NCSoft Acquires City of Heroes/Villains Franchise

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by AladainAF

?

They've had 10 content updates. They don't patch stuff in all the time because.. well, the game really doesn't need it given its intended audience.

At the rate COH is losing subs, that proves you wrong. Anytime you lose 40% of your sub base (which is listed in NCsoft's audited financial reports), you probably should change things up. I don't know if you played COH, but quite frankly, you hit level 50, and then there's nothing to do but re-roll. Cryptic has successfully given people a reason to quit. Show me another MMO with zero endgame that is thriving. After awhile, there's just no reason to play.

Also, ten content updates sounds great, until you realize that only in issue 10 was there any endgame released. The other nine issues dealt with improving and adding to the 1-50 game (including adding villains). Only in issue ten did they address the level 50 game, and if you play the game, you know they didn't add alot.

Have you ever even played the game?

[Frax]

So, NCSoft finally has an MMO that people like?

[Dzul]

How many current subscibers does COH/COV have?

[Blank]

Originally Posted by Dzul

How many current subscibers does COH/COV have?

Last I read 125-150K.

[Coryl]

Originally Posted by Lyrical

I was thinking the same, but unfortunately in business, you have to read between the lines and look at the interests on both sides. These guys aren't going to tell us what really happened.

More to the point, why do we care so much about this business side of games like this? In this case, it's even the same employees still on the job, after all.

If you wanted to play CoH/CoV before, you could. Does this change anything?

I really wish we talked more about the merits or faults of games instead of discussing the biz side of things that we know less about, and never have complete information over. Does talking the business side just give us the vague illusion of being insiders?

[spentmotiff]

Originally Posted by Coryl

I really wish we talked more about the merits or faults of games instead of discussing the biz side of things that we know less about, and never have complete information over. Does talking the business side just give us the vague illusion of being insiders?

It's an MMO message board and like it or not, the business side of things is usually tied in pretty tightly with MMOs. Even so, I'm not sure why talking the business side of the industry is so upsetting to you. Hit hard by the Horizons crash of '02, were we?

Besides, no one is slamming or faulting NCSoft for grabbing the CoX license away from Cryptic. I mean, shit, I'm sure they were less than thrilled with the initial announcement that Cryptic was developing the competition for their own game.

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Coryl

I really wish we talked more about the merits or faults

Because the companies we are dealing with are publicly traded companies (SOE, NCsoft and Vivendi), and the business side impacts the design of these companies' games. Also, the article is one that is discussing a business deal concerning an MMO, which makes this thread a valid discussion.

[Cantatus]

Originally Posted by Dzul

How many current subscibers does COH/COV have?

According to numbers released yesterday, about 140k.

[Dahlrek]

Originally Posted by Blank

Last I read 125-150K.

139K as of September, according to their financial reports. That's 71% of their peak reported month in the docs (194K in Dec 06). I'm not sure where Lyrical is getting his 40% losses stuff, my numbers are from NCsoft.

Does talking the business side just give us the vague illusion of being insiders?

Yeah, there's a lot of that in this thread. Then again, there's a lot of that in pretty much every thread in this forum.

[Ravensign]

The 40% loss thing is a bit out of context, because they may be 40% off their peak ever, but they have been holding steady for *quite* a while at the 100+ mark, which is perfectly viable (heck 50K is viable). Saying "at the rate they are losing subs" really doesn't match reality.

That doesn't mean that the assertion about end game is wrong, nor that the game is perfect.

They really out to put in rest xp and offline debt tick down if they want people to come back. It's an incentive to come back to WoW and get a bonus, as opposed to coming back to CoX and getting no bonus or at worst a pile of debt.

[Braen]

Does anyone here play CoH/CoV currently? I played at release and loved some points of the game, but couldn't get friends to play.

Downloading the client now to check it out for 10 days.

[Fury]

Originally Posted by Ravensign

The 40% loss thing is a bit out of context, because they may be 40% off their peak ever, but they have been holding steady for *quite* a while at the 100+ mark, which is perfectly viable (heck 50K is viable). Saying "at the rate they are losing subs" really doesn't match reality.

That doesn't mean that the assertion about end game is wrong, nor that the game is perfect.

They really out to put in rest xp and offline debt tick down if they want people to come back. It's an incentive to come back to WoW and get a bonus, as opposed to coming back to CoX and getting no bonus or at worst a pile of debt.

Actually, the debt issue is virtually non-existant anymore. Debt still exists but a single mission will usually take it out. Coming back will usually earn players a bunch of badges, some of which are actually useful. All of them are if you're a badge hunter.

It seems pretty obvious that more then a few here simply don't like it for whatever bullshit reason they can come up with. End game, raiding, has been in since Issue 1 or 2 (cant recall off the top of my head). Yep, CoV Patron Powers are different then CoH Epic Powers. So what? It's a different game. Or is it more that the less then 5% who PvP aren't exactly alike? Forget that CoX has the best combat of any MMO out there. Forget that level virtually mean nothing when trying to group with mates since side-kicking and exemplaring means you always can. And with the addition of Invention Origins all the loot criers can gleefully spend hours and hours worrying about loot. But if you want to make a single character and play him/her for three years and have stuff to do, then yep, you might have issues. But then again, does anyone actually do that in a MMO? How many level 60's did everyone have before they released BC? 3 - 6 would be my guess.

I think the best way to sum it up comes from a saying that I heard about Vanguard...."You're just not hardcore enough for CoX."

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Fury

Actually, the debt issue is virtually non-existant anymore. Debt still exists but a single mission will usually take it out. Coming back will usually earn players a bunch of badges, some of which are actually useful. All of them are if you're a badge hunter.

It seems pretty obvious that more then a few here simply don't like it for whatever bullshit reason they can come up with. End game, raiding, has been in since Issue 1 or 2 (cant recall off the top of my head). Yep, CoV Patron Powers are different then CoH Epic Powers. So what? It's a different game. Or is it more that the less then 5% who PvP aren't exactly alike? Forget that CoX has the best combat of any MMO out there. Forget that level virtually mean nothing when trying to group with mates since side-kicking and exemplaring means you always can. And with the addition of Invention Origins all the loot criers can gleefully spend hours and hours worrying about loot. But if you want to make a single character and play him/her for three years and have stuff to do, then yep, you might have issues. But then again, does anyone actually do that in a MMO? How many level 60's did everyone have before they released BC? 3 - 6 would be my guess.

I think the best way to sum it up comes from a saying that I heard about Vanguard...."You're just not hardcore enough for CoX."

My sarcasm detector just went off. I stopped reading when you said there was an end game in COH. Aren't there only two raids in the entire game (Hami and COP)? Even casuals get sick of running the same two raids for three years.

[Khorum]

I bet NCSoft will retune the game to have the appropriate exp grind and challenge expectations for an asian audience. IE: HAHAHHAHA

[spentmotiff]

All I can say is that 140k subs is pretty impressive after 3+ years with one expansion, no real raiding-type end game content and not a shit ton of content added through their Issues.

CoH was a fun game for me for a little while, but I find it amazing that they have retained that many people. Good for them, imo.

Also, IGN had some concept art posted from Cryptic's website that looked pretty promising. I remember Statesman saying he wanted to do a Horror themed MMO in an interview and that's exactly what it looks like they are doing (in addition to the Marvel MMO, of course.)

If they make a horror themed MMO, count me in.