EA shareholders meeting: over/under 300k subs?

From March to May they lost 400,000 subscribers. If we assume it continues that trajectory than I'd say it's more like 500k-700k. I'm guessing 650k.

I'll preface this by saying I love SWTOR, understand that young MMOs require patience, expect it to grow and expand, and am dismayed by the rumor-mongering, negativity, and extreme obsession with subscription numbers.

Current subscriber numbers will likely be revealed on July 31, with the quarterly investor call.

Feb 2011: EA CEO indicates 500k subscribers means SWTOR is "substantially profitable."
http://www.gamespot.com/news/star-wa...ers-ea-6297338

That number for profitability could have changed since then (up or down), based on development cost, services, staff reduction, etc etc.

Assuming that profit margin stayed the same, they have a substantial surplus of revenue from boxed copies and subs based on the numbers from launch to May (even if you factor in the included month at launch and the 1.2 free month).

The bottom line is: I believe that unless subscribers dip less than 200k or so, the game is financially fine with the current subscription model. Even then, it's not "dead," by any means.

As for layoffs and restructuring of the development team, that is a natural cycle of game development and we as bystanders don't know how much of that (if any) is due to budgetary concerns due to sales. Even so, it may not be a good indicator of the future development or sustainability of the game. Also, anyone that has ever worked on a *huge* development project or witnessed bureaucracy can attest to to the fact that more cooks in the kitchen does not necessarily result in a better meal.

In my opinion, the #1 threat to the game at this point is the community itself and the (I believe unfounded) negative perception of the game on the Internet. There are thousands of people playing the game every day and enjoying it, but it is a struggle to attract new players to the game if their first and only impressions of the game are extremely negative rants from people championing the game to fail. Heralding the death of a game can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I spoke to Sylvia Browne, she says 500k. Miss Cleo says something around 800k. Damn I'm torn between the 2 most credible sources ON THE PLANET.

I spoke to Sylvia Browne, she says 500k. Miss Cleo says something around 800k. Damn I'm torn between the 2 most credible sources ON THE PLANET.

even if it has 1000000 subs what do i care as i only get to know or play with 0.0001 % of the entire playerbase? my server is full now and thats all that matters

This debate isn't over until we know what Snooki thinks.

And the game isn't in crisis until Anderson Cooper is spotted in Austin.

Chuck Norris hasn't said anything yet and he's the herald of doom. So I think we are ok