Gathering Data on when you first started WOW

[Gothicshark]

Hypothosis:
"World of Warcraft players follow the standard model of population distribution."

When looking at the data it is clear that a large portion of subscriptions happened during TBC and Wrath, so going off of this I prepose that the majority of players come from this time.




Standard Model based on current estimate of subscriptions.

Vanillia WOW: SD +2 (~2%) = 140,000 subscriptions
TBC: SD +1 (~14%) = 980,000 subscriptions
Wrath: Median (~68%) = 4,760,000 subscriptions
Cat: SD +1 (~14%) = 980,000 subscriptions
Mop: SD +2 (~2%) = 140,000 subscriptions

Standard Model Weighted to vanilla/TBC players
6% 420,000
16% 1,120,000
65% 4,550,000
12% 840,000
1% 70,000

Standard Model Weighted to Wrath
1% 70,000
12% 840,000
74% 5,180,000
12% 840,000
1% 70,000

Standard Model Weighted to New
1% 70,000
12% 840,000
65% 4,550,000
16% 1,120,000
6% 420,000

Poll included is based on these time periods, so I can create a graph based on what is said to be when you started playing. Please be honest with the poll it will be blind so no one will see when you say you first played.

[jallfo]

Played the RTS and was a part of the original open beta. So... to answer your question. too long.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, you aren't taking into account selection bias with this poll. A lot of people are going to make an excuse for how they started playing earlier... also MMO champion isn't even close to being a representative section of the total WOW population.

[Elodeon]

Wow, it's fascinating that I seem to be the first person (after 20 voters before me) who first subscribed after TBC (Late Wrath for me). So far, everyone else voted they first subscribed in Early TBC, or before that.

That's interesting. It might indicate that Mmo-Champion hasn't been very successful at spreading its name among the newer players.

Or, if the distribution changes as this thread becomes more popular, it might mean that primarily the older players frequent the forums, and participate in new threads.

[Indiglo]

Wow, it's fascinating that I seem to be the first person (after 20 voters before me) who first subscribed after TBC (Late Wrath for me). So far, everyone else voted they first subscribed in Early TBC, or before that.

That's interesting. It might indicate that Mmo-Champion hasn't been very successful at spreading its name among the newer players.

Topic is still fairly new, time will tell though.

[jallfo]

Wow, it's fascinating that I seem to be the first person (after 20 voters before me) who first subscribed after TBC (Late Wrath for me). So far, everyone else voted they first subscribed in Early TBC, or before that.

That's interesting. It might indicate that Mmo-Champion hasn't been very successful at spreading its name among the newer players.

Like I said, I think it's more of the fact that people are more eager to share (or lie) about the fact that they have been playing for a long time than they are to be like "yea I'm new".

Besides, the crowd here is much more involved than most players.

[Deleted]

Hypothosis:
"World of Warcraft players follow the standard model of population distribution."

Why do you think that they follow a normal distribution?

[Danuru]

How should I vote? I've played the RTS games, but I didn't start playing WoW until 'Early Wrath'. I did do a lot of Warcraft 3 before that though, lol.

[Mormolyce]

You should really filter these results by whether the person is still playing or not, these forums have a lot of people in them who no longer play so if you want a view of what WoW's CURRENT playerbase looks like you'd have to exclude them.

*EDIT*

Wait, I also think you're throwing this way off by having pre-WoW as an option. I started playing WoW in mid-Wrath but I've played the RTS since Warcraft 1.

- - - Updated - - -

Why do you think that they follow a normal distribution?

Probably via the Central Limit Theorem.

[dacoolist]

According to Blizzard Billing, I started August, 2005. BUT I REALLY started actually PLAYING August 2007.

(Let my account go frozen after the first month because I just didn't have time to commit to the fantastic game WoW was back in 2005, Buddies got me back in August 2007).

BigUp's

[Super Kami Dende]

OH I didn't read them Right, I chose Before AQ, since I thought the First Choice was Beta.

Have played Warcraft since WCII released on Playstation with the main game and Beyond the dark portal expansion.

Started Play WoW in Jan 2005 missed the first couple of Months.

[Aphrel]

i think mmo-champion has alot higher percentage of "old" players then the overall wowpopulation. asfor the standard deviation, i think alot less ppl played wc1 and 2 then played wc3.

[lopk]

Okay, slightly confused. Your poll asks when I started playing Warcraft (which for me was the RTS before WoW was released), but your hypothesis mentions specifically World of Warcraft (which for me was early TBC). Since the majority of your post revolves around subscriptions, I'll just go with the latter.

[Hexotic]

started in the rts as well, played all of open beta, a crappy paly till lvl 35 lol

[Daetur]

I started playing in April 2005. I'd watched my older brother play the RTS games beforehand, but never played them myself until shortly after starting WoW.

[Pisholina]

I played Warcraft 2 back in ~2000 on Play Station 1.

[Dirdie]

Played all the warcraft RTS games while they were hot and fresh. Didn't start playing wow until the very end of vanilla early BC

[Tyresias]

I selected early TBC didnt play in vanilla but played the rts games to death when they came out

[Xayl1]

I started in mid to early TBC. I remember Zul'Aman came out just after I started playing.

[Fauve]

Started playing in the Ulduar patch I think.

[Azutael]

I played some WC2, but I was so little back then I can't remember much of it.
Played WC3 extensively though, and started WoW a few months after launch.