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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. ZazuuPriest's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Immitis View Post
    i have but usually only when im playing at odd hours or if i forget to do one and its late in the week. however i almost always am doing something else while im qued so the majority of the time i dont really care how long its taking
    True that i usually run Kara or TK while im waiting since you can solo them now, kills time, i get good looking gear (something we havent seen since BC) and it brings back happy memories butt fuck it i started playing tera and the battle/healing system in that game is about 10x more engaging than wow
  1. Cosmic Janitor's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Immitis View Post
    does anyone have the exact article from a while back? or was it a tweet? i cant remember. but something like 3 million people who pet battle regularly or something. that would actually be more than all of the raiders to.

    so if im remembering correctly that means there are more people that pet battle than raiders *including lfr* and pvpers.

    but less than a million people pvp anyways so having more people means nothing in that regard

    ---------- Post added 2013-02-08 at 12:06 AM ----------



    chen stormstout is the greatest character in the history of warcraft
    Did they also state what they conasider "regularly" ? I bring myself to grind my pets up at least one level every 2 months, by the very definition of the word that means im doing it on a regular basis. Statistical comments like these from blizzard are just hollow phrases if you don't know the circumstances. Its the same with the the once a month people logging in in china to see of their shit is still there. Way too vage to make a good argument for or against anything if you don't have all the data.
  1. Magpai's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by bigjohnburger View Post
    obviously it's not going to be 9.6, that's wow current and dropping numbers. Elder Scrolls franchise is known for making amazing games and I'm sure whatever they bring out will take a chunk out of wow subs.
    So in other words, yes, you did completely fabricate that number. Gotcha.

    ---------- Post added 2013-02-08 at 05:20 AM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by bigjohnburger View Post
    It's an mmo. So that being the case maybe from the Massively multiplayer...
    Blizzard has multiple servers for a reason, and it should be obvious why they don't let people transfer for free, but if it's not obvious to you then you're not gonna believe my explanation.
  1. KrazyK923's Avatar
    TIL this about these numbers:

    a.) A small loss of 500k is actually huge.
    b.) The most popular MMORPG is dying now.
    c.) Mike Morrhaime will come out and say most of the losses were in the East despite it being illegal.
    d.) Ghostcrawler sucks but give him a break because he doesn't run everything on his own.

    God I love conflicting posts like these.
  1. Celista's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Magpai View Post
    I'm in the second best Alliance/5th best overall guild on my server and my guild doesn't expect shit from us except some basic encounter knowledge, flasks and potions. There are plenty of less demanding guilds out there that still succeed. If you will settle for no less than the very cutting edge of progression, but aren't willing to take advantage of every avenue offered toward that goal, then that's a fundamental disconnect that is your own fault, not Blizzard's.

    You (and about a billion other players) are complaining because Blizzard gives you a lot of options for improving your character and you feel "compelled" to do them all because of your own choices and goals.
    I call BS or you are the GM of your guild or are otherwise in a secure raid spot, competitive guilds mean that you have constant pressure to maximize your performance in raid encounters.

    You only have options regarding how you earn your valor in this expansion once you have earned the required rep to spend it, which can only be acquired through dailies. That is not choice. Having a crap ton of dailies is fine, next time remove the rep requirement or offer alternative ways to rep grind.

    I have no issues with dailies but I do have an issue with them being required if you want to spend your valor.

    Quote Originally Posted by Magpai View Post
    The person I quoted was answering my question about how many subs ELDER SCROLLS had, not WoW. But by all means continue giving me reading advice, lol.
    Good lord /headdesk. Obviously that went completely over your head.
  1. Cosmic Janitor's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ZazuuPriest View Post
    The person I quoted was answering my question about how many subs ELDER SCROLLS had, not WoW. But by all means continue giving me reading advice, lol.
    And yet you clearly didn't get the joke.
  1. MrSerious's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Immitis View Post
    chen stormstout is the greatest character in the history of warcraft
    judging by your avatar I can see you love the panda's. Sure some people have embraced them but they are still a strange addition. a single character from a moba game is expanded into a new wow expansion. I still think they went off the path in more than one way. Quests, and dungeons should use the lore they have. Its deep and involving. To turn their back on it and introduce a random race was in miy opinion a bad idea.

    I would of continued with the legion story and introduced pandas that way, as an ancient enemy to them that help you out. Not base an entire expansion around them, I still suspect its because over 70% of their player base is chinese.

    As much as I enjoy the lore, WoW is pretty much dead to me until the next expansion perhaps. not too sure why I'm bothering to post.
  1. Cradleofdawn's Avatar
    The lower the better, more lewts less exploit and botting! Thumbs up!
  1. bigjohnburger's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Magpai View Post
    So in other words, yes, you did completely fabricate that number. Gotcha

    Blizzard has multiple servers for a reason, and it should be obvious why they don't let people transfer for free, but if it's not obvious to you then you're not gonna believe my explanation.
    It was a joke, you don't get out much do you? And you're saying if people can't play the game the way its meant to be played they should just sit there and keep forking out money when they can't play? You can't do anything in wow except quest without other people. And if you think it's so obvious then enlighten me with a non laughable reason.
  1. Alayea's Avatar
    Way late to the party, but I'll do it anyway:

    Duck and cover!!!11!
  1. Roidrage17's Avatar
    Ok 1st off I want to get this out of the way I have not played WoW since Wrath but do want to state somthing to some of these haters right fast and I know my grammer is goin suck. But for 1 go here
    WoW was at 9.1mil subs last year now at 9.6mil so that is 500k sub gain since then so basicly what happend was MoP came out old players came back some didn't like and some did and stayed and we lost some not saying that was all the 500k but prob most. and here is some math for you to understand that this is not a HUGE lost.
    with 10 mil subs WoW made $150000000 monthly and $1800000000 yearly
    With 9.6mil subs WoW makes $144000000 monthly and $1728000000 Yearly
    So with the lost of 400k subs they lose $6000000 Monthly and $72000000 Yearly
    but last year they only had 9.1mil subs so thats a gain since then of 500k subs so the gain in money since then would be
    $7500000 Monthly and $90000000 Yearly So you say they are doin bad and lost a huge amount of money? I say no they prob know that #of subs will go up when a new xpac releases and then go back down when the buzz is gone I would bet everything I own that they accounted on a lose in subs and prob even accounted on a bigger lost then what happened so I will say to you the game is not diying or even close prob got another xpac mabey 2 left in it unless a BIG game drops or unless blizz cuts the cord with titan(prob how wow will die). Pls stop making these post cause all ppl see is a lost not the fact that in the big picture they have gained money income over the last year. plus the money made from Blizz store items, transfers, name change, and race change. So this game is not even close to diying it is bumping live and well just cause it's not in the golden era of WoW any more is shit if you like it or not the game is alive and well. I havn't played in a few years and been playing other MMOs today none of which made me fell the same as WoW used to but WoW can't make me fell that way any more either. Do I love the game no is it a good game yes so play it or not you gotta give it to blizz for makeing the top running MMO out for 7-8years and prob end up 10-11years before they shut it down. I will end saying this WoW will end when blizz says for it to end not a min before. Thank you have a nice day
  1. Dch48's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rupture91 View Post
    Omg WoW is dying! No but seriously who the hell cares? I'd still play even if they only had 500k players.
    Me too. I don't rate my games based on how many others are playing it.

    ---------- Post added 2013-02-08 at 12:33 AM ----------

    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?
    I would venture to say that that will never happen.
  1. shadowmouse's Avatar
    The only thing that has changed is the devs.
    Sigh. No, look in the mirror. Depending on when you (and others) started playing, you're up to eight years older. Hopefully, things have changed in your life. The international economy and general stability of our world has changed. You've likely graduated from college, possibly from high school too. If you haven't gotten married and/or had kids yet, numerous others have. MMOs in general have become just another form of entertainment, instead of something cool and new. The player base has probably changed more than any other element; that is in no small part due to those who have been playing for years and wonder why -- after 20+ hours per week -- the game doesn't hold their absolute interest as it once did. When you get married, you will also find that there comes a time when you can see your partner naked and not immediately tackle them for hours of sweaty make out. Welcome to getting older.

    TV shows and even many marriages are doing well if they survive half as long as WoW has. The ZOMG subs went down schtick has gotten to be like watching ducks fed at a pond: "Look, here comes the bread/another report ... everyone run around, flap your wings and quack!"
  1. KCguy's Avatar
    An 8 year old game with a monthly fee and it STILL has close to 10 million subs. I really don't care what people say negativity wise. To me, that is absolutely incredible. Mists of Pandaria is also (to me anyways) one of the best expansions Blizzard has ever released. It doesn't beat BC, but it is still up there. Lastly, nothing lasts forever and I still enjoy the game, so I will continue until it stops being so.
  1. bigjohnburger's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by bungeebungee View Post
    Sigh. No, look in the mirror. Depending on when you (and others) started playing, you're up to eight years older. Hopefully, things have changed in your life. The international economy and general stability of our world has changed. You've likely graduated from college, possibly from high school too. If you haven't gotten married and/or had kids yet, numerous others have. MMOs in general have become just another form of entertainment, instead of something cool and new. The player base has probably changed more than any other element; that is in no small part due to those who have been playing for years and wonder why -- after 20+ hours per week -- the game doesn't hold their absolute interest as it once did. When you get married, you will also find that there comes a time when you can see your partner naked and not immediately tackle them for hours of sweaty make out. Welcome to getting older.
    I'm talking about the game, a good game should evolve and keep players around no matter the circumstances. If wow was still good I would be playing, as I'm sure many people would be. Yes there are people who don't have the time to play but those are far fewer than those who just want a game because you can just adjust your play time, not needing to completely give it up. My brother's psychologist at UCI plays wow and he's 30+. Games are a good way to take your mind off stresses.
  1. Zaqwert's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Pancaspe View Post
    It is so hilarious to watch the pathetic predictions, or should I say pleading, of The Haters.

    WOW has AT LEAST 20 Years left.

    That is a long time to hate.
    Weren't you the one predicing that MOP would bring WoW to over 15 million subscribers easily?
  1. mmoc5f651aac41's Avatar
    500k is a high number but the game is also getting "old" so it didnt really surprise me.
  1. Balir's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by sTyLnK View Post
    An 8 year old game with a monthly fee and it STILL has close to 10 million subs. I really don't care what people say negativity wise. To me, that is absolutely incredible. Mists of Pandaria is also (to me anyways) one of the best expansions Blizzard has ever released. It doesn't beat BC, but it is still up there. Lastly, nothing lasts forever and I still enjoy the game, so I will continue until it stops being so.
    These are my thoughts exactly. Well said.
  1. Gratlim's Avatar
    500 just as I thought. I hoped it would be less..

    It's the bill for a terrible season 12 combined with dailygrinding for pve (imo) while making low level pvp the worst experience ever with non-scaled basline resilience at 40% and god mode priests. I expect those to pick up in 5.2 with pvp weapon for honor and nerfs though.

    Raiding in MoP is top, no reason to subs to fall as fast as in Cata
  1. Arganaut's Avatar
    It's not really rocket science.
    1) WOW continued to be a hugely popular game and MMO leader by a long way
    2) the fact that MOP was 3rd biggest selling game proves that many remain attracted to WOW
    3) the fact that there has been (proportionally) a large % decline proves there were aspects of the game that people were not happy with and their response was to unsubscribe. Speculate away... I'm Going with dailies and alt-repeat ability
    4) we're at the end of the patch where folks have ran out of things to do, and on the brink of the next big patch, can we anticipate a % return
    5) Blizzard will listen and address those areas they got wrong. The game will move forward with continued popularity with Blizzard adapting the game to suit the audience. Occasionally getting things wrong but on the whole getting the package right.

    The end.

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