Posted By Nobunaga about 3 months, 2 weeks ago
A leaked photo from the SWTOR Developers' Mansion
Last week saw EA and BioWare’s investors receiving a few updates on their many investments. While a variety of games were revealed, many were curious about Star Wars: The Old Republic. The game is still the most expensive video game ever developed and investors and executives alike are watching it like a hawk to make sure it makes a return on its investment. So far… well, let’s let the numbers speak for themselves.
* Over 2 million SWTOR units were sold in just over a month
* SWTOR has 1.7 million active subscribers. “The majority of these subscribers are paying customers already.” Eric Brown
* Metrics on engagement: 1 million users log in per day staying in game for 4 hours per day
* Server performance and stability exceeded expectation with 99.5% up time outside schedule maintenance.
* Grow subscribers with frequent content updates
* Another major update larger than the first coming in March
* “Fastest growing subscription MMO in history,” John Riccitiello
* EA shipped SWTOR units in December that were slated to ship in January, well ahead of schedule, and led to an increase in revenue in Q3 2012
* SWTOR drove most of the digital increase by Origin
* 40% of the sales of SWTOR came through Origin, numbers that were not shown in overall numbers of sales until now
* Increased marketing funds will be spent on SWTOR to take advantage of the momentum of the game’s success to date. Ready to launch a major mass market television campaign and cross promotion with “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D” which comes out in February.
* “SWTOR will be an important factor in next year’s results (fiscal 2013).” Eric Brown.
* PvP upgrades and expansion packs in the works
Fairly hefty results from a game industry “Professionals” said wouldn’t work. However it is still under the 2 month mark for the game. That being said, SWTOR’s meteoric rise to popularity will peak at some point, and it’s all a matter of when and where… and it’s all of us, and of course the game’s investors that are watching for that peak.
To me, it seems important to note that 40% of SWTOR’s sales came through Origin, and according to the Investor’s Call is largely responsible for Origin’s launch ‘success’. A lot of talk has gone around about Origin, mostly in the negatives, but I am curious to see this figure… did any of you order through Origin?
And what’s this whole… advertising with Phantom Menace 3D stuff? BLAST IT ALL!! This 3D fad has gone on long enough… perhaps there is some evil scheme or giant robot I could build that could… hrmmm…
But yes, all in all the Investor’s Call shone a very favorable light onto that MMO from a galaxy far far away… the only issue is keeping those 2 million players happy, entertained and subscribing. But I suppose going into detail about that… is the subject for a certain in-depth-and-evil review… hrmmm…
MMO Grinder Sidequest is a quick look at MMOs I wouldn’t normally review, be it through limited trial accounts, or Closed Beta games. First up, it’s the oft requested Star Wars The Old Republic.
At the Star Wars Guild Summit there was a video shown to the attendees that detailed the upcoming 1.2 Mega-Patch. Finally, after much waiting, comes the actual clear and HD version of that video…
Last week saw EA and BioWare’s investors receiving a few updates on their many investments.
After a highly successful launch and almost first month in service, the time for the
The Disciples of Hatred and it’s Roleplayers Contingent take on some PvP in the Star Wars: The Old Republic Beta
Announcing the first gathering of the Disciples of Hatred during the Beta Weekend Stress Test! …and of course that silly Jedi Consular progression video too.
Your questions FINALLY answered! What are the best aspects of the game? Why this MMO than any other? Do we get to kill Jar Jar? All this and more in ToR Q&A #1!
At the Star Wars Guild Summit there was a video shown to the attendees that detailed the upcoming 1.2 Mega-Patch. Finally, after much waiting, comes the actual clear and HD version of that video…
Last week saw EA and BioWare’s investors receiving a few updates on their many investments.
After a highly successful launch and almost first month in service, the time for the
The Disciples of Hatred and it’s Roleplayers Contingent take on some PvP in the Star Wars: The Old Republic Beta
Announcing the first gathering of the Disciples of Hatred during the Beta Weekend Stress Test! …and of course that silly Jedi Consular progression video too.
Your questions FINALLY answered! What are the best aspects of the game? Why this MMO than any other? Do we get to kill Jar Jar? All this and more in ToR Q&A #1!
Angry Joe shares his SWTOR Beta Gameplay impressions as he creates his Sith Lord, engages in combat as a warrior and partakes in joyful prisoner torture!
MMO Grinder Sidequest is a quick look at MMOs I wouldn’t normally review, be it through limited trial accounts, or Closed Beta games. First up, it’s the oft requested Star Wars The Old Republic.
Angry Joe shares his SWTOR Beta Gameplay impressions as he creates his Sith Lord, engages in combat as a warrior and partakes in joyful prisoner torture!
Pledge your Allegiance to either Darth Joe and the Sith Empire or Spoony Wan and
Last week saw EA and BioWare’s investors receiving a few updates on their many investments.
The Disciples of Hatred and it’s Roleplayers Contingent take on some PvP in the Star Wars: The Old Republic Beta
Announcing the first gathering of the Disciples of Hatred during the Beta Weekend Stress Test! …and of course that silly Jedi Consular progression video too.
Your questions FINALLY answered! What are the best aspects of the game? Why this MMO than any other? Do we get to kill Jar Jar? All this and more in ToR Q&A #1!
Angry Joe shares his SWTOR Beta Gameplay impressions as he creates his Sith Lord, engages in combat as a warrior and partakes in joyful prisoner torture!
Much like the Jedi, you were deceived. I was in the beta test all along! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
The official Star Wars: The Old Republic forums have been updated with a new post from Allison Berryman who has written that the beta invites for the third beta weekend for SWTOR are being sent out to hungry fans everywhere…
Back from the Con, and it’s time for more Star Wars goodness! Bring on the trailers!
One of the coolest bars in gaming also happens to be one of the most interesting.
I love TOR a lot but I think the real test of it’s success and what will quiet the naysayers is a few months down the road when the new video game releases start picking up. I think their idea of dolling out new content in these patches like the one coming up in March will help keep the numbers up during this critical time.
As for Origin, I didn’t use it for TOR but I plan on getting the digital copy of Mass Effect 3. Seeing as it won’t be through Steam anymore looks like I will have to try Origin. We will see how it goes.
“Ready to launch a major mass market television campaign and cross promotion with “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D” which comes out in February.”
Yeah nothing will endear your product to more people than associating your product with Episode 1′s 3D release. I know that the Star Wars fans loved that movie, especially the part about mitocholorians.
They’re still a long way away from having a profitable game (considering the production costs) and numbers are already slowly dwindling. I really hope they’re not getting to confident in themselves already. It’s going to take a lot of work and love to keep what they have and grow it further.
You must have a different definition of dwindling than most people since the article just overhead said both 1.7 million active subscribers and the fastest growing MMO in history.
Down from over 2million less than a month ago. 1.7 < 2.0. Math is hard!
They define “growing” as going from 0 subs pre-launch to 2million-ish upon launch.
Try basing your comments on the whole story and not just one article. It lessons your chance to look ignorant.
i don’t wanna sound like a Dbag but the issues that has been with SWTOR could easly have been fixed by having the game at the intended realse window (there are alot of small niggleing issues)
and having sold 2 milion and just over a month and 1.7 milion activ subs witch is useally account with an activ full member ship and you get a full month once you have added 60 day game card or your creditcard kinda says alot when 15% of your sub base has allready stoped playing
and the 4h a day thing is kinda obvious for a new mmo with alot of ppl going 24/7
I did not use Origin.
I bought the big box that is the collectors edition.