Well, I guess Kotaku gave us their own Producer's Note. SWTOR could Shut Down

[Lunablade]

One has to wonder how Blizzard can have all those games out and produce the content for them : Diablo 3, HOTS, Starcraft , Overwatch, Hearthstone together with the biggest MMO out there WoW and Bioware struggles with even SWTOR.

 

But for me this rumor doesn't make much sense because I don't see why would BW want to pull the plug from this game because there is a room for both those games on the market since one is MMO-RPG and another will be a looter shooter Destiny clone type of the game and both of those genres attract different audiences usually. And because of the IP to, this game together with this IP can still get a good turnaround and make still a lot of the money if it only gets properly managed. Unless there is maybe SWTOR 2 in the works or in the plans with the new engine about which we still don't know yet.

Edited January 24, 2018 by Lunablade

[Tsillah]

Not a good thing.

This is the last full-blown Star Wars MMO, ever. $200 million to make this one. That's not happening again.

Any new "MMO" would be browser-based and chincier than a Facebook game app.

Sometimes it's better to let something die before it's lost all dignity. This game is on the clock already. Bioware doesn't have the power to make it better. It will stay like this in a sick state until they pull the plug.

 

That's not for me. As an analogy I'd rather walk than ride a sick horse that's being barely kept alive just for my pleasure.

[xordevoreaux]

One has to wonder how Blizzard can have all those games out and produce the content for them : Diablo 3, HOTS, Starcraft , Overwatch, Hearthstone together with the biggest MMO out there WoW and Bioware struggles with even SWTOR.

 

But for me this rumor doesn't make much sense because I don't see why would BW want to pull the plug from this game because there is a room for both those games on the market since one is MMO-RPG and another will be a looter shooter Destiny clone type of the game and both of those genres attract different audiences usually. And because of the IP to, this game together with this IP can still get a good turnaround and make still a lot of the money if it only gets properly managed. Unless there is maybe SWTOR 2 in the works or in the plans with the new engine about which we still don't know yet.

 

Revenue < Expenditure = -Profit

[Tsillah]

One has to wonder how Blizzard can have all those games out and produce the content for them : Diablo 3, HOTS, Starcraft , Overwatch, Hearthstone together with the biggest MMO out there WoW and Bioware struggles with even SWTOR.

They care about their games and when something goes wrong they invest into them to fix em.

 

But for me this rumor doesn't make much sense because I don't see why would BW want to pull the plug from this game because there is a room for both those games on the market since one is MMO-RPG and another will be a looter shooter Destiny clone type of the game and both of those genres attract different audiences usually. And because of the IP to, this game together with this IP can still get a good turnaround and make still a lot of the money if it only gets properly managed. Unless there is maybe SWTOR 2 in the works or in the plans with the new engine about which we still don't know yet.

It's all about resource management. There is room for both games on the market, but that doesn't mean they have the resources to make both work.

[xordevoreaux]

Sometimes it's better to let something die before it's lost all dignity. This game is on the clock already. Bioware doesn't have the power to make it better. It will stay like this in a sick state until they pull the plug.

 

That's not for me. As an analogy I'd rather walk than ride a sick horse that's being barely kept alive just for my pleasure.

 

They weren't going to shoot this horse in the head until 2023. They've five years. Put it out to pasture, let it graze, don't put it down.

Edited January 24, 2018 by xordevoreaux

[Wopr]

https://kotaku.com/bioware-doubles-down-on-anthem-as-pressure-mounts-1822380989

 

From the article:

 

 

 

So not definite, but it looks like if this is being discussed, this is not good news for us.

 

Reading this and seeing the West coast server shutdown and not hearing about any new content or road map is starting to make sense now. It feels like things are at a pause with dev team on TOR. I hope not I do enjoy this game far more then WoW however i would head back to WoW if the game shuts down, which makes me think why I continue paying a sub.

[Tsillah]

They weren't going to shoot this horse in the head until 2023. They've five years. Put it out to pasture, let it graze, don't put it down.

But if they put it out to pasture and let it graze, you can't play with it anymore. Same difference basically.

[jojobanutz]

Already been covered and you haven't read the thread. The source is 100% solid

Little vid covering a similar 'story' by the same Kotaku 'journalist' that gave us the story this thread is discussing:

 

Remeber, Kotaku is a Gawker offspring.

 

Like I said, shovelful of salt

 

[Kurj]

Daybreak Games, maybe. They took over EQ and EQ2 and they're still both running. Not well, but EQ started in 1999 and it's still there.

 

Better than shutting down.

 

Disney should restart LucasArts and develop all Star Wars games themselves. It’s the only way to avoid having the IP milked to death and then dumped for the outside developer’s proprietary IP. In the 90s and early 2000s, they had some of the best games/technology around. No reason to think they couldn’t do that again with Disney’s funding.

[xordevoreaux]

But if they put it out to pasture and let it graze, you can't play with it anymore. Same difference basically.

 

Put it out to pasture = I mean maintenance mode.

[xordevoreaux]

Disney should restart LucasArts and develop all Star Wars games themselves. It’s the only way to avoid having the IP milked to death and then dumped for the outside developer’s proprietary IP. In the 90s and early 2000s, they had some of the best games/technology around. No reason to think they couldn’t do that again with Disney’s funding.

 

Lucas couldn't restart Lucas Arts at this point. That's just a name. Shareholder statement says Disney.

Edited January 24, 2018 by xordevoreaux

[TUXs]

Disney should restart LucasArts and develop all Star Wars games themselves. It’s the only way to avoid having the IP milked to death and then dumped for the outside developer’s proprietary IP. In the 90s and early 2000s, they had some of the best games/technology around. No reason to think they couldn’t do that again with Disney’s funding.

Do you really think Disney cares as long as they're making money? I don't. They're going to milk the Star Wars name unlike anything you've ever seen.

[xordevoreaux]

Do you really think Disney cares as long as they're making money? I don't. They're going to milk the Star Wars name unlike anything you've ever seen.

 

It's not on Disney's share holder statement as to the profit and loss of SWTOR. It's on EA's. Remember when on page 38 of the 3rd quarter 2016 they blamed SWTOR for a $1M loss in profitability? That wasn't on Disney's tear sheet.

[Tsillah]

Put it out to pasture = I mean maintenance mode.

Well if they can keep the servers running for those who are still willing that's fine. I just want to know that this is the situation. Then I can clear out my account knowing it's done for me and make another player happy with some creds and some neat items.

 

But either way, pull the plug or official maintenance mode (or a disappointing roadmap announcement) is all I need to hear from them. I'm done hoping it's getting better, I just would like them to do me a favour and give me that final confirmation.

[kodrac]

EA has done nothing with the SW licence, so here is hoping somebody at Disney cares enough about this.

 

You know, come to think of it... Disney's deal is with EA. EA owns BW. BWA is the production studio for one of EA's Star Wars game - SWTOR. If BW is allocating resources away from SWTOR for their own title and neglecting the Star Wars title, wouldn't that be grounds for... something? I'm not an attorney so idk the correct term but it does seem logical.

[Wopr]

No I am not.

 

Shut down = you can no longer log into the game and play anymore.

No further development = you can still log in and play.

 

Yes, there will be many less people on the servers but you can still log in and play if you want to.

 

But the problem is you still need a team to keep the game patch with bug fixes which is still a problem for dev team to keep up with and you need to pay for the gear which will need updates and maintenance. I don't want this game to shut down either however you have to look at it both ways.

[TUXs]

You know, come to think of it... Disney's deal is with EA. EA owns BW. BWA is the production studio for one of EA's Star Wars game - SWTOR. If BW is allocating resources away from SWTOR for their own title and neglecting the Star Wars title, wouldn't that be grounds for... something? I'm not an attorney so idk the correct term but it does seem logical.

That's a very good point kodrac! A very good point!

[xordevoreaux]

You know, come to think of it... Disney's deal is with EA. EA owns BW. BWA is the production studio for one of EA's Star Wars game - SWTOR. If BW is allocating resources away from SWTOR for their own title and neglecting the Star Wars title, wouldn't that be grounds for... something? I'm not an attorney so idk the correct term but it does seem logical.

 

No. Both parties would naturally have opt-out agreements. This isn't a marriage unto death. It's an at-will agreement with escape clauses for both EA and Disney. No sane lawyer on either side would agree to anything other.

[ZionHalcyon]

No worries at all my friend, your point was clearly made. SWTOR is the only good thing Bioware has going for it imo...Anthem will be late to the party and flop, and Bioware will be left looking back at the games they gave up on.

 

The way I see it, EA has no more bullets in the Star Wars chamber. Unless Disney is completely inept company that doesn't give a crap about this IP they paid billions for, the only shot EA has at saving the license is SWTOR.

 

They don't have the time to develop a full game from scratch in time. SWTOR is already there, a framework already built, and enough good there that perhaps by throwing an absurd amount of resources at it and reworking the game, you can market the snot out of it and save your license deal.

 

Unless Respawn can somehow release the next KOTOR by 2019. Because unless this thing is THAT good, I look at all the mismanagement if I am Disney and tell EA to take a hike.

[Tsillah]

It's not on Disney's share holder statement as to the profit and loss of SWTOR. It's on EA's. Remember when on page 38 of the 3rd quarter 2016 they blamed SWTOR for a $1M loss in profitability? That wasn't on Disney's tear sheet.

No but I think that after the BF2 disaster and Visceral's game being pulled and possible SWTOR getting dropped, Disney can't be happy about the reputation of Star Wars games following that.

 

Their deal with EA will end and the next deal they won't be able to ask as much since game devs will no longer see SW as a sure thing. EA created that for em.

 

SW games need to be redeemed really.

[Tahana]

You know, come to think of it... Disney's deal is with EA. EA owns BW. BWA is the production studio for one of EA's Star Wars game - SWTOR. If BW is allocating resources away from SWTOR for their own title and neglecting the Star Wars title, wouldn't that be grounds for... something? I'm not an attorney so idk the correct term but it does seem logical.

 

No it doesn't.. It all depends on the contract. If I buy the rights to use someones name I can do something with it, or nothing.. But it all depends on the contract. Their contract could be they have to pay x dollars per year over the course of y years.. Or it could be they have to pay x percentage of profit per year over the course of y years. Or they could have paid an outright flat rate for x number of years.

 

As long as they don't outright cost Disney money or damage the IP they're probably fine.. But cases could be made that Disney damages themselves and the IP more than enough.

[grania]

I wish that article had been focused on the subject of swtor instead of Anthem. After all, swtor players are the ones living in a state of bewilderment for the last couple years, not phantom future Anthem players.

 

When he says there is reason to hope, near the end of the article, I felt the exact opposite. The only hope I have at the moment is that my second favorite companion returns with at least as much content as Andronikos got before the whole thing collapses. *shrug*

[LordFell]

Daybreak Games, maybe. They took over EQ and EQ2 and they're still both running. Not well, but EQ started in 1999 and it's still there.

 

Better than shutting down.

Near as I can tell, Daybreak hasn't MADE anything. They just bought Sony's titles, and are going to milk them into the grave. I was REALLY excited for Everquest Next -and Daybreak took what Sony had built, looked it up, looked it down and then said "LOL, we don't know how to make games!"

 

As for the OP...

Of course EA/Bioware has talked about shuttering SWTOR. Obviously they have. Let's talk about the Mergers. We have to know they talked about turning off the lights, probably 3 or 4 months ago. The looked at the game's health and came up with a couple of facts...

1) The player base wasn't large enough to justify the number of servers we had.

2) The servers we had were creeping up to (or already past) their best before date.

 

...now, ultimately they decided that merging servers, but also putting money into new hardware was worth doing. The new servers are serious pieces of hardware. I did a bit of digging (like, not more than 2 minutes) and I found that a brand new server big and powerful enough to host an MMO on would probably clock in at $400K. So, that was a pretty big expenditure to make for a game they're planning on shuttering.

 

So... YES. Obviously they've talked about it. You don't need to read the article to know this is true.

But... NO. They just dropped a bunch of money into hosting the game... we can expect a couple years at least.

[ExarSun]

The only way Disney will notice is a lot of noise, which will in turn affect their movies - the only thing they seem to care. I also agree investing in SWTOR will be good business for EA...but thats EA...they are not know for making good business, just short term profits.

I don't believe BW have decided to lock resources into Anthem away from SWTOR without EA's knowledge. If they had, the hammer would have swung down already.

Anyway, disappointing your long-time playerbase and betting on some Destiny clone, which attracts you-know-who audience doesnt seem like a very smart move.

[kodrac]

Little vid covering a similar 'story' by the same Kotaku 'journalist' that gave us the story this thread is discussing:

 

Remeber, Kotaku is a Gawker offspring.

 

Like I said, shovelful of salt

 

 

That was LOL worthy.