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[Column] Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel Expansion Thoughts

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Comments

  • residentxresidentx Member UncommonPosts: 123

    Here's what you guys were missing. SWTOR had a monetized model from Day 1.

    This is what their original assumptions were:

     

    1. SWTOR would be a hit and people would "pay" to play it.

    2. EA deviced a plan to get richer off its success. Thus the Paid Expansions delivered every month or 2. Double dip the subscribers.

    $60-150 - Startup SWTOR

    $14.99 - Monthly SWTOR Sub(179.88 annually)

    $20.00 - Expansions( EA probably had it a $30.00 before the user revolt)(4 times per year/$80.00)

    Year one Total revenue per sub annually : $319.88

    With 2,000,000 subs that $639,760,000 per year.

     

    Actuality:

     

    1. SWTOR started strong but faded and EA had to F2P the game.

    2. EA is still greedy so the paid "expansions"  are still coming. We're still going to try to double dip the subsciber by adding the store and the "expansions"

    $14.99 - Monthly SWTOR Sub(179.88 annually)

    $20/$10 - Expansions( EA probably had it a $30.00 before the user revolt)(4 times per year/$80.00)

    Cartel Coins:  I have no estimates for use of CC

    Year Two Total revenue per sub annually : $219.88 subs

    Year Two Total revenue per F2P annually: $50.00

    With a 1,000,000 subs that's $219,880,000 per year.

    With a 1,000,000 F2P that's $50,000,000

    Total Revenues is $269,880,000 per year

     

    See the differences?

    Finally, for all of you who want to use Cartel coins...Please.  EA gave them to you to lure you back to the game, they'll never let you use them to buy expansions(not during the first year). That's not part of the "Plan"

    I've watched this game since I've unsubbed but EA isn't making the turn. This is DCUO.

     

     

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  • SkuzSkuz Member UncommonPosts: 1,018

    I'd like to see them alter the IA Sniper (Smuggler) so that Engineering becomes a "Tanking capable" spec, (Flak Jackets & shield probes ahoy) give Marauders (Sentinels) a "Melee healer" role from annihilation.

    Cathar, hmm, more species being added is fine by me but the problem as I see it is if more races are going in there needs to be the option to "Race switch" perhaps as part of the purchas you get the 1-time per purchase option to switch the race of an existing character you have, with 16 characters built already I'm not interested in re-rolling (especially since to do so I'd have to delete 5 characters to do it & end up with only 12 at most when I like my 16 as is), so unless they add that I will have zero interest in more races unless further class options are introduced with them.

    Disappointed indeed that Makeb is now a DLC purchase rather than a "subscription update" but that's how EA are operating in other titles so it's no surprise this change was made, no class story coming with it is a bit disappointing though the class story "Chapters" did encompass more than 1 Planet each anyway, so those going in later after a few "Planet DLC" have been put in would make for more continuity with earlier class-story chapters.

    Still, looking forward to a level-raise, new skill points & quietly optimistic they wont cause older content to be irrelevant & leave the game with a new, reduced relevance end game.

  • Jonnas13Jonnas13 Member UncommonPosts: 93
    Originally posted by Nefarion84
    Bioware should call Trion and ask them how to make a worthy expansion to an MMO :D

    I don't think Trion have anyone left to man the phones. LOL

  • jtcgsjtcgs Member Posts: 1,777

    And this is why FREEMIUMs dont do near as well as actual F2P games.

    Once you create a rift in your playerbase by having "pay" subscribers and "non-pay" players you already have a major hole to overcome because some of your consumers feel second rate, then you start with the idea that you have to start charging for things you shouldnt be which makes the hole deeper.

    If you are going to go F2P, DO IT. Make the game FREE. Create micro-transaction items for your shop THAT is your revenue. Make all your players EQUAL.

    EA doesnt get it, guess that is why Nexon is quickly overtaking their position as the largest gaming company on the planet...and they are doing it with mostly F2P games, real ones.

    “I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson

  • NitthNitth Member UncommonPosts: 3,904


    Originally posted by jtcgs
    And this is why FREEMIUMs dont do near as well as actual F2P games.

    Care to list some "actual f2p games"? only one that comes to mind is Aion.

    image
    TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development

  • DeaconXDeaconX Member UncommonPosts: 3,062
    Originally posted by Coolit

    this seems sadly lacking.

    ^that pretty much sums up my thoughts on SWTOR as a whole so it's no surprise the expansion is on par.

    image

    Why do I write, create, fantasize, dream and daydream about other worlds? Because I hate what humanity does with this one.

    BOYCOTTING EA / ORIGIN going forward.

  • jtcgsjtcgs Member Posts: 1,777
    Originally posted by Nitth

    Care to list some "actual f2p games"? only one that comes to mind is Aion.

     

     Umm...serious? Atlantica Online, Runes of Magic, RF online...every game made by Perfect World, Aika, eden eternal...basically everything labeled as F2P in Asia is actually F2P. American and European F2P is actually Freemium, partly free the rest is locked and even if you pay to unlock it all you still dont get what subscribers get.

    There is no arguing against it, Nexon has made over 1 billion DOLLARS in profits for 2 straight years and just over 60% of it comes from their F2P games, its right in there shareholders report for everyone to read. They make a larger profit from their free games than all Freemium games combined...their profit margin from free games is larger than Turbine and Funcoms total company revenues combined...and they are second only to EA in terms of total profits.

    “I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson

  • Sevenstar61Sevenstar61 Member UncommonPosts: 1,686
    Originally posted by Jonnas13
    Originally posted by Nefarion84
    Bioware should call Trion and ask them how to make a worthy expansion to an MMO :D

    I don't think Trion have anyone left to man the phones. LOL

    I played Rift for few weeks and just could not force myself through this grindfest. It not my playstyle, and based on available information (Xfire numbers and server population) the new expansion did not drastically change the number of people playing it.


    Sith Warrior - Story of Hate and Love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxKrlwXt7Ao
    Imperial Agent - Rise of Cipher Nine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBBj3eJWBvU&feature=youtu.be
    Imperial Agent - Hunt for the Eagle Part 1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQqjYYU128E

  • DeeweDeewe Member UncommonPosts: 1,980

    First if the content is that big they should have avertised it as it would mitigate the feeling from subscibers of being milked.

    Then they should have allowed people to actually purchase the new content with CC. Thing is they would not have lost that much money and it would have given a better image to the players.

    On top of that, from the very few we actually know, it looks more like a DLC than even a small Xpack as there's no new type of  gameplay.

     


    Originally posted by Ozmodan Asking subscription players to pay for additional content that is not an expansion is the most greedy thing I have seen from a MMO developer. Glad I don't play this anymore. This just insures I will not play it again.
    They wanted more money and this is the result.

     

    Once again when you thought they could not do worse they are digging even deeper their grave.

    The thing that worries me is that there's lots of family income involved and it bodes not well for their future as more layoff might come from this.

     

  • Vortex5ooVortex5oo Member Posts: 106


    Originally posted by Sevenstar61

    Originally posted by Jonnas13

    Originally posted by Nefarion84 Bioware should call Trion and ask them how to make a worthy expansion to an MMO :D
    I don't think Trion have anyone left to man the phones. LOL
    I played Rift for few weeks and just could not force myself through this grindfest. It not my playstyle, and based on available information (Xfire numbers and server population) the new expansion did not drastically change the number of people playing it.
     

     

    lol make up your mind. either xfire numbers is correct or not. you have said in the past that xfire numbers dont count (when it was in favor for swtor). check your posting history if you forgot. its fun lurking the forums reading post from a side line of a view... a lot of high horse riding and flip flop flip flop... ;)

  • Sevenstar61Sevenstar61 Member UncommonPosts: 1,686
    Originally posted by Vortex5oo

     


    Originally posted by Sevenstar61

    Originally posted by Jonnas13

    Originally posted by Nefarion84 Bioware should call Trion and ask them how to make a worthy expansion to an MMO :D
    I don't think Trion have anyone left to man the phones. LOL
    I played Rift for few weeks and just could not force myself through this grindfest. It not my playstyle, and based on available information (Xfire numbers and server population) the new expansion did not drastically change the number of people playing it.
     

     

     

    lol make up your mind. either xfire numbers is correct or not. you have said in the past that xfire numbers dont count (when it was in favor for swtor). check your posting history if you forgot. its fun lurking the forums reading post from a side line of a view... a lot of high horse riding and flip flop flip flop... ;)

    Xfire count xfire users  and hours spent playing game - a sample of population. I am very causious in using the xfire numbers. And I don't think I was ever overly excited about xfire numbers for SWTOR or in fact any game.  I think we can with high probability say that WoW has more players then GW2 and GW2 has more players then SWTOR. But SWTOR has more players then Rift, Aion, LOTRO etc. which are trailing SWTOR far far behind in count. For me Xfire is like a poll. It's tells you approximately with certain percentage error who is on the top and who is on the bottom, but I would hesitate to attach population numbers to it.


    Sith Warrior - Story of Hate and Love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxKrlwXt7Ao
    Imperial Agent - Rise of Cipher Nine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBBj3eJWBvU&feature=youtu.be
    Imperial Agent - Hunt for the Eagle Part 1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQqjYYU128E

  • mmoguy43mmoguy43 Member UncommonPosts: 2,770

    This isn't enough content for an expansion so they justify it by lowering the cost to $10-$20. That doesn't work EA... Not only that but this expansion can't be bought with cartel coins. The problem is that extremely devoted fans will pay anything and beyond (subscription + $100 in CC gamble market + $10 expansion + ???). The fans are paying off SWTOR expendatures thinking it will directly improve the game but it is mostly keeping it afloat. There isn't much improvement happing.

    If this is evidence of what is to follow then I can't expect BW to ever give SWTOR the massive feature and game system additions that it needs, and needed a year ago. What longevity can follow with such a minimalitic approach to updates?

  • daltaniousdaltanious Member UncommonPosts: 2,381

    I agree both on cons and pros, but still my love to SWTOR is so big, that I'm not bothered a lot of cons. I would love to have class quests developing, some new class or crafting or alike ... but I'm still happy with my best game.

     

  • AReeseAReese Member Posts: 1
    Been in the game for about a month now. Went from F2P to subscriber in the first week, and so far I've loved the game. No, it's not perfect, the crafting should be more important, the leveling seems to be a bit off as I'm over-leveling the content too fast, space based content needs work.  Having said that I do look forward to the expansion/DLC (whatever they want to call it). It will keep me going I hope until The Repopulation finally gets released.
  • WickedjellyWickedjelly Member Posts: 4,990
    Originally posted by JeroKane
    This was once supposed to be a free update and now they dare to call this an expansion? lol.

    Kind of made me chuckle too although to be fair at the time the game was p2p. I think it makes sense to charge for this for non subbers. Frankly though anyone that has or does sub to the game should get this for free. Makes no sense not to especially since by doing so they could in theory increase their sub base. All this will do is piss some supporters off and give more ammo for those already having a field day at trashing this game.

    Then again considering a lot of this was well under way in development when they still thought the game would be a substantial hit more than likely this is going to be the only real expansion this game ever gets and is simply a money grab. Not that EA would ever do something like that.

    >_>

    1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.

    2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.

    3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.

  • mysticalunamysticaluna Member UncommonPosts: 265

    I wish the game was buy to play now, because I already bought it and subbed and now I have to be restricted as an old subscriber, oh well... 

    Why can't we just have buy to play games? Companies seem determined to ruin the free to play idea everyway possible with failed freemiums and rediculous locked content, you can't unlock everything even when you're willing to pay because it isn't even sold in the store to unlock!! 

    They lock all of your character slots, can't we get a huge unlocker for a reasonable price say $10 or even $20 to create 30 or 60 characters? It would enable people who were already max character slots to have a reason to buy Cathars, otherwise who is going to buy new races when you are already maxed out? Who would buy new classes or buy an expansion for them when you are maxed out on character slots?

    You can't even use another server, because the game already takes that into account, so then they have you starting up extra "free" accounts, just to get some character slots due to your main account being maxed on characters... 

    Who thought up the title and helmet option display costing money? Who thought up bank space being real money only? You can't buy inventory with in-game currency, why not? Lord of the Rings Online works fine allowing me to use turbine points that I grind or in-game gold... 

    Way to create the worst fail freemium ever EA/Bioware, lol... 

  • mysticalunamysticaluna Member UncommonPosts: 265

    I mean only subscribers get to use in-game currency to open inventory slots, really lame... 

    They can't create content or fun stuff to buy in the shop, so they fleece you with restrictions forcing subscriptions, I re-downloaded it and logged in and there's nothing I'm interested in buying on the market, I just want to unlock my account to a usable state, but that could take another $40-$60 on top of the initial box and subscription that I had already previously paid, lol, and there's still lacking content, when I'd rather just buy content in the shop... 

  • bakabrödbakabröd Member Posts: 129
    greed is really ugly for some. and it doesnt suit ea at all.
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