"The Game is Dying" a brief history of this idea and how long it has been going on.

[PlasmaJohn]

Look at WildStar. That's an original IP, sci-fi MMO. I expect it to be shut down any day now. That's not an exaggeration.

My poor Wildstar. If you ever played it, you'd know that it's only barely sci-fi. Heck the mysteries of the Universe are all based on alchemy *shudders* Never thought it possible but WS figured out how to be far more sci-fantasy than Star Wars. Even including the the Dread Masters (blech).

 

They got so much right (eventually) yet still got too much wrong, like, oh, RNG gearing (that sucked). Sadly NCSoft took a page from EA's book and cut Carbine's staff to the bone. They're in desperate need for new content yet they just don't have the resources left to do it. Oh well

[Transcendent]

Why are they there? There is a real possibility that they want to be there.

 

There are a few possible reasons aside from the one you mention.

 

- They think the game is single player and have never grouped or joined a guild.

- They enjoy a quieter gaming experience.

- They point blank refuse to pay BioWare money for a transfer (because in reality it doesn't cost 1000CC worth of coins....).

- Names.

 

All of those points can be overcome technically if BioWare had any inclination to do so. Add in 2-3 more instance "types", RP Instances / Solo+ instances (where you can still group if inclined) / Solo instances (where you can't group as the instance is created specifically for the character). Names can be overcome by copying Blizzard's approach (BioWare copy everything else, so why not copy that)

 

You can have multiple instances on any one planet or area, I've seen 20+ instances when they released the Tauntaun mission, or Ziost, or SoR (which was the last time I've ever seen a queue for a server). It is technically feasible to do so.

 

It's overdue they just got on with reducing down to 3 servers, US East / US West / EU. Server tech is scalable, software can be written, so the delay or fannying around by BioWare Austin only hurts their rather damaged reputation further.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Transcendent

[MeNaCe-NZ]

Interesting to say the least, but I don't know how much that actually affects BW Austin. Certainly it's likely to affect what Andromeda looks like at release.

 

I can't deny it's suspicious timing. But the datamined content reminder was posted on September 12th and this organizational update was on September 13th, so much of KOTET's design was probably already in progress. It's possible the change in leadership affected it, but it seems that if it did, it was either in the details (perhaps in the speed of gearing, for instance), or the organizational update happened months before the press release.

 

It won't have any effect on KotET, what we get now would have been set down months ago decision wise all that changes heading in is tweaks to various systems ( class changes, comm conversions etc. ).

 

That however may very well affect what we see coming moving forward as to the direction of the game but to fair we have no bloody idea how the BWA/EA organisational structure works as to who makes what decisions.

[fatsi]

The gaming companies aside, every company follows more or less the same procedure for MAXIMUM PROFIT and MINIMUM EXPENSE: They give priority to their most spending customers, while trying to keep their less spending customers around as long as possible, but with the minimum expense so that their most spending customers continue spending, and care about their non-spending customers (if there are any) enough to give incentives to spend, only. However, there is nothing wrong with it, since the system itself requires this procedure to be followed. Don't like this? Want to change this? Change the capitalist system.

 

No, I didn't comment on the wrong thread. The game is not dying, you are right about that. Though, it is experiencing worse things that happened, happening and will happen. If you review the patch notes from the beginning to the end, you will see that there is a constant decrease on the content and, then, the type of content released over periods of time. However, even as all the servers become empty, the game will continue living for quite a while thanks to the CC buyers who manage to fall into every cash trap set for them and somehow survive in the real world, and unfortunately, these people are the most spending customers of SWTOR, and Izax knows by how many times. This is why the focus of the devs has most naturally been on the CM content nowadays, with story to keep the less spending players around to be shown off. If there were far less of these CC buyers, the game wouldn't die. The devs and the companies would focus on the gameplay content, and the game would live on a lot of subs. Want gameplay content? Want the focus on gameplay? Stop blaming the devs and companies. Stop wasting your money.

 

In short, packs are coming out at least once a month! I can't wait for CXP boosts on CM with KotET's launch!

Edited November 15, 2016 by fatsi

[DarthWoad]

I love how people like the OP take the word "dying" by it's literal sense. Or when people say "the game isn't dead, the servers are still running!".

 

We all know what people mean by "the game is dead/dying" in the sense of it being in decline, such as dead servers being forgotten about.

 

Every MMO has people who will do exactly what the OP has done and defend the game from these so called "doomsayers", as they like to call them. But we all know if this game wasn't called star wars, it would have been shut down long ago. An IP can only take you so far though (for example going free to play in less than a year).

Edited November 15, 2016 by DarthWoad

[Rolodome]

I love how people like the OP take the word "dying" by it's literal sense. Or when people say "the game isn't dead, the servers are still running!".

 

We all know what people mean by "the game is dead/dying" in the sense of it being in decline, such as dead servers being forgotten about.

 

Every MMO has people who will do exactly what the OP has done and defend the game from these so called "doomsayers", as they like to call them. But we all know if this game wasn't called star wars, it would have been shut down long ago. An IP can only take you so far though (for example going free to play in less than a year).

I think the reason people take the word dying literally is because most, if not all, MMOs are declining in one way or another. I don't think WoW even can come close to their peak subscriber base at this point.

 

So to say SWTOR is on the decline is kind of a no-brainer. It's more a question of how fast it's going down the slope and can it gain any of that loss back.

[TUXs]

So to say SWTOR is on the decline is kind of a no-brainer. It's more a question of how fast it's going down the slope and can it gain any of that loss back.

With the lack of any group content and the step backwards that 5.0 is with RNG loot? Not a chance. RNG gearing is the most horrific idea they could have come up with...it was so damn bad they've already removed it from this game once.

[jozkopucik]

I have gone through those EA Quarter reports and put together some of the statements about swtor. The interesting thing is how Swtor was put aside once Battlefront launched and then even totatly put aside once the other titles have launched (Galaxy of Heroes etc). From those reports its obvious that swtor is the lowest priority for EA. What I liked was the info about the sub level and state of the game:

 

July, 2012

"The disappointing results of Star Wars - The Old Republic were largely offset by a powerful performance from Battlefield 3 premium service Although it launched well, subscriptions have been on a declining trajectory"

 

October, 2012

"Star Wars has underperformed"

 

May, 2013

"Since it was induced in November, we've added more than 1.7 million new players on the free model to the service. And the number of subscriptions has stabilized at just under half a million"

Thats why they used the term "active players" since then

 

January, 2014

"decline in Star Wars: The Old Republic subscription revenue, as the free-to-play offering continues to grow"

More active F2P but less subs

 

January, 2015

"Shadows of Raven, attracting many more people into the game with this epic new storyline"

check the misspelling of the expansion name

 

October, 2015

"we launched a major expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic on Tuesday. Subscriptions are up 31% since the expansion was announced to their highest level since February 2014"

So in January 2014 they said decline in subs, thats why its the highest level cause they used the lowest possible number to compare it with

 

January, 2016

"Our most recent update to Star Wars: The Old Republic has fueled subscriber growth with its rich content and deep storytelling"

This is when people subbed once to see 9 chapters, then again to see all 16 chapters, then unsubbed

 

Yes, I would say the situation is bad, mainly when I have read how they only talk about Battlefront and the other games, but not swtor.

[PlasmaJohn]

I think the reason people take the word dying literally is because most, if not all, MMOs are declining in one way or another. I don't think WoW even can come close to their peak subscriber base at this point.

You keep repeating this popular meme. Unfortunately this is due to metrics analysis worthy of Austin.

 

"It's the content, Stupid!"

 

Themepark MMO's work because they offer a variety of different attractions that appeal to a variety of interests. It's a collection of niches. The only true minority are those people that only focus on one niche. Most people engage in multiple niches and a surprising amount engage in all of them. When you neglect a niche you're going to affect a large fraction of your player base even before network effects take hold.

 

"It's the content, Stupid!"

 

A reasonably staffed team should have no problem producing something for everybody over the course of a year. Of course it won't be enough for the single focus folks but like I said, those people are rare.

 

WOW's population bounces around too much because their release schedule is far too bursty. FFXIV is sustained consequently their population numbers don't swing so badly.

[Star-Knight]

Here's another thread implying the game will die.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=904383

I suppose they will be right eventually. SWTOR is 5 years old and that's something impressive in today's market.