Author Topic: WoW loses 1.3M players in three months.  (Read 2586 times)

JaguarX

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WoW loses 1.3M players in three months.
« on: May 09, 2013, 10:44:40 PM »
Holy jeebus that is lot of people! And still have 8.3 million left!

Now this shows even giants are not resistant to change, accodring to this article, this is due to the now common and popular free to play models being used.

They have 8.3 millions people left and still, it is said to raise a concern not to mention they seem to say they are expecting further decline.

Is this a sign that the great WoW will go free to play soon? Or is the beginning of the end of the beginning of the end of the beginning? Stay tuned, more tonight at 6 o'clock, followed by an hour long segment on What is Kim Kardashian wearing today.

Edit: Clarified quantity in thread title. -- Blonde
« Last Edit: May 11, 2013, 07:34:52 PM by Blondeshell »

dwturducken

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2013, 10:50:11 PM »
I think they'll keep a sub-only model as long as the number is X million, where X is more than 5. The numbers that I've been seeing for any one game, say the GW2 launch, are proudly touted as one to two million. Plus, I think Blizzard also has a cash shop for WoW.

Their population may be down, but is anyone hearing about layoffs? I doubt their bottom line is being effected, over all, what with their schedule for new games and expansions on existing ones.
I wouldn't use the word "replace," but there's no word for "take over for you and make everything better almost immediately," so we just say "replace."

Aggelakis

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2013, 10:52:32 PM »
Plus, I think Blizzard also has a cash shop for WoW.
Yes, they technically have a cash shop for WoW, but literally the only things in it are a bunch of vanity pets and a few mounts - they're all one-time purchases. They don't have a cash shop in the traditional FTP sense of the word, with temporary boosts and buffs and holiday costumes and etc.
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dwturducken

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2013, 12:04:12 AM »
I can't say it sells like gangbusters, but I do see quite a few of the latest "toy" following a decent amount of characters out running around. I only do a couple of months each spring, though, as I feel $30 out of the tax refund isn't too extravagant. Maybe it's a similar thing for those players. :)
I wouldn't use the word "replace," but there's no word for "take over for you and make everything better almost immediately," so we just say "replace."

Blondeshell

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2013, 12:47:44 AM »
I'm just wondering how Blizzard can tell that 1.3 people have left over the last three months. That seems like a pretty solid retention rate to me.  :P

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2013, 01:24:39 AM »
I'm pretty sure that the chance of getting an invite to beta test their top secret MMO project will require an active WoW sub ;)
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Rust

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2013, 02:14:49 AM »
Eh. It's been eight months since Mists was released. This seems like typical Drop Off Numbers between expansions. Hardly "The Sky is Falling" material.
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JaguarX

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2013, 02:32:14 AM »
I'm just wondering how Blizzard can tell that 1.3 people have left over the last three months. That seems like a pretty solid retention rate to me.  :P

well the other one left about of third of his body behind. :p.

Did that one from a phone, it for some reason dont like currency in heading sections. Nor links.

Metal Mountain

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2013, 04:01:54 PM »
The news on Wow subscriptions gave me mixed feelings.  Now mind you I never liked the game but  I think its symbolic of a gaming 'era' that has died. There was an innocence in MMOS that died with 1) pandering to PVP crowds, 2) pandering to Free to play/pay to win, and 3) catering to international markets. (I believe these three market factors were responsible for the death of COH, but mostly 2 and 3 <plus the saturation of Asian MMO's & companies in the industry - with COH's roots being in Western symbolism>).

WOW has, despite these market trends, basically kept the same foundation from inception.  It has made changes to cater to the three items above, it hasnt changed its base game.  And it still exists and thrives - and I think its a testament that people ARE willing to pay for a subscription based game that offers a long term relationship that doesn't pander to pay to win. This isnt 2006 anymore and we are not competing with WOW for subscriptions - rather we are looking for the familiar that has been lost  (ie - nothing replaces COH or the MMOS we knew and loved)

My thoughts are jumbled but I believe if the death of Wow were to ever happen, it would signify a death to a MMO era that I loved and I , and many of you, cannot find anymore. 

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FatherXmas

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2013, 05:29:26 PM »
Is WoW finally suffering from players getting a real life?  Transitioning from school with lots of free time to work with a fairly rigid 8-5 schedule, with commutes and grocery shopping and the occasional going out on Friday and Saturday with friends?

Years ago on the tech forum there was a player who went be the handle Shego, a villain from Disney's Kim Possible.



She and I would get into "discussions" about hardware requirements to play this game.  When someone would ask for a rig for budget X, she would tell them how that budget was ridiculous, that they needed to spend more while I would try to recommend a parts list that would play the game well, within reason.

Then one day she left.  Permanently.  Poof.  Gone.  The only thing she has said previous to her departure was that she was graduating from college and starting a real job.

So has WoW finally reached the same point with players finally moving on due to life?  Are they just resubscribing for the month or two after a major expansion to grind the new content and then leave again?  Staying a little less each time?  Has the paid expansion model played itself out?
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Rust

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Re: WoW loses 1.3 players in three months.
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2013, 12:24:57 AM »
Staying a little less each time?

Probably this.

I came back for Cataclysm but once I got my Hunter to Level 85 and tinkered around with a Goblin Rogue for 20 levels...I was done. It's the exact same end game that we were doing back in Burning Crusade.

There's also what I call the "Gear Deluge". Back in Vanilla, T1-3 were progressive Tiers of difficulty. Meaning you had to acquire one before attempting the next. It made Gear valuable and that status didn't change as time went on. Naxxramas (60) was only seen by 2% of the game's total population while the majority were still banging their heads on Onyxia. I remember when PUGs of LBRS and UBRS were laughed out of Trade chats.

Now? Wait a few months, and Blizzard will effectively hand the population the Gear level they need to tackle the newest dungeons. I understand the reason is to ensure the most people see the content but the unintentional consequence is Gear is Worthless. A full set of Tier Gear will get you what? Two? Three months of play time before it's time to trade it up for the next best thing?

I remember when seeing someone walking around in full Tier 2 was a jaw dropping experience - not just for the person in the gear, but the newbie too. People approached to speak with you. It was like seeing a celebrity. Now? Everyone's running around in the same gear, just colored differently.

I'm not really arguing for a caste system, but there's no sense of accomplishment any more.
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houtex

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Re: WoW loses 1.3M players in three months.
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2013, 01:57:22 AM »
Is WoW finally suffering from players getting a real life?  Transitioning from school with lots of free time to work with a fairly rigid 8-5 schedule, with commutes and grocery shopping and the occasional going out on Friday and Saturday with friends?

Years ago on the tech forum there was a player who went be the handle Shego, a villain from Disney's Kim Possible.



She and I would get into "discussions" about hardware requirements to play this game.  When someone would ask for a rig for budget X, she would tell them how that budget was ridiculous, that they needed to spend more while I would try to recommend a parts list that would play the game well, within reason.

Then one day she left.  Permanently.  Poof.  Gone.  The only thing she has said previous to her departure was that she was graduating from college and starting a real job.

So has WoW finally reached the same point with players finally moving on due to life?  Are they just resubscribing for the month or two after a major expansion to grind the new content and then leave again?  Staying a little less each time?  Has the paid expansion model played itself out?

Oh my yes, Shego.  Funtimes.  The "Speed Racer is awesome/no it totally isn't" talks were particularly fun for me. :D  (And yes, Speed Racer IS awesome.  Way different thread if you wanna argue, though, k?)

I never saw the post about her graduating and such.  I just didn't know what happened to her.  Now I know, I suppose.