Star Wars: The Old Republic needs only 500K subscribers - EA

http://www.gamespot.com/news/star-wars-the-old-republic-needs-only-500k-subscribers-ea-6297338

 

To summarize, the game needs 500k subs to be profitable. The game has sold an estimated 2 million+ copies. For the game to drop to less then 500k would be extremely unlikely, so really to say it will fail or go f2p is just ridiculous. It is what it is, and it isn't going to apologize for it.

 

Having said this, I am no big fan of the game myself. To be honest I play it by ear, week to week, holding out at the last second to see if I sub for another month. The game really is suffering from factors that were preventable - poor engine, poor customer service, weak content. But do I think it's going to crash and burn? No way. It's going to be the only Star Wars MMO for the next 6-10 years so love it or hate it cause it's not going anywhere.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Dunzo

Star Wars: The Old Republic needs only 500K subscribers - EA

http://www.gamespot.com/news/star-wars-the-old-republic-needs-only-500k-subscribers-ea-6297338

 

To summarize, the game needs 500k subs to be profitable. The game has sold an estimated 2 million+ copies. For the game to drop to less then 500k would be extremely unlikely, so really to say it will fail or go f2p is just ridiculous. It is what it is, and it isn't going to apologize for it.

 

Having said this, I am no big fan of the game myself. To be honest I play it by ear, week to week, holding out at the last second to see if I sub for another month. The game really is suffering from factors that were preventable - poor engine, poor customer service, weak content. But do I think it's going to crash and burn? No way. It's going to be the only Star Wars MMO for the next 6-10 years so love it or hate it cause it's not going anywhere.

 

Pretty sure Warhammer sold over 1million copies on launch, how many subs are they rocking now?

I would hope that's not true, only one US mmo has had more than 500k for an extended period of time. I don't see it with this game.

lol how sad that guy basically is saying we just have to fool people 500,000 long enough to break even. Edited January 8, 2012 by Ramurdyne

I would of agreed with you a week ago. After seeing them address zero of the FPS issues plauging an overwhelming majority of the player base I have decided to cancel and not re sub. I just upgraded my CPU/GPU/Ram and did a clean Windows 7 64 bit install to still see that war zones are totally borked and it is BIowares engine causing the drops not my PC. I have bench marked also installed all the new games out there to test and I can run everything else flawlessly except warzones and the fleet in this game. Bioware either fixes them in the next week or they can kiss a massive chunk of the player base good bye. Mark my words and save this thread.

Even though my opinions about the game differ from your own, I applaud this post.

 

If only the people making these claims would realize this... Oh well, though, right?

 

My friends and I are enjoying the game, so I really don't care if people want to obsess over trying to convince everyone else that the sky is falling.

well said OP well said, that sums it up perfectly

I would of agreed with you a week ago. After seeing them address zero of the FPS issues plauging an overwhelming majority of the player base I have decided to cancel and not re sub. I just upgraded my CPU/GPU/Ram and did a clean Windows 7 64 bit install to still see that war zones are totally borked and it is BIowares engine causing the drops not my PC. I have bench marked also installed all the new games out there to test and I can run everything else flawlessly except warzones and the fleet in this game. Bioware either fixes them in the next week or they can kiss a massive chunk of the player base good bye. Mark my words and save this thread.

 

cant save a thread or use search function, because they didnt think of that either

Star Wars: The Old Republic needs only 500K subscribers - EA

http://www.gamespot.com/news/star-wars-the-old-republic-needs-only-500k-subscribers-ea-6297338

 

To summarize, the game needs 500k subs to be profitable. The game has sold an estimated 2 million+ copies. For the game to drop to less then 500k would be extremely unlikely, so really to say it will fail or go f2p is just ridiculous. It is what it is, and it isn't going to apologize for it.

 

Having said this, I am no big fan of the game myself. To be honest I play it by ear, week to week, holding out at the last second to see if I sub for another month. The game really is suffering from factors that were preventable - poor engine, poor customer service, weak content. But do I think it's going to crash and burn? No way. It's going to be the only Star Wars MMO for the next 6-10 years so love it or hate it cause it's not going anywhere.

 

Are you only familiar with WOW? No MMOs have more than 500k for any length of time except WOW. So what is that like 1% of MMOs in history have kept 500k subs so the odds are stacked very very hard against them keeping that many subs.

Edited January 8, 2012 by LordralVordral

cant save a thread or use search function, because they didnt think of that either

 

I really did like the game up to 50. Being 50 for a day or so and having time to look back on everything I am wiling to dub it Warhammer 2.0 unfortunately. Both games had massive potential but were plauged with FPS issues that the devs took to long to address and all the of the player base gave them the big middle finger and un subbed after a month or so. Same thing is going to happen to this game.

Only time will tell really.

 

This game is a lot of fun, and if they hit on a ton of bug fixing in the next month, they stand a pretty good chance. They'll likely have their biggest patch around the 20th (or just before) so that people will come back to see changes.

 

The reality is that all of this negative feedback is because people WANT to like this game. Give it a month or two (assuming they do bug fixing) and I wouldn't be surprised if they have a good player base.

Only time will tell really.

 

This game is a lot of fun, and if they hit on a ton of bug fixing in the next month, they stand a pretty good chance. They'll likely have their biggest patch around the 20th (or just before) so that people will come back to see changes.

 

The reality is that all of this negative feedback is because people WANT to like this game. Give it a month or two (assuming they do bug fixing) and I wouldn't be surprised if they have a good player base.

 

They realistically have two weeks max to address the FPS issues in war zones and fleet. I am willing to bet that a good quarter of the player base is gone within that time frame if they do not publicly admit to it being the engines problem and give us a time frame on the fix. I will bump this thread a month from now when I am quoting a news article showing the numbers falling off. I really hope I am wrong but Bioware is asking for this failure by leaving the fanbase in the dark.

500k people actually enjoy the game rather than complaining about it. Enough said.

what is all this customer service crap about seriously, do people just want to talk to customer service for their whole life.

500k people actually enjoy the game rather than complaining about it. Enough said.

 

Come back in 2 months and see that number decreased dramatically.

Only time will tell really.

 

This game is a lot of fun, and if they hit on a ton of bug fixing in the next month, they stand a pretty good chance. They'll likely have their biggest patch around the 20th (or just before) so that people will come back to see changes.

 

The reality is that all of this negative feedback is because people WANT to like this game. Give it a month or two (assuming they do bug fixing) and I wouldn't be surprised if they have a good player base.

 

 

So ****in true.

 

 

I loved Burning Crusade, i didnt like WotLK and i think Cata was a pos (played it for like 2 months). I want TOR to be great i want to like it. But its 7/10, idk if its worth paying each month.

Pretty sure Warhammer sold over 1million copies on launch, how many subs are they rocking now?

 

This.

No looking for group tools is a killer for me. Being a mom, I just want to log on and play while I can. Having to wait and hope I get lucky by spamming tells. Ya, No thank you bioware.

 

 

I might come back one day.

I think you're underestimating how huge a number 500k is. Without an Eastern market, 500,000 consistent, active subs is not an easy goal. WoW is, and always will be, an anomaly. It had a large fanbase before its release, and it has a gigantic-normous Asian market to bolster its Western markets.

 

TOR obviously, has Star Wars fans, but you've got to factor in those who will actually want to play an MMO. Relying on the huge numbers of SW fans there are in the world is not a clever move - look at SWG.

 

However, the devs have achieved something spectacular with this game. I find myself comparing it to all the other MMOs I've played favourably. It's taken the very best bits of some of the greatest MMOs and single player games out there, and stitched them all together in this amazing bundle. If any new MMO can level off at 500k players, it will be this one - but it is not an easy task.

Come back in 2 months and see that number decreased dramatically.

 

is this another i want this game to fail omg go back to wow please we don't need your kind.

I would hope that's not true, only one US mmo has had more than 500k for an extended period of time. I don't see it with this game.

 

This. SW:TOR will not hold on to 500k subs, mark my words.

This. SW:TOR will not hold on to 500k subs, mark my words.

 

how do you know do you work for bio ware do you have a time machine

No looking for group tools is a killer for me. Being a mom, I just want to log on and play while I can. Having to wait and hope I get lucky by spamming tells. Ya, No thank you bioware.

 

 

I might come back one day.

 

Sorry, this is off-topic, but THERE IS A LOOKING FOR GROUP TOOL!!!!!!!!!

 

Just doesn't work because maybe 5% of players use it.

 

Makes your post really funny in retrospect.

 

Lightsaber.

This. SW:TOR will not hold on to 500k subs, mark my words.

 

I'll take that bet.

how to make a bunch of money even knowing your mmo will fail.

 

1. make awesome looking demo videos spend a few years showing them on the web and at game shows.

 

2. pay advertiser to say things like "this is the greatest mmo ever made", they do it with movies, every movie promo has that one guy saying "this is the best movie ever made!!"

 

3 pre-sell the game before it comes out, create a "collectors edition" add a few items that only the collectors edition get, put a statue in it that was made in "foreign country" that cost 2 bucks to make, add cheap map, cd with music, etc.. charge almost 200 dollars for it.

 

4. have a "open beta testing to the public" with limited access to zones and quests that actually work, making it appear the game is finished.

 

5. release game with 30 days but have a "great deal, like pre pay 6 months of subscription and save 10%. that way a certain of percent of people will pay for 6 months even before they are sure they like the game.

 

please note i am in no way making references to this game because ea, bioware and lucas arts are not in the business to make money, they care about you.

Edited January 8, 2012 by haluo