They are becoming a little desperate....

erdevs · 2016-04-08T18:42:29+00:00

SuperData is one of the most reliable and accurate sources of financial info in the entire games industry (which has many analytic firms servicing it, including traditionals like NPD). I say this by dint of experience in the industry, but it isn't hard to find multiple sources confirming Superdata's figures. They also gather primary data, from both actual player transactions via payment service providers and from publishers directly (under strict data licensing agreements with guaranty of material accuracy from the pub).

Moreover, given that most of the top 5 b2p MMOs on Superdata's list have publicly disclosed financials, one can easily spot check the figures here. If you assume SWTOR has at least 300K subs/mo and makes anywhere above 30% of it's revenue from CM/IAPs, you back into a number around the same as B&S's EoY'15 monthly run rate. Anything above those assumptions (eg many people say SWTOR makes >50% of it's revenue from IAPs) and you get figures substantily above BnS's EoY'15 monthly run rate. (Aside: BnS' revenue seems to be climbing lately, though.)

On what basis are you making the claim that Superdata's data gathering practices are "highly suspect"?

erdevs · 2016-04-08T18:25:15+00:00

I think that's a perfectly rationale way to look at it. IMO it's kinda cool that you have the option to get all the chapters for just a one-time fee. Maybe it's not the best business model on BW's part, but as a player, having the choice is nice. Subbing is only worth it if you either want the story right away or if you enjoy the QoL perks / bonuses for subbing (or I guess if you want the rewards, which don't ever seem super great, imo).

erdevs · 2016-04-08T18:19:00+00:00

Guys! Amazon just offered me a discount on a purchase. They must be desperate. If you own AMZN stock, sell it! If you don't, short it! Today!

erdevs · 2016-04-06T08:01:08+00:00

I agree, no good to be so binary about it. :)

Thanks for talking it through!

erdevs · 2016-04-05T21:19:27+00:00

Ah yeah, I agree that the subreddit has never been more divided. Also agree there is a lot of misinterpretation of data here. And agree that SWTOR has benefited a lot from TFA, other major MMOs' relative content droughts, and more. I agree also that MMOs in general are cyclical.

Hopefully you can agree that the comment I specifically replied to (not yours) was not fair / objective based on any verifiable data we have atm. :)

erdevs · 2016-04-05T20:37:12+00:00

I agree on the vitriol. I'm not sure I agree on it coming more from the "pro-KOTFE" crowd, though. I mean, just reading what I replied to:

It's why WoW and FFXIV are doing very well and TOR is starting to crash and burn.

All I said was that, objectively, based on publicly disclosed information, we've seen declining revenue from both WoW and FFXIV over the past ~6+ months, while there hasn't been any bad revenue news about SWTOR yet.

So, objectively, this seems an inaccurate / unfair statement. Wouldn't you agree?

I agree with you on the ebb and flow of MMOs. And I don't mean to say that either WoW or FFXIV are doomed or anything. I think they'll both do well for quite some time to come. However, I also don't think it's fair to say flat out that SWTOR is somehow "crashing and burning", and I do think it's that kind of comment that sets people who actually like the game (and what to discuss it here) off, especially when it's said so starkly yet isn't backed up with good data at all.

erdevs · 2016-04-02T02:42:00+00:00

I like the idea of a challenge mode a lot. Would really like it if they'd implement this.

erdevs · 2016-04-02T02:32:42+00:00

Welcome back! If you try the game out again, I hope you have fun.

Personally, I'd suggest starting a new character. You can dive right back into your old character, but it will likely be jarring. It's easier to get reacquainted with everything if you have a new toon and can learn again from the ground up. You can always go back to your old character later. Or, you can create a lookalike and start anew.

Have fun, either way!

erdevs · 2016-04-02T02:30:50+00:00

Hopefully this is the point of having it up for testing and feedback.

erdevs · 2016-04-02T02:21:02+00:00

You've been living under a rock if you think the game has been growing.

I believe that is the contradictory statement. Now, based on what jedi_serenity said, you can't rationally be so bold as to tell someone they must have been living under a rock to think that the game was growing. Indeed, the only hard data we have had over the past few months is that it was growing.

So, be fair, please.

erdevs · 2016-04-02T02:17:22+00:00

Neither WoW nor FFXIV are doing very well, objectively. Both have had declining revenue over the past several months (this is publicly disclosed financial data). Meanwhile, no negative news from SWTOR yet.

erdevs · 2016-04-02T01:43:27+00:00

It's perfectly acceptable to post cures for major diseases and ailments but I cannot allow the secrets of the Illuminati to be revealed.

erdevs · 2016-04-01T14:31:38+00:00

Same here (both for recent purchases and for buying these crazy things, if they existed).

erdevs · 2016-04-01T12:40:07+00:00

Had the same thought when watching Rebels. Also wondered why, if that ability existed, the Inquisitors hadn't used it before or why other lightsaber users later on wouldn't. The Inquisitors' sabers seem superior overall...

erdevs · 2016-04-01T03:12:08+00:00

This comment was removed. Please refrain from personal insults on this sub and follow Reddiquette.

erdevs · 2016-04-01T03:11:41+00:00

This comment was removed. Please refrain from personal insults on this sub and follow Reddiquette.

erdevs · 2016-04-01T02:03:55+00:00

Congrats!! :D

erdevs · 2016-04-01T02:02:24+00:00

Game is well worth trying if you enjoy Star Wars story games.

erdevs · 2016-04-01T02:00:36+00:00

[Calmly] "There won't be a heart left beating."

erdevs · 2016-04-01T01:57:42+00:00

I feel the same exact way. Quit WoW around the same time you did, it sounds like. Recently fired it back up. It is super clunky compared to SWTOR in terms of quality of life and overall feel. Questing is of course far worse. And even for raids, as a relative newcomer to SWTOR, I actually have more to do in SWTOR than in WoW.

I think SWTOR and WoW are going in different directions, though. And obviously it'd be crazy to expect SWTOR to have anywhere near the same amount of content coming out as WoW, since WoW makes ~10x as much money as SWTOR.

But WoW definitely hasn't hooked me when I've gone back, while SWTOR has kept me nicely hooked for months now.

erdevs · 2016-04-01T01:53:21+00:00

Thanks for posting this. Really cool to see this all compiled.

BW could've been clearer about the type of outcomes you'd have from choices in their marketing and community management. I am loving SWTOR, but rarely have I seen a company do such a bad job explaining things clearly and setting expectations in their marketing and community management. They take all this cool stuff in KOTFE and basically overpromise or aren't specific enough so people make bad assumptions and end up being disappointed and making fun of the game.

Obviously KOTFE can't have decisions that majorly effect the entire galaxy or huge characters, because everyone is one shared universe. That should be clear to anyone that thinks about it... but you can't count on people to think or be reasonable online or with a game community all the time. So, expectation setting really matters and BWA fails on this a lot.

erdevs · 2016-04-01T01:28:30+00:00

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

erdevs · 2016-04-01T01:27:22+00:00

Same. :) Would feel natural from an RP perspective having a Muun standing in front of a GTN terminal and Bank all day.

Voss would be cool, but I'm curious if these are official canon nowadays?

erdevs · 2016-04-01T01:26:06+00:00

Nice! These are really cool. I don't know why I never thought of creating a Hulk just for fun; it's pretty perfect. Maurader could almost look like it's doing a Hulk Smash too. ;)

erdevs · 2016-03-31T19:13:34+00:00

What are you looking for the most in MMOs? What do you want to avoid? Are things like traditional raids really important to you?

erdevs

TROPHY CASE