WoW now owns 50% of the MMORPG market - Page 2

Jait · 06-02-2006, 03:14 PM

You kids and your whining. In my day you had to walk through 1500 steps with only a rusty dagger, and in order to Gate you had to type in XYZZY. Uphill, in the snow. BOTH WAYS!

Microsoft released the very first "Massively. Mainframe. Original. Role. Playing. Game." or "MMORPG" for short. Despite the fact everyone complained "It's too Black!". It still had 100% of the Market in it's day. Then some fookers from MIT took a big chunk of their market away. God damn you Foozle!

All kidding aside.... Just as competition was scarce in those days, it is now as well. The day is fast approaching where companies can keep costs low enough to support a whole new generation of online RPGs. What we've really seen is mostly 1st gen, or 'dipping your toe in the water' so to speak. Final Fantasy XI, Asheron Call are two examples of titles released by major companies as a way simply to get in on the early Cash Cow. But they were not serious attempts to 'up the ante' in any way, shape, or form. As companies get more comfortable and suits see the money flow in, more of their weight will be thrown into the mix. MMORPGs will be less and less built around balance and economies (By ex-Mudders, PnP players) than they will be built simply to have fun by gaming geniuses and gurus who appeal to the vast majority.

WoW is really the very first MMO to understand this. And they're reaping the benefits. Soon companies will branch out. And we'll begin to see GTA type worlds, where you can literally do everything. You can run around jacking people and their cars. Or you can spend time working on your body at the Gym and join a professional sports team. Using your money (dutifully earned, or otherwise) you can buy cars, build houses, even own some of those professional sports teams you used to play for. Too literal? Too boring? Head on over to the arcade, where you can play any game you wish. Imagine a world with every possible mini game you can think of, all incorporated and encompassed to your Avatar.

Online Worlds are the future of gaming. Don't be surprised if the "next big thing" isn't so much of a Fantasy Sim as it's a Life Sim. Grats to WoW for hitting the mainstream first. Now, prepare for the deluge.

Exmonk · 06-02-2006, 03:25 PM

I expect Bioware's MMO to be the next really big hit, because they have a gigantic fanbase that can rival Blizzard's in Europe and in the US. I mean they still have people playing NWN, enough to release new content still.

Not to mention the game itself will actually try to factor in Bioware story telling which should make it unique.

(P.S. does this include Guild Wars because I wouldn't call it a mmo, but some do and it has over a million people so no small size there).

Samus Aran · 06-02-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuffalo

If you're going to include muds, it would be more like 10%, if that.

Are you as dumb as your post is?

How many pay-to-play(if you're counting FREE muds in a MARKET SHARE, maybe you should rethink what it means) muds do you think there are?

leane · 06-02-2006, 03:31 PM

Guildwars itself does not claim to be a MMPOG, they call it a combative multi player game or something like that. but ya, something like a million+ people on it activly

Bioware has a lot good record, Hopefully they could pull it off, lot harder to go from smaller multiplyer games to a full blown MMPOG as blizzard discovered.

spentmotiff · 06-02-2006, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zdonovan

EQ had more than 60% when it came out.

In America maybe, but by the time EQ was released, a tiny little game called Lineage was out overseas. And Lineage crushed EQ's sub numbers...

(Not that I'm taking away anything from EQ.

)

fuffalo · 06-02-2006, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zdonovan

Are you as dumb as your post is?

How many pay-to-play(if you're counting FREE muds in a MARKET SHARE, maybe you should rethink what it means) muds do you think there are?

Gemstones3 alone had over 750,000 paying subscribers.

Kendricke · 06-02-2006, 04:03 PM

The author of the post is citing MMOGchart.com as his only reference for his numbers. That tells me everything I need to know regarding his "research" on the subject.

Pilsbane · 06-02-2006, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirgittePovar

How anyone can truly believe WoW has 50% market share is beyond me. They include WoW numbers for Korea and China and the like, without including all MMOs from that region.

Either you cut out Korea and China WoW numbers, and they don't have 50% share, or you include ALL Korean and Chinese MMOs, and they don't have 50% share that way either.

Conclusion? 50% Market Share's assumptions are faulty.

Note: SirBruce's assumptions are not faulty, I'm referring to the author of the article.

BirgittePovar wins the thread. That article is just some guy reading MMOGCHART.com and coming to the wrong conclusions.

Samus Aran · 06-02-2006, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuffalo

Gemstones3 alone had over 750,000 paying subscribers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GemStone_IV

That is the only information I found regarding III (the III site redirects to IV) and honestly, I don't buy that they had 750,000 scrips when I read lines like During prime-time hours, the number of active players online ranges from 650 to over 1000

Lyrical · 06-02-2006, 04:24 PM

I can't believe how much tempers flare whenever the subject of market share comes up. Who cares how many subs a game has if you like it?

Oloh · 06-02-2006, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jait

All kidding aside.... Just as competition was scarce in those days, it is now as well. The day is fast approaching where companies can keep costs low enough to support a whole new generation of online RPGs. What we've really seen is mostly 1st gen, or 'dipping your toe in the water' so to speak. Final Fantasy XI, Asheron Call are two examples of titles released by major companies as a way simply to get in on the early Cash Cow. But they were not serious attempts to 'up the ante' in any way, shape, or form. As companies get more comfortable and suits see the money flow in, more of their weight will be thrown into the mix. MMORPGs will be less and less built around balance and economies (By ex-Mudders, PnP players) than they will be built simply to have fun by gaming geniuses and gurus who appeal to the vast majority.

WoW is really the very first MMO to understand this. And they're reaping the benefits. Soon companies will branch out. And we'll begin to see GTA type worlds, where you can literally do everything. You can run around jacking people and their cars. Or you can spend time working on your body at the Gym and join a professional sports team. Using your money (dutifully earned, or otherwise) you can buy cars, build houses, even own some of those professional sports teams you used to play for. Too literal? Too boring? Head on over to the arcade, where you can play any game you wish. Imagine a world with every possible mini game you can think of, all incorporated and encompassed to your Avatar.

Online Worlds are the future of gaming. Don't be surprised if the "next big thing" isn't so much of a Fantasy Sim as it's a Life Sim. Grats to WoW for hitting the mainstream first. Now, prepare for the deluge.

Good post and I agree.

Soygen · 06-02-2006, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spentmotiff

In America maybe, but by the time EQ was released, a tiny little game called Lineage was out overseas. And Lineage crushed EQ's sub numbers...

(Not that I'm taking away anything from EQ.

)

You sure Lineage came out at the same time as EQ? I thought EQ was out before that piece of crap.

BirgittePovar · 06-02-2006, 05:05 PM

Perusing mmogchart.com, I see that he does have some info on Asian MMOs. Wow. MMOs are amazingly huge over there. >1 million concurrent users on an MMO? Does World of Warcraft even get to that level?

Regardless of my earlier comments, WoW's Market Share is still pretty phenomenal, no need to exaggerate it further.

Are there any European only MMOs? Australian?

Etadanik · 06-02-2006, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jait

All kidding aside.... Just as competition was scarce in those days, it is now as well. The day is fast approaching where companies can keep costs low enough to support a whole new generation of online RPGs. What we've really seen is mostly 1st gen, or 'dipping your toe in the water' so to speak. Final Fantasy XI, Asheron Call are two examples of titles released by major companies as a way simply to get in on the early Cash Cow. But they were not serious attempts to 'up the ante' in any way, shape, or form. As companies get more comfortable and suits see the money flow in, more of their weight will be thrown into the mix. MMORPGs will be less and less built around balance and economies (By ex-Mudders, PnP players) than they will be built simply to have fun by gaming geniuses and gurus who appeal to the vast majority.

WoW is really the very first MMO to understand this. And they're reaping the benefits. Soon companies will branch out. And we'll begin to see GTA type worlds, where you can literally do everything. You can run around jacking people and their cars. Or you can spend time working on your body at the Gym and join a professional sports team. Using your money (dutifully earned, or otherwise) you can buy cars, build houses, even own some of those professional sports teams you used to play for. Too literal? Too boring? Head on over to the arcade, where you can play any game you wish. Imagine a world with every possible mini game you can think of, all incorporated and encompassed to your Avatar.

Online Worlds are the future of gaming. Don't be surprised if the "next big thing" isn't so much of a Fantasy Sim as it's a Life Sim. Grats to WoW for hitting the mainstream first. Now, prepare for the deluge.

Perhaps. However, there's something to be said about the fantastic aspect of MMOs and games in general. Sure, we have the Sims 2, but that's one game. We have EA Sports, but again, that's one division - and a rather tired and oft-criticized division, for that matter.

The rest of the gaming industry? First we have Fantasy. Science Fiction. Horror. In other words - the antithese of mundane life. And then we have the Crime games. The War games. The Bigger-Than-Life games. Life simulators? Not at all.

Online worlds may very well be the future, but I think it's a mistake to believe that the gaming industry is somehow moving towards life simulators. The MMO industry is about the fantastic not merely because PnP players and Mudders started it, but because people actually want something other than real life. The Sims Online, after all, bombed, and while one might attribute the failure to the game and not the concept, the popularity of Fantasy and Science Fiction in the gaming industry as a whole attests to the enduring influence of out-of-this-world genres.

Oloh · 06-02-2006, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Etadanik

Online worlds may very well be the future, but I think it's a mistake to believe that the gaming industry is somehow moving towards life simulators.

I don't really think that was his point as much as online MMOGs will be expanding into other genres and themes with bigger and more "mainstream" budgets.

My guess is that, very soon, a "huge hit" mmog will either be a sports title or one of the mainstream FPSs (Quake or Unreal or something) going MMOG.

06-02-2006, 03:31 PM	#19 (permalink)
leane Noob Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 894 +1 Internets	Guildwars itself does not claim to be a MMPOG, they call it a combative multi player game or something like that. but ya, something like a million+ people on it activly Bioware has a lot good record, Hopefully they could pull it off, lot harder to go from smaller multiplyer games to a full blown MMPOG as blizzard discovered. __________________ Murder! meyhem! kitties!

06-02-2006, 04:03 PM	#22 (permalink)
Kendricke Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 105 +0 Internets	The author of the post is citing MMOGchart.com as his only reference for his numbers. That tells me everything I need to know regarding his "research" on the subject. __________________

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06-02-2006, 03:14 PM	#16 (permalink)
Jait Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: :noitacoL Posts: 3,645	You kids and your whining. In my day you had to walk through 1500 steps with only a rusty dagger, and in order to Gate you had to type in XYZZY. Uphill, in the snow. BOTH WAYS! Microsoft released the very first "Massively. Mainframe. Original. Role. Playing. Game." or "MMORPG" for short. Despite the fact everyone complained "It's too Black!". It still had 100% of the Market in it's day. Then some fookers from MIT took a big chunk of their market away. God damn you Foozle! All kidding aside.... Just as competition was scarce in those days, it is now as well. The day is fast approaching where companies can keep costs low enough to support a whole new generation of online RPGs. What we've really seen is mostly 1st gen, or 'dipping your toe in the water' so to speak. Final Fantasy XI, Asheron Call are two examples of titles released by major companies as a way simply to get in on the early Cash Cow. But they were not serious attempts to 'up the ante' in any way, shape, or form. As companies get more comfortable and suits see the money flow in, more of their weight will be thrown into the mix. MMORPGs will be less and less built around balance and economies (By ex-Mudders, PnP players) than they will be built simply to have fun by gaming geniuses and gurus who appeal to the vast majority. WoW is really the very first MMO to understand this. And they're reaping the benefits. Soon companies will branch out. And we'll begin to see GTA type worlds, where you can literally do everything. You can run around jacking people and their cars. Or you can spend time working on your body at the Gym and join a professional sports team. Using your money (dutifully earned, or otherwise) you can buy cars, build houses, even own some of those professional sports teams you used to play for. Too literal? Too boring? Head on over to the arcade, where you can play any game you wish. Imagine a world with every possible mini game you can think of, all incorporated and encompassed to your Avatar. Online Worlds are the future of gaming. Don't be surprised if the "next big thing" isn't so much of a Fantasy Sim as it's a Life Sim. Grats to WoW for hitting the mainstream first. Now, prepare for the deluge.

06-02-2006, 03:25 PM	#17 (permalink)
Exmonk Banned Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 154 +0 Internets	I expect Bioware's MMO to be the next really big hit, because they have a gigantic fanbase that can rival Blizzard's in Europe and in the US. I mean they still have people playing NWN, enough to release new content still. Not to mention the game itself will actually try to factor in Bioware story telling which should make it unique. (P.S. does this include Guild Wars because I wouldn't call it a mmo, but some do and it has over a million people so no small size there).

06-02-2006, 05:05 PM	#28 (permalink)
BirgittePovar Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 692 -1 Internets	Perusing mmogchart.com, I see that he does have some info on Asian MMOs. Wow. MMOs are amazingly huge over there. >1 million concurrent users on an MMO? Does World of Warcraft even get to that level? Regardless of my earlier comments, WoW's Market Share is still pretty phenomenal, no need to exaggerate it further. Are there any European only MMOs? Australian?