Cryptic: STO Don't Need No WoW Players

[Greg Tito]

Cryptic: STO Don't Need No WoW Players

The creators of WoW [http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Online-Pc/dp/B002673XJA/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1280160592&sr=1-1] players in order to be successful.

STO opened its servers this week in the U.S. and reported over 1 million accounts have been created and those subscription numbers can only grow when its E.U. counterpart goes live tomorrow. The questions is whether it can sustain its population with the 800 pound behemoth in the MMOG room, World of Warcraft's 12 million players. The executive producer at Cryptic for STO seems to think that it isn't necessary for his game to steal players from WoW.

"It's such a huge market out there," said Craig Zinkievich. He went on:

We think we've made something that Star Trek fans and gamers alike will enjoy. Maybe some of those fans will come from WoW and maybe some will be totally new to the MMOG genre.

We're not trying to directly compete with WoW and if our game grows to that success then that would be awesome but for now we're just worried about getting a good game out there that people will enjoy.

It's refreshing that every new MMOG is no longer touted as a WoW-killer. Cryptic knows that it's unlikely that STO will see such monumental numbers and they're just trying to make a good game.

I can get behind that.

Source: Worlds in Motion [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=233795?]

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[Abedeus]

We'll see how they're so "not needing" when everyone except for lifetime subscribers leaves the game. And community relationship managers get laid off.

 

[Starke]

That was harsh.

 

[Stu1701]

This is why I like Cryptic, they're not focused on beating out the other existing MMOs, they're focusing on making a good Star Trek game. It's about time developers did that for Star Trek, there's always been so much wasted potential with Star Trek games.

 

[Gxas]

Finally, someone sees that the way to beat WoW is to ignore it and just make your game.

This game looks awesome. I'm thinking about picking it up.

 

[Starke]

All the best to them, I mean Star Trek should do well. I hope it does not flop straight away.

If The Matrix Online could last four or five years dispite being (reportidly) an utter mess. The prospects do look good.

 

[Ranooth]

Its already up to a million subs so kudos to them. Next few months will be interesting.

 

[Fearzone]

EVE Online has long eschewed MMO standards, even though there are plenty of obvious and rudimentary steps they could take to shoot for a broader "casual" playerbase.

That said, I think Cryptic is lying.

I anticipate we will see the usual MMO grind and rather little of the role-play space exploration and alien diplomacy that a Star Trek RPG really should have.

 

[Dioxide20]

They will be stealing WOW players, at least all the Trekkies!

STO FTW!

 

[wooty]

I say fair play to then, confidence is something almost forgotten in the gaming world, overshadowed by arrogance in many parts

 

[Starke]

We'll see how they're so "not needing" when everyone except for lifetime subscribers leaves the game. And community relationship managers get laid off.

It'll be Champions Online all over again.

That game had such potential!

And such horrific writing...

I'd still like to know if Abedeus can explain why he's so hateful towards the devs. I mean, these are people who are working on something because it's something they love, at the end of the day they're (often) making less than minimum wage (because of the hours they're putting in), and then when they release the title you've got people like him stomping on it and hoping these people suffer. What gives?

I'm betting MMO devs are wisening up to the fact that there is no WoW killer, except Blizzard itself.

Just like how the only director that can beat James Cameron, is James Cameron

Given your avatar, man, I'm taking that in entirely the wrong way.

 

[Distazo]

I am glad to see an MMO not trying to out WOW, WOW. Star Trek can take MMOs in an entirely new direction so thereby never having to actually completele with Blizzard and it could do quite well.

 

[Charli]

You don't need no WoW players? Kay you don't need mah monies either? Yeah? Okay cool.

 

[Freshmaker]

The open beta was loads of fun(played my friends copy), so I can't wait to get my copy! It was awesome. The space battles are fun and strategic, and I am still a sucker for the phaser and photon torpedo noises.

 

[Abedeus]

We'll see how they're so "not needing" when everyone except for lifetime subscribers leaves the game. And community relationship managers get laid off.

It'll be Champions Online all over again.

That game had such potential!

And such horrific writing...

I'd still like to know if Abedeus can explain why he's so hateful towards the devs. I mean, these are people who are working on something because it's something they love, at the end of the day they're (often) making less than minimum wage (because of the hours they're putting in), and then when they release the title you've got people like him stomping on it and hoping these people suffer. What gives?

Because it's been few months into the release, they fixed Nvidia drivers crashing after few months (worked in beta fine...), still have lots of bugs and problems, and instead of fixing them and releasing content for free, they are making a PAID expansion packs already. And lifetime subscribers get angry, really angry.

But hey, I called it - don't buy lifetimes, or you'll lose your chance to vote with wallet when things go bad. Sad that they paid $200 for a MMO and they have to pay again. Ragnarok Online, Lineage 1/2 or City of Heroes/Villains never had paid expansion packs and they were fine in the time of their glory. CO is already doomed to die.

http://forums.champions-online.com/forumdisplay.php?f=170

Browse around and you'll understand.

 

[Alone Disciple]

Well, I know I'll get harshed for this, but as an open beta-player and now current player of a few days....I'm still waiting to for the 'feel' of Star Trek to come to STO....

So far, it's just feels like a re-skinned CoH/CoV set in space. The only thing Trek about it are the sound effects and models, but not much else.