BioWare says gamers find it hard to go back to other MMOs after playing SWTOR

@deadborder It's easy to talk tough when you're hiding behind a NDA.

@deadborder

This is really a general reply. If you read the article, that ONE LINE is pretty much a throwaway. Yeah, I was SHOCKED like most of you at first, so I want and read the dang article. It pretty much flows from player surveys and what comments they found: Here is the quote:
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TGL: We’d imagine that would be problematic alright.

GZ: What’s cool about it is for the people that like to give feedback -- they can really help the development, and in turn, help us.

TGL: So there’s been a real push to promote the cinematic experience that The Old Republic can offer people. But we want to know, direct from you guys, what you think it can offer gamers that say, other MMOs can’t?

RM: Well we have the best features you can expect from MMOs. We have amazing progression and customisation -- so you can really shape your avatar. We also have exploration, but one thing that sets this apart is that it’s set within the Star Wars world -- so that in itself is very cool. We also have combat that’s exciting and tactical, but it also has lightsabers. Coupled with the animations -- it’s quite beautiful to watch really.

Wrapping everything together is the story -- and that’s one of the big difference between The Old Republic and other MMOs. For those familiar with BioWare games, they will be very happy with it. Every player, every character, every NPC has a voice, and although it’s subtle -- the difference that makes is incredibly powerful. This helps to add a greater sense of purpose and depth to it. One of the most common things we’re already hearing is that people seem to find it hard to go back to other MMOs once they play The Old Republic; because there’s a real sense of purpose to everything.

Another interesting thing is that we have real choice for the game. There’s a hero journey for each class, there’s things you can share, but you can also join in on someone else’s personal quest -- even if you’re in a different class. But because there’s personal choice, there is always personal consequences -- there’s no going back you know? You can’t simply load up a previous save game and see “what if”. That’s really exciting from a moral perspective, because it’s personally impactful. We’ve found a way to integrate group combat, with group exploration, group stories and explorations -- yet, there’s still a great sense of a personal story. People couldn’t imagine how you could pull that off in the MMO space -- and we did that.

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Really, I was ready to nail these guys to be more humble, but they TALK about *being humble* in this very same dang article! So I don't think this was "chest-beating" as it would appear in first blush.

@deadborder They aren't pulling it out of nowhere, threads like that were all over the beta forum (so I'm told...), though I don't know if it's representative of the population.

@deadborder
somehow it only makes sense if applied to GW2

I dont think many people are really flabbergasted at WoW With Lightsabers

@deadborder Over 630,000 preorders, yeah I'm totally sure it's desperation.

@Fabius Bile AHAHAHAHAH! Agreed! This is totally gonna be WoW with lightsabers. I'll try it, but I'm not at all excited about it.

@Space Cobra

Either way, the proof will be in the pudding when the game is released. I'm sure they'll do exceptionaly well on box sales. But, as I am unpopular'ily predicting, can SWTOR survive the "locust swam" when they have left? And thus have the same fate EA's other investment, Warhammer. I certainly hope for BioWare's sake they can hold players' interest regardless of the context of this article's misplaced headliner. But hope and reality can take on different directions. Just saying.

@Space Cobra

Well that is good news. I like how they are paying attention to how things flow, and allowing options for aspects of the game to merge with others.

It's also nice that they are paying attention to customization, animation quality, exploration, and story telling. This might actually live up to the hype!

@jakofascalon You found the the term "wow with lightsabers" that funny? Are you new to the internet or something?

@NeSBiT

630.000 is only US boxed preorders it doens't include EU and Digital preorders.

@Ryze

Just remember, both AoC and WAR had over 1,000,000 players at launch. The important numbers start at the 6 month mark. I have no doubt that SWTOR will do well though.

@deadborder

Neither. I just got off the recent 4 day beta of TOR and can tell you that many, many, many have felt heading back to their old MMO was hard. Heck, I haven't played more than 40 minutes of Rift since I got off the beta. lol

@deadborder

Reading most of the replies to me this is beginning to reek of a creepy hive-mind mentality. Anyone who dares to play another game, or who loves the game that they currently play, is now called a 'hater' or worse.

I'm sorry guys some of us still have our free will, and know that we do have other choices int he MMO genre.

Is TOR a good game? I bet it is.

However to make it 'the only' game and to turn it's fan base into the hateful zealots that we've seen here..well...I can't say that I'd like to share a game world with such rabid devotees.

If anything it's pushed me away even more...you people are getting really creepy.

@JayDay : I imagine it would be hard to return to an early-2011 WoW clone after spending time playing the beta of a late-2011 WoW clone. I mean, Rift is something like eight months behind SW:TOR in cloning technology.

The Clone Wars indeed!!

@deadborder It's true. It's awesome, so awesome.

@Space Cobra
Quoting a sycophant makes them seem desperate. The Economy is chipping away at WoW, Not other Developers. These same dev taking credit, for a lack of gamers will to spend money on MMO's, will have to face this same dwindling money pool.

@belgeode

Wait for the release.

@deadborder

I agree. It's a questionable statement. TOR will be a success if the MMO market expands again. I think the theme park MMO genre is starting to get stale for veteran players though. The voice acting is awesome, but the game play looks meh to me. In saying that, you can basically compare any TOR ability on the website directly to a WoW abilitiy or Rift ability with slightly ... slightly tweeked cooldowns, and damage.