There is a theory that perception is reality. Take for example, the news that World of Warcraft has lost 600,000 subscribers, many people take that as a sign of the end times; others feel that Blizzard will just find more players. Either way, a 5% loss in players over three months after a new expansion is not good.
Now we know that number, 11.4 million subscribers, was taken in March of 2011. We don’t know if that was an average for the month, the absolute high or the absolute low. But since this was number presented to stock holders I don’t think it would be unreasonable to guess that this number was either the average or the high for the month of March.
Now why does this matter? Well, for a few reasons. First, it’s three months later and new numbers are most likely being taken for the second quarter(Q2) financial report. Blizzard no doubt wants to improve on those numbers so they don’t have another host of articles of about how World of Warcraft is dying (granted, I think it is dying but not in way people talk about).
To help those numbers, Blizzard is releasing a new raiding tier, which has been cut down from original plans because “fire and water themes don’t go together.” I call bs, and say the higher ups didn’t want all of Q2 to go by with only rehashed dungeons that people are already burning out on.
Second, Recruit a Friend, the system that allows one account, new or old, to help a new account out, now helps players level to 80, whereas before the cap was at 60. I expect this is a change that is happening because not as many people are leveling new characters as were expected. For all the talk about how new and cool the redone old world is, it’s just not getting the play. If a player already has half a dozen max level characters and you can race change them to goblins or worgen why relevel?
Third, I’ll just quote this “Haven’t yet ventured beyond the Dark Portal? Beginning today, June 28, players will be able to get both the original World of Warcraft and the game’s first expansion set, The Burning Crusade, for only $19.99 as part of the new digital Battle Chest now available in the online Blizzard Store.
In addition, anyone who owns the original World of Warcraft, regardless of when they purchased the game, will automatically be able to access all of the content and features from The Burning Crusade expansion at no additional cost. It’s time to set forth from Azeroth, adventurer -- Outland awaits!”
For the ‘hell its about time’ file. I’m honestly not sure why they didn’t just throw Wrath of the Lich King into the mix. If they want new players to make it Cataclysm why make them buy three games why not just two? Package Original WoW, TBC, and Wrath together, Then Catclysm can be its own thing. I know Blizzard wants to make money off gold farmers having to rebuy everything, but if they want to keep people coming into the game they need to just move the whole game onto one box with every expansion and if you buy the current expansion as a new player you get everything that was put out before: simple and to the point.
Finally, trial accounts are no longer limited in time and players can spend an unlimited amount of time on them. The level cap (20) and other restrictions still apply. It will be interesting to see where this goes, but it sure looks like Warcraft is making the first steps into a Free to Play model.
So what does this all add up too? Well, not a lot, other than Blizzard trying to keep its subscription numbers up. I have no issue with that. But my feeling is many people that are still subscribed to World of Warcraft are not playing it anymore. Those of us that have left the game don’t hate it, but at the same time I just don’t feel I have anything drawing me back in. I do think on the next seven day free trial, I’ll pop back in but I have no other plans than that. In any case, it should be interesting to see what World of Warcraft numbers are reported in August.
73’s
Small update, after I finished writings this I noticed Blizzard is also offering another 7 day trail to those have have been inactive for more than 30 days.
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