"Legion pre-purchases are tracking in-line with the previous expansion."

[Banquetto]

Yes, but they have no continuous revenue stream at least for now - that 500 mil is from selling boxes. Well, boxes end, ask Diablo 3.

Oh, for sure, boxes do end. But there's a long tail. e.g. Diablo 3 sold 12 million in the first year, 3 million more in the next year. A lot less.. but still a lot of boxes!!

If Overwwatch made $500m in three months I have no trouble believing it could make, say, $700m by year's end. And that could be getting into the territory of challenging WoW for this year's biggest earner.

[rda]

To give you an idea, in 2013, WoW generated $1.04 billion in revenue. At that time subs were in decline, and it was the first year of Blizzard trying the microtransaction model. Of that $1.04 billion, $213 million was from microtransactions. The following year, with further declining sub numbers. microtransaction revenue increased. Now with an in-game store, and sub tokens, the trend continues.

I am sure their overall WoW revenue is down, but not nearly as bad as many would like to think.

What's the source for bolded? Not saying you are making things up, but could it be outside guesses (ie, SuperData)?

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Oh, for sure, boxes do end. But there's a long tail. e.g. Diablo 3 sold 12 million in the first year, 3 million more in the next year. A lot less.. but still a lot of boxes!!

If Overwwatch made $500m in three months I have no trouble believing it could make, say, $700m by year's end. And that could be getting into the territory of challenging WoW for this year's biggest earner.

The point is that if they go the next year without releasing a big addon (they have empty years of nothing in WoW all the time, for example), this can absolutely drop to like $200 mil or even less.

[Pann]

They have said not anything about revenue declining. Subs declining, yes. But they have been adding to microtransaction revenue in-game and via the shop that has made up for a lot of the loss of sub revenue.

To give you an idea, in 2013, WoW generated $1.04 billion in revenue. At that time subs were in decline, and it was the first year of Blizzard trying the microtransaction model. Of that $1.04 billion, $213 million was from microtransactions. The following year, with further declining sub numbers. microtransaction revenue increased. Now with an in-game store, and sub tokens, the trend continues.

I am sure their overall WoW revenue is down, but not nearly as bad as many would like to think.

I would interested to know where these figures came from as they do not match anything reported by Blizzard.

[Triskell]

Even if this is not just a marketing crap. (Why would they say they have low presales when they can say otherwise and why would you believe them when they have all the reasons to lie, they lied before AND they can't be hold accountable).
The 2 mil rabid fanboys that preorder every expansion =/= the sub numbers.

Well seeing as it was part of an Earnings Call, it is more than just "marketing crap". And if they "lie" they get fined, and sued, and share price takes a crap. But just carry on with you Blizz bashing.

[Pann]

Well seeing as it was part of an Earnings Call, it is more than just "marketing crap". And if they "lie" they get fined, and sued, and share price takes a crap. But just carry on with you Blizz bashing.

Of course it is marketing, except instead of being aimed at customers it is aimed at investors, all publicly traded companies do this. No-one is going to sue over saying that pre-orders are in line with previous expansions as it is meaningless and not material to making an investment decision.

[DarkAmbient]

If WoD ends with levels that haven't been seen since vanilla (and chances are it will since it already hit that before they stopped reporting subscription numbers), then Legion would have to sell MORE than WoD to bring numbers back up to where they were pre-WoD. Blizzard stated Legion is selling at roughly the same volume as WoD which means that Legion isn't bringing back the players like many thought it would.

The statement isn't really a good one, especially with what we know of the subscription numbers with WoD. It's fluff to appease investors but it's not as good as it first looks.

Good post. Also, "tracking in-line" could mean "the same proportion of current subscribers", so the actual number of sales could be lower than before.

[rda]

Good post. Also, "tracking in-line" could mean "the same proportion of current subscribers", so the actual number of sales could be lower than before.

If they had something substantial to say, they'd have said it. That is, if they had 2 mil preorders, they'd have said it; if they had as many or more preorders than for WoD, they'd have said it, etc. Since they don't have anything substantial to say, they say this "tracking in-line with the previous expansion" BS.

[Kelathos]

How are people getting the same numbers are before? It only said the prepurchases are the same. Not everyone prepurchases.

I prepurchase... a day or two before release.

[rda]

How are people getting the same numbers are before? It only said the prepurchases are the same. Not everyone prepurchases.

They didn't say the prepurchases are the same. They said they are "tracking in-line". If they were the same, they'd have said that they are the same, but since they went for "tracking in-line", they aren't the same (and aren't larger, because then they'd have said so plainly as well).

[TheVaryag]

From the front page.

So, I guess that means we'll be back up to 10 million~ subs for Legion launch, since that was the WoD numbers, correct?

Well, I'm happy and this is good news for our game!

Whatever the returning numbers, which I estimate around 5-7 mil at best, they'll all vanish before the New Year and we'll be down to average 3-4 mil like we were at the time of WoD. Realizing Legion will just be another bad expansion, doing fan service like never before as a desparate cry for "We're still cool, look! Things you wanted for years, we're finally giving to you... don't leave our game please"

I love Blizz, but once they start treating their customers better, and Improve on what made the game good In the first place which was the Hardcore element of It, plus the exploration and mystery I might consider paying them money for the game. And you know, unbanning me and my friends after we got banned for non sensical reasons. Ofcourse there will always be casuals on WoW, but that's not the main playerbase of WoW, It never was. Although me being a player since Vanila, I've become a bit casual too. But that's only cause they forced that on us after Cataclysm, thinking that'll be their main playerbase. Had no real choice. I'd have preferred more expansions like Wrath and TBC... TBC especially, that was nice.

[Archmage Alodi]

Good news , they will sell more after people actually play the expansion and see how good it is.

[DarkAmbient]

I think that after WoD people are being more cautious with the prepurchases and are taking a wait and see approach.

[Deleted]

I think that after WoD people are being more cautious with the prepurchases and are taking a wait and see approach.

Yes, and they waited and saw the ability holocaust. So why did they still preorder?

Do they really enjoy pressing the same button over and over again as combat? Sure it might look different at level 100, but the game pretty much forces you to make one of each class. Otherwise you miss out on most of the content. You roll a fresh hunter, aaand instant disappointment. Same for monk, rogue, lock and mage. Couldn't even bring myself to try the rest.

I really wanted to like Legion, but I just can't.

[Fenixdown]

Good news , they will sell more after people actually play the expansion and see how good it is.

Not likely. I can confirm 100% they will sell one less copy. Because it doesn't look good and I'm not being fooled a second time.

[Maudib]

From the front page.

So, I guess that means we'll be back up to 10 million~ subs for Legion launch, since that was the WoD numbers, correct?

Well, I'm happy and this is good news for our game!

Blizzard are tricky birds.... GOing into WoD we had about 7 mill subs and it jumped to 10 mill... a 43% increase... then dropped to a guestimated 3 mill or less a 70% loss loss.

If they are "on track" that could mean a 43% increase over the 3 mill... or 4.29 mill... then if we lose another 70%?

1.28 million left playing in 6-9 months.

See how numbers can be evil?

[MasterOfNone]

Not really, no. Especially since WoD will be ending with lower numbers than MoP did so would have to sell much more than WoD did.

This sums it up. It doesn't mean 10 mil. It means numbers sold. If wod ended with 5 mil less people than your typical expansion, it won't end up the same.

[Maudib]

Just log into the game and you can SEE there aren't the numbers that pre-purchased WoD. It's so bad they did CRZ to make the capitol cities APPEAR more populated... they want people to call their friends and say "Dude... people are flocking to Legion..." when in reality... they are not at all.

Tuesday will show further proof just how misleading this is... If anything will get people to log in.. it's DH.

[Relapses]

Just log into the game and you can SEE there aren't the numbers that pre-purchased WoD. It's so bad they did CRZ to make the capitol cities APPEAR more populated... they want people to call their friends and say "Dude... people are flocking to Legion..." when in reality... they are not at all.

Tuesday will show further proof just how misleading this is... If anything will get people to log in.. it's DH.

You really should loosen the grip of that tin foil hat you're wearing. It's cutting off oxygen to your brain.

[Queen of Hamsters]

WoW is but a fraction of Blizzards revenue, most of it comes from Hearthstone. It's probably profitable but not by a large margin. So even if WoW would have 1000 subs Blizzard wouldn't go bankrupt.

"Not by a large margin", and it made them 800 million dollars in a BAD year...

[Zenfoldor]

Not really, no. Especially since WoD will be ending with lower numbers than MoP did so would have to sell much more than WoD did.

LOLOLOLOLOL ok.

So to get the same number of Legion players as you did WoD players, you need to sell the same amount. So if they are saying they sold the same amount, then that means the same amount of players.

That doesn't mean 10 million players, necessarily, but it does mean that effectively the amount of players who have the new expansion will be the same(or roughly the same) that start legion.

The people who still have non-upgraded versions of the game in WoD are completely irrelevant to anything but current sub numbers(and I assume would affect those minimally). Those people also didn't buy WoD.

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I think that after WoD people are being more cautious with the prepurchases and are taking a wait and see approach.

As you basing that on anything Blizzard said, or just your anecdotal beliefs? Also, did you take into consideration that Blizzard just said to its board members that this expansions sales were in line with WoD(which destroyed expectations, because nobody really expected 10m)?

I think the exact same people who bought WoD will buy Legion, and that the numbers won't vary much until vanilla players start dying off due to old age.