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MMOG Subscription Chart Updated

Posted by simoniker on from the skills-to-pay-the-server-bills? dept.

Thanks to the folks at GameGirlAdvance for pointing to Bruce Sterling Woodcock's newest update of his MMOG subscription chart. This update has newer subscription numbers for many of the MMOG leaders, and has added games such as EverQuest: OA, Shadowbane, EVE Online, and Star Wars Galaxies to the chart, commenting that the recent market shows "...the market competition is fierce and the cannibalization of subscribers is now clearly evident... [but] there is still possibility for large success, as the more recent launches of Ragnarok Online in Japan and Star Wars Galaxies have shown."

20 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. erm... by Tumbleweed · · Score: 1

    no BZFlag entry? :)

    (yes, yes, I know, but it's a joke - laugh!)

  2. Cannibilization? by xenocide2 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If you actually take the time to look at the charts, you won't see any "cannibilization." No game takes its subscribers from another game. Instead you'll find that a game grows logarithmically; fast at first but then towards a plateau. If you look at the total subscribership, you'll notice that its growing, not stabilizing. And the market itself is growing, as each new game takes off faster and faster. Its still too early to tell, but SWG may or may not beat Ragnorok in growth speed.

    Both have grown very very rapidly, perhaps because of extensive betas. Once you have an investment in the game it can be hard to leave it. You know the game, and you know the people around it. In fact, as a beta tester you've probably got some reputation in line when the full release comes out. This investment in bits on a remote computer mentality is what keeps subscribers around even after new people show up en masse, even after new games have shown up en masse.

    --
    I Browse at +4 Flamebait

    Open Source Sysadmin

    1. Re:Cannibilization? by Paolomania · · Score: 1

      If you actually take the time to look at the charts, you won't see any "cannibilization." ... If you look at the total subscribership, you'll notice that its growing, not stabilizing." No game takes its subscribers from another game.

      To remain flat in a growing market is to be losing marketshare. As the market growth slows and competition increases you will that the games that are currently flat will begin to decline. There is always some level of turnover (old players retire and new players join to take their place), and as more of the new players opt for other games, the rate of retirement will outpace the rate of recruitment.

      Thats not to say that these games will all go away. On the contrary, I suspect that most of the popular games will remain up and running and profitable for a very long time due to the inertia of their cliques of hardcore players. However, they will probably remain in a diminished state, with server consolidations very likely.

    2. Re:Cannibilization? by Fred+IV · · Score: 2, Informative

      Anarchy Online shares some of the same themes as SWG, if players were going to leave one game to join another this would probably be the one.

      There's been some discussion of this on the AO boards. From what I hear, SWG is too buggy and requires too much sit-around-and-wait time compared to AO for the players who post there to switch.

      Of course, we'll have to wait and look at the numbers. Also, AO is releasing an expansion this month, that might keep a few would-be-switchers to stick around.

      Too bad that AO got off to such a rough start. The game is stable and fairly deep now. The SW license doesn't mean much to me, I plan on sticking around at AO for a while.

  3. PlanetSide:Fun for some, buggy as hell for others by inkless1 · · Score: 2, Informative

    "PlanetSide (Confidence Rating: D)

    Launched in April 2003, Sony has yet to release any subscription figures for PlanetSide, and I lack any data to make a good estimate. http://planetside.station.sony.com"

    Yeah, well PlanetSide's stability and technical support is a joke - not to mention that they're still working out the gameplay itself.

  4. Okay by Daetrin · · Score: 4, Funny

    No one is allowed to release any more MMORPGs until a few of the old ones have died off, we're running out of colors to chart them with.

    --
    This Space Intentionally Left Blank
  5. Re:OH MY GOD EVERQUEST SUCKS by d3kk · · Score: 2, Informative
    Not really. After the horrible first few months of Anarchy Online I think the general public lost all faith in the game. While it may be great now, nobody really trusts Funcom anymore.

    Everquest, on the other hand, has (for the most part) been stable for years now. Despite how many bitch about EQ's terrible service, after playing for two years I can sincerely say it's a pretty solid game.

  6. Re:Neocron missing by drydiggins · · Score: 1

    same same for Underlight. Ah well, my daughter seems to enjoy it.

  7. Realm Online by Calmiche · · Score: 2, Informative
    As a side note, in case anyone was interested, the Realm Online was sold last week to Norseman Games, a company made up of Realm players. They have since hired several programers and a new artist.

    Plans call for massivly upgrading the game and starting to advertise it. Something that hasn't been done in almost 5 years. Expect free trial accounts to come out in the next month or two. Check in if you want to experience some good old classic MMORPG.

    The Realm Online

    Calmiche,

  8. Glad to see EVE on the list by Maserati · · Score: 1

    Well, the first month's figures are in at 50,000. I'd love to see it hit 500,000 eventually.

    It's firmed up nicely from the retail release, *most* of the issues in some of the reviews have been fixed.

    --
    Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1992-1951
  9. Re:Neocron missing by Lurch+Kimded · · Score: 1

    Yeah, why is there no Neocron, it must be have at least a few thousand players on line everytime I log on and that can't be everyone.

    That being said Neocron (of which I am a long time player) seems to be not getting very far, ceratinly not on the server that I play on. There are many issues within the game not least of content and HUGE player ability gaps.

    Though having sauid that I keep on coming back, I keep on loading it up and running around for hours praying no one will blast my monk to pieces with a pop-gun. I think it has teh possibility to be one of the best sci-fi MMOG's out there if it is given the chance and a few more additions to the setting (like Dome of York) and more in game plot would be fun.

    Anyway, slightly off topic I guess.

    --

    How can you say that civilisation's do not advance... in every war we invent new ways to kill you.

  10. What I am relaly waiting for by Zugok · · Score: 1

    is Hello Kitty online. *sigh* I guess I'll have to settle for The Sims Online.

    --
    "I just can't sit while people are saying nonsense in a meeting without saying it's nonsense" J Watson, Sci Am 288:(4)51
  11. Dark Ages of Camelot is Still the Best by ShortedOut · · Score: 1

    DAoC has a Relatively light leveling treadmill.
    Funnest end-game around. (RvR warfare)
    The most balanced team based combat system.
    You don't have to whack bunnies all day to "have fun"
    There is no resource mining, you don't really have to "work" to play the game.

    That being said, the Economy is stupidly hard in DAoC.

    Having played EQ, UO, AO, E&B, SWG, and SB... I have to say that DAoC is still the best MMORPG out there.

    What it lacks in content, it more than makes up for in Realm vs. Realm war fun!

  12. Re:PlanetSide:Fun for some, buggy as hell for othe by inkless1 · · Score: 1

    Oh I made the mistake of paying for the game. And it isn't growing fast, people generally get the free trial and then leave. There have been recent calls from players to consolidate servers due to low population.

    But I'm biased - I was banned from the game for trying to heckle tech support into actually helping me with the game. It might be great squad tactics, but it sucks when you crash 5 times in an hour trying to play. When I couldn't find my crash log to report the problems (PlanetSide "forgot" to generate one it seems), SOE Tech Support deleted my post for being in the wrong "format". When I continued posting, they banned me. Yup - I was banned from PlanetSide for being a disgruntled user.

    It does have some very fun squad tactics - and for those who don't have technical problems and can play the game without being respawned as a -wall-, I think it could be a lot of fun. But these problems exist, they're quite persistent (just wander around SOE's forums to find out), and their Tech Support staff is useless. There's no way a significant number of people are going to pay $13/mo with that kind of service/quality.

  13. Subtract 1... by JavaLord · · Score: 1

    You can subtract 1 from Star wars galaxies. I canceled my membership after the first month. I refuse to play a beta with showstoping bugs.

    Maybe I'll check them out in 6 months if they improve things.

  14. Re:Where's Phantasy Star Online? by lightspawn · · Score: 1

    How is a statement about console games not being represented in the chart a troll?

    Things really started going downhill ever since games.slashdot.org.

  15. wow by FBG+Zippy · · Score: 1

    i am now surprised at the initial growth of the games but the staying power of everquest is mind boggling. thankfully, i haven't been sucked into the world.

    --
    DARE TO FIGHT ME?
  16. WWII Online by HunterCat · · Score: 1

    While the games numbers may have hit a plateau, I have found those who are playing are fanatical about it and keep the game very active. I am trying out the new Everwars game if any are interested. The guys running it seem to be very good about taking and implementing suggestions. (Just don't complain about the attack timer) EVERWARS HERE

  17. Re:PlanetSide:Fun for some, buggy as hell for othe by Private+Baldrick · · Score: 1

    Planetside is fun. Support can be ropey but most major bugs are now nailed down. Crashing to Desktop is occuring mainly due to sound card bugs which can be solved with new drivers etc.

    The game for a FPS has no equal in what it does. Big HUGE fights. It's main problem is how to encourage those fights. At the moment the main fighting force is the "Zerg", which is 100+ players of one empire sticking together and steam rollering the other sides. However when two Zergs meet that is when the fun happens...

    There are balancing issues in some of the weapons/vehicles but they do not detract in that you can join the game and within minutes be in a huge firefight.

    It's a lot of Fun (something that SWG looks like it needs)

    Balders

    --
    I have a cunning plan...
  18. very last post, I win again! by muirhead · · Score: 1

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