WoW Lost ZERO subscriptions over the last 9 months.

[Pann]

WoW losing subs when there's no new content is a myth. Subs went up in Sunwell, up slightly in ICC, and didn't decline much in DS (despite the overall downward slope by that point). It just does not show up at the net subscriber level. More powerful factors drown it out.

The increase in subs during ICC was most likely due to the release of Wrath in China masking any Western losses.

[ablib]

Because you, personally, have that data detailing the specific reason or reasons that millions of people chose to do something right? And more importantly, do you always talk out of your ass?

No I do not have any concrete data on sub losses. No one other than Blizzard has that. However, I do have intelligence and reasoning on my side. And never talk out of my ass.

You do realize that even at a 'paltry' 7.6 million subs WoW brings in over $110 million dollars a month right?

Do you have the data that supports that Blizzard brought in $110 million from those 7.6 million subs?

[Adramalech]

We'll see if you are still playing this tune with Q2 reports

While a loss is completely expected for Q2... it's not like the tune you're singing now wasn't played every quarter recently. And we both saw how that turned out.

Better not talk out of your ass before we actually know the numbers. Yes, it's almost sure there will be a loss. Possibly big. But those are the keywords here: "almost sure" and "possibly". A big loss was expected in Q1 as well, and look at what happened. It's not the first time it happens, either. I prefer to bite my own tongue and not speak as if I can see the future.

No I do not have any concrete data on sub losses. No one other than Blizzard has that. However, I do have intelligence and reasoning on my side. And never talk out of my ass.

Intelligence and reasoning. So you're saying that your intelligence and reasoning dictates that over 2 million people quit over the same thing. Yeah, sure, "intelligence".

You do talk out of your ass. You're assuming things you have no way of knowing and mask it as intelligence and common sense. It isn't.

[FellishBeast]

Even when WoW was at 12 million people found a way to piss on it. "Because it is popular doesn't mean it is good, yada yada."

So..now you guys should go..."Hey, we are at TBC and Classic numbers - game was best then cause..you know..numbers..so..because numbers ...it is as good as in TBC"

This made my night.

[Mormolyce]

You wait for WoD with little to do, you see the preorder, you think it's going to be soon, you make the preorder and continue playing. Add eager preparation for WoD. Possibly using character boost as part of that preparation.

Shrug.

WoD's taking the same amount of time as every other xpac, not that you'd know it from the QQ.

I previously thought subs didn't decline during DS because DS added LFR. But maybe you are right.

Possibly, Blizzard may know but we can only guess why subs move as they do. All we have to go on is three-month updates of net subs.

[Mefistophelis]

Well i guess most people are farming gold/gear/whatever for wod launch. And you know how that one heirloom you still haven't got off of Garrosh hurts ...

[Mormolyce]

The increase in subs during ICC was most likely due to the release of Wrath in China masking any Western losses.

Would everyone stop bringing China into it? Chinese players are no less WoW players than Western ones are.

Anyway it's total speculation as Blizzard stopped splitting their numbers years ago.

[Deleted]

good news imo

It shows how wow players are retarted to pay for no content. That will only encourage blizzard to release major patches every 10 months or so, because why rush if dollars are still coming in...

Sorry I was one of them but not anymore

[Ghostile]

What I love the most in these threads about subs, is how everyone misses one solid point in the sub rise and decline.


No product in the world exists, that hasn't followed this.

[ablib]

Intelligence and reasoning. So you're saying that your intelligence and reasoning dictates that over 2 million people quit over the same thing. Yeah, sure, "intelligence".

You do talk out of your ass. You're assuming things you have no way of knowing and mask it as intelligence and common sense. It isn't.

I stated the chief complaints with MoP as possible reasons for the 1st year sub losses. If you want to ignore those as MoP chief complaints, or don't agree that they were chief complaints, then that's fine. However, I refuse to argue with someone people who are on an intellectual level that is lower than me. It's like arguing with school children.

[thoruga]

Yes, the game sucks so bad that people payed $50 to pre-order an expansion 8 months in advance and another $15 per month to keep playing.

I have no idea why anyone would think pre-orders helped keep people subscribed. If you are unhappy with the game, are you really going to spend $50 that far in advance for an expansion. To me, common sense would be that people who were going to unsubcribe would be the last ones who would pre-order and expansion. The people who pre-ordered are people who are very sure they will be playing WoD, and therefore probably pretty happy with the state of the game... not the other way around.

You're looking from the wrong angle. I believe preorders had a huge effect in stabilizing subscribe numbers, because it contains a character boost as well. Not always people quit the game because they think it's bad. Some people who are done with SoO might have unsubbed until next expansion but when pre-order has a character boost now they can try that other classes they wanted to play but didn't because leveling was a chore, and since they are already sure they'd be back in next expansion why not pre-order and remain subscribed for a few more months, trying new characters.

[rda]

What I love the most in these threads about subs, is how everyone misses one solid point in the sub rise and decline.

...

No product in the world exists, that hasn't followed this.

LOL

Coca-Cola.

[Ghostile]

LOL

Coca-Cola.

It has risen, but might not be declining yet.

[Mormolyce]

For the old expansions you are right. But it was true for Cataclysm->MoP

Too early to say for MoP.

DS release: Dec 2011. MoP release Oct 2012.



As I read this graph, Q1 2012 was something like 10.2 million, Q3 2012 was 10 million.

Q2 2012 is only one data point and frankly looks like an outlier.

[ablib]

I am actually puzzled at why WoW didn't lose any subs.

It's actually not difficult to see. It's clever releasing of content.

If you look at the graph on the front page, you see that in Sept of 2013 subs were at 7.6 million. These numbers were taken before the release of Siege of Orgrimmar. The next report comes in December of 2013 shows that subs were at 7.8 million, a 200k increase due to the release of Siege. The next report after that is this last one, that shows 200k lost at 7.6 million again. This shows that Siege has got old, and 200k left.

While Blizzard apologists like to blindly back Blizzard up with no intellectual reasoning behind it, Blizzard haters do the same thing. Both parties give subjective, personal reasons for sub losses without any real intellectual thought behind it.

However if you intelligently, and objectively look at these graphs and closely follow Blizzard's actions and news and pair them up, it's quite easy to see what causes the graphs to go up and down.

[Deleted]

I have unsubbed 4 times during MoP. Currently unsubbed as of January 2014. Not gonna touch the game until WoD.

[rda]

It has risen, but might not be declining yet.

Then why exactly assume WoW's "product cycle" is in the "decline" stage and the decline that we have is not simply an anomaly of the "growth" stage?

The truth is, things are much more complex than this chart. You can't point to it and say "hey, that's why".

[Adramalech]

I stated the chief complaints with MoP as possible reasons for the 1st year sub losses. If you want to ignore those as MoP chief complaints, or don't agree that they were chief complaints, then that's fine. However, I refuse to argue with someone people who are on an intellectual level that is lower than me. It's like arguing with school children.

Were they, though? Maybe. You'd be very silly, however, to assume that even if it was a chief complaint, that it was the reason a majority of over 2 million people had for quitting. The fact that you take complaints on forums and apply them as the number 1 reason speaks volumes of your so called superior intelligence. For all I know, you could be right. But you could be wrong, too. Don't come to me about watching their behaviour along with the graphs, I'm not blind.

On that point, it's good to know that those who don't agree with you are on an intellectual level below you. I, too, win arguments by dismissing the opposition as intellectually inferior.

I guess you're right about one thing though, it's not worth bothering to argue. With you, that is. You'll just dismiss everything by claiming superior intellect. You should get off your high horse though, you're not half as intelligent as you think you are, even if you like to claim otherwise.

But in the end, I'd rather not get into pety arguments over WoW subscriptions and attacks on someone's intelligence. Don't bother replying to me if you can't make a post without those. Kinda ruins the mood.

[Ghostile]

Then why exactly assume WoW's "product cycle" is in the "decline" stage and the decline is not simply an anomaly of the "growth" stage?

The truth is, things are much more complex than this chart. You can't point to it and say "hey, that's why".

There are more than the product age, but that is definitely something that should be taken into account.

As someone said sometime ago somewhere "it's not about losing subscribers, it's about not getting new subscribers"
The game and the current MMO genre no longer appeals to the new crowd, thus the normal flow of players is starting to get one sided, thus "bleeding subscribers"

[Cosmic Janitor]

The artificial inflation of the "here have the game for alost nothing, as long as you pay us a month" just ebbed away within a quarter. Well kinda. In reality it will be a superposition of bored players unsubbing and some returners not staying for long. These are essentially the numbers after they released one of the best raids in a long time and massivly pushed for previous players to return. Unless they have some major marketing ploy for the next 3 months, its a downward trend which will probabably increase over the next couple of months until it changes shortly before WoD's release, turns around and spikes again at launch. I doubt that they will get back all of the lost subs though.