Morhaime Confirms the Unthinkable : WoW's stopped growing

Blizzard Boss Mike Morhaime just said that World of Warcraft's subs base is static at 11.5 million users, at the same level it's been since late 2008. Yep: that means it's not going up.

Blizzard announced the MMO had hit 11.5 million users in late December 2008, as you can see here.

Morhaime added that Blizzard was optimistic about the game's future, especially given the release of Cataclysm later this year. He noted that the Chinese market, which makes up some 50 percent of the game's userbase, still doesn't have access to Wrath of the King.

Local operator NetEase is currently applying for a license to run the add-on.

The exec talked about WoW's recent woes in China, saying that new sign-ups would be turned off for a week only. Chinese authorities forced NetEase to suspend registration earlier this week, the latest in a string of problems with the game after NetEase was found to be operating it without a license.

Morhaime made the announcement in the Activision Blizzard full-year financial call tonight.

Source

Oh, the humanity! Arguably the most successful game for 5+ years has reached its peak of 11,500,000 x $14.99 per month income!

jk, I love WoW, its just not bad news its just...news. Cant wait to see how the former addicts and too-cool-for-MMO crowd spins this though lol

The amount of money they must have made and still be making is mind boggling!

it's not 11 mil * 14.99. not even close. the chinese version uses a pay per play subscription model. to play the game, a chinese needs to buy a "point card", which typically costs 15 yuan (for 2000 minutes) and 30 yuan (for 4000 minutes). what does that mean? every hour costs chinese players about $0.05, and one has to play for around 300 hours to even spend $15. iirc, the monthly subscription model is entirely non-existent for the Chinese version. In Taiwan, which has around 300k players, they use a slightly different but largely similar model. for them, WoW has nothing to do with pay pal and credit card.

i'm surprised that none of the WoW fans seem to realise this. until they do, their fervent brag about "11 mil subs" should never be taken seriously.

Why is this surprising? A new expansion is coming out this year so imo a large number of potential players are waiting for the new expansion to hit since it brings major changes to the game.

it's not 11 mil * 14.99. not even close. the chinese version uses a pay per play subscription model. to play the game, a chinese needs to buy a "point card", which typically costs 15 yuan (for 2000 minutes) and 30 yuan (for 4000 minutes). what does that mean? every hour costs chinese players about $0.05, and one has to play for around 300 hours to even spend $15. iirc, the monthly subscription model is entirely non-existent for the Chinese version. In Taiwan, which has around 300k players, they use a slightly different but largely similar model. for them, WoW has nothing to do with pay pal and credit card.

i'm surprised that none of the WoW fans seem to realise this. until they do, their fervent brag about "11 mil subs" should never be taken seriously.

Jinroh_basic

How does the fact that Asia has a different payment model affect the fact that there are 11 mil subs? Just becouse they pay less does not mean they arent legid players. Its a smart decision on Blizzards part to make the game cheaper in China where piracy is everywhere.

first, they don't pay less. they pay MUCH less. second, it's any wow fan's common logic that wow is successful because it's X mil * 14.99. well, that logic is false, and hence their brag is baseless. bottom line? don't brag about something you don't have.

How does the fact that Asia has a different payment model affect the fact that there are 11 mil subs? Just becouse they pay less does not mean they arent legid players. Its a smart decision on Blizzards part to make the game cheaper in China where piracy is everywhere.

rzepak

hopefully it'll shrink and WoW will die. Most overrated game in history.couly

I'm curious why you'd want that. It doesn't hurt you in any way that WoW exists. No matter what opinion you got about the game.

it's not 11 mil * 14.99. not even close. the chinese version uses a pay per play subscription model. to play the game, a chinese needs to buy a "point card", which typically costs 15 yuan (for 2000 minutes) and 30 yuan (for 4000 minutes). what does that mean? every hour costs chinese players about $0.05, and one has to play for around 300 hours to even spend $15. iirc, the monthly subscription model is entirely non-existent for the Chinese version. In Taiwan, which has around 300k players, they use a slightly different but largely similar model. for them, WoW has nothing to do with pay pal and credit card.

i'm surprised that none of the WoW fans seem to realise this. until they do, their fervent brag about "11 mil subs" should never be taken seriously.

Jinroh_basic

World of Warcraft subscribers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or have an active prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, 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 over the last thirty days are also counted as subscribers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired prepaid cards. Subscribers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules.

[QUOTE="rzepak"]

How does the fact that Asia has a different payment model affect the fact that there are 11 mil subs? Just becouse they pay less does not mean they arent legid players. Its a smart decision on Blizzards part to make the game cheaper in China where piracy is everywhere.

RK-Mara

[QUOTE="couly"]hopefully it'll shrink and WoW will die. Most overrated game in history.spittis

I'm curious why you'd want that. It doesn't hurt you in any way that WoW exists. No matter what opinion you got about the game.

After so many years dominating the mmo/pc landscape I think it's time to let go and just live with that fact. Like spittis said, it doesn't effect you anyway and...heck...you don't even really know why it bothers you lol.

There should a forum for WoW haters...WoWHate Anonymous or something :P

first, they don't pay less. they pay MUCH less. second, it's any wow fan's common logic that wow is successful because it's X mil * 14.99. well, that logic is false, and hence their brag is baseless. bottom line? don't brag about something you don't have.

Jinroh_basic

After so many years dominating the mmo/pc landscape I think it's time to let go and just live with that fact. Like spittis said, it doesn't effect you anyway and...heck...you don't even really know why it bothers you lol.

There should a forum for WoW haters...WoWHate Anonymous or something :P

Renevent42

I think it's time that Blizzard should consider making WarCraft 4.thusaha

it's not 11 mil * 14.99. not even close. the chinese version uses a pay per play subscription model. to play the game, a chinese needs to buy a "point card", which typically costs 15 yuan (for 2000 minutes) and 30 yuan (for 4000 minutes). what does that mean? every hour costs chinese players about $0.05, and one has to play for around 300 hours to even spend $15. iirc, the monthly subscription model is entirely non-existent for the Chinese version. In Taiwan, which has around 300k players, they use a slightly different but largely similar model. for them, WoW has nothing to do with pay pal and credit card.

i'm surprised that none of the WoW fans seem to realise this. until they do, their fervent brag about "11 mil subs" should never be taken seriously.

Jinroh_basic

Why hasn't anyone put a spin on this yet?

first, they don't pay less. they pay MUCH less. second, it's any wow fan's common logic that wow is successful because it's X mil * 14.99. well, that logic is false, and hence their brag is baseless. bottom line? don't brag about something you don't have.

Jinroh_basic

I tried WoW for awhile...

But it is just too ugly and cartoony for me.....

Maybe if they made a new MMO with better graphics I might reconsider...right now it's just awful.

[QUOTE="Jinroh_basic"]

it's not 11 mil * 14.99. not even close. the chinese version uses a pay per play subscription model. to play the game, a chinese needs to buy a "point card", which typically costs 15 yuan (for 2000 minutes) and 30 yuan (for 4000 minutes). what does that mean? every hour costs chinese players about $0.05, and one has to play for around 300 hours to even spend $15. iirc, the monthly subscription model is entirely non-existent for the Chinese version. In Taiwan, which has around 300k players, they use a slightly different but largely similar model. for them, WoW has nothing to do with pay pal and credit card.

i'm surprised that none of the WoW fans seem to realise this. until they do, their fervent brag about "11 mil subs" should never be taken seriously.

Daytona_178

[QUOTE="rzepak"]

How does the fact that Asia has a different payment model affect the fact that there are 11 mil subs? Just becouse they pay less does not mean they arent legid players. Its a smart decision on Blizzards part to make the game cheaper in China where piracy is everywhere.

RK-Mara

EQ had approx. 500k ussers at it's peak and has lost subscribers regularly for the past 5 years but it's still profitable for Sony. Think how long WoW will have to lose subscribers before it becomes unprofitable for Activision.... It's going to be around for a loooong, loooong time.

[QUOTE="Renevent42"]

After so many years dominating the mmo/pc landscape I think it's time to let go and just live with that fact. Like spittis said, it doesn't effect you anyway and...heck...you don't even really know why it bothers you lol.

There should a forum for WoW haters...WoWHate Anonymous or something :P

zomglolcats

WoW-Haters are usually former WoW-Fanatics who finally realised how much damage the game did to their life is why.

That and that whole tall-poppy syndrome thing

hopefully it'll shrink and WoW will die. Most overrated game in history.couly

You mean you expect it to stay around forever?

Oh, the humanity! Arguably the most successful game for 5+ years has reached its peak of 11,500,000 x $14.99 per month income!

jk, I love WoW, its just not bad news its just...news. Cant wait to see how the former addicts and too-cool-for-MMO crowd spins this though lol

mrbojangles25

If you think MMOs are cool....then I just don't know, lol. Zomg guys, I got mah l33t gear after months of grinding, now I can finally play the game!!!

[QUOTE="Jinroh_basic"]

first, they don't pay less. they pay MUCH less. second, it's any wow fan's common logic that wow is successful because it's X mil * 14.99. well, that logic is false, and hence their brag is baseless. bottom line? don't brag about something you don't have.

zomglolcats

i have never denied that WoW is an extremely successful and profitable game. no one can deny that. I'm just trying to get this through to the general wow fans - you don't have 11 mil * 14.99. NOT EVEN CLOSE. that is a factual error so stop using this to glorify your game. in fact, depending on how you define "subscription", the actual number of WoW's subscribers may actually be MUCH lower than 11 mil.

imo, a better way to gauge the success of WoW is to look only at communities that employ the traditional subscription model, namely NA, EU and Oceanic players. these players tend to have similar preferences and spending power. the numbers they put up will be much more relevant in the Western context.

The title of this thread made me lol, THE UNTHINKABLE HAS HAPPEND haha

WoW is going to keep it's numbers until a new MMO comes out that isn't half-complete, buggy, and/or just a grind...ie: Champions Online, Star Trek Online, Age of Conan, AION, etc.

I'm expecting that when SWTOR launches WoW is going to be hit hard. The 'Cataclysm' expansion looks to me like the last desperate attempt to cash in before WoW's hold loosens.

[QUOTE="zomglolcats"][QUOTE="Jinroh_basic"]

first, they don't pay less. they pay MUCH less. second, it's any wow fan's common logic that wow is successful because it's X mil * 14.99. well, that logic is false, and hence their brag is baseless. bottom line? don't brag about something you don't have.

Jinroh_basic

i have never denied that WoW is an extremely successful and profitable game. no one can deny that. I'm just trying to get this through to the general wow fans - you don't have 11 mil * 14.99. NOT EVEN CLOSE. that is a factual error so stop using this to glorify your game. in fact, depending on how you define "subscription", the actual number of WoW's subscribers may actually be MUCH lower than 11 mil.

imo, a better way to gauge the success of WoW is to look only at communities that employ the traditional subscription model, namely NA, EU and Oceanic players. these players tend to have similar preferences and spending power. the numbers they put up will be much more relevant in the Western context.