Sorry if this has been posted already, didn't see it. Search brought up nothing.

 

I think Star Wars is an interesting one. So, when we originally started the franchise, our plan was to break a million subscribers. Our investment case was a million two, we told the Street yesterday we're at a million three. We happened to have an earnings call right into the launch period where we hit a million seven, and we had an obligation to tell them the facts. So, look, I think, realistically, it's a solid success.

 

One of the things I have a hard time understanding on this one, though, when we planned this business, it wasn't as important to us as Madden, Fifa, or Need for Speed, or The Sims or Sim City or Medal of Honor. It was in our top ten, but it wasn't in our top five. And, some of the folks are trading it like it's the only thing that matters, and for what it's worth, it's a solid success and profitable franchise. Um, but it's not a bell-weather for the company.

 

Source

 

Basically, TOR never was to be a "bellwether" for the company. Which actually makes sense.

 

What do you think?

Edited May 23, 2012 by JeramieCrowe

I dont believe that for one second.

 

This is damage control and spin for investors.

 

Compare the suspected budget for this game and other EA titles.

Sorry if this has been posted already, didn't see it. Search brought up nothing.

 

 

 

Source

 

Basically, TOR never was to be a "bell-weather" for the company. Which actually makes sense.

 

What do you think?

If TOR revenue was recognized as 1mil users over 12mo for $15/mo, that comes to $180mm. That's 5% of EA's $3.5b revenue.

 

Given how TOR will likely be nowhere near 1mil users by Dec, the final percentage of EA's overall revenue is likely closer to 3-4%.

 

TOR's important but EA has much bigger fish to fry.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Kllashaa

Sorry if this has been posted already, didn't see it. Search brought up nothing.

 

 

 

Source

 

Basically, TOR never was to be a "bell-weather" for the company. Which actually makes sense.

 

What do you think?

 

They also originally said they planned to take on WOW, he's putting a positive spin on a less than hoped for outcome

I dont believe that for one second.

 

This is damage control and spin for investors.

 

Compare the suspected budget for this game and other EA titles.

 

^^^^^^ said perfectly

 

Though there is a poetic justice to responce above quoted one

 

And yeah, said it yesterday and say today, you dont spend 100 + million dollars and 5 years developement to have short term returns.

 

EA (and investors) had to be looking at high subscription number over at a minimum of 2 years period

 

This isnt happening so calling it a success is spin city!

EA and investors were looking for much much more over a much much longer time frame regarding fiscal returns.

 

Not calling the game crap (never once have I).

Just saying this is not and can not be realistically called a success.

Yeah definitely spin.

 

And the subtext is: look, it's not a disaster, it's profitable, but it's not as profitabel as we'd hoped it would be, and we don't expect to pump any more resources into it now.

I dont believe that for one second.

 

This is damage control and spin for investors.

 

Compare the suspected budget for this game and other EA titles.

 

Exxxactly.

Even if this is true, its a bang to the head for every gamer. Ok we know that most games made are only financial decisions, but what every gamer want is to believe that everyone involved in gamemaking invests heartblood. To say its not our primary goal to make the best, is like backstabbing yourself.

A game magazine writer wrote once "Genius game design cannot be created by checklists, you have to feel it" I think he is right.

Corp speech to calm the shareholders.

 

Fact is that the main revenue of EA are their sports games, Medal of Honor and ofc Battlefield. Acquiring Bioware should have been their foothold in the rpg and mmo market....this did not go so well though.

 

Dragon Age 2 - crappiest sequel ever, also the long term sales numbers don't come close to the first DA.

ME 3 - good sales, horrible fan backlash because of the ending.

 

And now we have Swtor, the most overhyped mmo in history, and 6 months down the line the game is having huge problem, has lost 400k subs, is currently on a free month (!) and a huge chunk of the staff is laid off.

 

No wonder they are downplaying the meaning of this game now. And I really feel sorry for the guys and girls who are getting the boot in Austin, since it always hit's the smaller employees, while the managers and chief designers, who are really the ones behind this mess, will continue to have a job.

That's not how you spell bellwether. Edited May 22, 2012 by MidichIorian

I'm sure LucasArts is absolutely thrilled that EA describes SWTOR as such a low-priority for the company.

 

Anyhow, the solution is clear: we need to get John Madden to endorse the game.

Edited May 22, 2012 by jgelling

So it's clear that these people have no absolutely no passion for their game. Completely analytical, bunsiness minded approach to product development.

 

They're in a fan service industry, and completely ignore their fans.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Gungan

So it's clear that these people have no passion for their game whatsoever. Completely analytical, bunsiness minded approach to product development.

 

This is also the reason why they don't know what makes a game. Cause I don't think that any of the suits in management have actually played one good mmo for a longer period. They don't get what gamers want and I yet have to see a marketing analyst who understands "mmo nerd lingo" and gets things like: quest flow, zone design, power curves, class roles, sense of accomplishment, game atmosphere and lore&story.

I'm sure LucasArts is absolutely thrilled that EA describes SWTOR as such a low-priority for the company.

 

Anyhow, the solution is clear: we need to get John Madden to endorse the game.

 

Haha. That's funny. Imagine Madden doing play-by-play as we level. Might make the "LFG" spamming a little more exciting.

They don't even sound the least bit excited when they talk about their own game. Podcast much?

They also originally said they planned to take on WOW, he's putting a positive spin on a less than hoped for outcome

 

I remember that as well. Wasn't it John who predicted the climb to 10 million subs in 10 years?

They're the Walmart of the industry. They made their reputation the American way: Step 1: monopolizing a field that requires neither innovation nor imagination (console sports games) but must run on a rigid, regular release timetable to ensure maximum profitability. Step 2: Slowly consume smaller companies in related fields until your company is even more of a bloated, soulless monopoly. The rest of what once made them "artful" has long since fallen away once they started applying their cutthroat business models in the late 90s.

SWTOR is a financial success. They will have made all their money back by the end of the year. Bioware is doing what the community wants albeit at a slower pace then desired. Right now the top 3 gripes are

 

Server pop

cant find a group

cant find an op

cant get into a WZ

etc.

 

thats about to basically be fixed, with 1.4 coming with lots of content. People don't hate the core game, those people left and SWTOR still had 1.7 million. No reason to think that people wont come back and the game can't have a million by the end of the year. It's still a new MMO. And yeah, ppl will have their gripes with guild wars 2 as well.

Yeah definitely spin.

 

And the subtext is: look, it's not a disaster, it's profitable, but it's not as profitabel as we'd hoped it would be, and we don't expect to pump any more resources into it now.

 

Maybe. John mentioned in the fiscal report that they would work on growing the franchise. Maybe the recent restructuring is a part of that endeavor. Could be a good thing.

 

Only time will tell, of course...

They're the Walmart of the industry. They made their reputation the American way: Step 1: monopolizing a field that requires neither innovation nor imagination (console sports games) but must run on a rigid, regular release timetable to ensure maximum profitability. Step 2: Slowly consume smaller companies in related fields until your company is even more of a bloated, soulless monopoly. The rest of what once made them "artful" has long since fallen away once they started applying their cutthroat business models in the late 90s.

 

It's sad... it seems that any time a good developer goes publicly traded they completely kill off everything that made them good in the first place.

That's not how you spell bellwether.

 

Thanks.

And since Alice Krige is busy filming, the Borg Collective has allowed its new leader John Riccitiello to speak.

 

I have read a lot of things about him, and do not and will not believe a word that comes out of his mouth. Ever.

 

 

 

"We are the (EA)Borg. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. And we will most DEFINITELY assimilate your customers wallets. When we are finished with you, we will discard you and move on to another studio."

Look, this is spin for investors and the exchanges. Fact is EA buys a studio you might as well start looking for another job there and then. The money men make the decisions and not the developers, bottom line is EA buy you out then shame on you for selling to these idiots in the first place. You have no credibility any more regardless of what your studio USED to produce, you just sold yourself to the highest bidder and took the massive payment.

Look, this is spin for investors and the exchanges. Fact is EA buys a studio you might as well start looking for another job there and then. The money men make the decisions and not the developers, bottom line is EA buy you out then shame on you for selling to these idiots in the first place. You have no credibility any more regardless of what your studio USED to produce, you just sold yourself to the highest bidder and took the massive payment.

 

Most of the time, however, the company doesn't have a choice. In BW's case, they didn't have a choice.

It's sad... it seems that any time a good developer goes publicly traded they completely kill off everything that made them good in the first place.

 

Like everything else in life, follow the money trail. EA sells more Madden console copies EVERY YEAR than Bio sells anything, no matter how new or popular. Their loyalties and funding are, as Riccitiello is quite frankly pointing out, are elsewhere. Bioware is just another PC market acquisition for them, and a fairly low-producing nerd operation at that. Lot easier to put the money into football and basketball games that every fratboy with an X-box will buy.