The Old Republic Becomes the Fastest-Growing MMO Ever

[Baldr]

Soooo 300.000 persons decided to quit already?
I might pick it up eventually. Too busy with LOTRO and some other games at the moment.

That was my main sentiment with the game.

 

[n19h7m4r3]

Does TOR even use Origin? I mean I have it on my PC for other games but I can sign into TOR without logging into Origin or anything.

Hmm might have to look into this further.

I can recommend it by the way it's a decent game and fun to play with friends. Like multiplayer Mass Effect.

Edit: Uninstalled Origin and SW:TOR still works? Seems it's not required to play it. Unless it's needed for patches but I can't exactly test that at the moment.

Origin was only needed to buy the game through it. I bought my game in HMV.

It's a stand alone game, like all MMO's with their own launcher.
They also ALL get their patches through their launcher. I don't have Origin or any game from it and I got SWTOR from the shop installed and been playing since the 26th december.

 

[sifffffff]

How'd you like them apples haters?

This is my first MMO and I'm really enjoying it. Last night I got to play with a bunch of WOW converts and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

But but but endgame bioware ea pvp lag broken origin ea bioware endgame pvp!1!11!!!!

Obviously EA is, as a large professional corporate entity, lying about their subscription numbers. Right? Right?

Sorry to burst their bubble but 90% of those "users" are not users and were forced to download origin against their will.

TOTES. EA showed up at my house and held a gun to my pregnant wife's head until I installed it. Now my computer runs like it has windows 3.1 on it and blue screens every two minutes.

 

[Azuaron]

I told you so [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.338872.13716099]. And it turns out I was low-balling it (continuing subscriber base of 1.7 million, 2 million buys already). I really don't understand why people have been doubting the obvious success of The Old Republic.

Wait until it lasts a few years before hailing it as a success.

Due to the hype and fan base (SW fans, bioware fans and KOTOR fans), it was obviously going to initially sell well, but unlike other games, these players have to remain for the game to be a success.

Considering 15% of purchasers didn't stick around, then it is certainly far too early to be stating SW:TOR as any sort of success,

Lasting a few years is not how it would be a success. It's a success if it becomes profitable. Having spent $500 million, they've made back $50 million on Origin sales alone (Origin sales reached $100 million, not Origin sales of The Old Republic), and probably $50 million in retail sales. 1.7 million people have stuck around for the second month, which is another $25 million in subscriptions (at $12/month), bringing their current profits up to $125 million.

Last time we had this discussion, estimates were placing end-of-year numbers for SW:TOR at 3 million buyers, but that number has raised to 3.5 million (at minimum; it will probably be more than 4 million, possibly 5 million). Another 1.5 million sales (40% on Origin) is another $75 million. With a 15% drop out rate per month (and steady growth to 3.5 million sales by the end of the year; although, the drop out rate will probably be lower in the coming months as people who were just checking it will have already left before paying any subscription fees), they'll make another $150 million by the end of the year and still have a million subscribers.

So, at a minimum, they can expect to have $350 million of their $500 million back by the end of the year, and a million people still spending $12-$15/month. Plus, by that time they'll probably be selling the first expansion, which is incredibly cheap to make (by comparison) and will get them more profit and more subscribers.

EA and Bioware aren't messing around with SW:TOR. It's going to be here for a long time, and after they make back their initial investment in the next year and a half (or earlier), minimal upkeep will continue to net them lots of money and the occasional expansion will make them lots and lots of money.

So, once again, I really don't understand how people can question the success of the fastest growing MMO of all time. This isn't complicated math I'm doing here, and even using the low estimates EA/Bioware are coming out way ahead.

I guess I'll just have to keep gloating as the monthly reports of SW:TOR get released.

 

[Furioso]

That number would grow if they added a free trial, please oh please add a free trial!

 

[AlternatePFG]

That's nice I suppose. I just have to wonder how long these numbers will keep going. After all, the game has only been out for a couple of months.

Still not too interested in the game itself though. I don't like where they went from the KOTOR games, and in general I just don't like Star Wars anymore.

 

[CharrHearted]

Eeeeh, for star wars combat I think i'l stick to JEDI KNIGHT JEDI ACADEMY ^^

 

[Atmos Duality]

You do not have to use Origin for it though. It is completly stand-alone game, unless you bought it through origin of course.

And yay for SWTOR... It is a great game, doesn't matter if it is bugged to tears, it is still fun and enjoyable.

Be that as it may, enough people bought it via Origin that it validated Origin's existence; my point wasn't directly about the quality of SW:TOR itself, but its relationship to Origin.

I don't trust Origin because I really don't trust EA. I believe (very strongly) that EA will abuse their customers via Origin. The more popular it becomes, the more likely this seems, given EA's history of fucking over those who does business with them long-term (customer or developer).

 

[Sartan0]

The big question is can it last. As has been mentioned elsewhere here the end game is problematic and a bit jarring after leveling.

I think they have the funding to make a go of it but the real question is: Can Bioware get enough good content out fast enough to hold onto subs. I wish them luck.

 

[Sartan0]

You do not have to use Origin for it though. It is completly stand-alone game, unless you bought it through origin of course.

And yay for SWTOR... It is a great game, doesn't matter if it is bugged to tears, it is still fun and enjoyable.

Be that as it may, enough people bought it via Origin that it validated Origin's existence; my point wasn't directly about the quality of SW:TOR itself, but its relationship to Origin.

I don't trust Origin because I really don't trust EA. I believe (very strongly) that EA will abuse their customers via Origin. The more popular it becomes, the more likely this seems, given EA's history of fucking over those who does business with them long-term (customer or developer).

Origin is another issue entirely. It is the reason I am passing on ME:3 even though that pains me to do so.

 

[LetalisK]

I hope this game lasts awhile and continues to do well. Oh, and to the hipsters that keep giving it free ink over meaningless bullshit.

 

[Karathos]

I'm not surprised at these numbers. It's a good game, and the team behind it are putting real effort into patching things as they appear. New content updates are already in the works, and in the meantime I'll keep enjoying the balanced endgame PvP and interesting Operations (Raiding) - not to mention the RP, on my stable, well populated server. With zero crashes to this very day.

In closing, a quote:

"I felt... a great disturbance in the Force. It's as if the entire extremely vocal, bitter EA-boycott club on the Escapist suddenly cried out in butthurt, and was then silenced by good old sales numbers."

- Kara Wan Trollobi

 

[VoidWanderer]

Goes to show you that if you slap a Star Wars dress on something, the fans will lap it up... even if it is a lacklustre and generic as hell mmo.

I tell you now, if anyone but Bioware had made it, and it didnt have the SW dressing, it would of been a boring F2P mmo that would of failed.

The issue I have though is all these fans are sending out a message that basically says we will accept any rubbish as long as it has a pretty dress on, and is made by a popular developer.

Slapping a pretty dress? Nice analogy. And your point while well made goes nowhere.

If it wasn't a Bioware game in the SW setting no-one would care. And your point can be made for the following (and guys feel free to pitch in here)

Gears of War
Halo
Resistance
Metal Gear Solid
Devil May Cry
Mass Effect
Ninja Gaiden
Street Fighter
Mortal Kombat
Call of Duty Modern Warfare
Battlefield
Starcraft

 

[ASnogarD]

Goes to show you that if you slap a Star Wars dress on something, the fans will lap it up... even if it is a lacklustre and generic as hell mmo.

I tell you now, if anyone but Bioware had made it, and it didnt have the SW dressing, it would of been a boring F2P mmo that would of failed.

The issue I have though is all these fans are sending out a message that basically says we will accept any rubbish as long as it has a pretty dress on, and is made by a popular developer.

Slapping a pretty dress? Nice analogy. And your point while well made goes nowhere.

If it wasn't a Bioware game in the SW setting no-one would care. And your point can be made for the following (and guys feel free to pitch in here)

Gears of War
Halo
Resistance
Metal Gear Solid
Devil May Cry
Mass Effect
Ninja Gaiden
Street Fighter
Mortal Kombat
Call of Duty Modern Warfare
Battlefield
Starcraft

...err , which of those was based around a popular franchise ? Unless I am mistaken all the listed titles were new IP's at the time of thier launch and were good enough to become popular franchises.

My point was that the MMO, SW:ToR wouldnt of been popular if it was not based on the Star Wars franchise, if we were to analyse the game on its own merits from a technical or gameplay perspective...the game would of been consided boring.
Take out the SW dressing and the game itself is mechanically dull and lacks any ambition whatsoever.

 

[Karathos]

Goes to show you that if you slap a Star Wars dress on something, the fans will lap it up... even if it is a lacklustre and generic as hell mmo.

I tell you now, if anyone but Bioware had made it, and it didnt have the SW dressing, it would [/b]have[/b] been a boring F2P mmo that would of failed.

The issue I have though is all these fans are sending out a message that basically says we will accept any rubbish as long as it has a pretty dress on, and is made by a popular developer.

Slapping a pretty dress? Nice analogy. And your point while well made goes nowhere.

If it wasn't a Bioware game in the SW setting no-one would care. And your point can be made for the following (and guys feel free to pitch in here)

Gears of War
Halo
Resistance
Metal Gear Solid
Devil May Cry
Mass Effect
Ninja Gaiden
Street Fighter
Mortal Kombat
Call of Duty Modern Warfare
Battlefield
Starcraft

...err , which of those was based around a popular franchise ? Unless I am mistaken all the listed titles were new IP's at the time of thier launch and were good enough to become popular franchises.

My point was that the MMO, SW:ToR wouldnt HAVE, HAVE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD HAVE NOT "OF" been popular if it was not based on the Star Wars franchise, if we were to analyse the game on its own merits from a technical or gameplay perspective...the game would HAVE been consided boring.
Take out the SW dressing and the game itself is mechanically dull and lacks any ambition whatsoever.

"Mechanically dull and lacks ambition"?

Gears of War - as default chesthighwallshooter as you can get.
Starcraft - as default an RTS as you can get (Not to mention they pretty much ripped off Games Workshop anyway)
Halo - as default a first person shooter as you can get.
Street Fighter - You hit buttons, they form combos, things get kicked
Mortal Combat - Look at "Street Fighter"
Call of Duty MW - ... are you serious?

I think you're confusing "Functional" with "Mechanically dull and lacks ambition".

Why should you reinvent the wheel, when you could just use it to make your cart roll forward? And no ambition? The storytelling, voice acting and group conversations (amongst numerous other things) add a whole new level of RPG to the genre MMO-RPG, a level that has been sorely lacking for ages.

By your reasoning taking something that works is "mechanically dull and lacking ambition", it seems. I guess every single FPS since forever is still pretty much ripping off Doom and Quake. I mean, you shoot at things and things fall down. THEY'RE COMPLETELY THE SAME.

Give me a break.