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When new games are released swtor populations drop


TrixxieTriss

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When new games are released swtor populations drop for a while till they either realise the other game is crap (the shine wares off) or they miss swtor.

Of course some may never come back to swtor or take an extended break till they play through all the other games content.

This happened with a lot of games like wild star. It was going to be the next big thing and was talked about a lot on these forums. But it took a few weeks and most people were back and ultimately wild star failed.

 

That brings me to the meat of this post. What happens to swtor when Anthem is released next month not the 22nd February? Many people on the forums have said they won’t touch it because of how EAware have treated swtor and they just don’t trust them.

But we are a minority of players who post here. Lots of people read the forums, except not many post. But they often communicate in the game with people who do post.

 

So what are people hearing. Will a lot of the current players of swtor be checking Anthem out or not? I’m not hearing many say they will. Honestly there seems to be no hype around Anthem on the internet and even EA seems to be low key about it.

But let’s say swtor loses 20-30% of players to go try Anthem. How will that affect us in the short term and what does that mean for the game long term if only half of those people come back?

 

I’ve a bad feeling that BioWare have halted most funding for swtor to find out how Anthem goes. If Anthem is successful enough to pull and keep 20-30% of swtor players, will that mean swtor goes into full maintenance mode and no 6.0 expansion. Or does it mean an injection of funding for new content to bring older players back.

It would seem odd that BioWare would want people to leave Anthem to come back to swtor. So what’s the plan and strategy to keep both games development running at the same time. It’s obvious most of Biowares eggs are in the Anthem basket, so I can’t imagine swtor is high on the priority list.

 

The best scenario I can see for swtor is Anthem is semi successful. Enough that the EA overlords are happy, but not enough that it pulls too many swtor players from the game for very long. I think as long as we don’t lose more than 10% to Anthem, BioWare will have a reason to keep funding swtor development and will see the need to run both games as successfully as possible. But if Anthem is an overpowering success and manages to draw too many swtor players for too long, I can see swtor funding keep diminishing. Which means less content, more bugs, bad decisions, no expansion and ultimately merged into one server.

 

Personally I won’t be giving Anthem the time of day. But I do want it to be semi successful or I think swtor might have a problem and we’ll start to see those affects around April/May/June. They will include delayed patches, even more bugs that aren’t fixed because they are trying to get as much content out as possible and have no funding to fix bugs. Then a possible announcement that 6.0 has been put on hold indefinitely.

So let’s all “hope” Anthem goes well, just not too well ;) Also if you do go try it, don’t forget swtor. Come back a few times a week to say high.

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I don't think EA really has a plan either way. They've been kind of schizophrenic lately in terms of how they're handlng themselves and their business decisions. Take their recent cancelling of their big open world Star Wars game plans (that they cancelled Visceral's partially completed game for) in order to come out with a "smaller scale experience" (which is what Visceral was doing before EA killed the studio and all their projects):

 

https://kotaku.com/ea-cancels-open-world-star-wars-game-1831786371

 

Feels to me like the suits can't make up their mind on which way to 'pivot' their products and IPs and as a result are spinning around in circles. I doubt any of them have really prepared for what happens to SWTOR beyond Anthem's launch, regardless of whether it's a bang or a bust. SWTOR is basically ignored by them in general; they never even mention the game on their stockholder annual reports anymore.

Edited by AscendingSky
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I don't think EA really has a plan either way. They've been kind of schizophrenic lately in terms of how they're handlng themselves and their business decisions. Take their recent cancelling of their big open world Star Wars game plans (that they cancelled Visceral's partially completed game for) in order to come out with a "smaller scale experience" (which is what Visceral was doing before EA killed the studio and all their projects):

 

https://kotaku.com/ea-cancels-open-world-star-wars-game-1831786371

 

Feels to me like the suits can't make up their mind on which way to 'pivot' their products and IPs and as a result are spinning around in circles.

 

Yeah, but I have a feeling that might be linked to Disney negotiation with other producers and EA lose their exclusive licence (rumour of course).

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Yeah, but I have a feeling that might be linked to Disney negotiation with other producers and EA lose their exclusive licence (rumour of course).

 

I think people are worried which is why I hear people talking down Anthem. There's every reason between a resounding success with Anthem and the cost of the Star Wars license that SWTOR might finally cross over into game/server costs outweighing income.

 

It doesn't bother me because if SWTOR can't survive this, it doesn't deserve to. It's actually a good thing that IX will release so late in the year for this reason so instead of leaning on a main film which by all likelihood will knock it out of the park to make up for VIII- SWTOR has to justify its existence. I've said this before. Star Wars games are not in the same league as the films and SOLO managed to crash and hard- they have to earn the name, not the other way around.

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Anthem is a looter shooter. That type of game may appeal to the "destiny" crowd, but may not appeal to the "story, rpg, PvP, or mmo" players.

 

I'm a "story/rpg" player myself. I have no interest in an always online looter shooter. They haven't shown me anything to make me think the story is anything except a tacked on afterthought. The only interest I have in anthem is "will it be successful enough to keep BW from suffering the same fate as Visceral".

 

I'm cautiously optimistic about "Jedi fallen order", but EA has made it clear that they don't care about story or single player games. They only care about live services and how much $$$$ they can suck outta players wallets. So I'll be waiting a few months after that releases before I make a decision on that one.

 

And as far as the cancelled again SW game, anybody wanna bet the "smaller scale game" will be another mobile game or a "battle royal" type game?

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I keep thinking another game will grab my attention enough to ween me off SWTOR but nothing has other than Skyrim since launch. I finally stopped playing Skyrim last fall and haven't really felt the itch to play it anymore.

I can't bring myself to finish any new game I try, and most of them hardly last past one hour of play before I get bored and need to come back here.

I played the everloving **** out of Red Dead Redemption years ago and thought the sequel would finally be the one, but I think I've spent about 15 hours there and I'm so turned off by the controls and lack of a compelling protagonist (to me, IMO) that I don't know if I'll ever go any further. I just turn it on, play Texas Hold'em for about 45 minutes, and turn it off.

I got into AC Odyssey but it was too close to the latest Tomb Raider and RDR2 that I stopped and haven't gone back since.

This could very well be the last game I play. If SWTOR goes away, I'll never buy a PC again, for sure. The way things go I highly doubt I'll even have the will to chip away at the countless games I've started and abandoned since getting hooked onto SWTOR. I think my last hope will be Cyberpunk, and even that annoys me that it's going to be FPS for most of it.

As far as Anthem, I don't think I'll try it unless we'll be able to see our faces in the city area or whatever. If it's nothing but javelins I'll probably never go for it, and if the character customization (javelins are not character customization in my eyes) is bad or non-existent that will keep me away as well.

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I keep thinking another game will grab my attention enough to ween me off SWTOR but nothing has other than Skyrim since launch. I finally stopped playing Skyrim last fall and haven't really felt the itch to play it anymore.

I can't bring myself to finish any new game I try, and most of them hardly last past one hour of play before I get bored and need to come back here.

I played the everloving **** out of Red Dead Redemption years ago and thought the sequel would finally be the one, but I think I've spent about 15 hours there and I'm so turned off by the controls and lack of a compelling protagonist (to me, IMO) that I don't know if I'll ever go any further. I just turn it on, play Texas Hold'em for about 45 minutes, and turn it off.

I got into AC Odyssey but it was too close to the latest Tomb Raider and RDR2 that I stopped and haven't gone back since.

This could very well be the last game I play. If SWTOR goes away, I'll never buy a PC again, for sure. The way things go I highly doubt I'll even have the will to chip away at the countless games I've started and abandoned since getting hooked onto SWTOR. I think my last hope will be Cyberpunk, and even that annoys me that it's going to be FPS for most of it.

As far as Anthem, I don't think I'll try it unless we'll be able to see our faces in the city area or whatever. If it's nothing but javelins I'll probably never go for it, and if the character customization (javelins are not character customization in my eyes) is bad or non-existent that will keep me away as well.

 

Well from what I've read, the only customizations are the javelin, and the time spent in fort whatever is always first person. There is no create a character.

 

I just recently started RDR2 again so I can do a lot of the side missions, crafting, and exploring I skipped on my "I just wanna see the story" play through. (That took about 70hrs lol) but it was totally worth it. By the end I was completely invested in Aurther and slick getting emotional at what was happening.

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When Battlefront came out I tried it - but it was way too samey every time I logged in even though it looked great. Anthem looks like much the same to me and with those suits on its hard to see how you could make your character look unique. I love that you have a fantastic diversity in both your character look and how you tog them out. in SWTOR...the gameplay choices are also more varied so I'll be staying put!

 

...but c'mon Bioware lets get back to making THIS game great again. More open world planets, variety of class story etc. A few vanilla style levels for each class would be an amazing start. And please advertise that the game is still alive, there are many people don't even know that the game exists.

Edited by hillerbees
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Always a difficult balance. To some extent, competition is good. Means SWTOR has to keep producing new stuff to stay competative.

 

On the other hand, there is the inflation issue. To much new stuff (when that stuff isn't just new story, but bigger and better armor, weapons etc...) means the old stuff get worth less. Can be off putting for old timers who's put a lot of effort and possibly money into getting that old stuff.

 

And of course the whole swtor engine is getting older and older. Suits me fine as I have an old computer, but there will come a day when the whole engine will have to be replaced or no new player will touch it with a ten foot stick (unless they are into retro).

 

Sad to say, but I guess it is unavoidable that SWTOR will die one day.

 

But then again, so did Star Wars Galaxies, and we got SWTOR instead...

 

Best enjoy it now when it lasts, and it sounds like the 22nd to 24th febuary will be a perfect weekend for it. Maybe we'll get som peace and quiet for a couple of days ;)

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I might try Anthem one day, just not at launch. Chances are I won’t stop TOR for it though. I actually stopped playing Destiny 2 after discovering TOR (yeah I know, very late lol). I only come back to Destiny 2 when a new story content drops, play it like 2 days and then im done. The only thing that can truly pull me is a new mass effect or dragon age for a while.
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I don't think EA really has a plan either way. They've been kind of schizophrenic lately in terms of how they're handlng themselves and their business decisions. Take their recent cancelling of their big open world Star Wars game plans (that they cancelled Visceral's partially completed game for) in order to come out with a "smaller scale experience" (which is what Visceral was doing before EA killed the studio and all their projects):

 

https://kotaku.com/ea-cancels-open-world-star-wars-game-1831786371

 

Feels to me like the suits can't make up their mind on which way to 'pivot' their products and IPs and as a result are spinning around in circles. I doubt any of them have really prepared for what happens to SWTOR beyond Anthem's launch, regardless of whether it's a bang or a bust. SWTOR is basically ignored by them in general; they never even mention the game on their stockholder annual reports anymore.

Wouldn't it be interesting to see where SWTOR could be today had EA invested all those millions in cancelled Star Wars games into this game?! Even if this game had HALF that development money, where would SWTOR be today. Instead, we've just funded cancelled Star Wars games for 7 years now.

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I thought I be one that would have said I would never try another game, and I could have until recently. I tried wow and interesting enough I am enjoying it which I really didn't think I would since I am not really a pvp player not a raid player but I did notice that it doesn't matter when you are out killing things if someone else helps you because you all get credit for it. I thought that was different and makes you relax a bit.

 

I still play SWTOR but just not like I used to.

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I don't think EA really has a plan either way. They've been kind of schizophrenic lately in terms of how they're handlng themselves and their business decisions. Take their recent cancelling of their big open world Star Wars game plans (that they cancelled Visceral's partially completed game for) in order to come out with a "smaller scale experience" (which is what Visceral was doing before EA killed the studio and all their projects):

 

https://kotaku.com/ea-cancels-open-world-star-wars-game-1831786371

 

Feels to me like the suits can't make up their mind on which way to 'pivot' their products and IPs and as a result are spinning around in circles. I doubt any of them have really prepared for what happens to SWTOR beyond Anthem's launch, regardless of whether it's a bang or a bust. SWTOR is basically ignored by them in general; they never even mention the game on their stockholder annual reports anymore.

 

Oh, the "so-called Big suits" can make up their minds, but they want to make more money, and use less resources, rather than making a good game, they believe that a said amount of time, should have a "said amount of development done". Facts are that games take time, up to 10 years of planning, when in fact most game publishers these days believe in 2 to 5 years with pre-production, writing, engine, etc. plus more years into engine and other game building components that will take a good 3 years with a good game.

 

EA and Activision, and now even Bathesda, have beenputting out bad quality games, in favor for just getting whatever you can for a quick buck, while also telling consumers that they are the village idiots sometimes.

 

The "Big Suits", also are making up to 48-50 million a year with also giving themselves a 20 million dollar on-board entry level bonus, if a "said person came from another well known studio".

Edited by MandFlurry
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Wouldn't it be interesting to see where SWTOR could be today had EA invested all those millions in cancelled Star Wars games into this game?! Even if this game had HALF that development money, where would SWTOR be today. Instead, we've just funded cancelled Star Wars games for 7 years now.

 

TUX, you and most other people know exactly what would have happened. We would have have a AAA MMO, with more work going into /bug fixes that we have had since beta and launch, more expansions with more content, etc, etc.

without so much care into a bloody Cartel market.

 

Also, we could have better Network/ client side/ server side problems actually being worked on and having buggy systems thrown out, and have better state of the art servers for APAC/ European and North America regions as well.

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I won't be going to Anthem but I might go back to ESO or even Battlefront II for a while, depending on how the Anthem launch affects TOR. I've enjoyed SWTOR since I started playing in early 2015 (late comer, I know), but it's not the only game I play. I know most aren't thrilled with Elder Scrolls but I find that I'm liking ESO. As for Battlefront II, currently stuck on the TIE fighter platform on Endor but if I really feel like it, I can always YouTube the strategy I need.

 

Anyway, until I hear otherwise, I'll be sticking (mostly) with Star Wars as it's the first MMO that I've actually enjoyed (couldn't get into WoW or EverQuest). Hopefully, and this is probably just wishful thinking, if and when it does die, BW/EA/Disney might be smart enough to release what was put out on a DVD-ROM or permanent download that we could keep, but that would require a great deal of re-working, especially the OPS and FPS that require groups.

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Wouldn't it be interesting to see where SWTOR could be today had EA invested all those millions in cancelled Star Wars games into this game?! Even if this game had HALF that development money, where would SWTOR be today. Instead, we've just funded cancelled Star Wars games for 7 years now.

 

That is an excellent point. What is it, 3 Star Wars games canceled since swtor was released?

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Actually I've seen a lot of new and returning players since 5.10 (first time leveling a class or completing story chapter cheevos appear in guild chat quite frequently), there is no problem with pops for whatever you want to do and I haven't had problems getting groups for some weird and rarely done open world activities (like world bosses, DVL bosses or daily area heroics) even late at night.

As for Anthem... well, they'd have to pay me at least standard wage to play it. Looter-shooter is totally not my thing, no matter how good it is.

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Yeah, but I have a feeling that might be linked to Disney negotiation with other producers and EA lose their exclusive licence (rumour of course).

 

Why would that be a bad thing? In all this time, there's only been the 2 battlefront games by EA. Talk about wasting their opportunity window. Competition will broaden the amount of games we players receive.

Edited by annabethchase
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Why would that be a bad thing? In all this time, there's only been the 2 battlefront games by EA. Talk about wasting their opportunity window. Competition will broaden the amount of games we players receive.

 

I agree. It would have been better for more competition. Giving them exclusive rights and hardly any oversight is why EA have cancelled 2-3 SW games, mismanaged this game and had publicity isssues around loot boxes in BF.

 

As some else said recently, imagine if EA had given swtor all those wasted resources and money they spent on those cancelled SW games. How much better could swtor have been?

 

Exclusivity in anything is basically a monopoly.

Monopolies rarely perfom well for the consumers or end users.

They are often sub par in quality or over priced for what you get because they can do what they want with no competition.

 

I hope Disney has learnt is lesson with SW and EA and do open up the licence. But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong as to why EA have pulled right back on anymore SW development (beside fallen Jedi). I guess they don’t want all their development eggs in the SW basket when/if they lose exclusivity and the movies are finished being made or the releases of further ones are slowed right down.

 

If they lose exclusivity and other studios make better SW games, they lose their monopoly to make sub par products. EA might actually have to look and listen to the players above their executive pay bonuses and shareholders to make products that people “want” to play.

Let’s be fair. If another studio (not EA) was to make another SW MMO, swtor would die so fast that they wouldn’t be able to shut the servers down fast enough. Most of us are only still here because there are no other SW MMO alternatives,

Edited by TrixxieTriss
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