You don't have to be a genius, scientist, or a statistician to deduce something like Xfire attracts a different type of gamer. Just look at xfire's users age range and look at AoC's player's age range. I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24 while the majority of people who play AoC are 22+.
You are doing it again. Will you never learn?
You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC.
"I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24."
"majority of people who play AoC are 22+."
You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass.
Look I can do it too:
I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding.
Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos!
Yay, I made up facts!
Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
I didn't make up thoes numebers. The majority of of AoC players are 22+ (taken from the community suvery) and the users for is extroplated from the fact that majority of gamers tend to be in this range. Also note, I said "I'm sure xfire" instead of "xfire has" which indicates personal opinion.
You don't have to be a genius, scientist, or a statistician to deduce something like Xfire attracts a different type of gamer. Just look at xfire's users age range and look at AoC's player's age range. I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24 while the majority of people who play AoC are 22+.
You are doing it again. Will you never learn?
You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC.
"I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24."
"majority of people who play AoC are 22+."
You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass.
Look I can do it too:
I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding.
Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos!
Yay, I made up facts!
Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
I didn't make up thoes numebers. The majority of of AoC players are 22+ (taken from the community suvery) and the users for is extroplated from the fact that majority of gamers tend to be in this range. Also note, I said "I'm sure xfire" instead of "xfire has" which indicates personal opinion.
The average player doesn't use the official forums, so the 22+ comment is not based on 'average players' it is based on 'average forum visitors'. And to throw more funniness into it, I would venture to say that hte average forum visitor is OLDER than the average player because a lot of us mess around on forums while we are at work.
Ok, since we "cannot" include EVE in our estimates, how about Second Life vs WAR or LOTRO. Both have more "users" on xfire than Second life, but we know that second life have more paying customers. Also. i believe Second Life clients are more social than xfire users.....
Originally posted by BishopB:
Are a lot of the trolls just angry kids with old gaming hardware?
You don't have to be a genius, scientist, or a statistician to deduce something like Xfire attracts a different type of gamer. Just look at xfire's users age range and look at AoC's player's age range. I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24 while the majority of people who play AoC are 22+.
You are doing it again. Will you never learn?
You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC.
"I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24."
"majority of people who play AoC are 22+."
You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass.
Look I can do it too:
I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding.
Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos!
Yay, I made up facts!
Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
I didn't make up thoes numebers. The majority of of AoC players are 22+ (taken from the community suvery) and the users for is extroplated from the fact that majority of gamers tend to be in this range. Also note, I said "I'm sure xfire" instead of "xfire has" which indicates personal opinion.
The average player doesn't use the official forums, so the 22+ comment is not based on 'average players' it is based on 'average forum visitors'. And to throw more funniness into it, I would venture to say that hte average forum visitor is OLDER than the average player because a lot of us mess around on forums while we are at work.
Where is Funcom getting this information? How do they know how old people who actually play the game are? What about all those kid gamers? There are TONS and TONS of them in Hyboria.
That average of 29 years is, like most of stuff coming from FC headquarters, total BS.
----------------------------- Originally posted by Frobner "Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
AmazingAveryAge of Conan AdvocateMemberUncommonPosts: 7,188
Originally posted by Scaredgirl
Where is Funcom getting this information? How do they know how old people who actually play the game are? What about all those kid gamers? There are TONS and TONS of them in Hyboria. That average of 29 years is, like most of stuff coming from FC headquarters, total BS.
There is plenty of hard evidence to support this, I can site several officially run age polls by Funcom and several unofficial ones:
Out of the people that done the last community survey here are the results for the age section:
What is your age? % of Respondents Number of Respondents
0-16 1.79% 22
17-19 8.54% 105
20-24 17.24% 212
25-29 19.92% 245
30-34 19.51% 240
35-39 17.24% 212
40+ 15.77% 194
Number of respondents 1230
just goes to show that over 72% of ppl that took the survey are over 25 yrs old and
the the community back by this evidence is quite old for age.
22 people under the age of 16 from the 1200 who took the survey is Bullshit? Where are all the kids? dream on.
50% of people are over 30 yrs old and this has been shown to be true in all polls ever put out for the community unofficial and official.
As for xfire it is commonly known it causes AoC to crash a lot. Although it worked ok for me end of last month when I tried it out last - gave issues alt + tab though with xfire running. I wonder how Xfire stability is for the 100 'Extra' people that logged hours in the last 24hrs over the day before.
This makes those numbers from Xfire make more sense.
I don't understand why anyone uses Xfire anyway.
"There are two great powers, and they've been fighting since time began. Every advance in human life, every scrap of knowledge and wisdom and decency we have has been torn by one side from the teeth of the other. Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit."
John Parry, to his son Will; "The Subtle Knife," by Phillip Pullman
There is plenty of hard evidence to support this, I can site several officially run age polls by Funcom and several unofficial ones:
Out of the people that done the last community survey here are the results for the age section:
Um... the kiddies don't usually take part in forum polls. The kiddies can barely read. Any polls will be inherently skewed by the age demographic that typically responds to polls in the first place, which, in this case, is older people
AmazingAveryAge of Conan AdvocateMemberUncommonPosts: 7,188
Originally posted by DeadDingo
There is plenty of hard evidence to support this, I can site several officially run age polls by Funcom and several unofficial ones: Out of the people that done the last community survey here are the results for the age section:
Um... the kiddies don't usually take part in forum polls. The kiddies can barely read. Any polls will be inherently skewed by the age demographic that typically responds to polls in the first place, which, in this case, is older people
That would explain the 22 ppl under 16 then. Unless people think that AoC is full of people who no reading or writing comprehension? I mean do you think kiddies are in guilds? that takes a bit more doing than voting in a poll. Or maybe is it that the majority of guilds in AoC have age policies?
How can you tell whose a kid and not? Xfire going to tell us that? or people with some experience half a year ago in game looking for and pushing for another unsubstantiated poke at the game with no facts?
Um... the kiddies don't usually take part in forum polls. The kiddies can barely read. Any polls will be inherently skewed by the age demographic that typically responds to polls in the first place, which, in this case, is older people
My point exactly. You guys think some hyperactive 14 year-old gamer kid has the patience to do a forum poll?
Polls like this one are done by adults during office hours when they should be doing their jobs.
1.79% of AoC players are between ages 1-16? Lol, I've been in 2 huge guilds which both had TONS of kids as members.
Like I said, these "official polls" are BS and everyone who knows how statistics work, knows this.
That earlier stated average age of 22 might be closer to the truth. Average of 29 years? Never.
----------------------------- Originally posted by Frobner "Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
Where is Funcom getting this information? How do they know how old people who actually play the game are? What about all those kid gamers? There are TONS and TONS of them in Hyboria.
That average of 29 years is, like most of stuff coming from FC headquarters, total BS.
Wow - major sceptisims. Will try to give som reasons.
1) Where are they getting this information? Ok, have you heard of "register user"? You have to put in your sex and your date of birth at the same time as you put in your creditcard or game card. Granted, some people will lie on their birthdate just to do it, but most dont. Also some 16 year old will get their hands on the game and lie when registring. Now, remember when you used to lie on your age? Did you ever say, 42 when you were 16? No, you said 18 (or 21). So had there been a large number of immature teens in this game the average age would have been lower.
So how do i explain the behaviour of the morons inside the game? Is it that hard to beleive that a 29 year old will behave like a spoild litle s***thead inside the game? Try going into a regular bar and discuss politics or religion with the customers. Try arguing for the opposite of what the majority of the crowd belives in. You will se grown family men behave like huge fools.
I belive that the average age is correct and that a large part of the players are antisocial fools.
Originally posted by BishopB:
Are a lot of the trolls just angry kids with old gaming hardware?
You don't have to be a genius, scientist, or a statistician to deduce something like Xfire attracts a different type of gamer. Just look at xfire's users age range and look at AoC's player's age range. I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24 while the majority of people who play AoC are 22+.
You are doing it again. Will you never learn? You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC. "I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24." "majority of people who play AoC are 22+." You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass. Look I can do it too: I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding. Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos! Yay, I made up facts! Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
So Avery claims that 72% of players in AoC are over 25. (which I find laughable) But lets say its true. Do you have a survey that claims 80% of xfire users are under 25?
If that is true then how would AoC reach #4 on xfire at release? AoC is not unique to xfire. Its the same as any other game on the market. You dreamers will never admit it because then it would mean that AoC is a huge failure.
xfire is like the neison ratings for television. It will never give you an exact amount of players playing but it sure can give you a very good estimate.
AoC is a huge failure and there is nothing you can do about it. Xfire numbers are still going down (less than 1k on the weekend), its not growing and it will continue to drain players.
You AoC fanbois (dreamers) can spin it any way you want and its till not gonna bring your game to normal mmo status. Its a failure so get over it.
You don't have to be a genius, scientist, or a statistician to deduce something like Xfire attracts a different type of gamer. Just look at xfire's users age range and look at AoC's player's age range. I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24 while the majority of people who play AoC are 22+.
You are doing it again. Will you never learn?
You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC.
"I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24."
"majority of people who play AoC are 22+."
You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass.
Look I can do it too:
I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding.
Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos!
Yay, I made up facts!
Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
So Avery claims that 72% of players in AoC are over 25. (which I find laughable) But lets say its true. Do you have a survey that claims 80% of xfire users are under 25?
If that is true then how would AoC reach #4 on xfire at release? AoC is not unique to xfire. Its the same as any other game on the market. You dreamers will never admit it because then it would mean that AoC is a huge failure.
xfire is like the neison ratings for television. It will never give you an exact amount of players playing but it sure can give you a very good estimate.
AoC is a huge failure and there is nothing you can do about it. Xfire numbers are still going down (less than 1k on the weekend), its not growing and it will continue to drain players.
You AoC fanbois (dreamers) can spin it any way you want and its till not gonna bring your game to normal mmo status. Its a failure so get over it.
You fail to read Xfire statistics. lol. Let me just read it for you. Gaming the 29th of Dec compared to the 22nd of Dec is up over +10%, this is the case both for time and number of players. The overall trend the last 2-3 weeks is like +25%. Also, just in case this is not enough, last Sunday now, AoC had the highest gamingtime it have had in more than 7-8 weeks. I am not sure what your at, but your sure as hell very wrong in most of you statements. ve3d.ign.com/poll/results/237/2008-Game-of-the-Year
So Avery claims that 72% of players in AoC are over 25. (which I find laughable) But lets say its true. Do you have a survey that claims 80% of xfire users are under 25? If that is true then how would AoC reach #4 on xfire at release? AoC is not unique to xfire. Its the same as any other game on the market. You dreamers will never admit it because then it would mean that AoC is a huge failure. xfire is like the neison ratings for television. It will never give you an exact amount of players playing but it sure can give you a very good estimate. AoC is a huge failure and there is nothing you can do about it. Xfire numbers are still going down (less than 1k on the weekend), its not growing and it will continue to drain players. You AoC fanbois (dreamers) can spin it any way you want and its till not gonna bring your game to normal mmo status. Its a failure so get over it.
This is a good point that the fanbois just don't get.
If AoC players don't use Xfire, then why was AoC at #4 on Xfire at release?
Explain me that if you can.
AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week.
Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
----------------------------- Originally posted by Frobner "Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
This is a good point that the fanbois just don't get. If AoC players don't use Xfire, then why was AoC at #4 on Xfire at release? Explain me that if you can. AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week. Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
First of all, AoC did reach 4th on xfire no doubt about that. They have dropped dramativcally since then. I think the lowest ever was 67 on the 24th, Now its around 55 th place.
I have been following the AoC xfire stats for a couple of months and my conclusion is that it has flattend out and we may now see that the amount of xfire users playing aoc is slowly growing. It will never be a million player MMO, but still lots of games survive out there with 50k - 250k players.
Does this make AoC a failure? Well the people playing AoC right now would think otherwise. Also I dont think they will dissapear. There is too much money involved and they are doing ok right now. There is still a growth potential and since the game is "fixed" lots of fans may return.
Back to the age discussion: The average age of the AOC player is 29 years old. Stop discussing this. It has been publicly announced by Funcom. Why would they lie about this? (they lie about alot, granted, but why this?)
Also having a dramatic drop on xfire on the 24th just proves that the average age is quite high compared to other xfire games. Most people in their late 20s early 30s have family obligations during Christmas.
Originally posted by BishopB:
Are a lot of the trolls just angry kids with old gaming hardware?
AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week. Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
Is that why Everquest 2 (#107) or City of Heroes (#88) Final Fantasy (#81) are...hmm, oh wait, they are still in business...how odd.
I know you seem to have a personal agenda here, but the fact is, Xfire shows trends, and the fact is...yes, AoC took a dive on Xfire, but not a 95% (which you seem to continue to use for some reason), and were hurt thanks to a bad launch.
What you fail to mention is over the last 2-3 months AoC has stayed at around the 50's spot, and of late has moved up a couple of slots. Also, of note, more users have recently joined (as the number of players stood around 900+ and is now in the thousands..).
If we look at their other game on the charts, Anarchy Online, which is at #158, and they have been running that game FREE for years, what makes you think that a game they have that is charting in the double digits, and IS making money will fail?
It is that you WISH it would fail, just like I wished LOTRO would fail because in my opinion...it sucks. We just need to accept that games we do not like may still survive no matter how much we hate them. LOTRO is admirable in how it keeps people around, and you may just have to live with the fact that AoC will be around a while as well..
Proof of that? A board game and a Pen and Paper game are being released with the naming of AoC this coming year. And of course a new movie, along with discussion of Xbox 360 development.
So Avery claims that 72% of players in AoC are over 25. (which I find laughable) But lets say its true. Do you have a survey that claims 80% of xfire users are under 25? If that is true then how would AoC reach #4 on xfire at release? AoC is not unique to xfire. Its the same as any other game on the market. You dreamers will never admit it because then it would mean that AoC is a huge failure. xfire is like the neison ratings for television. It will never give you an exact amount of players playing but it sure can give you a very good estimate. AoC is a huge failure and there is nothing you can do about it. Xfire numbers are still going down (less than 1k on the weekend), its not growing and it will continue to drain players. You AoC fanbois (dreamers) can spin it any way you want and its till not gonna bring your game to normal mmo status. Its a failure so get over it.
This is a good point that the fanbois just don't get.
If AoC players don't use Xfire, then why was AoC at #4 on Xfire at release?
Explain me that if you can.
AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week.
Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
Easy to answer why it was #4 at release. Everybody and their dog wanted to try something new. Now alot of people who use X-Fire tried it and decided it wasn t for them. Alot of people don t use X-Fire and from what I ve seen theres alot more younger people that find a usr for X-Fire, then some of the older folks. That then ties in with the average age of AOC. IMO it shows they didn t lie about the average age and goes hand in hand with why it dropped in the X-Fire use. Thats how i see it anyways. That said the game is actually fun now and it s going in the right direction.
Originally posted by openedge1 Originally posted by Scaredgirl AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week. Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
Is that why Everquest 2 (#107) or City of Heroes (#88) Final Fantasy (#81) are...hmm, oh wait, they are still in business...how odd. I know you seem to have a personal agenda here, but the fact is, Xfire shows trends, and the fact is...yes, AoC took a dive on Xfire, but not a 95% (which you seem to continue to use for some reason), and were hurt thanks to a bad launch. What you fail to mention is over the last 2-3 months AoC has stayed at around the 50's spot, and of late has moved up a couple of slots. Also, of note, more users have recently joined (as the number of players stood around 900+ and is now in the thousands..). If we look at their other game on the charts, Anarchy Online, which is at #158, and they have been running that game FREE for years, what makes you think that a game they have that is charting in the double digits, and IS making money will fail? It is that you WISH it would fail, just like I wished LOTRO would fail because in my opinion...it sucks. We just need to accept that games we do not like may still survive no matter how much we hate them. LOTRO is admirable in how it keeps people around, and you may just have to live with the fact that AoC will be around a while as well.. Proof of that? A board game and a Pen and Paper game are being released with the naming of AoC this coming year. And of course a new movie, along with discussion of Xbox 360 development. Sorry to burst your bubble.
You forgot to mention that the dying game is also opening new markets/servers -> Poland, Russia, Korea.
If check forum posts of the trolls well Funcom should be gone by September 07 then December 07 then January 08 and I even saw some prediction March 08.
AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week.
Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
Is that why Everquest 2 (#107) or City of Heroes (#88) Final Fantasy (#81) are...hmm, oh wait, they are still in business...how odd.
I know you seem to have a personal agenda here, but the fact is, Xfire shows trends, and the fact is...yes, AoC took a dive on Xfire, but not a 95% (which you seem to continue to use for some reason), and were hurt thanks to a bad launch.
What you fail to mention is over the last 2-3 months AoC has stayed at around the 50's spot, and of late has moved up a couple of slots. Also, of note, more users have recently joined (as the number of players stood around 900+ and is now in the thousands..).
If we look at their other game on the charts, Anarchy Online, which is at #158, and they have been running that game FREE for years, what makes you think that a game they have that is charting in the double digits, and IS making money will fail?
It is that you WISH it would fail, just like I wished LOTRO would fail because in my opinion...it sucks. We just need to accept that games we do not like may still survive no matter how much we hate them. LOTRO is admirable in how it keeps people around, and you may just have to live with the fact that AoC will be around a while as well..
Proof of that? A board game and a Pen and Paper game are being released with the naming of AoC this coming year. And of course a new movie, along with discussion of Xbox 360 development.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
You forgot to mention that the dying game is also opening new markets/servers -> Poland, Russia, Korea.
If check forum posts of the trolls well Funcom should be gone by September 07 then December 07 then January 08 and I even saw some prediction March 08.
Agreed. I think people are also unaware that as a company, Funcom has their hands in a few different things, like single player games, and various online technologies, as well as a contract with an advertising firm for AO.
Basically they could model AoC the same way and add advertising on login to gain extra cash and lower prices for access, etc. There is mention of a new pricing model in their last report as well...and what that is, we do not know yet.
I will not count out Craig either who has made so many changes to AoC that it is almost like a new game.
Easy to answer why it was #4 at release. Everybody and their dog wanted to try something new. Now alot of people who use X-Fire tried it and decided it wasn t for them. Alot of people don t use X-Fire and from what I ve seen theres alot more younger people that find a usr for X-Fire, then some of the older folks. That then ties in with the average age of AOC. IMO it shows they didn t lie about the average age and goes hand in hand with why it dropped in the X-Fire use. Thats how i see it anyways. That said the game is actually fun now and it s going in the right direction.
Technically Funcom is not lying about the age. They have some kind of Mickey Mouse study on the average age that shows 29 years old. This does not mean however that it is the truth. Statistics is a science and there is a HUGE error of margin if your methods of collecting data are wrong.
If you believe that an MMO with fatalities and digital boobies has an average age of 29, then you are beyond all hope.
You seem to think AoC players can be divided into 2 groups:
1. Old people who like AoC
2. Young people who use Xfire and hate AoC
This is incorrect. There is no proof that all Xfire users hate AoC and you don't know the average age of Xfire user. Like most people here, you just speculate based on the fact the YOU or your friends don't use Xfire.
I recommend everyone to read a book about statistics so we can avoid these rediculous arguments.
----------------------------- Originally posted by Frobner "Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
Easy to answer why it was #4 at release. Everybody and their dog wanted to try something new. Now alot of people who use X-Fire tried it and decided it wasn t for them. Alot of people don t use X-Fire and from what I ve seen theres alot more younger people that find a usr for X-Fire, then some of the older folks. That then ties in with the average age of AOC. IMO it shows they didn t lie about the average age and goes hand in hand with why it dropped in the X-Fire use. Thats how i see it anyways. That said the game is actually fun now and it s going in the right direction.
Technically Funcom is not lying about the age. They have some kind of Mickey Mouse study on the average age that shows 29 years old. This does not mean however that it is the truth. Statistics is a science and there is a HUGE error of margin if your methods of collecting data are wrong.
If you believe that an MMO with fatalities and digital boobies has an average age of 29, then you are beyond all hope.
You seem to think AoC players can be divided into 2 groups:
1. Old people who like AoC
2. Young people who use Xfire and hate AoC
This is incorrect. There is no proof that all Xfire users hate AoC and you don't know the average age of Xfire user. Like most people here, you just speculate based on the fact the YOU or your friends don't use Xfire.
I recommend everyone to read a book about statistics so we can avoid these rediculous arguments.
As i said it my opinion, as yours is an opinion. Not sure what else to discuss there. Reading a book on statistics is not necessary as it s a game and users of a utility that not all people use. If everyone used it then it would be an accurate tool, but since not everyone uses it , it isn t. As I said X-Fire tends to be used by more of the younger crowd, and as AOC average player is a littl older it makes sense. Opinions are wonderful things.
As i said it my opinion, as yours is an opinion. Not sure what else to discuss there. Reading a book on statistics is not necessary as it s a game and users of a utility that not all people use. If everyone used it then it would be an accurate tool, but since not everyone uses it , it isn t. As I said X-Fire tends to be used by more of the younger crowd, and as AOC average player is a littl older it makes sense. Opinions are wonderful things.
This is the problem. You just don't understand how statistics work. And to make things worse, you refuse to pick up a book.
You are right, we have nothing else to discuss here.
----------------------------- Originally posted by Frobner "Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week.
Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
Is that why Everquest 2 (#107) or City of Heroes (#88) Final Fantasy (#81) are...hmm, oh wait, they are still in business...how odd.
I know you seem to have a personal agenda here, but the fact is, Xfire shows trends, and the fact is...yes, AoC took a dive on Xfire, but not a 95% (which you seem to continue to use for some reason), and were hurt thanks to a bad launch.
What you fail to mention is over the last 2-3 months AoC has stayed at around the 50's spot, and of late has moved up a couple of slots. Also, of note, more users have recently joined (as the number of players stood around 900+ and is now in the thousands..).
If we look at their other game on the charts, Anarchy Online, which is at #158, and they have been running that game FREE for years, what makes you think that a game they have that is charting in the double digits, and IS making money will fail?
It is that you WISH it would fail, just like I wished LOTRO would fail because in my opinion...it sucks. We just need to accept that games we do not like may still survive no matter how much we hate them. LOTRO is admirable in how it keeps people around, and you may just have to live with the fact that AoC will be around a while as well..
Proof of that? A board game and a Pen and Paper game are being released with the naming of AoC this coming year. And of course a new movie, along with discussion of Xbox 360 development.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
You forgot to mention that the dying game is also opening new markets/servers -> Poland, Russia, Korea.
If check forum posts of the trolls well Funcom should be gone by September 07 then December 07 then January 08 and I even saw some prediction March 08.
Poland, Russia, Korea, PS3, Expansion, server mergers, etc etc etc. Talking about the 'future' does not mean a game is healthy or going to survive. Poland launch delayed = check PS3 nowhere on the radar = check server mergers delayed = check Dx10 delayed = check Expansion nowhere on the radar = check
I said during the first week of launch that AOC would be dead by March 08. By July I had moved it up to January 08... and I still stand by the fact that Funcom as we know it, will not be in existence by the end of January. Did you read the notes from the meeting on December 19th... it was all about 2 people positioning themselves to close down Funcom and take it private.
And it's silly to say the AOC can fall back on an AO type of model and survive. Funcom was propped up the last 3 years because of the 'future product AOC'. They took the company public because of AOC, they borrowed a ton of money to make AOC. Funcom survived the past 3 years because it was able to get investors and bankers to buy into the idea of AOC.
Poland, Russia, Korea, PS3, Expansion, server mergers, etc etc etc. Talking about the 'future' does not mean a game is healthy or going to survive. then I must again use as an example...LOTRO, who announced China as their next launch...in 2006. Turbine has also announced a console port...but we do not know which game...and are they dead yet? PS3 nowhere on the radar = check This is actually Xbox 360. And any PC game announced on console needs time to develop...example here is Sacred 2, which is still scheduled, but up to 3-6 months after PC release..and we know an MMO is a major undertaking compared to a single player RPG. server mergers delayed = check This was attempted, and they found an issue whcih would have deleted everyones items. So, they pulled this back to fix the code first, which is done, and mergers are back on track for January. DX10 is already on test, and ready for launch in the next patch. I said during the first week of launch that AOC would be dead by March 08. By July I had moved it up to January 08... and I still stand by the fact that Funcom as we know it, will not be in existence by the end of January. I will take that bet, and even give you until March of '09. If the game is still running, you are most welcome to come here, make a post and state "I was wrong, and will always be wrong". I will already state you will be wrong. And it's silly to say the AOC can fall back on an AO type of model and survive. Funcom was propped up the last 3 years because of the 'future product AOC'. Interesting, can you maybe share this data on where AoC was the end game for Funcom? That their other games (the Longest Journey series), critically acclaimed, and a best seller, made no money for Funcom? They took the company public because of AOC, they borrowed a ton of money to make AOC. If you read the data on this (at http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6358) you will note several ventures made this possible...for example their advertising venture with Massive Inc. and the thought of developing for consoles. So, AoC was just ONE of the reasons and not THE reason.. Facts always help here people. Funcom survived the past 3 years because it was able to get investors and bankers to buy into the idea of AOC. Wrong, and you continue to be wrong on so many counts. Go read up on your facts again, and get it right... Funcom survived thanks to many arms of capitol, not just AoC. I am counting on Funcom continuing their endeavors.
Comments
You are doing it again. Will you never learn?
You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC.
"I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24."
"majority of people who play AoC are 22+."
You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass.
Look I can do it too:
I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding.
Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos!
Yay, I made up facts!
Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
I didn't make up thoes numebers. The majority of of AoC players are 22+ (taken from the community suvery) and the users for is extroplated from the fact that majority of gamers tend to be in this range. Also note, I said "I'm sure xfire" instead of "xfire has" which indicates personal opinion.
Games:
Currently playing:Nothing
Will play: Darkfall: Unholy Wars
Past games:
Guild Wars 2 - Xpiher Duminous
Xpiher's GW2
GW 1 - Xpiher Duminous
Darkfall - Xpiher Duminous (NA) retired
AoC - Xpiher (Tyranny) retired
Warhammer - Xpiher
You are doing it again. Will you never learn?
You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC.
"I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24."
"majority of people who play AoC are 22+."
You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass.
Look I can do it too:
I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding.
Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos!
Yay, I made up facts!
Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
I didn't make up thoes numebers. The majority of of AoC players are 22+ (taken from the community suvery) and the users for is extroplated from the fact that majority of gamers tend to be in this range. Also note, I said "I'm sure xfire" instead of "xfire has" which indicates personal opinion.
The average player doesn't use the official forums, so the 22+ comment is not based on 'average players' it is based on 'average forum visitors'. And to throw more funniness into it, I would venture to say that hte average forum visitor is OLDER than the average player because a lot of us mess around on forums while we are at work.
Average age of AoC player is 29 years old
Taken from 2q financial report
http://www.funcom.com/funcom/frontend/files/CONTENT/Funcom_Q208_presentation.pdf
Ok, since we "cannot" include EVE in our estimates, how about Second Life vs WAR or LOTRO. Both have more "users" on xfire than Second life, but we know that second life have more paying customers. Also. i believe Second Life clients are more social than xfire users.....
Originally posted by BishopB:
Are a lot of the trolls just angry kids with old gaming hardware?
You are doing it again. Will you never learn?
You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC.
"I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24."
"majority of people who play AoC are 22+."
You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass.
Look I can do it too:
I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding.
Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos!
Yay, I made up facts!
Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
I didn't make up thoes numebers. The majority of of AoC players are 22+ (taken from the community suvery) and the users for is extroplated from the fact that majority of gamers tend to be in this range. Also note, I said "I'm sure xfire" instead of "xfire has" which indicates personal opinion.
The average player doesn't use the official forums, so the 22+ comment is not based on 'average players' it is based on 'average forum visitors'. And to throw more funniness into it, I would venture to say that hte average forum visitor is OLDER than the average player because a lot of us mess around on forums while we are at work.
touche'
Games:
Currently playing:Nothing
Will play: Darkfall: Unholy Wars
Past games:
Guild Wars 2 - Xpiher Duminous
Xpiher's GW2
GW 1 - Xpiher Duminous
Darkfall - Xpiher Duminous (NA) retired
AoC - Xpiher (Tyranny) retired
Warhammer - Xpiher
Where is Funcom getting this information? How do they know how old people who actually play the game are? What about all those kid gamers? There are TONS and TONS of them in Hyboria.
That average of 29 years is, like most of stuff coming from FC headquarters, total BS.
-----------------------------
Originally posted by Frobner
"Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
There is plenty of hard evidence to support this, I can site several officially run age polls by Funcom and several unofficial ones:
Out of the people that done the last community survey here are the results for the age section:
What is your age? % of Respondents Number of Respondents
0-16 1.79% 22
17-19 8.54% 105
20-24 17.24% 212
25-29 19.92% 245
30-34 19.51% 240
35-39 17.24% 212
40+ 15.77% 194
Number of respondents 1230
just goes to show that over 72% of ppl that took the survey are over 25 yrs old and
the the community back by this evidence is quite old for age.
docs.google.com/View
22 people under the age of 16 from the 1200 who took the survey is Bullshit? Where are all the kids? dream on.
50% of people are over 30 yrs old and this has been shown to be true in all polls ever put out for the community unofficial and official.
As for xfire it is commonly known it causes AoC to crash a lot. Although it worked ok for me end of last month when I tried it out last - gave issues alt + tab though with xfire running. I wonder how Xfire stability is for the 100 'Extra' people that logged hours in the last 24hrs over the day before.
This makes those numbers from Xfire make more sense.
I don't understand why anyone uses Xfire anyway.
"There are two great powers, and they've been fighting since time began. Every advance in human life, every scrap of knowledge and wisdom and decency we have has been torn by one side from the teeth of the other. Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit."
John Parry, to his son Will; "The Subtle Knife," by Phillip Pullman
There is plenty of hard evidence to support this, I can site several officially run age polls by Funcom and several unofficial ones:
Out of the people that done the last community survey here are the results for the age section:
Um... the kiddies don't usually take part in forum polls. The kiddies can barely read. Any polls will be inherently skewed by the age demographic that typically responds to polls in the first place, which, in this case, is older people
That would explain the 22 ppl under 16 then. Unless people think that AoC is full of people who no reading or writing comprehension? I mean do you think kiddies are in guilds? that takes a bit more doing than voting in a poll. Or maybe is it that the majority of guilds in AoC have age policies?
How can you tell whose a kid and not? Xfire going to tell us that? or people with some experience half a year ago in game looking for and pushing for another unsubstantiated poke at the game with no facts?
My point exactly. You guys think some hyperactive 14 year-old gamer kid has the patience to do a forum poll?
Polls like this one are done by adults during office hours when they should be doing their jobs.
1.79% of AoC players are between ages 1-16? Lol, I've been in 2 huge guilds which both had TONS of kids as members.
Like I said, these "official polls" are BS and everyone who knows how statistics work, knows this.
That earlier stated average age of 22 might be closer to the truth. Average of 29 years? Never.
-----------------------------
Originally posted by Frobner
"Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
Where is Funcom getting this information? How do they know how old people who actually play the game are? What about all those kid gamers? There are TONS and TONS of them in Hyboria.
That average of 29 years is, like most of stuff coming from FC headquarters, total BS.
Wow - major sceptisims. Will try to give som reasons.
1) Where are they getting this information? Ok, have you heard of "register user"? You have to put in your sex and your date of birth at the same time as you put in your creditcard or game card. Granted, some people will lie on their birthdate just to do it, but most dont. Also some 16 year old will get their hands on the game and lie when registring. Now, remember when you used to lie on your age? Did you ever say, 42 when you were 16? No, you said 18 (or 21). So had there been a large number of immature teens in this game the average age would have been lower.
So how do i explain the behaviour of the morons inside the game? Is it that hard to beleive that a 29 year old will behave like a spoild litle s***thead inside the game? Try going into a regular bar and discuss politics or religion with the customers. Try arguing for the opposite of what the majority of the crowd belives in. You will se grown family men behave like huge fools.
I belive that the average age is correct and that a large part of the players are antisocial fools.
Originally posted by BishopB:
Are a lot of the trolls just angry kids with old gaming hardware?
Bluntly put.. sheer braggart stupidity at its finest. Nerd points for most hours logged on a given game *shakes head in disbelief*
So Avery claims that 72% of players in AoC are over 25. (which I find laughable) But lets say its true. Do you have a survey that claims 80% of xfire users are under 25?
If that is true then how would AoC reach #4 on xfire at release? AoC is not unique to xfire. Its the same as any other game on the market. You dreamers will never admit it because then it would mean that AoC is a huge failure.
xfire is like the neison ratings for television. It will never give you an exact amount of players playing but it sure can give you a very good estimate.
AoC is a huge failure and there is nothing you can do about it. Xfire numbers are still going down (less than 1k on the weekend), its not growing and it will continue to drain players.
You AoC fanbois (dreamers) can spin it any way you want and its till not gonna bring your game to normal mmo status. Its a failure so get over it.
You are doing it again. Will you never learn?
You are stating "facts" about Xfire and AoC.
"I'm sure xfire is skewed toward gamers between the ages of 16-24."
"majority of people who play AoC are 22+."
You are just pulling these "facts" out of your ass.
Look I can do it too:
I'm sure Xfire is skewered towards gamers who like pudding.
Majority of people who play AoC are eskimos!
Yay, I made up facts!
Like I've said before.. we can argue all day about statistics and different demographics but the FACT is that Xfire HAS been right in the past regarding subscription numbers. It HAS worked with other MMO's and it WILL work with AoC. End of story.
So Avery claims that 72% of players in AoC are over 25. (which I find laughable) But lets say its true. Do you have a survey that claims 80% of xfire users are under 25?
If that is true then how would AoC reach #4 on xfire at release? AoC is not unique to xfire. Its the same as any other game on the market. You dreamers will never admit it because then it would mean that AoC is a huge failure.
xfire is like the neison ratings for television. It will never give you an exact amount of players playing but it sure can give you a very good estimate.
AoC is a huge failure and there is nothing you can do about it. Xfire numbers are still going down (less than 1k on the weekend), its not growing and it will continue to drain players.
You AoC fanbois (dreamers) can spin it any way you want and its till not gonna bring your game to normal mmo status. Its a failure so get over it.
You fail to read Xfire statistics. lol. Let me just read it for you. Gaming the 29th of Dec compared to the 22nd of Dec is up over +10%, this is the case both for time and number of players. The overall trend the last 2-3 weeks is like +25%. Also, just in case this is not enough, last Sunday now, AoC had the highest gamingtime it have had in more than 7-8 weeks. I am not sure what your at, but your sure as hell very wrong in most of you statements. ve3d.ign.com/poll/results/237/2008-Game-of-the-Year
This is a good point that the fanbois just don't get.
If AoC players don't use Xfire, then why was AoC at #4 on Xfire at release?
Explain me that if you can.
AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week.
Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
-----------------------------
Originally posted by Frobner
"Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
First of all, AoC did reach 4th on xfire no doubt about that. They have dropped dramativcally since then. I think the lowest ever was 67 on the 24th, Now its around 55 th place.
I have been following the AoC xfire stats for a couple of months and my conclusion is that it has flattend out and we may now see that the amount of xfire users playing aoc is slowly growing. It will never be a million player MMO, but still lots of games survive out there with 50k - 250k players.
Does this make AoC a failure? Well the people playing AoC right now would think otherwise. Also I dont think they will dissapear. There is too much money involved and they are doing ok right now. There is still a growth potential and since the game is "fixed" lots of fans may return.
Back to the age discussion: The average age of the AOC player is 29 years old. Stop discussing this. It has been publicly announced by Funcom. Why would they lie about this? (they lie about alot, granted, but why this?)
Also having a dramatic drop on xfire on the 24th just proves that the average age is quite high compared to other xfire games. Most people in their late 20s early 30s have family obligations during Christmas.
Originally posted by BishopB:
Are a lot of the trolls just angry kids with old gaming hardware?
Is that why Everquest 2 (#107) or City of Heroes (#88) Final Fantasy (#81) are...hmm, oh wait, they are still in business...how odd.
I know you seem to have a personal agenda here, but the fact is, Xfire shows trends, and the fact is...yes, AoC took a dive on Xfire, but not a 95% (which you seem to continue to use for some reason), and were hurt thanks to a bad launch.
What you fail to mention is over the last 2-3 months AoC has stayed at around the 50's spot, and of late has moved up a couple of slots. Also, of note, more users have recently joined (as the number of players stood around 900+ and is now in the thousands..).
If we look at their other game on the charts, Anarchy Online, which is at #158, and they have been running that game FREE for years, what makes you think that a game they have that is charting in the double digits, and IS making money will fail?
It is that you WISH it would fail, just like I wished LOTRO would fail because in my opinion...it sucks. We just need to accept that games we do not like may still survive no matter how much we hate them. LOTRO is admirable in how it keeps people around, and you may just have to live with the fact that AoC will be around a while as well..
Proof of that? A board game and a Pen and Paper game are being released with the naming of AoC this coming year. And of course a new movie, along with discussion of Xbox 360 development.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
This is a good point that the fanbois just don't get.
If AoC players don't use Xfire, then why was AoC at #4 on Xfire at release?
Explain me that if you can.
AoC has gone down about 95% on Xfire (now #56) since launch and it STILL keeps going down every week.
Face it people, the game is slowly but surely dying.
Easy to answer why it was #4 at release. Everybody and their dog wanted to try something new. Now alot of people who use X-Fire tried it and decided it wasn t for them. Alot of people don t use X-Fire and from what I ve seen theres alot more younger people that find a usr for X-Fire, then some of the older folks. That then ties in with the average age of AOC. IMO it shows they didn t lie about the average age and goes hand in hand with why it dropped in the X-Fire use. Thats how i see it anyways. That said the game is actually fun now and it s going in the right direction.
I know you seem to have a personal agenda here, but the fact is, Xfire shows trends, and the fact is...yes, AoC took a dive on Xfire, but not a 95% (which you seem to continue to use for some reason), and were hurt thanks to a bad launch.
What you fail to mention is over the last 2-3 months AoC has stayed at around the 50's spot, and of late has moved up a couple of slots. Also, of note, more users have recently joined (as the number of players stood around 900+ and is now in the thousands..).
If we look at their other game on the charts, Anarchy Online, which is at #158, and they have been running that game FREE for years, what makes you think that a game they have that is charting in the double digits, and IS making money will fail?
It is that you WISH it would fail, just like I wished LOTRO would fail because in my opinion...it sucks. We just need to accept that games we do not like may still survive no matter how much we hate them. LOTRO is admirable in how it keeps people around, and you may just have to live with the fact that AoC will be around a while as well..
Proof of that? A board game and a Pen and Paper game are being released with the naming of AoC this coming year. And of course a new movie, along with discussion of Xbox 360 development.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
You forgot to mention that the dying game is also opening new markets/servers -> Poland, Russia, Korea.
If check forum posts of the trolls well Funcom should be gone by September 07 then December 07 then January 08 and I even saw some prediction March 08.
Futilez[Do You Have What It Takes ?]
Is that why Everquest 2 (#107) or City of Heroes (#88) Final Fantasy (#81) are...hmm, oh wait, they are still in business...how odd.
I know you seem to have a personal agenda here, but the fact is, Xfire shows trends, and the fact is...yes, AoC took a dive on Xfire, but not a 95% (which you seem to continue to use for some reason), and were hurt thanks to a bad launch.
What you fail to mention is over the last 2-3 months AoC has stayed at around the 50's spot, and of late has moved up a couple of slots. Also, of note, more users have recently joined (as the number of players stood around 900+ and is now in the thousands..).
If we look at their other game on the charts, Anarchy Online, which is at #158, and they have been running that game FREE for years, what makes you think that a game they have that is charting in the double digits, and IS making money will fail?
It is that you WISH it would fail, just like I wished LOTRO would fail because in my opinion...it sucks. We just need to accept that games we do not like may still survive no matter how much we hate them. LOTRO is admirable in how it keeps people around, and you may just have to live with the fact that AoC will be around a while as well..
Proof of that? A board game and a Pen and Paper game are being released with the naming of AoC this coming year. And of course a new movie, along with discussion of Xbox 360 development.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
You forgot to mention that the dying game is also opening new markets/servers -> Poland, Russia, Korea.
If check forum posts of the trolls well Funcom should be gone by September 07 then December 07 then January 08 and I even saw some prediction March 08.
Agreed. I think people are also unaware that as a company, Funcom has their hands in a few different things, like single player games, and various online technologies, as well as a contract with an advertising firm for AO.
Basically they could model AoC the same way and add advertising on login to gain extra cash and lower prices for access, etc. There is mention of a new pricing model in their last report as well...and what that is, we do not know yet.
I will not count out Craig either who has made so many changes to AoC that it is almost like a new game.
Technically Funcom is not lying about the age. They have some kind of Mickey Mouse study on the average age that shows 29 years old. This does not mean however that it is the truth. Statistics is a science and there is a HUGE error of margin if your methods of collecting data are wrong.
If you believe that an MMO with fatalities and digital boobies has an average age of 29, then you are beyond all hope.
You seem to think AoC players can be divided into 2 groups:
1. Old people who like AoC
2. Young people who use Xfire and hate AoC
This is incorrect. There is no proof that all Xfire users hate AoC and you don't know the average age of Xfire user. Like most people here, you just speculate based on the fact the YOU or your friends don't use Xfire.
I recommend everyone to read a book about statistics so we can avoid these rediculous arguments.
-----------------------------
Originally posted by Frobner
"Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
Technically Funcom is not lying about the age. They have some kind of Mickey Mouse study on the average age that shows 29 years old. This does not mean however that it is the truth. Statistics is a science and there is a HUGE error of margin if your methods of collecting data are wrong.
If you believe that an MMO with fatalities and digital boobies has an average age of 29, then you are beyond all hope.
You seem to think AoC players can be divided into 2 groups:
1. Old people who like AoC
2. Young people who use Xfire and hate AoC
This is incorrect. There is no proof that all Xfire users hate AoC and you don't know the average age of Xfire user. Like most people here, you just speculate based on the fact the YOU or your friends don't use Xfire.
I recommend everyone to read a book about statistics so we can avoid these rediculous arguments.
As i said it my opinion, as yours is an opinion. Not sure what else to discuss there. Reading a book on statistics is not necessary as it s a game and users of a utility that not all people use. If everyone used it then it would be an accurate tool, but since not everyone uses it , it isn t. As I said X-Fire tends to be used by more of the younger crowd, and as AOC average player is a littl older it makes sense. Opinions are wonderful things.
This is the problem. You just don't understand how statistics work. And to make things worse, you refuse to pick up a book.
You are right, we have nothing else to discuss here.
-----------------------------
Originally posted by Frobner
"Massive sieges" "mounted combat" and "spellweaving" are just few words that spring to mind when I hear the word AOC.... But the word FAILURE will always top the list.
I know you seem to have a personal agenda here, but the fact is, Xfire shows trends, and the fact is...yes, AoC took a dive on Xfire, but not a 95% (which you seem to continue to use for some reason), and were hurt thanks to a bad launch.
What you fail to mention is over the last 2-3 months AoC has stayed at around the 50's spot, and of late has moved up a couple of slots. Also, of note, more users have recently joined (as the number of players stood around 900+ and is now in the thousands..).
If we look at their other game on the charts, Anarchy Online, which is at #158, and they have been running that game FREE for years, what makes you think that a game they have that is charting in the double digits, and IS making money will fail?
It is that you WISH it would fail, just like I wished LOTRO would fail because in my opinion...it sucks. We just need to accept that games we do not like may still survive no matter how much we hate them. LOTRO is admirable in how it keeps people around, and you may just have to live with the fact that AoC will be around a while as well..
Proof of that? A board game and a Pen and Paper game are being released with the naming of AoC this coming year. And of course a new movie, along with discussion of Xbox 360 development.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
You forgot to mention that the dying game is also opening new markets/servers -> Poland, Russia, Korea.
If check forum posts of the trolls well Funcom should be gone by September 07 then December 07 then January 08 and I even saw some prediction March 08.
Poland, Russia, Korea, PS3, Expansion, server mergers, etc etc etc. Talking about the 'future' does not mean a game is healthy or going to survive. Poland launch delayed = check PS3 nowhere on the radar = check server mergers delayed = check Dx10 delayed = check Expansion nowhere on the radar = check
I said during the first week of launch that AOC would be dead by March 08. By July I had moved it up to January 08... and I still stand by the fact that Funcom as we know it, will not be in existence by the end of January. Did you read the notes from the meeting on December 19th... it was all about 2 people positioning themselves to close down Funcom and take it private.
And it's silly to say the AOC can fall back on an AO type of model and survive. Funcom was propped up the last 3 years because of the 'future product AOC'. They took the company public because of AOC, they borrowed a ton of money to make AOC. Funcom survived the past 3 years because it was able to get investors and bankers to buy into the idea of AOC.