SWTOR no longer going to Star Wars Celebration??

[Fornix]

I understand all of this except...

 

You are going to Gamescon, in Germany, instead of Star Wars celebration HERE?

 

Seriously, who in America gives a flying fig about Gamescon. Moreover, I don't see many folks in Great Britain schleping over to Gamescon.

 

There's a multitude of reasons which can easily be given:

 

- Who in the rest of their playerbase gives a flying goose than your American-centric mind can't get around it that there's more countries out there in the world? You're a small fraction of this world's population, keep that in mind.

 

- Star Wars celebration has roughly 30k attendees, of star wars fans. They're not all gamers, and not all gamers are MMO fans. So if the odds ratios are even as high as 50% and 50% the target audience is still just 7.5k players.

 

- GamesCom has roughly 300k attendees, and sure not all are SW and MMO fans. But if we'd say as few as 50% are SW fans and give them the same 50% odds of being MMO fans, that'd still be a potential target audience of 30k.

 

So short story short. GamesCom has more potential players, and it not being located in the US means squat.

[QuickBunnie]

I honestly don't care very much about which convention Bioware should be going to - there are different reasons to go to each. I don't care if you feel they shouldn't be going to conventions at all.

 

The main thing that bothers me is that this was an announced event, on the event page and everything. Then, 15 days before the convention begins, we find out that Bioware isn't going - and only because it was removed from the event page. While Bioware isn't legally bound to go to a convention they announced, I find it highly unprofessional that they would renege on an announced event, and even more unprofessional in how they handled the cancellation - it seems that they hoped nobody would notice.

 

Bioware for the past year has been trying its hardest to make its fans happy - everything from opening up new servers at launch to addressing the issues in Mass Effect 3. But cancelling on SW Celebration VI 15 days before the convention is a disservice to the fan-base and an indication on Bioware's ability to deliver on its commitments.

Edited August 9, 2012 by QuickBunnie

[BilboFett]

I think it's a bad idea marketing wise to not go there. Just think how many Star Wars fans that you haven't reached yet you could reach and eventually get them to start playing Star Wars: The Old Republic with a good presentation. I really don't understand EA. This is a marketing fiasco.

 

I agree, it's already been proven to a degree that MMO and hardcore gamers are not what are going to keep this game alive, it is the STAR WARS fans. Most of my guild are just biding their time til GW2 comes out. The guildies that have expressed their interest in staying with SWTOR are doing so because of the Star Wars element.

 

I'm not even going to any of these conventions but I see the folly of the only major SW game currently on the market not showing up at the biggest collection of Star Wars fans on the planet. Fish in a barrel. I personally know tons of die hard Star Wars fans who are not playing SWTOR. Go after them Bioware/EA!

[Crenshinibon]

There's a multitude of reasons which can easily be given:

 

- Who in the rest of their playerbase gives a flying goose than your American-centric mind can't get around it that there's more countries out there in the world? You're a small fraction of this world's population, keep that in mind.

 

- Star Wars celebration has roughly 30k attendees, of star wars fans. They're not all gamers, and not all gamers are MMO fans. So if the odds ratios are even as high as 50% and 50% the target audience is still just 7.5k players.

 

- GamesCom has roughly 300k attendees, and sure not all are SW and MMO fans. But if we'd say as few as 50% are SW fans and give them the same 50% odds of being MMO fans, that'd still be a potential target audience of 30k.

 

So short story short. GamesCom has more potential players, and it not being located in the US means squat.

 

I can see what you are saying here, but the fact is the event has been listed most of the year and they stated they had big events planned for it, then cancelled 2 weeks before it happens.

 

In reference to the difference between GamesCom and Star Wars Celebration, sure SWC will have fewer attendees, but it is also a only 2.5 hour flight from Austin where as Germany is a good 12 to 13 hours. They likely have to pay fees to present at GamesCom, but with SWC, I suspect the fees would be nothing since it is put on by LucasArts. On top of that, SWTOR will be competing for gamers attention at GamesCom, but they would be the only one at SWC.

 

At the minimum, they should have a couple of people there, some vids of the game, etc. To help bring in more players.

Edited August 9, 2012 by Crenshinibon

[TheCoffeeFiend]

Practical reasons aside, the loss of prestige and status for not attending will hurt. After having been anything but ditched by EA for not being commercially successful enough it now appears that it is also dropped by LA as being part of what consititutes the overall Star Wars (expanded) universe. Edited August 9, 2012 by TheCoffeeFiend

[Blue_Leader]

I must admit that not going to the Celebration seems like a huge mistake. The Celebration is a Star Wars convention, SWTOR is a Star Wars MMO, having an appearance there seems like a no-brainer to me. Why a Star Wars game staff wouldn't do their best to make an appearance at the world's largest Star Wars convention is beyond me. Especially seeing as Gamescom happens every year, while the Celebration occurs only ever three or four years at least. Chances are SWTOR wont even be in service anymore by the time the next Celebration comes around.

 

It seems like Bioware would want to try to appeal to the Star Wars fans, as they will probably be the ones who will be the most loyal to this game over hardcore MMO players who probably wouldn't be quite as loyal. But, well...

 

It's quite the missed opportunity. I often have to wonder what's going on in Bioware/EA's head...

Edited August 9, 2012 by Blue_Leader

[CaptRavenous]

Folks, I wanted to follow up a bit regarding Celebrations. We do apologize for any inconvenience but our dev team is hard at work on the game, and we just couldn’t spare the staff. We just completed Comic-Con and are preparing to attend Gamescom in Germany next week. Stay tuned for updates about future events.

 

You guys keep trying to grab a piece of the market away from other franchises by going to comic and gaming conventions. So much for the theory that this game was made by Star Wars fans for Star Wars fans.

 

You guys are alienating the only audience who has a hope of helping you fix this game and helping it succeed. The same group your devs claimed to be making the game for, according to some vids during the making of this MMO. "By Star Wars fans, for Star Wars fans".

 

If you're not willing to reach out to the Star Wars crowd, this game will never be able to keep a large number of long-term players needed for this MMO to turn a viable profit over the long term.

 

You guys are failing your fan base. Trinkets in my game mailbox doesn't compensate for this. I can see why people are upset here. Its obvious you guys are more focused on the MMO market than you are the Star Wars market/fans.

 

Your game will continue to have problems keeping players, as a result. The MMO market is the most fickle beast of them all. At least Star Wars fans have dedication.

 

Good luck, you're gonna need it.

Edited August 9, 2012 by CaptRavenous

[pogmahone]

Was even better is that its a Star Wars MMO and it flops in 8 months. The millions of people out there that are Star Wars fans and they made a game so horrible that it goes F2P in less time it took Warhammer to disolve into 4 servers, now that is classic.

 

So true

[GunganJedi]

Seriously, ***? I was totally looking forward to seeing some Devs at Celebration as well as getting the Tauntaun pet they are giving out this summer. Now I will not get to do that. I thought this was a Star Wars game. How can you NOT come to the biggest Star Wars convention?

 

Well at least 1313 will be there.

 

I was not all that worried about the state of the game when the F2P announcement came out, but now I am. You guys have really disappointed me here.

 

Duncan

[Lazirus-]

it is beyond pathetic... someone should be getting fired over this. I hope Lucas Licensing and Lucas Arts is not happy about that. and I certainly hope that they light a fire under the devs butts to get them moving again. there is just no plausible excuse for this. I think its because they don't want to face a crowd of very unhappy people.. I think the devs just want to hide in their office and not face reality.

 

Wow, really? You think that somebody should lose their job and livelihood because a damn video game isn't going to be at a convention?

 

You're the last person on this planet who should be calling anything or anyone pathetic.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Lazirus-

[QuickBunnie]

Easy fellas.

 

Let's keep things in perspective. I don't think anyone should be fired over a single issue such as this, but I think there is a lack of professionalism by the SWTOR management by deciding that they would renege on a commitment to the fan-base 2 weeks before an announced event. If such mismanagement and failure to keep commitments continues, a change in management is warranted.

Edited August 10, 2012 by QuickBunnie

[Blue_Leader]

I agree that this isn't something that someone should be fired for, but it is something that should have been really thought through. This is a Star Wars MMO, and the Celebration is a Star Wars convention... SWTOR should have been there, no question about it. They didn't even have to do anything big, just make an appearance, have a panel, give out an exclusive in-game item to attendees... just try to show the Star Wars community that Bioware/EA really does care about the "Star Wars" in their game, and that they do care about the Star Wars fan community.

 

But this course of action, pulling out of the Celebration, just makes it feel like Bioware/EA doesn't really care at all about the Star Wars fans, who are most likely the people who will keep this game going. Gamescom will have some Star Wars fans, sure, but it'll mostly be just hardcore gamers. For the most part, I'd wager that most of this "hardcore gamers" have either played SWTOR and left, or have heard the stories about this game and will steer clear of it. On the other hand, Star Wars fans will be more likely to play and stick with this game just because it is Star Wars. And where will you find the hardcore Star Wars fans? Star Wars Celebration VI.

And besides, they could have gone to Gamescom next yet. It's very likely that by the time the next Celebration comes around SWTOR wont even be in service anymore.

 

It feels like Bioware/EA has lost all of their enthusiasm about this game. I can understand that, partially, but before this game launched Bioware kept claiming how awesome this game was going to be, and what a perfect Star Wars experience it would be. But after subscriptions started to fall Bioware began to act like they no longer care much about SWTOR, or Star Wars as a whole, and don't act that interested in the game anymore. Like I said, I understand some of it, but when you lose that interest in your own game, when a game company acts like they no longer care about the game they made, the community will also begin to lose interest, because if you don't care about the game you made, why will its players? The players, the community, can "feel" that negativity and that lack of inspiration.

One of the ways that Bioware/EA could have shown that they do still care about the game, and about Star Wars, would have been to have made an appearance at the Celebration. No, it wouldn't have fixed all of the problems, but it would have helped. Even just to say "we still care about our game and want to bring that excellent Star Wars experience to the Star Wars fans out there" would have done wonders. But instead, Bioware/EA just shrugged it off and put priority into a gaming convention, which probably wont gain them as much interest as CVI would have. This decision seems very short-sighted to me, and seems like it was made without much thought or consideration. It also seems like it's a little bit of an insult to the Star Wars fan community, like Bioware/EA couldn't even be bothered to show up and make even a small presentation at a Star Wars convention. It feels like Bioware/EA doesn't even want to try anymore.

 

If Bioware/EA were smart they would at least put some fliers into the goody bags that everyone gets when they check in at the Celebration. The fliers could advertise the game, have a code for an exclusive in-game item, and a free trial code for those who haven't played the game yet. This would have been better than nothing, and at least SWTOR would have been at the Celebration in spirit, and could have at least shown a little bit of support.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Blue_Leader

[Tuscad]

Wow, really? You think that somebody should lose their job and livelihood because a damn video game isn't going to be at a convention?

 

You're the last person on this planet who should be calling anything or anyone pathetic.

 

The assumption is being made that the person that decided it was ok to skip the Celebration is the same one that is making all of the other bad decisions for this game, at least that is what I am getting from that post. If it actually is the same person then I am inclined to agree with Sidney, however I doubt it is.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Tuscad

[RevansFollower]

Ironic.

 

Originally, swtor was the only reason I wanted to go to Celebration, and now they aren't even going to be there! I am really disappointed about this, to be honest. I don't even care if there is anything to show us there, I just wanted to meet and THANK the people who made this game, but now I can't.

 

Even with the short staff and everything, just send a couple people or something to appease the fans.

 

I bought this game because I liked Star Wars, not mmo's.

[Blue_Leader]

 

I bought this game because I liked Star Wars, not mmo's.

I think most of the dedicated community feels this way. We play because it's Star Wars, not because it is or isn't an excellent MMO. It's sad that Bioware/EA is trying to appease the hardcore gamers rather than the hardcore Star Wars fans-- the latter of which who will most likely the be the ones who keep this game alive.

It's a little bit of an insult to the Star Wars fanbase that Bioware/EA just ignores us like this.

Edited August 12, 2012 by Blue_Leader

[sepulhead]

I think most of the dedicated community feels this way. We play because it's Star Wars, not because it is or isn't an excellent MMO. It's sad that Bioware/EA is trying to appease the hardcore gamers rather than the hardcore Star Wars fans-- the latter of which who will most likely the be the ones who keep this game alive.

It's a little bit of an insult to the Star Wars fanbase that Bioware/EA just ignores us like this.

 

i play as a star wars fan not a mmo fan and i will be going to gamescom just for swtor. if they take awey swtor there is nothing for me at gamescom while there is still plenty of sw at swc.

[MrGrizzly]

I agree that this isn't something that someone should be fired for, but it is something that should have been really thought through. This is a Star Wars MMO, and the Celebration is a Star Wars convention... SWTOR should have been there, no question about it. They didn't even have to do anything big, just make an appearance, have a panel, give out an exclusive in-game item to attendees... just try to show the Star Wars community that Bioware/EA really does care about the "Star Wars" in their game, and that they do care about the Star Wars fan community.....

 

First off I really appreciated your comments here and agree fully.

 

I'm FURTHER baffled by this decision from purely a marketing and business perspective and here is why:

 

Bioware has jsut announced their F2P model and ultimately is giving away, what some would argue, is the strongest part of the game; the first person storyline of 1 to 50. At Celebration VI you will have a large pool of target market consumers whom might have been staying away from the game because they were leary of the MMO/subscription piece of the game. Here is your chance to SHOW these hot prospects the game, the story classes, let them get some hands on, tell them about the current free to 15 model and the coming free to 50 model and the planned expansions to the game. Once these people are playing, some may convert to subscription, many will buy cartel coins, and many will tell their other Star Wars fan friends about the game who weren't at C:VI.

 

C:VI seems like a slam dunk, no brainer, high return on investment opportunity in comparison to San Diego Comicon or Gamercon. It's a huge blunder not to be there and is a lost opportunity for thousands of potential customers and free word of mouth advertising. I'm disappointed as SWTOR fan, I'm frustrated as a Bioware fan, but I'm sure there is plenty other stuff at C:VI to fill my Star Wars Fan cup.

 

Bioware: Not being at C:VI is a huge blunder and I hope there was a very strong reason behind this decision.

Edited August 14, 2012 by MrGrizzly

[Yomitako]

I imagine this has been touched on before, but not in the mood to dig through 12 pages of posts to see if it's been said.

 

Now Joveth touched on the fact that staffing issues would prevent them from being at SWC. Understandable given the layoffs that happened, and the premise that F2P, new world event and 1.4 coming along. But I think people may be overreacting to the whole "SWC would give you the largest target market" for the game.

 

Yes, the place will be packed full of Star Wars fanatics. However, contrary to the popular belief, there are nowhere near as many gamers in that crowd as people may think. To put it into perspective, having looked through my facebook and noted 100 friends in this list that are all Star Wars fans and would go to the convention, had they had the resources to. Out of those 100, 4 are gamers. 4%.

 

I think there are other reasons that BW/EA saw for not attending. Sure it's a Star Wars thing, and at the very least, they would have picked up a little face time I guess, but overall, out of the Star Wars fans that do exist, I highly doubt that there would have been enough interest in SWTOR from that crowd that would have actually made any sort of profitable return, implied or otherwise.

[QuickBunnie]

I imagine this has been touched on before, but not in the mood to dig through 12 pages of posts to see if it's been said.

 

Now Joveth touched on the fact that staffing issues would prevent them from being at SWC. Understandable given the layoffs that happened, and the premise that F2P, new world event and 1.4 coming along. But I think people may be overreacting to the whole "SWC would give you the largest target market" for the game.

 

Yes, the place will be packed full of Star Wars fanatics. However, contrary to the popular belief, there are nowhere near as many gamers in that crowd as people may think. To put it into perspective, having looked through my facebook and noted 100 friends in this list that are all Star Wars fans and would go to the convention, had they had the resources to. Out of those 100, 4 are gamers. 4%.

 

I think there are other reasons that BW/EA saw for not attending. Sure it's a Star Wars thing, and at the very least, they would have picked up a little face time I guess, but overall, out of the Star Wars fans that do exist, I highly doubt that there would have been enough interest in SWTOR from that crowd that would have actually made any sort of profitable return, implied or otherwise.

 

Most gamers have decided that SWTOR isn't worth their time. Many Star Wars fans have never even heard of it.

 

The point isn't to find the convention with the most gamers, its to find the population with the best chance at getting new subscriptions.

 

Besides, the point isn't that SWTOR shouldn't go to Gamescom. It's that they announced they were going to SW:CVI, and now aren't. Keep your commitments - given how few commitments SW:TOR makes, that shouldn't be that hard to do.

Edited August 14, 2012 by QuickBunnie

[Captain_Vae]

So basically what is left of the staff (3 people and a ball of lint) can't make it to a STAR WARS event.

 

makes sense from a certain point of view....

[Gerandar]

Just another spit in the face to the star wars community, maybe if your company didnt suck so much and have to lay off half of its employees you wouldnt have had this problem?

 

Ignoring a star wars convention as a star wars game to go to another convention in germany....god I hate you Bioware.

[SilentKitty]

Just another spit in the face to the star wars community, maybe if your company didnt suck so much and have to lay off half of its employees you wouldnt have had this problem?

 

Ignoring a star wars convention as a star wars game to go to another convention in germany....god I hate you Bioware.

 

There are quite a few star war fans over in Europe as well. My husband and I almost got the chance to go there and we are quite happy to see them over here

[SidneyFault]

First off BIoware or EA should never have picked which cons it goes to... At this point they need as much exposure as possible. the boat is sinking and I don't think anyone there knows how to swim. Yes Gamescon is huge and they absolutely need to go... BUT you can not ignore the sheer importance of Celebration VI. This is the only official for the Franchise for the next few year and it has been 4 years since the last. The PR material for this event alone would last for years. Images from this event would probably outlast the game. This is a marketing dream come true. You might even get a legend of the franchise to "test" this game there. Imagine the good that would do for the game. But no.. the only convention for STAR WARS that happens maybe twice a decade and they are skipping it. They can't afford to miss anything that could bring in new players.. They need all the help they can get!! Hell the images for this con alone, convention videos like they did before the game was released would be a huge help. BUT no they CHOOSE to skip the only convention that bears the franchise name and miss their ONLY CHANCE to really connect with that..

 

As for someone getting fired over there hell yes.. they clearly need a change of management. they have had nothing but epic fails, No follow through, hollow promises, bad marketing, and even worse customer service. Yes they need to clean house over there and this should absolutely be the straw that broke the camels back. There is no viable reason that they would CHOOSE to skip out on this and at the last minute...

Edited August 14, 2012 by SidneyFault
spelling

[Captain_Vae]

I dunno but... "hard at work on the game" sounds far more promising than "attending celebrations".

 

My my my...you ARE a trusting sort.

 

I am sure they will come up with something magnificent.

 

Just you wait and see! It will turn EVERYTHING around.

[Cloudwalker]

Poor decision making on BioWares behalf on not coming to Celebration pretty disappointing.