Comments on: The five biggest subscription worlds? http://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/ Raph Koster's personal website: MMOs, gaming, writing, art, music, books Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:02:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mikehttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137542 Mike Sun, 18 May 2008 01:57:56 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137542 Star Wars Galaxies could have been on that list also but the designers failed to listen to the community, did the "NGE" and everyone jumped ship. Star Wars Galaxies could have been on that list also but the designers failed to listen to the community, did the “NGE” and everyone jumped ship.

]]> By: Eolirinhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137479 Eolirin Tue, 13 May 2008 20:16:05 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137479 Well, Sir Bruce's numbers have never exactly been entirely accurate. I'm not sure how much stock you can put in them. Well, Sir Bruce’s numbers have never exactly been entirely accurate. I’m not sure how much stock you can put in them.

]]> By: Rickhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137467 Rick Tue, 13 May 2008 01:57:25 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137467 Eve's population has big Russian, Scandinavian, and European factions. I'd suspect those three groups outweigh total US subscriptions, so yeah, I can see where US Eve subscriptions are under CoH's numbers. I'm pretty surprised EQ and EQ2 would be listed as lower than CoH, though. Sir Bruce's April charts had higher sub numbers for both of those games than for either Eve or LoTRO. I guess it's all how you count subs. Numbers can say anything you spin 'em to say :) Eve’s population has big Russian, Scandinavian, and European factions. I’d suspect those three groups outweigh total US subscriptions, so yeah, I can see where US Eve subscriptions are under CoH’s numbers.

I’m pretty surprised EQ and EQ2 would be listed as lower than CoH, though. Sir Bruce’s April charts had higher sub numbers for both of those games than for either Eve or LoTRO.

I guess it’s all how you count subs. Numbers can say anything you spin ‘em to say :)

]]> By: Wolfgang Wozniakhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137435 Wolfgang Wozniak Sat, 10 May 2008 23:59:06 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137435 Good to see FFXI up there! Good to see FFXI up there!

]]> By: MMO Clerks » The top five subscription MMOs in the UShttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137410 MMO Clerks » The top five subscription MMOs in the US Sat, 10 May 2008 01:17:26 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137410 [...] by PC gaming beyond what is reflected in retail sales.” Veteran designer Raph Koster reflects on the numbers at his personal site, noting the huge leap between the US percentage of WoW subscribers and the 136,000 users playing [...]

[...] by PC gaming beyond what is reflected in retail sales.” Veteran designer Raph Koster reflects on the numbers at his personal site, noting the huge leap between the US percentage of WoW subscribers and the 136,000 users playing [...]

]]> By: Eolirinhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137399 Eolirin Fri, 09 May 2008 21:27:14 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137399 Is that how they're dealing with their population figures? That would be a very odd way of reporting them, since usually you want those numbers to seem higher rather than lower. I am aware that there are in fact two servers, but I would question that any comments about the total number of subscribers are separated like that. If they did in fact say that though, that's one thing. Can you provide a link to someone official saying that? Is that how they’re dealing with their population figures? That would be a very odd way of reporting them, since usually you want those numbers to seem higher rather than lower.

I am aware that there are in fact two servers, but I would question that any comments about the total number of subscribers are separated like that. If they did in fact say that though, that’s one thing. Can you provide a link to someone official saying that?

]]> By: mandrillhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137397 mandrill Fri, 09 May 2008 21:21:23 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137397 As I understand it, CCP has two different servers, one of which has 220,000 subscribers. The Asian players of EVE have their own server, I don't know the numbers for that one. As I understand it, CCP has two different servers, one of which has 220,000 subscribers. The Asian players of EVE have their own server, I don’t know the numbers for that one.

]]> By: Eolirinhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137392 Eolirin Fri, 09 May 2008 20:49:30 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137392 ... Oops, I just realized, CCP has an Asian market, and CoH doesn't. That could make the difference. The Chinese server probably has a decent chunk of that 220,000 too, which would allow European numbers to shift the US vaules below that. … Oops, I just realized, CCP has an Asian market, and CoH doesn’t. That could make the difference. The Chinese server probably has a decent chunk of that 220,000 too, which would allow European numbers to shift the US vaules below that.

]]> By: Eolirinhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137391 Eolirin Fri, 09 May 2008 20:47:36 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137391 Raph, it's also based on a survey of customers according to the article and not official numbers from actual companies, which probably further muddles things, and worse, there's a level of self selection mentioned, which would further slant the results. But the article says 136k users in the US <em>and</em> Europe, something that struck me as odd. If that's true, then unless those figures are heavily skewed so that there are barely any Europeans in CoH, and EVE is skewed the other way, it seems kinda strange. I think it's much more likely that the methodogy of the stats are just plain busted for the smaller end. Even the article points out that the lack of "kid" games on that list may be more representative of the fact that the survey respondants aren't subbing those games than the fact that the games aren't being subbed as much if not more as the ones on the list. Raph, it’s also based on a survey of customers according to the article and not official numbers from actual companies, which probably further muddles things, and worse, there’s a level of self selection mentioned, which would further slant the results.

But the article says 136k users in the US and Europe, something that struck me as odd. If that’s true, then unless those figures are heavily skewed so that there are barely any Europeans in CoH, and EVE is skewed the other way, it seems kinda strange. I think it’s much more likely that the methodogy of the stats are just plain busted for the smaller end. Even the article points out that the lack of “kid” games on that list may be more representative of the fact that the survey respondants aren’t subbing those games than the fact that the games aren’t being subbed as much if not more as the ones on the list.

]]> By: Raphhttp://www.raphkoster.com/2008/05/09/the-five-biggest-subscription-worlds/comment-page-1/#comment-137387 Raph Fri, 09 May 2008 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.raphkoster.com/?p=1730#comment-137387 NPD only covers North America -- I bet the difference could be explained by territory. NPD only covers North America — I bet the difference could be explained by territory.

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