GamesCon xpac reveal due to low subscriber numbers

[tru]

After 5 years being here, it's gotten so God damn boring.

People care more about numbers than whether or not the game they apparently give a shit about is getting "fixed"/improved.

Always easy to weed out who actually gives a shit vs. who's looking for a reaction.

And OP is definitely just looking for a reaction.

And youve just given it to him

[Traknel]

It doesn't take subscribers anymore. Welcome to 2015.

Well my friend, that's where you're wrong. Because people who aren't subscribed aren't buying tokens, or cash shop items, or any of the myriad other things that Blizzard has been adding to make up for all the subscribers they've already lost.

If people aren't playing, they aren't paying.

[Gadzooks]

I just want to know where your claim that they showed 7 M subs came from. Is that a number you pulled out of your butt, or is it actually on that site?

You made the claim, you show the source.

If you are saying "activity is the same, then subs should be constant", that's bullshit, since subs are a lagging indicator.

Pick a fight with someone else, like you usually do - my bad for forgetting who you are.

[Alvito]

Thanks to the token I doubt subs fell that much. While announcing an expac outside of Blizzcon hasn't happened before neither has an expac that didn't take 2 years to go live after the one prior to it did. If they stuck to announcing it at Blizzcon they either would have had to have rushed testing or they would be falling at the 2 year mark again. I know I sure as hell dont want over a year of HFC, hell I don't want a few more months of WoD.

[Endom]

*sips tea*

Well, this has been fun...

But, for serials tho, i'm simply *assuming* that the xpac being revealed earlier than Blizzcon is a gimmick-move to build hype. While gimmicky, it'll not a bad idea if there's a lot of development. Hell, we may have a beta popping up around the corner.

But, the cynical bitter side of me is *assuming* that we'really only getting a scrapped-together cinematic with a features list that'll be cut in half before launch... harken back to the "Cut of the Week" during those months prior to WoD's release.

The thing is... Blizzard has a track record of doing shit like this. Over promise, under deliver... That's my mindset going into Gamescon and the next xpac all together.

[Spinster]

Maybe I'm missing something, but why would I resub because they announce a new expac? They say stuff. They said cool stuff about WoD and it was horrible.

Yeah, I said it: HORRIBLE. The leveling was only good until you got to maybe 95-96 and then things started to fragment and players started to lose the thread of why they were even IN this place. There were some cool quests after that but they almost felt like they could have been in any WoW setting. The raids seemed pretty neat . . .if you love normal raiding. If you didn't, it was a boring disaster once you hit 100.

So why would I resub because Blizzard says stuff? They said stuff last time. Oh, I'll listen, and then I'll wait and see if they can walk the walk this time. I don't trust Blizzard anymore. I think they have big leadership issues. Thanks but I think I'll keep my money for now.

Prove it, Blizzard. Let's see if you are capable of making a decent WoW expac anymore or if you're all talk like last time.

[Deleted]

Maybe I'm missing something, but why would I resub because they announce a new expac? They say stuff. They said cool stuff about WoD and it was horrible.

Yeah, I said it: HORRIBLE. The leveling was only good until you got to maybe 95-96 and then things started to fragment and players started to lose the thread of why they were even IN this place. There were some cool quests after that but they almost felt like they could have been in any WoW setting. The raids seemed pretty neat . . .if you love normal raiding. If you didn't, it was a boring disaster once you hit 100.

So why would I resub because Blizzard says stuff? They said stuff last time. Oh, I'll listen, and then I'll wait and see if they can walk the walk this time. I don't trust Blizzard anymore. I think they have big leadership issues. Thanks but I think I'll keep my money for now.

Prove it, Blizzard. Let's see if you are capable of making a decent WoW expac anymore or if you're all talk like last time.

If you are into the raiding scene (or want to be) maybe it's worth subbing for a new expac early so you can build the alliances and relationships you'll need to raid in the new content. Maybe you'll also want to pile up gold and shit as well and that's easier to do casually over months than trying to grind it up in a few weeks or whatever.

[Mormolyce]

Don't assume that Blizzard is wanting to reveal the next expansion because they want to release it early...

Their subscription numbers are likely TERRIBLY low at the moment, and they need to build hype. For them, hype = subscriptions and monies. I'm just assuming, anyway...

Sub levels are about where they were before the massive WoD spike.

I wouldn't call being an order of magnitude greater than any other sub-based MMO (the ones that still actually have a sub) on a ten year old game "terribly low".

It's amazing this game has a sub base at all considering its age. Let alone dominating the sub based landscape.

[Gothicshark]

Don't assume that Blizzard is wanting to reveal the next expansion because they want to release it early...

Their subscription numbers are likely TERRIBLY low at the moment, and they need to build hype. For them, hype = subscriptions and monies. I'm just assuming, anyway...

What do y'all think? Seems kinda odd they don't want to wait another quarterly to reveal at Blizzcon, if only to build hype.

Although I'm sure it's a factor, I doubt it's the only reason.

1. Blizzard Devs, have wanted to up the release cycle of expansions since Cataclysm.
   
2. the Warcraft Movie is due to Release on 10 June 2016, and by Announcing Now they can squeeze in the necessary Beta time and release 7.0 in time for the movie, to create synergy hype for both.
   
3. They can give away Beta Invites with BlizzCon, and BlizzCon Pay-Per-Views, making it possible to sell more PPV's, and maybe make a small profit off of BlizzCon.

I am sure they will have a larger list of reasons, but these seem to be relevant.

[MrExcelion]

Gamescom timing is more ideal than Bcon because of Spring 2016 launch

[Gothicshark]

Gamescom timing is more ideal than Bcon because of Spring 2016 launch

June Launch, near the release of the movie to generate synergy of advertising.

[Tragedia]

June Launch, near the release of the movie to generate synergy of advertising.

Then 6.2 would last a year something they do not want to happen for the third time. Seriously WoW does not revolve around a Legendary Pictures movie.

[Mormolyce]

wow you guys are still delusional?

Here's the facts you autistic spergs.

People have LEFT the game because they DIDN'T WANT to remain subscribed, that is irrefutable fact. They decided that they wanted to stop paying for WoW, and they left, that's irrefutable fact, the number WAS THERE now it ISN'T that means they LEFT.

Let's examine this:

If just 1 person leaves, that is ONE person that realised they'd rather be doing something else than playing WoW, that is fact. The reasons for this may be numerous, lack of funds, hating the game, or moving on with their lives, there's plenty of major reasons and minor reasons why people quit, but usually, it falls into those three categories, hating gameplay, lack of funds, or moving on.

Now -- I doubt 5m+ subscirbers had SUDDEN financial issues during WoD, and I'm sure a lot of the playerbase ARE invested in WoW, and care about their characters and don't WANT to quit. So what's the remaining categorical factor that's making people quit? hating the game? yes, exactly that.

Think about how many MILLIONS of players left after heirlooms, after cataclysm, after MoP, after selfies, after timeless isle, after LFR, after WoD, you really think WoW has had a steady time these past 5-6 years? no chance. WoW has introduced so many patches that made the game progressively worse and over time people just had ENOUGH.

I guarantee, there are MORE than 4-5 million ex-wow players out there RIGHT NOW that have NO intention of returning to the game because they hate it, or don't think it's worth it. and that FACTUAL "Number" I'm afraid is worth much more than your stupid, idiotic small opinion. 5 million is much greater than your opinion, I'm afraid. and it's greater than the current WoW subscriber base.

The fact is, this game is doing badly because of numbers, and those numbers are meaningful and tell a story, and the fact that you refute that makes me sick. You are the cancer killing WoW. if you keep defending blizzard mindlessly like this, its going to solve absolutely nothing at all. You are assuring this games destruction.

We're already becoming destiny, one patch expansions (more like dlc packs) with less content than a fully-fledged expansion, and you guys STILL defend Blizzard.

For once in your goddamn life, stop mindlessly sucking blizzards dick, don't get on your hands and knees and beg for more content, threaten to quit, and then quit, and then watch as Blizzard stumbles and does their historical reactionary features.

WoW has had 100 million unique players in its lifetime but only 12 million at its peak. This means something like 10 million players have on average "quit" WoW every year, no matter what. There is no clear correlation between any particular aspect of the game you care about and sub numbers. The only noticeable trend is (a) an overall parabolic trajectory due solely to the fact IT'S OLD, and (b) occasional spikes due to briefly renewed interest when new expansions launch (really the only sizeable example of that is WoD though).

You can make up any story you like in your head about why people are leaving, and claim to know what's best for the game. But meanwhile back in the real world it's a 10 year old game that costs $15 a month to play, and the minutiae of the content styles is peanuts to that.

[Deleted]

Stop
Relating
Everything
To
Meaningless
Numbers.

Pro advice for you...

Data is king.

[Gothicshark]

Then 6.2 would last a year something they do not want to happen for the third time. Seriously WoW does not revolve around a Legendary Pictures movie.

From Announce to release of the next has always been close to a Year, they have a minimum amount of testing required, Closed secret alpha, Closed semi-secret Friends and Family pre-beta, Closed NDA Beta, Closed no-NDA Beta, Open Beta.

See: https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comment...e_speculation/

[Klingers]

Remember, Tanaan took 7 months to produce.

Reading that actually put a bit of a slightly bitter half-sneer on my face.

[Spinster]

Good news everyone! The Q2 earnings call is due out any day now. Then we can know exactly how many subs they're reporting. One of you will be right, the other will get mad and close their browser.

LOL!!!

Well I think subs are down but I won't close my browser if I'm wrong. If I left in a huff every time I am wrong . . .I'd be doing an awful lot of making that huffing sound and stomping around. Meh. Easier to just smile and say you guessed wrong. :-)

[Kaesebrezen]

the Warcraft Movie is due to Release on 10 June 2016, and by Announcing Now they can squeeze in the necessary Beta time and release 7.0 in time for the movie, to create synergy hype for both.

This doesn't make much sense. Even with a BlizzCon announcement they'd have enough time for a 5-6 month Beta to get 7.0 before the movie.

Let's take an interview with watcher from march: "In my mind, you know, six, seven months is a good amount of time for a large, hefty raid tier with, you know, thirteen bosses, fourteen bosses like Siege of Orgrimmar had to breathe. Thirteen months? That’s way too long, so that’s our goal."

Their goal overall is no more 10-12 months of nothing after the final patch. Ring+Upgrades takes exactly 6 months. If they're stretching it we're looking at 8 months.

Why announce addon now? Simple. To actually get 7.0 out to achieve this goal.

[Rhymor]

I love that people whine about having to pay for an expansion after such a short while. You paid for an expansion nearly a year ago that was the price of any other normal game you would typically buy that you would have normally played for a week - a month if you were trying to be a completionist - and then move on to find something else. At least with WoW, for all your gripes, you fuckers are still here whining about it.

[Klingers]

Remember, Tanaan took 7 months to produce.

Reading that actually put a bit of a slightly bitter half-sneer on my face.