APB logs 130,000 players

When Realtime Worlds entered administration earlier this month, bankruptcy resolution firm Begbies Traynor cited the reason for the studio's collapse as "lackluster" sales of online shooter APB. Realtime Worlds is now in a state of salvage mode, and as part of its effort to make the studio and its assets more attractive to potential buyers, Begbies Traynor said last week that it had reduced headcount by 185 employees at the Dundee, Scotland-based studio.

The administration firm has also begun to offer a positive spin on APB. Today, Begbies Traynor gave a glimpse at APB's adoption rate, saying that the third-person, online-only shooter had amassed 130,000 registered players. On average, these players were spending approximately four hours per day playing the game, the firm said.

Begbies Traynor also said that players who were spending money in the game paid out on average $28 per month, a figure that's split between purchasing game time and marketplace trading. The firm did not indicate what portion of the player base is included in this figure.

"These are healthy numbers and reflect positively on APB as a ongoing concern," commented Realtime Worlds joint administrator Paul Dounis. "They prove this is a very enjoyable game, which is shown by the average player daily playtime and an ARPPU (average revenue per paying user) that is highest of any game out there."

In the US, APB costs $50 and comes with 50 hours of playtime. Additional time can be purchased using the virtual currency, RTW points. The price of points is set at $5 for 200 points, and 20 hours of game time costs 280 points, or $7. Unlimited packages are also available. Players can also sell their own custom creations to friends and clan mates via the marketplace to earn more RTW points.