SWTOR no longer going to Star Wars Celebration??

Easy fellas.

Let's keep things in perspective. I don't think anyone should be fired over a single issue such as this, but I think there is a lack of professionalism by the SWTOR management by deciding that they would renege on a commitment to the fan-base 2 weeks before an announced event. If such mismanagement and failure to keep commitments continues, a change in management is warranted.

I agree that this isn't something that someone should be fired for, but it is something that should have been really thought through. This is a Star Wars MMO, and the Celebration is a Star Wars convention... SWTOR should have been there, no question about it. They didn't even have to do anything big, just make an appearance, have a panel, give out an exclusive in-game item to attendees... just try to show the Star Wars community that Bioware/EA really does care about the "Star Wars" in their game, and that they do care about the Star Wars fan community.

But this course of action, pulling out of the Celebration, just makes it feel like Bioware/EA doesn't really care at all about the Star Wars fans, who are most likely the people who will keep this game going. Gamescom will have some Star Wars fans, sure, but it'll mostly be just hardcore gamers. For the most part, I'd wager that most of this "hardcore gamers" have either played SWTOR and left, or have heard the stories about this game and will steer clear of it. On the other hand, Star Wars fans will be more likely to play and stick with this game just because it is Star Wars. And where will you find the hardcore Star Wars fans? Star Wars Celebration VI.
And besides, they could have gone to Gamescom next yet. It's very likely that by the time the next Celebration comes around SWTOR wont even be in service anymore.

It feels like Bioware/EA has lost all of their enthusiasm about this game. I can understand that, partially, but before this game launched Bioware kept claiming how awesome this game was going to be, and what a perfect Star Wars experience it would be. But after subscriptions started to fall Bioware began to act like they no longer care much about SWTOR, or Star Wars as a whole, and don't act that interested in the game anymore. Like I said, I understand some of it, but when you lose that interest in your own game, when a game company acts like they no longer care about the game they made, the community will also begin to lose interest, because if you don't care about the game you made, why will its players? The players, the community, can "feel" that negativity and that lack of inspiration.
One of the ways that Bioware/EA could have shown that they do still care about the game, and about Star Wars, would have been to have made an appearance at the Celebration. No, it wouldn't have fixed all of the problems, but it would have helped. Even just to say "we still care about our game and want to bring that excellent Star Wars experience to the Star Wars fans out there" would have done wonders. But instead, Bioware/EA just shrugged it off and put priority into a gaming convention, which probably wont gain them as much interest as CVI would have. This decision seems very short-sighted to me, and seems like it was made without much thought or consideration. It also seems like it's a little bit of an insult to the Star Wars fan community, like Bioware/EA couldn't even be bothered to show up and make even a small presentation at a Star Wars convention. It feels like Bioware/EA doesn't even want to try anymore.

If Bioware/EA were smart they would at least put some fliers into the goody bags that everyone gets when they check in at the Celebration. The fliers could advertise the game, have a code for an exclusive in-game item, and a free trial code for those who haven't played the game yet. This would have been better than nothing, and at least SWTOR would have been at the Celebration in spirit, and could have at least shown a little bit of support.

The assumption is being made that the person that decided it was ok to skip the Celebration is the same one that is making all of the other bad decisions for this game, at least that is what I am getting from that post. If it actually is the same person then I am inclined to agree with Sidney, however I doubt it is.

Ironic.

Originally, swtor was the only reason I wanted to go to Celebration, and now they aren't even going to be there! I am really disappointed about this, to be honest. I don't even care if there is anything to show us there, I just wanted to meet and THANK the people who made this game, but now I can't.

Even with the short staff and everything, just send a couple people or something to appease the fans.

I bought this game because I liked Star Wars, not mmo's.

I think most of the dedicated community feels this way. We play because it's Star Wars, not because it is or isn't an excellent MMO. It's sad that Bioware/EA is trying to appease the hardcore gamers rather than the hardcore Star Wars fans-- the latter of which who will most likely the be the ones who keep this game alive.
It's a little bit of an insult to the Star Wars fanbase that Bioware/EA just ignores us like this.

i play as a star wars fan not a mmo fan and i will be going to gamescom just for swtor. if they take awey swtor there is nothing for me at gamescom while there is still plenty of sw at swc.

First off I really appreciated your comments here and agree fully.

I'm FURTHER baffled by this decision from purely a marketing and business perspective and here is why:

Bioware has jsut announced their F2P model and ultimately is giving away, what some would argue, is the strongest part of the game; the first person storyline of 1 to 50. At Celebration VI you will have a large pool of target market consumers whom might have been staying away from the game because they were leary of the MMO/subscription piece of the game. Here is your chance to SHOW these hot prospects the game, the story classes, let them get some hands on, tell them about the current free to 15 model and the coming free to 50 model and the planned expansions to the game. Once these people are playing, some may convert to subscription, many will buy cartel coins, and many will tell their other Star Wars fan friends about the game who weren't at C:VI.

C:VI seems like a slam dunk, no brainer, high return on investment opportunity in comparison to San Diego Comicon or Gamercon. It's a huge blunder not to be there and is a lost opportunity for thousands of potential customers and free word of mouth advertising. I'm disappointed as SWTOR fan, I'm frustrated as a Bioware fan, but I'm sure there is plenty other stuff at C:VI to fill my Star Wars Fan cup.

Bioware: Not being at C:VI is a huge blunder and I hope there was a very strong reason behind this decision.

I imagine this has been touched on before, but not in the mood to dig through 12 pages of posts to see if it's been said.

Now Joveth touched on the fact that staffing issues would prevent them from being at SWC. Understandable given the layoffs that happened, and the premise that F2P, new world event and 1.4 coming along. But I think people may be overreacting to the whole "SWC would give you the largest target market" for the game.

Yes, the place will be packed full of Star Wars fanatics. However, contrary to the popular belief, there are nowhere near as many gamers in that crowd as people may think. To put it into perspective, having looked through my facebook and noted 100 friends in this list that are all Star Wars fans and would go to the convention, had they had the resources to. Out of those 100, 4 are gamers. 4%.

I think there are other reasons that BW/EA saw for not attending. Sure it's a Star Wars thing, and at the very least, they would have picked up a little face time I guess, but overall, out of the Star Wars fans that do exist, I highly doubt that there would have been enough interest in SWTOR from that crowd that would have actually made any sort of profitable return, implied or otherwise.

Most gamers have decided that SWTOR isn't worth their time. Many Star Wars fans have never even heard of it.

The point isn't to find the convention with the most gamers, its to find the population with the best chance at getting new subscriptions.

Besides, the point isn't that SWTOR shouldn't go to Gamescom. It's that they announced they were going to SW:CVI, and now aren't. Keep your commitments - given how few commitments SW:TOR makes, that shouldn't be that hard to do.

So basically what is left of the staff (3 people and a ball of lint) can't make it to a STAR WARS event.

makes sense from a certain point of view....