The news are that APB shuts down its servers only 80 days after release. And Pirates of the Burning Sea goes Free2Play. And Tobold has the impression that none of his readers will actually care about these two bits of news.
Maybe I could generate interest by turning it into a contest: Predict the next MMORPG that either shuts down or goes Free2Play!
Didn't you already run that contest?
ReplyDeleteOh no, that was the next game to *not* go for a free to play model.
My guess: WAR :)
I'm really hoping it's WAR. Well, secretly I'm hoping Conan, but I can't see that happening for a while, WAR however....
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI'm going (hoping) for WAR.
ReplyDeleteDecided to give it another go last week, then discovered the euro servers had been closed and characters moved to american servers. Not much of a problem, except that american game companies seem to assume everybody has access to a credit card. So now I can't buy game time for a game I'd like to play. F2P would at least give me access (though likely I wouldn't be able to use the cashshop for the same reason I can't buy gametime).
I predict...
ReplyDeleteWoW goes F2P as Bobby Kotick summons an eldritch horror beyond time and space as he once again mistakes the necronomicon for a box of twinkies. The unnameable being then proceeds to strangle the life out of wow with its intangible tentacles, and wow is forced to go F2P as every one of its paying subscriber slowly descends into madness.
It wasn't a surprise that APB failed.
ReplyDeleteIt was a surprise that it happened so quickly.
This will serve as a warning for any company wanting to attempt something new in the MMO market.
That is a bad thing.
This will serve as a warning for any company wanting to release an unpolished game.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good thing.
Alganon to shut down. It's been a while since the free-to-play switch, and by all accounts, it's still pulling crowds of less than 100 players online at any given time (across both factions, both servers). There's no way they can keep flushing money down the toilet for much longer.
ReplyDelete"This will serve as a warning for any company wanting to release an unpolished game.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good thing."
I don't think any company sets out with the objective of releasing an unpolished game.
No investment = no games to polish
FPT will not save PotBS. It looked interesting, but the implimentation fails. I think it might actually be impossible to create a PvP centric pirate game, at least going down their route.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what was sadder. The short life span of this game or the empathy from everyone that it had happened.
ReplyDeleteThough if only 400-600 people are playing per night, I guess it's less surprising there was an uproar.
Star Trek Online.
ReplyDeleteChampions or STO for F2P or shutting down. Both have recently gone on sale for $6.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's time to stop using $50 boxes to start the game. I'm reluctant enough to pay $50 for a game that I can keep, but when they'll want $15 to keep playing, is it any wonder people lazily stick with WoW?
ReplyDelete@jeff:
"100 million spent on an MMO that stays up for 80 days is not news? Your journalistic creds sink further every day..."
Considering that's not what he said...
What I wonder is how on earth even a bankrupt company can justify selling a product that was only usable for 80 days. And that assumes that you bought your copy on release day. This may have a bit of a chilling effect on retail sales for b-grade mmos. Some people are going to be wanting to see heads roll. I wonder if some other company picks up the code and IP for dirt cheap or if it just goes to the dustbin.
ReplyDeleteMy vote is on STO going f2p
ReplyDeleteI don't think any company sets out with the objective of releasing an unpolished game.
ReplyDeleteOf course they don't.
But at some point someone did make the decision to release the game despite it's problems.
@Dominus
ReplyDelete"...discovered the euro servers had been closed [for WAR] and characters moved to american servers."
This information is wrong.
The servers were moved from GOA and according to all data, reside in Germany now. A majority of the server names were kept also. EU servers ARE separate.
As to using a Credit Card...if that is your issue, you can look at local gameshops for Game Time cards.
Nothing has changed here, except for the company that made the game owning their servers now...so I am confused over why this is a problem as well. Please research before quoting incorrect info.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete"WoW goes F2P as Bobby Kotick summons an eldritch horror beyond time and space as he once again mistakes the necronomicon for a box of twinkies."
ReplyDeleteSo.......he summons himself? With his crazy time powers, the actual summoning is merely a formality as he is already here.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteYou’ll Never Take Us Alive: Epic To Buy APB?
ReplyDeleteFrom the article:
"The BBC mention the possibility that the remains of APB may be purchased by Epic. This actually squares with the reports from Gamesindustry.biz where Les Able of Begbies Traynor said that despite 300 parties having interest, none of the shortlist of six were “comfortable with buying it as a live operation.”"
Dear jeff,
ReplyDeletedeleting your comments is in fact my way to express that I already did "grow some balls", as you so eloquently express it.
If you want to comment here, try it without personal attacks.
I guess WAR too (sigh). Maybe Darkfall too. And maybe Mortal Online. I'm surprised on other games like Vanguard still floating around but it all depends on how deep the pockets are of their owners.
ReplyDeleteActually Tobold editing a comments section of a games blog is an example of just the opposite.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJeff, this isn't a forum. I disagree with 90% of the things Tobold says and some of the comments. Never once has he deleted an opposing comment of mine or from others.
ReplyDeleteIf he removed your comment he had a good reason to.
I forgot to vote for Mortal Online.
Fallen Earth. Already has a cash shop in place, and would benefit a lot from exp boosters and other things to reduce a grind.
ReplyDelete