Possible leak?

[Pohut]

I was on one of “those” websites, and a reputable WoW leaker had a since removed post up regarding a potential leak from Blizzard.
The story goes their Sub count has been leaked by accident (not a disgruntled employee or anything dramatic like that), including a very in-depth breakdown of the splits between accounts that only play Classic, only play Retail, and those that play both. Her source informed her, without mentioning specific numbers, that it painted quite a grim picture for Classic outside the initial 6-8 weeks.
From what she said, Blizzard are aware of the leak, and are seriously considering releasing the information themselves rather than it coming from an unknown source.
If the leak is true, what do you expect it to reveal?

[arkanon]

I was on one of “those” websites, and a reputable WoW leaker had a since removed post up regarding a potential leak from Blizzard.
The story goes their Sub count has been leaked by accident (not a disgruntled employee or anything dramatic like that), including a very in-depth breakdown of the splits between accounts that only play Classic, only play Retail, and those that play both. Her source informed her, without mentioning specific numbers, that it painted quite a grim picture for Classic outside the initial 6-8 weeks.
From what she said, Blizzard are aware of the leak, and are seriously considering releasing the information themselves rather than it coming from an unknown source.
If the leak is true, what do you expect it to reveal?

Im always skeptical of leaks, however, I am also stunned that at no point since they stopped releasing sub counts has there been a reputable leak of the numbers or a breakdown.

If anything, I expect it to show a very healthy playerbase for retail, something that might surprise some people. SL seems to have reinvigorated the player base, and i would love to know an accurate number - although to be fair, it really doesnt impact me in any way.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I would take it with a grain of salt unless Blizzard puts out official numbers.

[Newname1234567890]

I mean if it's true I doubt they'll do anything?

Wow and wow classic are sold as a package. It would be no different then if no one played a game mode on the lastest Call of Duty, they still bought the game.

Maybe no TBC classic I guess?

[arkanon]

I mean if it's true I doubt they'll do anything?

Wow and wow classic are sold as a package. It would be no different then if no one played a game mode on the lastest Call of Duty, they still bought the game.

Maybe no TBC classic I guess?

Well to be fair, if all they play is warzone, no purchase is required. However I do understand your PoV. Obviously they keep track of the split, but you are right in saying it doesnt really matter to them, so long as you pay and play. It could/would obviously have some bearing on their decision to move forward with Classic TBC, although to be fair, i doubt much would stop them doing that at this point. If other rumors are to be believed, they are pretty far along in the process already, so would seem pointless not to.

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I would take it with a grain of salt unless Blizzard puts out official numbers.

Yeah and i think thats the most interesting part here - apparently that is seriously being considered by those involved. As you say though, grain of salt and all that.

[Smash Adams]

Really not sure what the fascination is with sub counts. Who gives a shit what the Classic numbers are? Who gains anything by Blizzard publicizing high or low numbers?

[Dakhath]

Didn't this happen a year or so ago, some big addon dev had somehow got the sub numbers and was going to post them but it turned out they were complete bullshit?

[Big Thanks]

Ti-hi-hi

Themepark MMO's, am i right?
Always the same flaw

Everything is seasonal and huge production costs to keep the masses happy for....1 month? 2 months?

Sandpark MMO's are the future.

[arkanon]

Ti-hi-hi

Themepark MMO's, am i right?
Always the same flaw

Everything is seasonal and huge production costs to keep the masses happy for....1 month? 2 months?

Sandpark MMO's are the future.

Are you trying to say Sandbox? If so........what are you trying to say? The leak supposedly says that CLASSIC lost a surprisingly high number of players...

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Didn't this happen a year or so ago, some big addon dev had somehow got the sub numbers and was going to post them but it turned out they were complete bullshit?

Pretty much yeah, infact it supposedly happened previously as well, cant rmeember when though? But according to OP, this is Blizzards OWN data that has leaked, rather than some random fansite or addon creator. Believe it or not is another story, but thats what they are saying from what i can understand.

[Belloc]

Realistically, the leak is probably false. How convenient would it be to have Classic sub numbers leak right around the time that Classic subs have become a popular topic? It's just like when a new expansion is on the horizon -- expansion "leaks" are everywhere.

The numbers don't matter in the slightest and there are two reasons why:

• Classic will always have enough subs to justify leaving a certain number of servers open.
• TBC Classic will be announced soon.

And that's going to be the new WoW cycle -- Classic expansion followed by Retail expansion. If we ever exhaust all but the most recent of Classic expansions, then Blizzard will go the Diablo route and introduce Classic Seasons. Are you ready for Classic Season 2? All raids unlocked at release, who will clear Naxxramas the fastest??

[arkanon]

Realistically, the leak is probably false. How convenient would it be to have Classic sub numbers leak right around the time that Classic subs have become a popular topic? It's just like when a new expansion is on the horizon -- expansion "leaks" are everywhere.

The numbers don't matter in the slightest and there are two reasons why:

• Classic will always have enough subs to justify leaving a certain number of servers open.
• TBC Classic will be announced soon.

And that's going to be the new WoW cycle -- Classic expansion followed by Retail expansion. If we ever exhaust all but the most recent of Classic expansions, then Blizzard will go the Diablo route and introduce Classic Seasons. Are you ready for Classic Season 2? All raids unlocked at release, who will clear Naxxramas the fastest??

I wasnt aware they had become a popular topic? I mean the arguments been raging since long before classic was even announced, with players making ridiculous claims about how popular a "classic" version of vanilla would be. I think my favorite was the guy that campaigned for months on the platform that classic could maintain a sub count over 200,000,000 players.

I assumed it was a troll, but this dude kept at it on multiple forums for MONTHS, and put HOURS of work into breaking down numbers, quote mining, databases - it was nuts. They genuinely believed it was drawing from a pool of 400,000,000 players, and that around 300,000,000 would "try" classic, and it would settle around 200,000,000.

Anyway the point im making is i was not aware there was any increase in the discussion. I guess because its at the end of its life?

[munkeyinorbit]

I was on one of “those” websites, and a reputable WoW leaker had a since removed post up regarding a potential leak from Blizzard.
The story goes their Sub count has been leaked by accident (not a disgruntled employee or anything dramatic like that), including a very in-depth breakdown of the splits between accounts that only play Classic, only play Retail, and those that play both. Her source informed her, without mentioning specific numbers, that it painted quite a grim picture for Classic outside the initial 6-8 weeks.
From what she said, Blizzard are aware of the leak, and are seriously considering releasing the information themselves rather than it coming from an unknown source.
If the leak is true, what do you expect it to reveal?

I hope that it doesn't hurt TBC Classic. With the dramatic decrease in WoW Classic Blizzard might seriously think twice about bothering to release TBCC. An increased cost for a surge in numbers for two months? I think of the people that came back for Classic are pretty much the same people who will come back for TBCC. I think this "leak" might be the end for TBBC.

[arkanon]

I hope that it doesn't hurt TBC Classic. With the dramatic decrease in WoW Classic Blizzard might seriously think twice about bothering to release TBCC. An increased cost for a surge in numbers for two months? I think of the people that came back for Classic are pretty much the same people who will come back for TBCC. I think this "leak" might be the end for TBBC.

I certainly hope not, and as said previously, rumors suggest they are pretty far along with development already. If anything, it might just mean they pull back on support / marketing for it, and go for a more subdued release.

[Varitok]

There is so much doom and gloom for classic despite it making up half of all subs as of the last quarterly report. I just cannot believe anything about it because of the endless pit of hate.

[Gilvain]

Well, duh, the numbers for Classic have plummeted. Wait until TBC rolls out, then everyone will pour back over to the Classic servers. Repeat the aforementioned with SL and whatever void-shit xpac follows soon after. Blizzard has had this ping-pong effect planned out for a while. You're losing sleep over nothing.

Not much of a leak, IMO. It's common sense to anyone paying attention to the state of the game.

[arkanon]

There is so much doom and gloom for classic despite it making up half of all subs as of the last quarterly report. I just cannot believe anything about it because of the endless pit of hate.

To be fair, that is NOT what the report said - this is a commonly repeated "fact" from a tiny percentage of misinformed people.

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Well, duh, the numbers for Classic have plummeted. Wait until TBC rolls out, then everyone will pour back over to the Classic servers. Repeat the aforementioned with SL and whatever void-shit xpac follows soon after. Blizzard has had this ping-pong effect planned out for a while. You're losing sleep over nothing.

Not much of a leak, IMO. It's common sense to anyone paying attention to the state of the game.

I doubt anyone is losing any sleep over any of this, but you also just make blanket statements that have nothing to back them up other than "in my opinion" and "from my observations". This leak, if true, would be the REAL numbers.

[Zhaine]

Anyone actually seen the leak? Would love to look just out of curiousity if someone screenshotted it

[Big Thanks]

Are you trying to say Sandbox? If so........what are you trying to say? The leak supposedly says that CLASSIC lost a surprisingly high number of players...

Sandpark is a mix of the 2

Archeage
Ashes of Creation
etc

Only a MMORPG connoisseur such as myself understands this kind of things.
The intellectual level of MMO-C posts has decresed since my absence.
Who else is going to discuss game design up in this hell hole?

[Queen of Hamsters]

I sincerely doubt that it's real, same as any other of the "leaks".

There is so much doom and gloom for classic despite it making up half of all subs as of the last quarterly report. I just cannot believe anything about it because of the endless pit of hate.

Source please.

[arkanon]

Sandpark is a mix of the 2

Archeage
Ashes of Creation
etc

Only a MMORPG connoisseur such as myself understands this kind of things.
The intellectual level of MMO-C posts has decresed since my absence.
Who else is going to discuss game design up in this hell hole?

By all means, explain what you were trying to say - you literally just said a whole bunch of words with zero context, and zero bearing on the current conversation. Do you have anything to add that is on topic? Or just here to pat yourself on the back before throwing a massive wobbly, swearing at all the mods, and "quitting" again?