I guess I'm talking in a general sense here. To get my anecdotal bit out of the way, I went back to DAOC about six months after I unsubbed (this was 2003-2004ish) and played for a good year or more. That's the only game 'I" can ever remember being lured back to, and that had more to do with friends still playing it then the lure of the new features.

 

How about you guys? Ever been lured back to an MMO after an unsubscribe and played more than a month of subscription after coming back?

I guess I'm talking in a general sense here. To get my anecdotal bit out of the way, I went back to DAOC about six months after I unsubbed (this was 2003-2004ish) and played for a good year or more. That's the only game 'I" can ever remember being lured back to, and that had more to do with friends still playing it then the lure of the new features.

 

How about you guys? Ever been lured back to an MMO after an unsubscribe and played more than a month of subscription after coming back?

 

 

ive gone back to try again every mmo ive ever played.. normally i dont stay since the genere generally feels played out to me..but ya lots of people are willing to go back to a game to see if it is improved

Do MMO players ever come back?

 

All the time.

Rarely do players return to a 2nd-tier MMO, as evidenced by AoC, WAR, Aion, and Rift -- none we're able to regain significant numbers of subscribers despite their efforts. WoW sees the return of many players due to it's expansions tending to (but not always) being richer in content than most 2nd-tier MMOs in their entirety; however, many of those that return to WoW for expansions tend to leave again 5 months later after they've tired of the content.

If you post a leaving thread there is a greater chance of that player returning then those who dont post a leaving thread. Least from what ive seen over the years.

Never gone back to mmo once i leave. But i tend to stay in one for a very long time before i've had enough and move on.

Tor is breaking me in record time though, and with flying colours!

Rarely do players return to a 2nd-tier MMO, as evidenced by AoC, WAR, Aion, and Rift -- none we're able to regain significant numbers of subscribers despite their efforts. WoW sees the return of many players due to it's expansions tending to (but not always) being richer in content than most 2nd-tier MMOs in their entirety; however, many of those that return to WoW for expansions tend to leave again 5 months later after they've tired of the content.

 

Yeah, I suppose WoW is a different animal. They've never had a need to lure back players, or at least not an obvious one to me.

If you post a leaving thread there is a greater chance of that player returning then those who dont post a leaving thread. Least from what ive seen over the years.

 

/agree People that care enough to take the time to make that "goodbye" post seem interested in the game at least, want it to suceed, and really want to play it. They all have a rather glaring reason why they just can't at the time. They will ck back and if they see anything that offers them some hope, then a re-sub is probably in the cards. If nothing comes that takes care of their particuliar problem, then probably no re-sub will be had.

 

I unsubed 4 times in SWG. 1 at CU, 2 at NGE, 3 at C6CD, and 4 when the closure announcment came. The reason why I went back, all 3 times, was some developer caught on enough to start adding back in "some" of what the players lost with all of these revamps. Will be the same for TOR I'd imagine as I like the IP, if developers catch on, I'll probably be back myself.

I guess I'm talking in a general sense here. To get my anecdotal bit out of the way, I went back to DAOC about six months after I unsubbed (this was 2003-2004ish) and played for a good year or more. That's the only game 'I" can ever remember being lured back to, and that had more to do with friends still playing it then the lure of the new features.

 

How about you guys? Ever been lured back to an MMO after an unsubscribe and played more than a month of subscription after coming back?

 

Some players come back - but it's very rarely in the numbers that will turn a game around once population is declining.

I guess I'm talking in a general sense here. To get my anecdotal bit out of the way, I went back to DAOC about six months after I unsubbed (this was 2003-2004ish) and played for a good year or more. That's the only game 'I" can ever remember being lured back to, and that had more to do with friends still playing it then the lure of the new features.

 

How about you guys? Ever been lured back to an MMO after an unsubscribe and played more than a month of subscription after coming back?

I have unsubbed and resubed on plenty of games; it's not about being "lured" back, I just find it healthy and more enjoyable to switch games, or to even stop gaming, for a while.

Sure - watch if they ever make it to an expansion pack how many will come back to devour a new set of chapters. It'll be like launch.

I've never gone back to an MMO. This is the 2nd major MMO I'm leaving, third MMO overall.

Sub runs out in 5 days.

Never posted a "I'm leaving" thread on any community forum (have posted on guild forums to notify guildies).

Yeah, I'm personally a sucker for expansions. I rarely play WoW, but for some reason I always like to try out the latest expansion, just to see what the fuss is about. Sadly, I admit I'll wind up buying MOP just for the heck of it. I may find myself going back to Vanguard once it becomes F2P, even though there hasn't been any new content since 2006.

 

I think the only one I haven't gone back to is EverQuest and Final Fantasy 11, just because I'm not a fan of non-quest based grinding MMORPG's anymore. I need NPC's to give me a reason/quest to kill 15 rats, go back, turn in the quest and grab a quest to kill something else. Call me spoiled by the new gen of MMORPG's I guess.

 

(Yes, I realize there are quests in both those games, but they are not quest driven games like SWToR, EQ2, etc...)

Sure - watch if they ever make it to an expansion pack how many will come back to devour a new set of chapters. It'll be like launch.

 

That is true. Content Locusts and the Subscriber Drop.

Never posted a "I'm leaving" thread on any community forum (have posted on guild forums to notify guildies).

 

Yeah, I've never EVER posted an "I'm leaving" thread, either. But I've left and returned to MMOs quite often. Taking a break from an MMO is not a bad thing, doesn't make you a bad MMOer, and doesn't mean the MMO you're leaving is a bad MMO, either.

Yes. I stopped playing Age of Conan when my main character was about lvl 35. Came back when the expansion was released and played up to max level (then quit again ... now that it's f2p, I might drop back in again).

 

I also played Everquest II when it was released - but not for long. Up to now I've returned twice for a couple of months and quit again.

 

Same with a couple of other MMOs. So .. I do return, but once I've quit a game, a lot has to happen for me to return AND STAY.

Yeah, I usually do come back to try new out new content - but only if the content intrigues me enough.

 

I think though, that a lot of gamers usually have a "home" game of sorts. It's the MMO you feel most comfortable playing. The one you come back to if you have nothing else to play. Usually it's either your first, the one that you played the longest, or the one where most of your friends are. WoW, EQ/EQ2, DDO, heck even City of Heroes/Villains. For me, it's LoTRO. I go back to it even if there's no new content - because it's the world I feel most comfortable being in. Being that it's a social/RP friendly game also doesn't hurt.

Yeah, I've never EVER posted an "I'm leaving" thread, either. But I've left and returned to MMOs quite often. Taking a break from an MMO is not a bad thing, doesn't make you a bad MMOer, and doesn't mean the MMO you're leaving is a bad MMO, either.

 

I don't know why, but "I'm leaving" threads rank right up there in "nails on a chalkboard" annoyance as Chuck Norris jokes in general chat.

 

It's always followed by "can I have all your stuffs"?

 

It never accomplishes anything. It's pretty much the equivalent of being in a store full of hundreds of people and waving goodbye as you walk out the door.

I think I've unsubbed and resubbed from WoW at least 10 different times. Sometimes I left out of boredom, some from lack of money, and some from lack of time. Since SWTOR, this is the longest I've remained unsubbed from WoW. Mostly because I don't feel the need to pay for two monthly subscriptions (I really don't have the most time in the world to play in the first place, so it'd probably just be a waste of money).

 

Will I go back again? Probably. I can't imagine just leaving my toons for good; I worked really hard on them. Besides, I tend to have this game rotation where I'm stuck on one for awhile then move onto the next. I'm sure all my MMOs will make it back into the rotation at least one more time :]

I don't know why, but "I'm leaving" threads rank right up there in "nails on a chalkboard" annoyance as Chuck Norris jokes in general chat.

 

It's always followed by "can I have all your stuffs"?

 

It never accomplishes anything. It's pretty much the equivalent of being in a store full of hundreds of people and waving goodbye as you walk out the door.

 

those people who post the i am leaving threads are doing it so people on the forums can beg them to stay.. tell them they are wanted and friends and are loved.. it is a complete ploy by the poster in order to try and see who will miss them, who wants them to stay..yadda yadda. when the majority of people just want them to be gone.

I guess I'm talking in a general sense here.

 

I went back to three MMOs after quitting (none of them WoW, which I have never played). I did not go back to Earth & Beyond.

Edited May 28, 2012 by Kthx

Ive unsubd a few games and returned later.

But other then DAoC (which I returned because I missed it), the returns been because freinds there already.

 

In general Id say less then 10% of those that leave a game will ever be lured back to game.

 

MMORPG titles generally have 1 chance to make a impact and then its done with.

went back to SWG about a year after nge went live stayed till they closed (the NGE blew the game up people complain about this being realised buggy they should have seen the realise of the NGE whole of Kashyyyk quests bugged and unable to do)

went back to wow for TBC and WOTLK but then never went back before cata came out. got bored and sick of grind but kept going back to see the new content

went back to DCUO after it went FTP to try it out was fun for a while but stoped playing (still have it on my pc thougth) just got bored at max lvl, went back as i was given green lantern dlc pack for being a former paying customer and wanted to try it out.

I guess it should be noted, that when you say "come back" - the reason for you leaving in the first place should be noted.

 

Did you leave because you didn't want to play it anymore for whatever reason (bored, friends leaving, don't like the game anymore)? Couldn't play it (time, money)? Or did you just want to try whatever new game was out?

Good idea so edited for responce

Edited May 28, 2012 by Kaisernick

I guess it should be noted, that when you say "come back" - the reason for you leaving in the first place should be noted.

 

Did you leave because you didn't want to play it anymore for whatever reason (bored, friends leaving, don't like the game anymore)? Couldn't play it (time, money)? Or did you just want to try whatever new game was out?

I've went back to LOTRO every once in a while and always keep the client up-to-date. even bought the last expansion pack even though I've not had a char up to the at-that-time max lvl yet (in fact I rerolled on a new server. lol)

 

I'm always tempted to go back to FFXI, so far I simply haven't because my server doesn't exist anymore - and I will definitely give FFXIV another try once 2.0 releases. the world's just so pretty and I like the over-all combat system, I have to see what they did with it.