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WoW Down to 9.6 Million Subscribers
Activision Blizzard's press release states that World of Warcraft is down to 9.6 million subscribers as of December 31, 2012. This is lower than the amount of subscribers from the "over 10 million" announced for Q3 2012. A few other interesting points:

  • Mists of Pandaria was the #3 best-selling PC game at retail.
  • Diablo III was the #1 best-selling PC game at retail, breaking PC-game sales records with more than 12 million copies sold worldwide through December 31, 2012.
This article was originally published in forum thread: WoW Down to 9.6 Million Subscribers started by chaud View original post
Comments 954 Comments
  1. Mondroc's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Garian View Post
    A 500k drop in subs is huge. Especially if they are in the U.S. or Europe.
    500k is more then most other P2P mmo's have in active players. Give me a break.
  1. Dispirit's Avatar
    i'm more surprised that D3 sales continued to climb so high considering it's reputation.
  1. Courierrawr's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Mondroc View Post
    500k is more then most other P2P mmo's have in total. Give me a break.
    So what? A decline is a decline, WoW's "golden age" is long over, the game is going to keep losing players, will you still be using that defense when it's down to 3 million players?
  1. Crummy's Avatar
    Oh noes.
    I fear that the worst of conversations and topics are about to being.....
    Anyway, nice to see Diablo doing so well
  1. Mondroc's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Courierrawr View Post
    So what? A decline is a decline, WoW's "golden age" is long over, the game is going to keep losing players, will you still be using that defense when it's down to 3 million players?
    Yup, because it's true. You say that 9.6 million is a game dying.. What does that say for every other mmo out there? Already dead? Or is it purely on how fast you're going down not total numbers? Or are you just scewing things so you have an arguement? Hmm?
  1. Korthas's Avatar
    I don't think there is any doubt that WoW's popularity is waning. But the fact of the matter is that it is still the 900lb gorilla and at the current rate of decline it still will be for another year maybe two.

    Unless something big comes along to really siphon off users that is.
  1. mmoc5e6c40f22c's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Mondroc View Post
    500k is more then most other P2P mmo's have in active players. Give me a break.
    Doesn't really matter, it's a huge loss of many of those are in Europe/US and will mean a whole less money for them. Grinding Dailys and stuff all day doesn't seem to have been that liked afterall, so people were right that the whole double rep for factions and other things were a saving throw by Blizzard.
  1. Assumi's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Mondroc View Post
    500k is more then most other P2P mmo's have in active players. Give me a break.
    God you fanboys never quit.
  1. mmoc614a3ed308's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Mondroc View Post
    500k is more then most other P2P mmo's have in active players. Give me a break.
    You are putting a positive spin on a huge loss.

    How many people do you think play in the U.S. and Europe? 2+ million respectively? Losing 1/4 of your market in one of those places is not something that you can just ignore.
  1. mmocabce60bc47's Avatar
    Yay. An end of the market stranglehold is on the horizon. Good news.
  1. Bareno's Avatar
    Shortest news post ever? lolololol....
  1. aeir's Avatar
    I just think a lot of players have given the game 'another' chance, but too many are burnt out.
  1. Courierrawr's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Mondroc View Post
    Yup, because it's true. You say that 9.6 million is a game dying.. What does that say for every other mmo out there? Already dead? Or is it purely on how fast you're going down not total numbers? Or are you just scewing things so you have an arguement? Hmm?
    Would you mind pointing out where I said dying? Oh right I didn't.

    Decline =/= Dying
  1. Yunru's Avatar
    I bet dailys killed those subs. It was overkill realy.
  1. Aeluron Lightsong's Avatar
    WoW isn't going to *die* for years. No matter what haters and "It's still a lot." going to say. It'll come back up I can guarentee it.
  1. fangless's Avatar
    What a funny article.

    A game is only down to 9.6 MILLION.

    Wasn't it supposed to be dying in Cataclysm too?



    /shrug

    12 million, 1 million, I still log in to do my own thing regardless.
  1. Cilon's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Courierrawr View Post
    So what? A decline is a decline, WoW's "golden age" is long over, the game is going to keep losing players, will you still be using that defense when it's down to 3 million players?
    Well at 3 million it would still be the largest active MMO...
  1. Zokten's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Mondroc View Post
    Yup, because it's true. You say that 9.6 million is a game dying.. What does that say for every other mmo out there? Already dead? Or is it purely on how fast you're going down not total numbers? Or are you just scewing things so you have an arguement? Hmm?
    Declining numbers is a game "dying" how long it takes is anyone's guess at this point.

    Are the other MMOs in a pretty good decline also? Some are yes, and those would be dying too.
  1. Farora's Avatar
    500k is huge, especially considering the 10 million number is hugely inflated. The 500k loss has to be in Europe/US, so a big deal.
  1. Sargerus's Avatar
    9.6 million subs after 8 years is insane, WoW isn't going F2P anytime soon

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