These 'boats' sail for a a veryyyyyyyyyy long time in MMO waters. Games get on and get thrown off fast, very few survive much of the journey.
ArcheAge is very niche at best, EQ:N has the potential to move Sandbox from nice to mainstream, ArcheAge doesn't.
Yes, let's try and compare a game that isn't even close to alpha to one that's been released in another country for over a year and grade them on "potential" that's just an excellent idea...
All games are filled with potential at the phase EQN is in now, it's when the details are released that things get messy.
These 'boats' sail for a a veryyyyyyyyyy long time in MMO waters. Games get on and get thrown off fast, very few survive much of the journey.
ArcheAge is very niche at best, EQ:N has the potential to move Sandbox from nice to mainstream, ArcheAge doesn't.
Yes, let's try and compare a game that isn't even close to alpha to one that's been released in another country for over a year and grade them on "potential" that's just an excellent idea...
All games are filled with potential at the phase EQN is in now, it's when the details are released that things get messy.
That was the point: AA is locked in, EQN still has time to deviate.
EQN will do well initially regardless of how it develops on name recognition alone. Other than WoW the Everquest franchise is the most recognizable MMO franchise there is. Most casual MMO fans don't even know what AA is, so it has a major uphill climb. Not to mention EQN is probably two years out still, I don't even see it as a direct competitor to AA, given how long MMOs tend to last these days. EQNs competition is more likely to be whatever Blizzard comes up with next than anything out currently.
Originally posted by sirphobos EQN will do well initially regardless of how it develops on name recognition alone. Other than WoW the Everquest franchise is the most recognizable MMO franchise there is. Most casual MMO fans don't even know what AA is, so it has a major uphill climb. Not to mention EQN is probably two years out still, I don't even see it as a direct competitor to AA, given how long MMOs tend to last these days. EQNs competition is more likely to be whatever Blizzard comes up with next than anything out currently.
I have FF ahead of EQ in my book. I'm not completely sure but I thought FFXI had more subscribers at it's peak than either EQ game. While I personally found FFXIV tremendously disappointing it's well over 600k subscribers maybe even up to 800k so arguably the number 2 subscription game in the market.
How many casual mmo fans know anything about EQ? By the time WoW stated bringing in hordes of casual players EQ1 was a distant memory and EQ2 was a niche game.
I can't see Blizzard releasing anything in the next 6 years, maybe even 10. WoW simply won't die. They announce no new content for 12 months and lose 3% of subscribers, there is just nothing for them to gain by releasing a new mmo when they dominate the market so completely.
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Yes, let's try and compare a game that isn't even close to alpha to one that's been released in another country for over a year and grade them on "potential" that's just an excellent idea...
All games are filled with potential at the phase EQN is in now, it's when the details are released that things get messy.
That was the point: AA is locked in, EQN still has time to deviate.
I have FF ahead of EQ in my book. I'm not completely sure but I thought FFXI had more subscribers at it's peak than either EQ game. While I personally found FFXIV tremendously disappointing it's well over 600k subscribers maybe even up to 800k so arguably the number 2 subscription game in the market.
How many casual mmo fans know anything about EQ? By the time WoW stated bringing in hordes of casual players EQ1 was a distant memory and EQ2 was a niche game.
I can't see Blizzard releasing anything in the next 6 years, maybe even 10. WoW simply won't die. They announce no new content for 12 months and lose 3% of subscribers, there is just nothing for them to gain by releasing a new mmo when they dominate the market so completely.
I personally have the highest hopes for EQN. If any mmo will be the next big thing I'd put my money on that.
AA will be good but nothing record breaking.