Only 30 Percent of WoW Players Get Past Level 10

[Starke]

It should probably be obvious that 11.5 million is the number of opened accounts for WoW. Accounts that are inactive, cancelled, banned or multiple accounts owned by the same person all figure into that number. As do accounts owned by real money traders.

I personally think that WoW may have lost player base recently. Judging by the media blitz for Lich King when there wasn't one for Burning Crusade. And going by the fact that many players I know, myself included, walked from the game in recent months. I can't confirm this, of course. But it makes sense to me.

However, they still own a majority of the MMO market, mainly due to a lack of real competition.

11.5 milling players, each paying $15 a month, plus the price of the game and expansion packs themselves (about $120). WoW will be fine.

As Sir John already mentioned, that isn't the real formula. The 11.5 million number is total accounts ever, so that's not how much they're actually making. It's sort of like that figure a while back where they boasted about how many boxes of product they'd moved, while neglecting to mention that they were including game card sales in those figures. That said, yeah they're fine. WoW isn't going anywhere for the forseeable future. Optimistically it's got 10 years of life left, and that's a hell of a long time, especially for an MMO, or ANY PC game really.

I sincerely hope you morons are not arguing over my trolling attempt. That would just be pathetic.

Relevant. [http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk180/zeldera/Trolls.png]

I admit, that was fuckin' hillarious.

You know, the fact that you're still responding to people criticizing WoW and defending it leads me to believe that you really are offended on some deep level. Everyone else responded once, probably just as that picture indicates, and then went about their business. But, you really, very sincerely CARE!

It'd be funny if it weren't so sad. : /

What can I say? I care about curing stupid. It's an uphill battle, but one I believe is worth fighting.

Amnestic, I can tell from your posts, you're better than this. You can't cure stupid by arguing with idiots. Just, don't let them bait you into it.

 

[Valkyira]

Doesn't surprise me... Maybe it's because people get it and then realise it isn't as good as they are led to believe by all the hype. Although I will never find out as i refuse to play it.

 

[jubosu]

level ten takes like less than one hour so do seventy percent have ADD?

 

[Mcface]

Only 30 Percent of WoW Players Get Past Level 10

Only 30 percent of new World of Warcraft [http://www.worldofwarcraft.com] players ever make it past level ten, according to Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime, who also revealed an even more chilling statistic: The game has stopped growing.
Permalink

That's because WoW's level 60 and under stuff hasn't been updated since launch, and there is NO ONE playing that content, so players play a single-player game up until level 60 (Actually, it's probably up to level 70 now, if not more)
When I came back for a few months, I was playing my level 60, there was 5 other people in the outlands zone with me. On my 50, NO ONE else was in the plaugelands. 0 people.

I remember on launch, and for the first year pre-BC, the entire game WAS leveling up, enjoying the content and playing with your friends, meeting new people.

The game has since shifted, becoming an easy-casual grind fest to get to 80, and tear through the end game.

 

[Funkbucket]

"Our research shows that trial players who play World of Warcraft"

Trial accounts can only go to level 10, so they are saying, there not upgrading there accounts,
they are just giving up on there 10 day free trial

which is fair.. they attempted the game and they didn't enjoy it, or...
they are gold selling spammers creating new accounts

btw.. it takes around 30minutes to get to level 10.

 

[Drexler]

Only 30 Percent of WoW Players Get Past Level 10

Only 30 percent of new World of Warcraft [http://www.worldofwarcraft.com] players ever make it past level ten, according to Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime, who also revealed an even more chilling statistic: The game has stopped growing.
Permalink

That's because WoW's level 60 and under stuff hasn't been updated since launch, and there is NO ONE playing that content, so players play a single-player game up until level 60 (Actually, it's probably up to level 70 now, if not more)
When I came back for a few months, I was playing my level 60, there was 5 other people in the outlands zone with me. On my 50, NO ONE else was in the plaugelands. 0 people.

I remember on launch, and for the first year pre-BC, the entire game WAS leveling up, enjoying the content and playing with your friends, meeting new people.

The game has since shifted, becoming an easy-casual grind fest to get to 80, and tear through the end game.

Maybe that's my fucking summer leveling was so god damn boring.

 

[Hexley]

I don't really care what anyone says, but 30% of trial accounts leading to at least a purchase of the game? I wanna see another mmo come close to boasting a stat like that.
Just sayin.

 

[ThreeKneeNick]

I think one problem WoW has now is the high cost of entry. Buying the game and both expansions will run you ~$80, and that'll probably jump to $120 when Cataclysm comes out (unless, of course, they release a cheaper bundle, which would be a wise move on their part).

Quoted for truth.

Other MMOs that release boxed expansions have adopted the bundle strategy, where the expansion and all previously released content is sold for the standard price of one game, Bizzard should really do it too. But i guess Blizzard thinks its fame would let it milk the game for as long as they can and sell everything separately for larger profits. And i guess Blizzard is right on that.

Personally I'm not expecting Cataclysm to include previous content.

 

[SirPumpkinLongshanks]

I think one problem WoW has now is the high cost of entry. Buying the game and both expansions will run you ~$80, and that'll probably jump to $120 when Cataclysm comes out (unless, of course, they release a cheaper bundle, which would be a wise move on their part).

Quoted for truth.

Other MMOs that release boxed expansions have adopted the bundle strategy, where the expansion and all previously released content is sold for the standard price of one game, Bizzard should really do it too. But i guess Blizzard thinks its fame would let it milk the game for as long as they can and sell everything separately for larger profits. And i guess Blizzard is right on that.

Personally I'm not expecting Cataclysm to include previous content.

I'm surprised WotLK hasn't come down in price. I've still got my old account on tab and I wouldn't mind jumping back on but shelling out another 40 dollars so I can get up to 80 before Cataclysm seems a little harsh. I'll pay it so obviously it's not too big of a hurdle but there's no reason it should still be full price when I'm sure they've already made the bulk of what they're gonna get from it and they've got a new expansion in the works.

 

[The Almighty Aardvark]

I am proud to say that I have successfully gotten to level 11 before I stopped playing the game. Apparently I have a greater attention span then 70% of the people who tried it.

 

[UltimatheChosen]

I think one problem WoW has now is the high cost of entry. Buying the game and both expansions will run you ~$80, and that'll probably jump to $120 when Cataclysm comes out (unless, of course, they release a cheaper bundle, which would be a wise move on their part).

Quoted for truth.

Other MMOs that release boxed expansions have adopted the bundle strategy, where the expansion and all previously released content is sold for the standard price of one game, Bizzard should really do it too. But i guess Blizzard thinks its fame would let it milk the game for as long as they can and sell everything separately for larger profits. And i guess Blizzard is right on that.

Personally I'm not expecting Cataclysm to include previous content.

Well, to be fair, you will get some of the Cataclysm content even if you don't purchase it (the "old world" is getting redesigned, and that will apply to everyone, whether you buy it or not).

 

[Radelaide]

I'm sorry, but that's just hilarious. If they can't get folks passed level ten, they're doing something wrong. Dreadfully wrong.

I didn't make it past level one. I GOT BORED.

That's probably why people don't get past level 10. The game is horribly boring.

 

[toapat]

I'm sorry, but that's just hilarious. If they can't get folks passed level ten, they're doing something wrong. Dreadfully wrong.

no, people are idiots. this fully reflects on my summarization of how you must pick up WoW. there is only a 30% retention rate because WoW is not a game where the free trial gives a good impression. the growth is an uphill roller-coaster.

the fact is that while Cataclysm is great, half the players will quit on the shear loss of BRD alone. everyone who has played that instance knows exactly what it is.

Gnomregan, Zul'Farak, Blackrock Depths. instances that nearly everyone who has reached lvl 60 in WoW has played, and has only fond memories of.
Gnomregan is the first place where players learn what they are doing, while Blackrock depths delivers one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment ever once completed.
Uldaman shows them that what they are doing is not some meaningless task, but the beginning of a new era. each of your actions is slowly shaping the world.
Maradoun is a meta-physical tour of the histories of the alliance and horde, with visual spectacles virtually unrivaled elsewhere in WoW.
Shadowfang keep and Karazahn both represent the slow descent into madness of one being, with the Worgen in the keep slowly changing from feral monsters to trained killer pets, while the Walls and populous of Karazahn chronicle the last guardian's transformation from a noble warrior to the harbinger of armageddon, with the walls slowly fracturing and the populous transforming from the spirits of the deceased into the inner demons of one's mind.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I'd suggest that Blizzard reset all memories of anyone who's tried the trial, and make a big advertising budget to get people to trial the game near the start of Cataclysm.

People will start, be surrounded by other players, the world will feel full and alive, and they'll probably have a better chance of showing the game off.

I'd actually draw a comparison between WOW and stand up comedian, Michael Mcintyre, neither of them have really done anything wrong and are good in their respective genres, while being fairly easy to enjoy and inoffensive to most.

Purely because they're popular, however, there's now a tidal wave of dislike, just based on someone having success.

To me, whatever WOW is doing wrong, there's a lot they do right, (this is in my experience and opinion however). Good support, good storytelling, a huge world, good graphics, based on artists, not processing power, therefore keeping the game accessible to millions not thousands.

Also, and here's something that seems lost on so many, the 'heroic' option on dungeons means that the vast majority can see most of the content, while still leaving a challenge to the more 'hardcore' players. No longer are casuals locked out of high end content, at the same time addressing the complaints that there's no challenges available to raid guilds.

This comes from someone who's run a casual guild for over 3 years and is still enjoying the game.

 

[samsonguy920]

But...level 10 takes like three hours to get to. If that. That's probably slow actually.

Jeebus ;/

Cataclysm will give them a jump in numbers. Completely revitalising the Azeroth will likely bring back old customers *coughlikemecough* as well.

For a beginner player, I can see that since there is a lot to take in and can be overwhelming for some. On the other hand when I started a second toon getting to level 10 was about an hour's worth.
I find WoW's system to be actually pretty smooth and quick to learn. Age of Conan, on the other hand, when the beginning area is 1-20, that's an exercise in patience beyond belief.
I'm thinking the reconstruction of Azeroth that will come with Cataclysm is well timed. There will be a big jump in returned subscriptions with people wanting to explore the new lands, and explore the two new races. Hopefully Cataclysm will include the extra spice to keep those players around. At least one would think Blizzard has that in mind besides just giving a new map. They don't have to take away the grind quests that people heckle about, just mix in new kinds of quests. For one I see very few defense quests, and wouldn't mind seeing some more.

 

[NeutralDrow]

I do find that rather surprising. I just got back into the game a few days ago, and I'm honestly astounded by how much more newbie-friendly it's become in the past two years.

Admittedly, since I jumped right into the game without using a trial account, I might expose a partial flaw in that scenario (not the other one, though).

 

[Funkbucket]

I'm sorry, but that's just hilarious. If they can't get folks passed level ten, they're doing something wrong. Dreadfully wrong.

no, people are idiots. this fully reflects on my summarization of how you must pick up WoW. there is only a 30% retention rate because WoW is not a game where the free trial gives a good impression. the growth is an uphill roller-coaster.

the fact is that while Cataclysm is great, half the players will quit on the shear loss of BRD alone. everyone who has played that instance knows exactly what it is.

Gnomregan, Zul'Farak, Blackrock Depths. instances that nearly everyone who has reached lvl 60 in WoW has played, and has only fond memories of.
Gnomregan is the first place where players learn what they are doing, while Blackrock depths delivers one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment ever once completed.
Uldaman shows them that what they are doing is not some meaningless task, but the beginning of a new era. each of your actions is slowly shaping the world.
Maradoun is a meta-physical tour of the histories of the alliance and horde, with visual spectacles virtually unrivaled elsewhere in WoW.
Shadowfang keep and Karazahn both represent the slow descent into madness of one being, with the Worgen in the keep slowly changing from feral monsters to trained killer pets, while the Walls and populous of Karazahn chronicle the last guardian's transformation from a noble warrior to the harbinger of armageddon, with the walls slowly fracturing and the populous transforming from the spirits of the deceased into the inner demons of one's mind.

We're keeping BRD Blizzard has confirmed but losing UBRS LBRS

 

[Starke]

I find WoW's system to be actually pretty smooth and quick to learn. Age of Conan, on the other hand, when the beginning area is 1-20, that's an exercise in patience beyond belief.

I'd litterally managed to purge that one from my memory. God, I wanted to like Age of Conan, and the first map sequence was kinda entertaining, but from there... once they turn you loose on the city. That's a mess.

 

[Raiha]

anyone who didn't realize that there would be a ceiling to wow's growth needs to either be beaten with a blunt instrument or given a position as the ceo of one of the major banks in america (you mean house prices wouldn't keep rising forever??? oh my god black is white, up is down, nothing makes sense anymore). its not surprising that most people don't make it past level 10. if you don't have a cool group of people to play with wow is kinda boring. go here, kill x number of y, go back gets really tiresome after the 30th or so quest thats just like that. wow just gives people the best set of tools to play with, its the people you play with that either make or break the game.

 

[MaltesePigeon]

I recently got my first character to 80 and I never played any instances. No one else wanted to. Most of them had lvl 80s already and were leveling an alt. The people who did play the instances had a lvl 80 running them through it. Which I didn't want to do because it seemed so cheap.

I think that this is what sends a lot of people running away from WoW. The quests you get in towns have next to nothing to do with the story. That changes in Lich King but that starts a lvl 68. So for 68 levels you are doing quests that are meaningless. Which isn't a good way to suck new players in. Especially when other players with their account bound armor are calling you a noob (yes I know I'm still one) and members of the other faction are ganking you while you are trying to do a meaningless quest.

Once I signed onto a "new player" realm hoping to find only low level people who might actually want to do the low level instances. Sadly there were a lot of lvl 80s. I just signed on to one now and typed /who 80. There are at least 49 level 80 characters on that "new player" realm (Maiev) right now.

Of course this is just my experience and in no way representative of all WoW players. But I really can understand why so many people don't stick with it.