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IMHO, its almost becoming too risky to invest into MMORPGS anymore
Krelian
Member UncommonPosts: 385
Well, ofcourse I can only speak for myself.
I have previously played (and infact-enjoyed) MMO's such as Star Wars Galaxies and Auto Assault.
Both are dead now. And, yuup, I even enjoyed playing Auto Assault, it was a really good MMO, IMHO (if you like the vehicular combat and on-foot Town exploration thingy in a post-apocalyptic World, that is).
Sure, Auto Assault had some technical issues regarding the Graphics, Controls, and some bugs, so in the beginning I HATED that game, BUT after spending some time to reconfigure Controls and Graphics (etcatera), I LOVED IT.
Than, a few years later, it was shut-down 
BUT there was STILL HOPE, yet. NCSOFT had promised us that they were releasing a new sci-fi MMO called Tabula Rasa, and that we were gonna get some free-stuff in TR for being previous AA players.
Well, guess what? Tabula Rasa's servers were shut-down soon after, as well.
Than there was Another (IMO) sweet online game (debatable if it was truly an MMO or simply a multiplayer game, but I wont go into it here) that was called; Hellgate London.
Yuuuup, same fate. It was shut down, as well. Another Company took over it, I tried it, and it was in such a horrible condition (from my experience of playing that version of the game) THAT I couldn't really play it.
Than another favourite of mine; Pirates of the Burning Sea. I know that SOE shut that game down, but they transferred the rights to another Company to run the game. Needless to say, I never Heard any good things about that Company, but hey, SOE was never so great, either (in my experience) and who knows, maybe its Worth it to give the new Company a shot? (I did the character/account transfer thingy back in the day, but I dunno if they still have my stuff, otherwise I would have no reason to play it).
And this reminds me of another MMO-ish game that was shut-down recently, called; Age of Empires Online (The title explains the game pretty well, me Thinks! :P)
Well, I bought that game, ALONG WITH dozens of DLCs on steam sales (STILL the whole thing probably cost me something like 50-70 euros) and this time the game was brought-down Before I ever got a chance to play it.
(Yeah, my bad. It was online since 2011 and I didnt play it, there were so many other single-player and MMOrpg's to go around I couldnt make it to my poor AoEO, sigh.... 
)
Earth & Beyond was my first MMO, ofcourse cancelled years ago, and also there was a Matrix Online(??) Game that I enjoyed playing (called... whatchamacallit...?) that ones a goner, as well.
Aion is another MMORPG that I really like, but we all know that NCSOFT transferred our accounts from their servers to Gameforge or what that new EU Company is called, and IMO, they are nowhere near as competent as NCsoft staff when it comes to running MMO's, and they seem to be slightly more greedy, too.
BUT ATLEAST im glad that the game is still alive, really 
Warhammer Online was one of the few games in which I really had enjoyed the PVP(/pve) aspect when the game was released, and it is no more.........
Than, finally, we have Dragon's Prophet, with rumors inbound as to what is going to happen to the game, AS the Company seems to be in trouble.
Maybe the game will continue its existence for many more years, or maybe (hopefully NOT) it will be shut-down after 6 months from now
And another MMO that I purchased (but didnt play this one YET) is Wildstar. Now, even Before i have a chance to play the game, I keep hearing about Company lay-offs and etcatera.
Usually, such procedures are followed by even more noticable server mergers (if possible), a move to the so called ''free to play'' game-model, another Company buys the intellectual rights to run the game, or the worst-case scenario, the game will be shut-down permanently (NOT IMMEDIATELY, but first the updates will die, the population will begin to leave and than it will be a dead city even long Before its officially culled lol).
Why am I telling you all this stuff?
Most of the games I mentioned above are not just games that I have Heard of, but actually games that I 1-Purchased 2-Enjoyed playing (at least some of them)
I usually buy them when they are released (collector's edition - usually, with pre-order bonuses)
OR
I buy em when there is a sale (as in the case of Age of Empires Online)
So, either way, I usually pay for em, one way or another.
I buy MMOrpgs (at release) for full price, coz 1-I wanna support companies making them (if they have released an MMO that really seems to be interesting) 2-Than I keep the MMO I bought at release (collector's edition with preorder stuff) until the game is further updated with bugfixes and content, and until I have spare time to play it (work, family & friends come first, than games).
BUT NOWADAYS, im almost becoming too scared to pay full price for MMO's anymore. As the (MMO) market is so saturated with new releases (almost) every day, that THEY ALSO SEEM TO BE DYING DAILY uhuh...
Many MMO's that I payed full price+ for arent online anymore, and hell, I couldnt make it in time to play some of them in the first Place!
Its not the end of the world, but as an avid ''MMO-genre supporter'' (or whatever you wanna call it), im beginning to be more cautious about my wallet when it comes to such games.
I MEAN, SURE, AN MMO CANNOT BE KEPT ONLINE FOREVER, I know it, you know it, we ALL know it. But (IMHO-as far as I can tell) some mmo's seem to be going down so fast after their releases nowadays (OR AT LEAST plagued by very serious difficulties that the companies face), that it is sort of becoming too dang risky to invest in them anymore.
I mean, I can STILL buy and get into MMO's, but maybe not the collector's edition with preorder bonuses for FULL-PRICE. Maybe I'll wait until they go down in price, or until they are on-sale.
Maybe I wont buy them anyways UNTIL they go ''free2play''. And even than I wont spend that much Money on the game.
Sure, I can do that. BUT WONT THE DECREASED CUSTOMER FAITH IN THE PRODUCT (AND THUS THE SPENT MONEY ON PRODUCT) hurt the MMO industry negatively (at-least in the long run) ?
Well, just sharing my opinions about purchasing and/or otherwise investing in MMO's in todays world. So, what do you guys Think? Am I the only one who is starting to have decreased confidence in the MMO industry nowadays?
Comments
Seems we've played a few of the same games, and i too am getting sceptical of what I spend on. i think AA was the last straw.
But I'm thinking that less up front money for these companies is a good thing. Too many half-assed games being released and if the money drys up then perhaps they'll get a clue.
Popular MMORPG's and F2P games from bigger companies are safe. Also games with strong IP behind them tend to stick around.
Smaller games that launch badly are indeed a risky business. Wildstar is for example a new MMORPG that is going all downhill, would avoid it like a plague.
I agree with above poster and why the last time I've spent $ on a new MMO was almost 4 years ago (DC Universe Online). When it comes to topic, it's almost becoming too risky to invest into MMORPG's anymore "if you don't know how to capture/create market" which means not understand what not just gamers, but those not into games want to be willing to be involved and pay.
I actually look forward to fewer MMO's with higher quality, something that was similar back in 2001-2004. As I recall almost every MMO back then was worth the $. From EQ, UO, SWG, Anarchy Online, FFXI, Guild Wars and so on...
World of Warcraft is indeed very fortunate to be in the position it is especially now with their expansion after not so amazing results from some well known MMO's that came out this year. Too bad I still can't justify the expansion fee to get back into it after 9 years being part on and off and bought every single expansion. Times are changing and I hope developers/publishers change/adapt as well or deserve their grim faith.
Loved AA... TR was nice too. And you missed CoH from the list, also a great game from Ncsoft's death list...
i agree, nowadays with the much more saturated market, pulling the plug is a more common event than it was years before. But I still put the money in the games I like... maybe I'm naive
if the suits above cancelling them games, at least I know I enjoyed them till they lasted. In the end that's the one thing matters, I play my games to have fun. If it doesn't last forever, well, so be it.
(and yeah, AA was the game which "changed" me too. Until then I believed, just like with all the other games I have, I could play it as much as I want. Single / offline games have this advantage... but since AA's cancel I play online games with the mindset above. Sorta like carpe ludum / seize the game
)
Boom, problem solved.
Though I hear ESO is making good use of those sub funds.
Of all the MMOs I've played, only TR has been shut down (sadly).
Other MMOs did have mandatory US->EU transfers (Aion as mentioned, but DC Universe online as well), and have been hosted by a bad publisher. Luckily $O€ has taken control back of their 'EU' transfered games, but those who had played the game before on the US servers will have those games in BANNED status and $O€ is not merging them back into the account where they originated from (exit $O€ in my library).
Ansd speaking of exits from libraries... NCSoft has had it's exit from me as well. First destroy Lineage II from the good Korean PvP grinder it was to a somewhat silly hand-holding MMO where PKing is a real bad thing. Add to that WildStar not delivering and GW2 screwing over their customers along with a general bot/goldsller problem and NCSoft is done for me as well...
At this point there are only 2 companies I'd play (and PAY) MMOs from and that are CCP (playing EVE online right now) and SquareEnix (waiting for the FFXIV:ARR expansion). At least those 2 still seem to value their (paying) customers and are actually keeping the game from cheaters.
Back on topic. Yes, it's a gamble to invest into MMOs (or in general online hosted games), but as long as you enjoy playing them it's no problem. And we players also have a choice towards the publishers we play games from. When you know a publisher is bound to shut down games quickly, why bother playing..?
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
This. Well said.
Del Cabon
A US Army ('Just Cause') Vet and MMORPG Native formerly of Trinsic, Norath and Dereth. Currently playing LOTRO.
Ummmmmm, isn't this what they did? I'm pretty sure they stated on multiple occasions that their focus was on the "hardcore" and Wildstar would be "difficult"
If nothing else, Wildstar served only to prove that you can't trust what you're reading on community sites because it's more about loud mouths than people who will actually put their money where their mouth is. It proves that you need to target a larger audience, not a smaller one.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
No, I think that the size of the WoW audience is just fine. However, when you consider that less than 5% of that audience even completes Normal or better raid content, let along Heroic. Even if you captured 100% of that market, you're talking about 400K subscribers. In reality, there are many who are simply dedicated to that game. So what are we really talking about? 40K subscribers? optimistically?
THAT is/was their target market. Their target market was definitely not the 8 million or so WoW subscribers. Otherwise it would have been tuned better for all skill levels.
Crazkanuk
----------------
Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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I would say games like LOL which makes 600M+ in 2013 is pretty compelling. Blizz is pretty compelling .. they have WoW, D3, Hearthstone, Starcraft ....
I suppose those games may not be compelling to you .. but they certainly are compelling to millions.