SOE and SWG...rumors of canceling the game?

[Outcasted]

Ok, my guild leader said that, in an recent event, that SOE decided to cancel SWG in january. I'm not sure if it's true or not... but I quit when I heard that. I'm not sure if it's true, but I used this news to get me off the game. So, have you guys heard of any of this? And, I can't wait for the next MMORPG that's based on Star Wars. (Probably my last post. Done with the game, why stick around much longer.) -Couldn't help myself.

 

[Comstrike]

The buzz, and substance to support it, is growing rapidly, that Bioware is developing the next Star Wars MMO with LucasArts. That a game is being developed is known, the question had been if the Bioware studio in Austin was focused on it. A recent interview with EA's head, let slip that the project was related to the Knights of the old republic era.

Its expect to be launched in about two years if the talk is accurate, and there is no shortage of debate on that point.

As to SOE and SWG? Depends on when their rights expire. But I would not expect it to survive after any new SW MMO comes out. Indeed, I see more SWG refugees on the Landroval server of LOTRO daily it seems.

 

[BadgerSmaker]

SWG will be around for many, many years to come.

There are always unsubstantiated rumours of its impending demise, but like Ulitma Online this thing will keep chugging along and improving all the time.

The KOTOR MMO sounds interesting, but a SW MMO not based on the movies only seems like it will pull in a niche audience.

 

[Salty Pete]

There are always unsubstantiated rumours of its impending demise, but unlike Ulitma Online this thing will keep chugging along and bleeding customers all the time.

Fixed.

 

[Penti]

Well, seeing as the game is about to celebrate its 5th year I believe these current runours as much as I believed the ones 2-3 years ago.........

I think with all of these rumours, its people that WANT them to be true tbh.

 

[mecantile]

I love this debate so I am going to chime in:

After JTL was released the writing was on the wall. I saw it along with many others during the revamp exodus 4 years back. Granted, SWG had a strong start, but it has not been able to recoop its losses over the years due to poor management decisions within SOE/dev team.

In this situation you have a brand that has been ailing for years where subscriptions and server population has fallen off the map. Plus, there has not been one single expansion released in over two years to help generate revenue beyond subscription and bring in talent to develop consistantly new content at the pace of market demand. That is from the financial part. The other side is that you have a massive development issue where SOE has tarnished the Star Wars brand by taking the story arcs way out of context i.e. Jedi's combined with massive restructuring of major game mechanics that has ultimately alienated a large portion of the fan base.

So now that brings us to Bioware. With its success with KotR 1 and 2 along with other titles-think of the marketing opportunity that they have in the next year or so. There is no major sci-fi genre stronger than Star Wars that could viably compete with Blizzard's World of Warcraft and if you have a model that works that could penetrate that market-why not?

From a business perspective it does not make sense for Lucas Arts to allow two different models: one old and failing vs. one new and highly anticipated, to co-exist. They would end up competing for the same demographic users and ultimately would generate a lot of internal issues at Lucas Arts and would eventually spill out in to the press/market.

Now compared to UO, SWG is not in the same boat because while similar in development/management issues (blunders) over the years, UO has one thing SWG does not-it is a market relic. That is the only thing that is keeping it alive because it was one of the first. I don't see UO in the market 5 years from now. Its user base will continue to dwindle where its existing skeleton crew will eventually go in to maintinence mode.

Could SWG survive beyond the KotoR MMO? Yes but the chances are very slim. Everything listed above combined with the fact that if SOE is 1) under a license that is soon to expire (fact check?) and 2) January is often the financial rollover month for a lot of companies who are not on a fiscal calendar (fact check?)-it is ver possibly that it could happen.

My suggestion-enjoy the next months while you can and I am sure everyone will keep their ears to the ground.

 

[ClanBeviin2]

Well, I for one will be sticking with SWG if a KOTR comes out. Why? Simple: I don't like playing Jedi. I didn't like KOTR and wouldn't like an MMO based on it. If they have other classes as vital to the overall game as SWG, maybe, but I'll leave KOTR to those who want it.

I would be much more inclined to join new games based on the Clone Wars era, or even the New Republic. But KOTR? Blech!

[Although, if they have Old Republic era Mandalorians...]

 

[mecantile]

Hard to say what it actually is gonna be since they have yet to announce it publicly. I want to play a Star Wars MMO that works and will be around for the next 5+ years. =)

 

[BadgerSmaker]

Fixed.

WFN?

 

[Zokra]

People have been predicting SWG's demise since day one.

I was in beta and people said the game would die quickly because it was going to release too early.

I was there almost at the start of live and people predicted the game would die quickly because there were too many bugs and there was no balance in anything.

I was there when the CU rolled around and people predicted the game would die because there were too many bugs and no balance in anything and that the CU changed too much.

I was there when the NGE rolled around and people predicted the game would die because there were too many bugs and no balance in anything and that the NGE changed too much.

I still have an active subscription now and still see plenty of activity when I log in (which admittedly isn't very often these days - 5 years is a long time to be playing one game ).

Truthfully the game works better today than it has ever done in its history - certainly it is not the same game it was at launch but that was a grand vision that failed... it was too bland... too hardcore...

If nothing else, SOE has the station subs to help keep the game afloat - plus if the game were bleeding subs and money as some suggest the game would have been dropped long ago. It must at least be paying for itself.

As for the KOTOR mmo... well... judging by Bioware's recent form I would expect the game to be WoW with Jedi and that alone will probably make it the WoW killer if anything is. I see it competing with WoW - not SWG as SWG is its own beast and is still somewhat unique among mmo's.

 

[Penti]

If KoTOR Online follows the same formula that all these others games have followed it will only get the same share that all the other latest games are averaging.

KoTOR, whilst having that "jedi appeal" could very easily suffer from that very same thing. There's only a certain amount of people that are THAT hooked on being a jedi, so if the game doesnt have a hell of a lot more depth in terms of classes, professions, skills, content then its going to be another niche market.

People have played KoTOR but its the films and that era that most people are familiar with.

From a personal point of view this thing is a minimum of 2 years off, having only just been announced. 2 years to develop a WoW killer????? Aint gonna happen, so expect either a much longer development time or another run of the mill MMORPG. I'll probably try it, as I have most of the other MMO's out currently. Still keep playing SWG tho.....

 

[Outcasted]

I'm suprised people are replying! Lmao. Also, you guys make nothing but valid points. Quick thing I forgot to include: Lucas Arts revoked SOE's license. Didn't spell that right, but you get what I mean.

 

[ClanBeviin2]

I wonder why they said that? There's not much that Lucas knows how to do, but one of the biggies is how to make money off of Star Wars. If SWG wasn't making him money, it wouldn't have lasted 5 years. I know it's not making money for him directly, but he sure gets a huge chunk from licensing.

Now that it's finally working well and starting to gain more players, there's no reason for him to pull anything. Especially if a new game is a couple years away. I could see him pulling a license in two years, but not now when there's nothing to replace it.

Not only that, but there's a new movie out in three weeks, one animated series ready to follow, and a live-action show in the works. Lucas practically invented the tie-in. This game is a natural.

 

[MiranConti]

There is no confirmed announcement by SOE/LA. Therefore there is no need to continue this discussion.