Final Fantasy XI Nears EverQuest In Subscriber Numbers 42
Thanks to 1UP for the news that Square Enix has announced a total of 430,000 subscribers have signed up worldwide with PlayOnline, as the online subscription service "...which powers Square's MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, broke through the 400,000 user mark approximately 18 months after its Japanese debut in May 2002." According to the reports, the recent PC release of FFXI in the U.S. has "...provided a significant boost to the service's user base. Square Enix said it has shipped around 200,000 copies of the PC version to the US market already, and picked up around 100,000 new subscribers so far." More subscriptions are likely when the Final Fantasy XI-bundled PlayStation 2 hard drive launches in the U.S. next March, possibly taking FFXI over EverQuest's total of nearly 500,000 subscribers. The company's mid-term results also provided information on sales of their games, with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance a particular sales highlight in the U.S.
Re:I want to work in *that* marketing department! (Score:1)
Re:I want to work in *that* marketing department! (Score:1)
This sounds about right, but it's probably more likely that 30+% of the North American users have decided to subscribe for some period of time.
Re:I want to work in *that* marketing department! (Score:3, Insightful)
Furthermore, as it says, they have sold 200k boxes in the U.S., which have spawned 100k subscriptions. You're just pulling numbers out of your ass when you're talking about 30% of North American users subscribing.
RTFA!! Better yet, ac
Re:I want to work in *that* marketing department! (Score:1)
they sold 200k boxes to STORES. i.e. ebgames, babbages/gamestop etc. NOT TO PEOPLE.
which have spawned 100k subscriptions
so of those 200k boxes, 100k people have signed up for a playonline account.
(430k at the moment)
430k - 100k = 330k current Japanesse subscribers.
now what we are saying is of those 100k boxes ACTUALLY FREAKIN SOLD TO PEOPLE. we would expect 70% of them to NOT continue the subscription past 6 months. and if you l
Re:I want to work in *that* marketing department! (Score:1)
OK, so, at worst they have 50% of NA users signed up to PlayOnline (not exactly the same thing as subscribing for the game, either). Considering that there are still boxes on the shelves, it's probably much higher than that, like 70% since we already used that number
I knew it! (Score:1)
Re:I knew it! (Score:1)
Re:I knew it! (Score:1)
-- D3X
The site that is redefining the ad [neox3.com]
Re:I knew it! (Score:1)
Re:I knew it! (Score:3, Insightful)
It does do some things better than Everquest did, but "autoattack" is still pretty much there, with bash/kick replaced with skills that can be combined in groups. The experience point distribution problem is worse, where if your group is any more than 1 level apart, experience is rather uneven. But all in all it is better.
Re:I knew it! (Score:2)
Or perhaps people finally got to try a MMORPG that had been adequately tested before it arrived on store shelves (thanks for beta testing, Japan!) Or maybe people liked previous games from SquareEnix and bought it not because it had the same name, but because it was from the same people.
It is narrow-minded and fallacious to suggest that the only reason for the game's success is the name.
Re:I knew it! (Score:2)
I bought it and play it because I have friends that play it.
I think that is the primary motivation behind many user's game purchasing decisions.
Although, oddly enough, I helped one friend install while another
had been playing for a couple days, and when I went to buy it at Best Buy the next day(a friday, 3 or 4 weeks ago)) They did not have any copies of the game!
Nor did they have it on the list of upcoming games. The guy who worked there told me my frie
Solid game. (Score:1)
Re:Solid game. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Solid game. (Score:2)
You're can't just make a new account if you quit?
Re:Solid game. (Score:2)
One copy for me, and one for my girlfriend. She enjoys the non-combat-oriented features of games... which is why I asked about crafting. Generally, she works on her crafting skills, and creates weapons and armor (or whatever) for me, and I go out and kill things, and earn money (in addition to what she does by selling her fine items).
Re:Solid game. (Score:2)
Re:Solid game. (Score:2)
There are basically 9 crafting schools: Alchemist, Blacksmith, Bone Worker, Carpenter, Culinarian, Fisher, Goldsmith, Tanner, and Weaver. However, they're also co-dependant, so most crafters belong to at least two schools of crafting. There's no limit on how many you can join.
The actual act of crafting requires a crystal, which is sort of the catalyst for the process. Crafting recipies all require at least one crystal. Crystals
Re:Solid game. (Score:1)
Re:Solid game. (Score:1)
Yes.
Yes>
And Yes.
Like I said in an earlier post... the game is FULL of content... you can do just about everything in the game. There's not only smithing which you can make everything from a Bronze Ingot to Full fledged armor and weapons, but there is leather craft, fishing, bone craft, food preperation, gold smithing... all all sorts of stuff... The ammount of items in the game is staggering... there's not much per level in terms of weapons and armor (you'll see the same armor on many pe
Re:Solid game. (Score:1)
So, although most people will tell you that crafting is expensive, it's not expensive if you don't mind working on any craft depending on what items you have (which i assume your gf would be fine with), as you'd be out killing things, you'll pick up tons of items you have no use for that you could pass on to her an
Re:Solid game. (Score:1)
A very good game (Score:5, Interesting)
Downtime seems pretty low so far. One thing I hated in Galaxies was the permanent damage to your character unless you found another player to heal you. Very lame. In this game I can just hit the heal button and wait a few minutes and I'm good as new.
Worst part about this game is definatly the controls. You can tell it was made for the PS2 controller. Luckily you can pick up a USB adapter for the Dual Shock 2 for under $20. It even supports the rumble if your into vibrating electronics...
Damn, I sound like an advertisement. Oh well, I'm really enjoying this game. Well, besides the couple hours it takes to install. Don't count on playing it the day you pick it up if you get it after work.
Re:A very good game (Score:1)
I patched a USB end onto one of my Xbox controllers, downloaded the homebrew Windows2k/XP driver, and have been playing with that for the last few weeks.
There should be a notice on the box suggesting a dual analog gamepad, because the game is much easier to play with one. Trying to move the camera around with the arrow keys alone was getting me frustrated when I first bought it.
Re:A very good game (Score:2)
If you've got this game and you're frustrated with the controls, spend about $25-35 on a cheap used PS2 controller (Gamestop has tons) and a adapter (Radio Shack sells 'em) - it's worth it. It's fun for other games, too. I use mine in Desert Combat for heli's
Re:A very good game (Score:2)
The key to near complete success... (Score:2)
I mean, comon the game was out for over a year and got an expansion pack for crying out loud. By testing the game out in an area where they would almost be guaranteed consumer feedback (Final Fantasy name + Japan = fanboyism) they can fix and tweak the game around with relatively few losses. Its a simple marketing technique :
Try a product out on the largest possible group of people and gather feedback on the product over along people of tim
its great! (Score:3, Insightful)
I tried to jump on the whole "Everquest" boat a few years ago, but found it was too complex and annoying. I kept falling in what appeared to be puddles and drowning. The whole "Everquest" world was unfamiliar and kind of overwhelming, so I decided MMORPG's weren't for me. I never even made it out of the first town. Being reared of games like "Exitilus" and "Legend of the Red Dragon", the idea of an MMORPG was very appealing, but I figured they were too complex and annoying, and required too much time for someone like myself to get into.
Until, of course, Final Fantasy XI. Within a week, I have a level 10 warrior doing things like joining parties, slaying monsters, making gil, and chatting it up. It was so easy to become part of the 'community' and do basic easy things. It's literally like playing Final Fantasy, except with a bunch of other people and a slower leveling up process. There are story based missions, lots of NPCs, familiar characters... the list goes on. I feel like I've been playing for months, hell, I even help n00bs out when I can.
5 other people in my hall have decided to give it a try, because it looks so easy to get into. 3 of them have played Final Fantasy prior to XI, and the other two just think it 'looks really fun'. It lacks that 'overhwhelming feel' you get from other MMORPGs, the interface is so friendly and familiar, yet in reality, complex and effective.
Final Fantasy XI has been the best investment I've put into a video game in years. I highly recomend anyone reading this try it. And look for Dyrian.