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PC Games (Games) Role Playing (Games) Entertainment Games

MMOG Subscription Chart Updated 31

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."
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MMOG Subscription Chart Updated

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  • I only have a Dreamcast, you insensitive clods!
  • no BZFlag entry? :)

    (yes, yes, I know, but it's a joke - laugh!)
  • Cannibilization? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by xenocide2 ( 231786 ) on Monday August 04, 2003 @07:15PM (#6611043) Homepage
    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.
    • 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
  • "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.
    • 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
  • Okay (Score:5, Funny)

    by Daetrin ( 576516 ) on Monday August 04, 2003 @08:16PM (#6611478)
    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.
  • Realm Online (Score:2, Informative)

    by Calmiche ( 531074 )
    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 [realmserver.com]

    Calmiche,

  • 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.
  • is Hello Kitty online. *sigh* I guess I'll have to settle for The Sims Online.
  • 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!
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 [everwars.com]
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