Star Wars Galaxies Date & Subscriptions

A press release on The Star Wars Galaxies Website (thanks Jody Overstreet and SWG Warcry) has a release date for the Star Wars MMORPG as well as a description of the game's subscription plans. Here's a bit:
LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment Inc. today announced Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, the highly anticipated initial installment of the first Star Wars massively multiplayer online (MMO) game series, will release June 26, 2003. The Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided online fan community now exceeds more than 500,000 registered members.

At launch Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided will offer four subscription plan options: Month-to-month - $14.99; three months - $14.00 per month; six months - $13.00 per month; and 12 months - $12.00 per month. By subscribing to any of the latter three plans, players can expect savings of up to 20 percent over the month-to-month rate. Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided has a suggested retail price of $49.95, and includes a 30-day subscription to the game. A special collector's edition, which includes a book of game-related art, in-game wearables, pewter figurine, lapel pin and patch, and a signed manual, will be available for a suggested retail price of $79.95.
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232 Replies. 12 pages. Viewing page 1.
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1.
 
Oh god
Jun 17, 2003, 14:47
1.
Oh god Jun 17, 2003, 14:47
Jun 17, 2003, 14:47
 
This game is NOT ready.

Yes, I am a beta tester.

Avatar 13977
2.
 
Re: Oh god
Jun 17, 2003, 14:52
2.
Re: Oh god Jun 17, 2003, 14:52
Jun 17, 2003, 14:52
 
This game is NOT ready.
Oh, great. That's just great.

And 14.99? I was hoping for more like 9.99
There was only one catch and that was Catch-22
3.
 
Price
Jun 17, 2003, 14:54
3.
Price Jun 17, 2003, 14:54
Jun 17, 2003, 14:54
 
$14.99? Are they serious?

This is only going to get worse....

-DSR

4.
 
NDA
Jun 17, 2003, 14:54
nmg
4.
NDA Jun 17, 2003, 14:54
Jun 17, 2003, 14:54
nmg
 
So, is our NDA lifted yet? 'Cause even if it isn't I can tell you it is going to be the typical MMOG beta release. Hope you have fun paying 75$ to beta test this for a month--if you can get on. I've been in beta since #2...and well, to sum it up post #1 is absolutely correct. It's going to be a nightmare. I would like to add that they have come a looong way since the early stages, and I'm sure they will adapt well to badwidth demands. But seriously--$75 just to come in and play for two months??? That's outragous. And SWG isn't even a part of their 'cable subscription' plan. Ugh. It was mildly fun while it was beta...good luck.

NMG

---
Life is short and hard, like a bodybuilding dwarf.s{
This comment was edited on Jun 17, 15:01.
NMG

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Not Much Good
5.
 
A little math...
Jun 17, 2003, 14:55
5.
A little math... Jun 17, 2003, 14:55
Jun 17, 2003, 14:55
 
Lets go with the lowest cost plan of $12.00/month.

12 * 500,000 = 6,000,000
+
500,000 * 24,995,000

So, they will make 24 mill off the purchase of the game, and ATLEAST 6 million every month there after.. Um. Can you say GREEDY?

6.
 
Re: NDA
Jun 17, 2003, 15:00
6.
Re: NDA Jun 17, 2003, 15:00
Jun 17, 2003, 15:00
 
I really hope they do lift the NDA soon so we can tell everyone how much this game needs at least another month or two of serious testing.

This comment was edited on Jun 17, 15:00.
Avatar 13977
7.
 
No subject
Jun 17, 2003, 15:01
PHJF
 
7.
No subject Jun 17, 2003, 15:01
Jun 17, 2003, 15:01
 PHJF
 
well from what these beta testers are saying, they are only going to get 1 month of pay before everyone bails out because the game sucks.

“The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn. Ok?"
Steam + PSN: PHJF
Avatar 17251
8.
 
Re: NDA
Jun 17, 2003, 15:01
8.
Re: NDA Jun 17, 2003, 15:01
Jun 17, 2003, 15:01
 
Will financing be available? Give me a break. This game isn't good enough to warrant asking me for that much money.

--
He cut the possum's face off then cut around the eye socket. In the center of the belt buckle, where the possum's eye would be, he has placed a small piece of wood from his old '52 Ford's home made railroad tie bumper. Damn, he misses that truck.
9.
 
Re: Oh god
Jun 17, 2003, 15:03
9.
Re: Oh god Jun 17, 2003, 15:03
Jun 17, 2003, 15:03
 
this should never have been touched by sony... I was doubting friends who said that verant and sony are evil and only want money to build Sony's Deathstar... but I thought since they did Everquest, They'll have the best experience to pull this off.. I played this the other night with a Wookie running around Corelia... walked up to a butterfly and shot it. The butterfly proceded to get midevil on my hairy wookie rear and kill me... that wasnt right at all... Wookies tear arms off droids for crying out loud and a little butterfly killed me!!!!!!! It was like they let in the creaters of Ultima Online into the game... Had the same thing happen to me playing that game. walked outside of town only to have a deer run up and kill me.. maybe its just me...

*-*
Josey Wales : You a bounty hunter?
Man : A man has to do something these days to earn a living.
Josey Wales : Dyin' ain't much of a living boy
*-*

“How about a nap, a bath and sex with a unfamiliar woman?”
—Cy Tolliver to Andy Cramed
10.
 
Re: A little math...
Jun 17, 2003, 15:06
10.
Re: A little math... Jun 17, 2003, 15:06
Jun 17, 2003, 15:06
 
So, they will make 24 mill off the purchase of the game, and ATLEAST 6 million every month there after.. Um. Can you say GREEDY?

If people are willing to pay it (I'm not) then good for them. I'm sure George Lucas could upgrade his home theater at the ranch.

Anybody have an idea as to what one of these takes to produce and once it's up and running the monthly overhead costs? I'd be interested in seeing a whitepaper on this whole on line gaming thing.

Wishing I had time to spend on these things,


-TPFKAS2S
http://www.braglio.org
My spoon is too big!

This comment was edited on Jun 17, 15:06.
-TPFKAS2S
Avatar 10139
11.
 
Subscribers
Jun 17, 2003, 15:13
nmg
11.
Subscribers Jun 17, 2003, 15:13
Jun 17, 2003, 15:13
nmg
 
Well, I doubt 500,000 fans translates into 500,000 subscribers what with people signing up multiple times to try to get into the Beta. I'd say they have a lot less *active* community members.

And as far as the MMO aspect of the game, I can say they aren't offering anything new or interesting to the genre at launch. It's just a franchise. Much the same as Middle Earth Online or whatnot. Just too little for such a high asking price.

You know, if they were to offer the game for free at retailers (or for 4.99-9.99 al la quake) I bet they would more than make up for packageing etc. with the sheer number of people wanting to try it. And I bet a lot more people would stick with it... $49.99 for a MMO is too much any more especially at launch.

NMG

---
Life is short and hard, like a bodybuilding dwarf.s{
NMG

---
Not Much Good
12.
 
BS
Jun 17, 2003, 15:18
12.
BS Jun 17, 2003, 15:18
Jun 17, 2003, 15:18
 
14.99 a month ! What a load of BS.
I have heard from people in beta that the game is BORING
as hell.

This comment was edited on Jun 17, 15:20.
13.
 
NDA still active..
Jun 17, 2003, 15:19
13.
NDA still active.. Jun 17, 2003, 15:19
Jun 17, 2003, 15:19
 
.. but Im not sure why.. everyone is blabbing about it


"Is the NDA Up?
Yes, for a couple more days. We need to change the legal EULA in the Launchpad and we want to get one more big stability patch in."

14.
 
hrmm
Jun 17, 2003, 15:23
14.
hrmm Jun 17, 2003, 15:23
Jun 17, 2003, 15:23
 
I ~might~ pay 75 bucks for a month of roleplaying with the actual cast of the star wars movies. To play a computer game. No thank you.

Hrmm, yeah, I would definately pay 75 bucks for a month of roleplaying with Natalie Portman.

Nudge nudge, wink wink.

15.
 
Re: Subscribers
Jun 17, 2003, 15:28
15.
Re: Subscribers Jun 17, 2003, 15:28
Jun 17, 2003, 15:28
 
$49.99 for a MMO is too much any more especially at launch.

The $49.99 is paying for some of the development of the game (3 years in this case) and the monthly fee is essentially paying for the live services.

Look at it from the publisher's point of view: MMORPGs are a gamble. They are investing a lot of money into this game with no guarantee that people are willing to pay a reoccuring monthly fee to play. As long as they make back some of the investment from retail, some of this risk is alleviated.

You're right that more people would probably try the game if it was cheap, but there's no guarantee that they will contiue to subscribe and that is a large gamble.

As for the game, I'll wait to see what other people think before I make my decision.

16.
 
Re: Subscribers
Jun 17, 2003, 15:30
16.
Re: Subscribers Jun 17, 2003, 15:30
Jun 17, 2003, 15:30
 
$14.99 a month... buh-bye SWG.

Avatar 6580
17.
 
Re: A little math...
Jun 17, 2003, 15:30
17.
Re: A little math... Jun 17, 2003, 15:30
Jun 17, 2003, 15:30
 
From http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,42210|2,00.html

I googled to find this game's budget.

"Some pundits are betting that Galaxies could end up making more money than this year's Star Wars movie. That's where Smedley comes in. A tall man with a broad forehead accentuated by a receding hairline, he loves his games so much that he has a satellite dish on his fishing boat to keep track of their progress. Galaxies is his biggest project to date; it cost an estimated $10 million to develop. Smedley is betting on its success. If he's right, it could change not just Sony, but the face of entertainment."

Of course, this article is almost a year old; I would guess that the price has gone up a couple mil due to the delays, but I'm no accountant.

http://www.matthewrorie.com
http://users.ign.com/collection/Azraelot
18.
 
The problem with MMO games
Jun 17, 2003, 15:42
18.
The problem with MMO games Jun 17, 2003, 15:42
Jun 17, 2003, 15:42
 
Time and time again these companies are doing the same mistakes that there previous competition did. In both of the recent games I beta tested (EVE Online and Planetside) all the beta testers tried to tell the developers ( I know it's not there fault but they have access to the higher ups) that the game is not ready and needs a few more months to be polished.


The funny thing is that Sony who's in charge of releaseing Star Wars just recently did Planetside. Can they not see the issues that the dev's are going through trying to patch the thing as best as they can so they don't lose too many people.

Fine if they want the money they can have it, but for darn sakes make a game that will keep people around. If they keep this up in a few years time we'll hear on message boards "Remember when they did those massive online games, who ever thought that was going to be successful?".

Two things these companies have to do...break the cookie cutter and try something different (ala no Everquest type leveling with attacking the evil bunnies) and to let the dev's finish the game to the point where they can release it and say that it is stable, fun and people want more of it.

19.
 
Re: A little math...
Jun 17, 2003, 15:43
19.
Re: A little math... Jun 17, 2003, 15:43
Jun 17, 2003, 15:43
 
Sony Excutive: Hey Bill, hows that Star Wars Galaxies game coming along?

Producer: Well Jim, its a little behind schedule but we think the kids will still play it. In fact, we have over 100,000 pre-orders for it and we just announced we're charging 15.00 a month for a subscription.

Sony Executive: You mean people still want to play the game after the 15.00 price announcement?

Producer: Yeah, people will pay anything to be a pathetic loser posing as a Jedi in a video game.

Sony Executive: True, but think of all the chicks they'll get.

(in unison): Hahahahahahahaha!

20.
 
Yikes...
Jun 17, 2003, 15:43
20.
Yikes... Jun 17, 2003, 15:43
Jun 17, 2003, 15:43
 
Wow, $14.99 a month now huh? If thats the going rate for Nextgen MMO's then I'm simply out of that arena. I was willing to pay ~ $10 a month (which I still thought was a little steep, UO at the time) but I simply won't pay that much a month for any game. And yet again, another MMO coming out with Show Stopping bugs (based on Beta Tester Feedback). I certainly hope someday the game fanbase wakes up from this and stops paying for the crap, but I guess there are only a few games nowadays that are worth buying leaving everyone ready to jump on the next great thing whether it's ready for release or not. I have to admit that I was interested in SWG, but after seeing this subscription price and knowing that it will be a beta quality release.. well... all set here thanks.

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