Why make great MMO as long as it breaks even

Skyrim probably isn't the best example to use. If you get it on PC it's possible to get years out of if with all the player mods that come out. I still go back to Oblivion occasionally and play brand new content and it's been over three years ( I think) since I got it. This sort of thing is supported by the company as well with the release of all the code that allows people to create to their hearts content.

The thing is, you are still missing the point.

The person who coded the game was a hobbiest. Chances are every single on of the developers and artists and programmers on this game did it as a 'hobby' before becoming employed in the industry. Its that sort of job.

What hasnt changed is the companies that maufacture the games. Sure back in 1983 it was a newish industry, but most of the publishers were big business back then, but in different sectors (eg sony).

Im sorry, the only thing that has changed is the quality of the games and the fact that one person cant make a world beating game in his bedroom anymore.

Not entirely true, but your point is well-taken. Minecraft was made initially by one guy, it's had more sales than SWTOR. 4 million units versus 2 million.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpuRcmPnSTM

You don't understand business or the MMO industry.

• Every video game publisher is out to make money. Without this game studios wouldn't have the necessary backing they need to make the games we love.
• So long as there is money to be made in an MMO, companies will still work on it.
• MMO's are long term commitments for both initial development and post-release.
• The $15 a month you pay is to keep the servers up and content flowing. MMO's constantly have new content coming out, if they didnt, people would of stoped playing WoW 5 years ago.
• New content is flat out CRITICAL to profits because it is CRITICAL to keep a player base.

No idea how you came to the ideas that you have, but they don't make any reasonable sense.

All games since the 80's have been a business. If somebody wasn't making lots of money, games wouldnt be anything they are now. It's just now a days games can cost and make hundreds of millions of dollars. It's a grown industry. If the game can't be profitable it should be cut.

I would beg to differ. I doubt very much that most if even [some] game programmers start it these days as a 'hobby'. That is part of the difference I was attempting to show.

....and here is again the other difference. Video gaming back then was a form of hobby-entertainment. These days it is big business thanks to its becoming mainstream entertainment.

Seems like we're splitting hairs at this point so I guess "well enough" should be left alone.....

Good point. A fair number of the 'social' games, especially apps are done by one person. Minecraft is the exception that proves the rule (I love that saying... )



No evidence either way I would say here. However its a competative industry, if you went to an interview and they asked what you had done before, and your response was nothing, Im just out of college give me a job, then they will show you the door fast. However saying 'well in my own time I programmed this little game......


Erm, you are simply inventing names for things. there are PLENTY of non-mainstream entertainment that is still big business. Back in the 80's computers were becoming mainstream. That doesnt happen over night.


I hate it when people do this. They play the 'big man' by saying 'lets agree to disagree' or 'we are both right and wrong lets leave it here' when their point has been proved wrong, and the other person is just left looking like a jerk. Well, I dont mind being a jerk, but I do mind not having everything correct.

There's a difference- it's easy to buy a very cheap game that you'll never have to pay for again.

Think of it this way- if TOR were 20 bucks and had no fee, I'd be willing to bet it'd be closer to 10 million copies sold- I mean, why not? Heck, I'd have bought two copies to dual box in that case.

The cost does indeed make people not buy something- consider how every game that goes f2p picks up subs like crazy- whether they do or don't improve the actual game.

Yes but again, I don't think you could classify same as "hobby".


Yes computers were becoming mainstream but for what purpose? Certainly more so for work/business than entertainment.



Well there you go. I can play the "jerk" too. So is this enough "jerk" for you? Or should we keep dragging the OP further off-topic? Keep trying if you want; you have not proven anything as yet! Except maybe that you are in fact a very capable class-A "jerk".

You know OP, I had a honest talk with myself (for lack of better term..) and I realized that everything I had complained about with the direction of WoW was true about SW:TOR...

Sooo I made a thread about it. It was deleted. So I made a post on mmo-champion, It was locked and I was infracted

I am feeling the same thing you are.

Define hobby? Something someone does in their own time?

Therefore someone who programs games and computers in their own time is a hobbiest?

Surely?

The computer games industry (not just PC games because other than to the gamers themselves its one big industry) was mainstream in the very very early 80's. The NES was released in 1983. I mean, heck, the industry was so big and mainstream in 1983 that there was actually a market crash in that year! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983


Sigh.