Blizzard defines subscribers as those who have paid a subscription fee or are using an active prepaid card, as well as those who have purchased the game and are within their free month of access. Internet Game Room players who have accessed the game during the last 30 days are also counted as subscribers, but players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or canceled subscriptions and expired prepaid cards are excluded. WoW currently totals more than 2 million subscribers in Europe, more than 2.5 million in North America and approximately 5.5 million in Asia.Next, there is news that EVE Online will be available via Steam, Valve Software's digital distribution platform. As a fan of Valve and a regular game-buyer through Steam, I am pleased to see MMOs make the move to the platform. Unfortunately, most MMOs are linked with publishers that only sell boxes, or that have their own digital distribution platforms. Unfortunately, I have yet to find anything as good as Steam.
Lastly, some sad news out of Hollywood. Heath Ledger has kicked the bucket. The only question I have: how does a great actor like Heath Ledger die and a walking reason for abortion like Britney Spears remain alive?
OMG! WHat did the article say, 2 billion dollars is what Blizzard will rake in from subscription. That is insane. With the amount of money they are making the game should be perfect.
ReplyDeleteWell, last we know officially is that Blizzard is making 500 million profit off 1 billion in revenue approximately and they earn revenue from more than just WoW.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't think any amount of cash in the world will make a game perfect. It is a question about controlling the process and letting the team that has made WoW so successful to continue to do so. Money can buy support, but not build the project for them.
Yeah, but money can by a lot of support to iron out bugs. And hire a lot of people to test classes and dungeons, all sorts of stuff.
ReplyDeleteI still think there is a design bottleneck and efficiency point and that is probably where Blizzard is currently operating. I do agree that more pro-testing could be purchased, but general player test servers still serve a purpose.
ReplyDeleteyes bill, because money made vanguard perfect. *cries a single tear for his goblin psionicist*
ReplyDeleteI give Spears only 2 or 3 more years before she gone
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