes.

[Varteras]

I dont think they will get back anywhere near 3 million, i just think they will get alot back after mop is out and people actualy get some time on gw2 and see past the hype. I think most of wows decline so far is just normal aging, something blizzard understands fully and is ready to counter it with their new mmo when its time.

 

It will be fun to see if they make the same mistakes with "Titan" as all the companies that have released mmos since wow came out, for some reason i doubt it.

 

Yeah I'm still not sold on the idea of Guild Wars 2. I've done my fair share of checking into it and I just don't see where all this hype is deserved. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

As far as WoW is concerned I do feel that what WoW is going through is definitely age but I think that's the problem with the whole market. I don't think it's just the fact that WoW itself is almost 8 years old. I think it's the fact that the MMO market in its entirety has failed to produce a new gold standard for MMO design.

 

Now that is all in reference to themepark MMOs. Sandbox MMOs are, I feel, not going to shine because the technology and methods just aren't there right now to create a truly robust, entertaining, player driven world in an acceptable timeframe. I feel that sandbox MMOs are the future of the market, just not the near future.

 

People have waited a long time for this corner of the industry to evolve and right now they just see more of the same with a couple good or at least interesting ideas being overlooked simply because they were in a game that it itself didn't do so great. They automatically dismiss what was in it as a failure instead of dissecting it. I just think that with MMO after MMO failing to hold people and the top MMO losing quite a few people in a relatively short span it's probably a sign that players are growing tired of the same old thing. These players don't seem to be going to other MMOs. They just seem to be walking away completely. If WoW itself is what they were tired of I would have expected other MMOs to be growing.

[United_Strafes]

Only 9.1 million huh? They must be getting ready to close up shop now......

[ImperialSun]

Whilst I am still enjoying TOR it has clearly not lived up to expectations.

 

That being said, what I find hilarious and "fail" is that any of you posting in this thread believe that WoW has anywhere near 9.1mill subs.

 

Maybe about half of that number would be accurate when you discount Asian players who do not hold a subscription.

 

Driz

[vandana_]

Dear Community Moderators

 

Why is this thread not being locked? Seriously I didn't think Bioware can get even more annoying yet they constantly surpass my expectations.

 

The thread has nothing to do with SWTOR and if I recall correctly you were very eager to close threads that were discussing your competition's games. Is it to show us that the free-to-play is the right option in the market right now? WoW is 9 million strong. Not 12, not 10 but enough to not even think of any pathetic, failure signature decisions like going free-to-play.

 

This thread is a proof that either forum moderation is non-existent or BW raised its level of hypocrisy even more which is an achievement of itself.

Edited August 3, 2012 by vandana_

[Silkule]

To be fair to SWTOR, it's incredible they've managed to retain so many looking at the stats and a lot of the bad hype that has been round about it from players that have left.

 

Near the end of 2011 WoW were at roughly 12M and now are down to 9.1M. Granted, they still have a very clear lead in numbers and aren't exactly in major trouble (How could you be with 9.1M people still paying?) but that's a 25% loss in less than a year for something that has only ever grown, which is very, very disturbing.

 

Even the market second, Aion, has been in steady decline for 2 years, going from nearly 4M to 2.4M

 

I have to agree with the people saying it's a market trend. It might be more than that, it might be less, but when the biggest one around has gone from only going up to losing near a quarter of their people? (When it's clear they haven't just jumped ship then returned when that ship wasn't what they expected) You have to start asking questions...

[capitalbel]

I'll probably rise some but I don't think they're going to recover the 3 million subs.

 

I wouldn't rule it out though. I know a number of people who "Don't play WoW" which is true most of the time. Then when an expansion comes out they're resubbed and at the midnight launch.

 

I mean, I'm figuring that drawing old players back into the game has to be most of the logic behind releasing expansions.

[Tekkoclarky]

WoW will be above 11M subs again once MoP hits, this loss was to be expected.

[Silkule]

WoW will be above 11M subs again once MoP hits, this loss was to be expected.

 

I don't doubt some players will return, but 2 million in a fell swoop is a very, very tall order even for WoW. Their previous recorded subscriptions show that at their time of immense growth, it took them a full year to get that many.

 

And that was when the entire game was fresh to everyone. As far as I know, MoP isn't a full game conversion like Cataclysm, so I would be very surprised. It's not impossible, of course, but they'd have to pull something immense out of the bag.

[Tekkoclarky]

I don't doubt some players will return, but 2 million in a fell swoop is a very, very tall order even for WoW. Their previous recorded subscriptions show that at their time of immense growth, it took them a full year to get that many.

 

And that was when the entire game was fresh to everyone. As far as I know, MoP isn't a full game conversion like Cataclysm, so I would be very surprised. It's not impossible, of course, but they'd have to pull something immense out of the bag.

 

With no new content for ages, you expect people to stop playing. many will be taking a break, getting ready for MoP.

 

They break records with each expansion, I expect that trend to follow.

 

I do find it pretty funny to find this thread on SWTOR forums, the biggest fail of an MMO for a while, the quickest MMO to go F2P in history? This games zub must be terrible, since the last report of 1.4M was a lie.

[Dibdabs]

Kinda puts things in perspective.

 

Previous Subscription Losses

Q1 2011 - 600,000 subscribers lost

Q2 2011 - 300,000 subscribers lost

Q3 2011 - 800,000 subscribers lost

Q4 2011 - 100,000 subscribers lost.

Q1 2012 - 0 subscribers lost. <------

Q2 2012 - 1,100,000 subscribers lost.

So what, it's an old game. Tastes change, plus the MMO market isn't what it was anyway. At least WoW has about 15 to 18 (estimates vary) times as many subs as this game currently has, and didn't have to eat humble pie and announce F2P in less than a year. I'd say that - since you seem to think subs count for so much - that the evidence shows WoW is the better game.

Edited August 3, 2012 by Dibdabs

[Varteras]

WoW will be above 11M subs again once MoP hits, this loss was to be expected.

 

Again, 3 million subs lost in less than 2 years was not expected. This has never happened before to WoW. They have never lost this many subs from one expansion to the next. I don't even recall a time right before an expansion where they lost a million. Also, keep in mind that shortly after Cataclysm came out WoW's subs began to have quite a decline. They lost 2 million in Cataclysm's first year. That's not pre-expansion blues. That's post-expansion disappointment. Unless Mists of Pandaria comes out and totally amazes people you can probably expect about a 1 million surge in subs followed by another decline over the following 12 to 24 months. I really see WoW dropping to half of its peak or lower by 2014. I really enjoy WoW but I think some people are strangely in denial about a decline that was inevitable.

[Tekkoclarky]

Again, 3 million subs lost in less than 2 years was not expected. This has never happened before to WoW. They have never lost this many subs from one expansion to the next. I don't even recall a time right before an expansion where they lost a million. Also, keep in mind that shortly after Cataclysm came out WoW's subs began to have quite a decline. They lost 2 million in Cataclysm's first year. That's not pre-expansion blues. That's post-expansion disappointment. Unless Mists of Pandaria comes out and totally amazes people you can probably expect about a 1 million surge in subs followed by another decline over the following 12 to 24 months. I really see WoW dropping to half of its peak or lower by 2014. I really enjoy WoW but I think some people are strangely in denial about a decline that was inevitable.

 

Well the problem is, people keep quitting, then going back. Until there is another MMO which can truly contend with it, I don't see the numbers dropping below 8M (as long as content is coming).

 

I do hope that MMO comes out soon though. SWTOR let me down big time.

[Silkule]

With no new content for ages, you expect people to stop playing. many will be taking a break, getting ready for MoP.

 

They break records with each expansion, I expect that trend to follow.

 

I do find it pretty funny to find this thread on SWTOR forums, the biggest fail of an MMO for a while, the quickest MMO to go F2P in history? This games zub must be terrible, since the last report of 1.4M was a lie.

 

3 million people taking a break getting ready for an expansion, when they only held steady with the last one that shook up the entire world and made everything fresh? (Bearing in mind, before that, only half a million left, then came back)...I dunno, I'll keep an eye on it, but you're much more optimistic about it than me.

 

As for the other part, I can't really think what to say to that except that if you don't like it and think it is a fail, why hang around the boards?

[Guamguy]

What a bunch of lonely souls, hanging around the forums of a game you obviously don't like just to trash it

[Tekkoclarky]

3 million people taking a break getting ready for an expansion, when they only held steady with the last one that shook up the entire world and made everything fresh? (Bearing in mind, before that, only half a million left, then came back)...I dunno, I'll keep an eye on it, but you're much more optimistic about it than me.

 

As for the other part, I can't really think what to say to that except that if you don't like it and think it is a fail, why hang around the boards?

 

I came to check what everyone thought of the game failing to F2P so fast, after all I have wasted my money with subs to this game when I don't even play it.

 

I don't play wow either just so you know.

[Tsillah]

Here's the thing. Blizzard stepped in at the right moment.

 

MMO's were still a new thing on the market. Sure, there were games like UO, but how many people really heard about that? Not that many. Everybody's heard of WoW, even lots of non-gamers.

 

They were there at the right time and make it work. There isn't another game out there that had the same success. Not a single one. All the other MMOs that tried to get in with it and get their piece of the pie didn't achieve that success. The same goes for SWTOR.

 

The truth is that what probably ended up costing SWTOR a lot of subs is the childish assumption from some managers that SWTOR was ready to be released when they did. Sure, I personally was ok with putting up with the lack of customisation, the many bugs and all kinds of features that are present in MMOs today. But I completely understand why other people stopped their subs. You simply can't relase a MMO now that isn't polished enough.

 

There are no WoW killers because the market isn't there and they are right that part of the problem is the sub model. The sub model is its own worst enemy. It stops MMOs from expanding as a market. Why? Because most people don't want to pay a sub. The sub model is better than f2p for your wallet but people are people. And in the end, there's MMOs out there that I haven't tried out because there's a sub. I won't try TSW for example until there is a free trial.

 

There simply is a limited market for MMOs and most companies like EA do not have what it takes to really create a successful MMO. WoW didn't start well polished and I never played it but the numbers are there, it was the most successful MMO and still is. When a single game can dominate the market for this long, you know there is an issue with the market. What it takes is the willingness to invest and stick with your guns.

 

There needs to be a balance between a game company's business side and game development side. EA, NcSoft, whoever all are imbalanced towards the business side. Sure it's important but you have to be able to invest and take it further to make it work. With all the money EA supposedly threw at this, it wasn't spent wisely as we can see. So much more could've been in this game on release.

 

Now I like SWTOR as a game and I am not planning to leave, but I also think that Blizzard did something amazing with WoW as a company and what other companies have failed to understand is how to approach an MMO and their communities.

 

WoW is on it's decline...down to 9.1 million. What a luxury to be able to go down to 9.1 million after so many years. SWTOR had a good start with a couple of million sales but the game missed a lot still. That's unforgiveable in this market. Let's hope that the new set up here will allow the game to be polished enough to create a solid basis of players.

 

There is one very interesting question though. WoW is losing millions, SWTOR lost a lot, all other MMOs have lost lots of players....where have they gone? What are they playing cause it doesn't seem like they're all playing some other MMO anymore.....

[Tsillah]

I came to check what everyone thought of the game failing to F2P so fast, after all I have wasted my money with subs to this game when I don't even play it.

 

I don't play wow either just so you know.

 

To be fair, unless someone brings out an MMO that blows people away like WoW has, all MMOs will end up here faster and faster. The sub model failed unfortunately because game makers haven't been able to make it clear what a sub pays for. A hybrid set up with f2p and sub options should've come sooner probably for all MMOs so people had a clearer idea what the advantages were of subs and if that was worth it to you.

 

Some people play f2p because it's free and end up paying more than they ever would on a sub because of their cash shop spendings. Math isn't for everyone, but the bottom line is that the sub model is a limitiation on the MMO market. Also bringing out an unfinished game is a bit if suicide move. They probably thought that they could get away with it because it was Star Wars. That doesn't work for everybody as they've seen and that is very much EA's own fault.

 

And yes I still play and no I never played WoW

[vandana_]

There is one very interesting question though. WoW is losing millions, SWTOR lost a lot, all other MMOs have lost lots of players....where have they gone? What are they playing cause it doesn't seem like they're all playing some other MMO anymore.....

 

I guess they go out to finally see the sun and start families

[ImperialSun]

Hey. Moron. Millions of people were willing to pre-order a subscription based MMO (this game, dummy) in order to experience it. The devs didn't deliver on what they said they would and people bounced. End of story. F2P isn't the future, unless you mean the future for badly handled games. Period. WoW has been going strong for almost 8 years and 9 million people still feel it's worth their money to pay a subscription fee. I don't know how many millions pay for Netflix, ALSO a subscription. Stop being the leftovers from mommy and daddy's night of passion and start using your noodle.

 

Why do you throw that 9mill figure around like its fact?

 

WoW does not have anywher near that many subs. Yes, it's an old game, yes it is still doing well...very well compared to TOR but let's at least be objective. Maybe 4 mill subs would be accurate.

 

Chinese players who do not have a subscription do not count as subscribers.

 

Driz

[DarthRik]

1.1 million and most are in the far east, lost... no problem, WoW still makes 10x the money that swtor is ever going to make and its still p2p.

 

Face it, EA screwed over this game, just like they did with Warhammer online, a nother great IP killed by EA's greed.

 

the biodrones can laugh and mock wow for losing 1.1 million subs, but lets face it, they may have lost that many, in one Q, but swtor has gone free to play faster than any other p2p mmo... ever.. fact!!!

 

this game has bombed and no matter how hard you tell you self it was becuase there was a monthly sub, it failed because bioware failed to deliver the game they sold us. 2 content patchs in what 7 months and most of that put more bugs into the game than had already been fixed.

 

you pay a sub for 2 down times per week, which can last up to 8 hours.

 

i was once a Fanboy of this game.. then EA taken over and put in a farmville cash shop, and said "content every 6 weeks...." bull ****, reused old contnet but nothing new and all for a few 1000 cartel coins.

[Silkule]

I guess they go out to finally see the sun and start families

 

I can just imagine a scene from a film. Player closes off the computer, rubs his eyes, looks out the window and then goes outside. Little kid runs up yelling and hugging their long lost parent, who they thought they had lost forever...

 

...Yeah, I have a very over active imagination...