MMORPG Charts (Subscriber Stats)

templarx · January 2005

I've wandered onto this site, and wonder if anyone seen it. I love graphs and trends and stats and it would be -really- interesting to know how accurate those stats are:

http://www.mmogchart.com/

I assume the stats do not reflect 'active players' but more 'paying subscribers' or 'number of accounts', but some stats that peaked me attention:

SWG doesn't seem to be 'loosing' subscribers as people suggest, looks to me it's just reaching some sort of
saturation point.

Geez, are we underestimating Lineage and Lineage II ? I'm surprised he could actually fit Lineage's tend lines on the same graph with other MMORPGs [totally dwarves any other MMORPG].

Runescape....if i recall correctly this is that funny Java based free game? There's a dramatic increase on the graph ONgoing right through WoW launch. If that's anything to go by, i wonder what the Anarchy Online's free offer would look like [it's not on there ]

FFXI looks to also in amazing shape [i could swear people were writing doomsday reviews about this one?], also peaking way above all other MMORPGs

Go Ultima Online Go? Amazing stable playerbase still? (only slightly giving in to Runescape?)

The MMORPG market share, also quite interesting. Lineage/Lineage II couldn't even be added otherwise you would be seeing little 'stripes' for the other MMORPGs in the pie chart. Of those left, FFXI pretty much owning with Wow and EQII prrobably catching up fast. [Notice Runescape on there too...]

I assume this will dramatically change as WoW and EQII gets their servers up across the world [and people make up their minds which one to play].

Scaris · January 2005

Did you read his explanation of why lineage and lineage II are that way? You need to read the data along with the graph.

- Fadeus Hawkwood

templarx · January 2005

In previous versions of this report I did not include Lineage: The Blood Pledge in my graph. Why? Well, two main reasons. First, it completely dwarfed the other MMOGs, distorting the graph and making visual comparisons much more difficult. But more importantly, Lineage uses substantially different metrics for counting players. They may have close to 4 million players, but most of these players did not buy a box at the local software store and then pay a monthly subscription fee like traditional MMOGs. Instead, they play in PC baangs, Internet cybercafes in Korea that buy Lineage access from the company and then sell it at hourly rates to customers. This, combined with the unusual Korean dynamic of rapid deployment of broadband and the fact that imports of Japanese console platforms were restricted, made Lineage unusually popular. Lineages lack of success in the United States via the more traditional MMOG model only proves this out.

Ok yes, didn't initially read that, but still it doesn't quite tell me that there are NOT that amount of players. In fact if i read correctly he says it might be MORE players (whether they bought the box is somewhat irrelevant i'd say, it's the ongoing 'subscription' that matters). It is certainly hard to tell i guess, it's similar to trying to determe which if those subscribers on SWG are actually 'actively playing' .

I do however assume an inet cafe can buy "720 hours" and then 10 players 'share' the hours [720 hours is effectively one month]. Although they can however ' play at the same time. This itself might make it look like one 'subscription' in terms of other MMORPGs, yet it's 10 players??

Besides Asia got a huge population, it's imho not impossible. Which to me is ironic that other MMORPGs aren't doing whatever Lineage is doing too? Their subscription concept sounds quite nifty, i would't mind to only pay per hour i play [meaning if i don't play i don't pay]. I'm sure THAT alone should attract alot of subscribers ??

If i pay $15 per month (720 hours) and only actually play 60 hours [2 hrs per day] , imagine the actual savings if you could share the other hours [and cost] with 10 people (because you afterall do not play 24/7). Cost would drop to what? $1.50 per month (assuming i do play my full 60 hours)? Sounds like a good deal to me.

Scaris · January 2005

Yes, it leaves it very gray. Thats why with any MMO or discussion about subscriber base I prefer to leave out numbers because as you read through there, those are all uncomfirmed numbers. No company makes a clear statement on what they consider subscribers (for the most part) and what they are counting.

My favorite chart on there is the pie chart of market share by MMO. Take a good look at that one. IF those charts are near accurate it certainly puts a new light on people that rant about this game dieing, or that game will never make it, or all of that games players are leaving, etc. The only game I can see there, where that is actually represented as accurate on that chart would be AC 2 for the most part, atleast to any sense as dramatic as what I hear echoed here often.

- Fadeus Hawkwood

dsorrent · January 2005

The only thing that occurs to me in regards to that market share pie chart is that players who subscribe to two MMORPG's represents 2 shares on that chart, but in regards to potential market, it's only one share in the market. I think this probably contributes the larger slices of EQ and EQ2 since I'm sure alot of the same people play both.

Scaris · January 2005

oh yes, I think there are probably a fair amount of idle EQ 1 accounts atm since EQ 2 just came out.

- Fadeus Hawkwood

ianubisi · January 2005

Please also consider what a Sony Station All Access account does to those numbers. By having that account I effectively have an account with Planetside, EQ, EQ2, SW:G, and other games.

There are numerous ways to distort statistical information. Numbers can be made to lie, so you have to look at that kind of information with a great deal of skepticism.

All that being said, I think it's undeniable that the MMOG marketshare is growing.

dsorrent · January 2005

Originally posted by ianubisi
Please also consider what a Sony Station All Access account does to those numbers. By having that account I effectively have an account with Planetside, EQ, EQ2, SW:G, and other games.There are numerous ways to distort statistical information. Numbers can be made to lie, so you have to look at that kind of information with a great deal of skepticism.All that being said, I think it's undeniable that the MMOG marketshare is growing.

Yes, the author mentions that in his "Analysis and Conclusions" section of the page:

Originally posted on MMOGCHART.com

There is one additional note I should add regarding games from Sony Online Entertainment. In July of 2003, SOE introduced the special all access subscription, which gives customers a subscription to EverQuest, EverQuest: Macintosh Edition, EverQuest: Online Adventures, and PlanetSide, together at a reduced price. Exactly how many people have opted for this subscription is unknown, but if the numbers becomes substantial, it could distort subscription data if SOE chooses to count such subscribers for each game offered. For instance, a person may buy the all access pass and yet only play EQ and PlanetSide. If SOE also counts them as an EQ: OA subscriber in a future press release (even if they never created an EQ: OA character) it could distort the market share of that game. Similarly, a committed EQ player might play both EQ and EQ: OA, but have no interest in PlanetSide. It remains to be seen how Sony intends to count such individuals, but if their number remains low relative to those who choose the more traditional individual subscriptions, it might not distort the data too much.

TigerRei · January 2005

I'm still surprised at the number of Runescape players. ~250,000...wow, not bad for a free game.

kiniar · January 2005

I am going to be really interested to see the true imact of EQII and WoW on all other MMORPG's in the comming months. I am wondering on the inpact to EQ by EQII. Have most players of EQ stayed there due to the investment involved on their part or have they started the move to EQII. How many subscribers has EQ lost to WoW? And I ever imagined that FFXI was doing so well.

hercules · January 2005

Originally posted by ianubisi

Please also consider what a Sony Station All Access account does to those numbers. By having that account I effectively have an account with Planetside, EQ, EQ2, SW:G, and other games.
There are numerous ways to distort statistical information. Numbers can be made to lie, so you have to look at that kind of information with a great deal of skepticism.
All that being said, I think it's undeniable that the MMOG marketshare is growing.

I think the way SoE counts is that its your primary username you used for the first game that counts.

Not entirely sure.But agreed this does cause some havoc with the stats.

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MMORPG Charts (Subscriber Stats)

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