The Old Republic Losing Subs; Gaining Add-ons

Electronic Arts' Q4 FY12 and FY12 Financial Results are now online, offering balance sheets on the gaming giant along with tidbits of information about their operations. They report all-time high non-GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion for the fiscal year, and a jump in digital non-GAAP revenue of 47% to $1.2 billion. Included is a note saying Star Wars: The Old Republic has 1.3 million active subscribers, which Ars notes is down from a reported 1.7 million in March, confirming speculation the game has been losing subscribers. They also report n a post-earnings conference call where EA Labels President Frank Gibeau said the drop was consistent with their "original assumptions" about the Star Wars MMORPG's post-launch prospects, though he also stated EA "intends to increase subscribers" with continual upgrades, including new guild features, player vs. player improvements, and "elder gameplay" for high-level players. EA also announces two new content packs, "Legacy" and "Allies," will be coming to the game this quarter.
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9.
 
Re: The Old Republic Losing Subs; Gaining Add-ons
May 7, 2012, 21:22
NKD
9.
Re: The Old Republic Losing Subs; Gaining Add-ons May 7, 2012, 21:22
May 7, 2012, 21:22
NKD
 
Beelzebud wrote on May 7, 2012, 21:14:
I just want to see an MMO that does not use the Wow Formula. Design your own combat systems. Design your own skill systems. Stop making every MMO exactly the same game with a different skin on it.

Say what you will about Asheron's Call and Everquest, but at least in that era there was a clear distinction between the games.

Yep. Everyone is trying to make a million+ subscriber blockbuster instead of trying to make something cool and unique. You can't make an MMO with a large (by today's standards) subscriber base without watering your shit down to appeal to the casual and the incompetent. If companies were to create more specialized MMO experiences I think they'd find they could get 300-400k extremely loyal subscribers without spending $200 million to develop the thing.

SWTOR is the shining example of how even with 6 years of development, fucktons of money, and an IP a thousand times more popular than Azeroth, making a WoW clone isn't going to be that successful. People who are tired of WoW don't want to play it again, and people who aren't tired of WoW are content to keep playing it. There is no huge market for "WoW, but slightly different."
Do you have a single fact to back that up?
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   Re: The Old Republic Losing Subs; Gaining Add-ons
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