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

Star Wars The Old Republic - some dudes fighting or something

As Star Wars: The Old Republic's release date looms larger on the calendar, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk are starting to be seen with increasing frequency on the PR circuit. The latest sighting comes courtesy of The Gaming Liberty, and the dynamic doctor duo offers up some interesting commentary on SWTOR and the logic behind setting up BioWare's new customer service center in Ireland rather than Canada or the U.S.

There's a "fair, reasonable tax and regulatory structure the government here [in Ireland] has provided for us which creates an entrepreneurial environment [...] which is a big bonus," Muzyka explains.

The interview also touches on lore inspirations for both The Old Republic and the classic single-player Knights of the Old Republic RPG, as well as the team's confidence in its new massively multiplayer product. "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," Muzyka said.

Reader Comments (200)

http://www.betacake.net/2011/09/14/star-wars%E2%84%A2-the-old-republic%E2%84%A2-another-negative-review/

@Cromica

That review in TL;DR:

SWTOR isn't a kool as GW2

@Threecubed

Oh wow, you're telling me "Things that are getting fixed as the beta goes on" weren't perfect in beta?

Whoah. Consider my mind blown.

@Cromica ^^this

@cyb3rpunk75 as in this review is completely accurate. The game sucks ***

@Cromica so I am supposed to take the word of some reviewer from some shit website I havent heard of..... yeah I think Ill pass. I played the Beta and loved it.

@Clemalum07

Basically, whatever game you enjoy, there will always be someone with a negative review out there.
I have only found two or three MMOs that didn't bore me to tears within the first twenty hours of gameplay, this was one.

If you base opinions simply off a review here or there, you will find yourself never playing any games.

It doesn't matter if I like it, it doesn't matter if your mum likes it, it doesn't matter if Captain Planet likes it. What matters is if you like the game. If you refuse to give a game a chance simply based off one person who didn't enjoy the experience (especially in beta!), you are an absolute fool.

I played this game for about a week and I'll never play it again. Its a big steaming turd.

@cyb3rpunk75 See you at launch ;)

I have been in beta for the last three builds. What the docs are saying is absolutely true. While this game is not for everyone. I am not just finding it difficult to play my other MMOs, I am cancelling my subs. The game is extremely engaging. I plan on checking out GW2 and TSW and one of those will be my 2nd game.

But, like other posters have said, if you don't like story then this is not the game for you. For me, the game is amazing.

I don't know about you guys, but from around the time when the Playstation 2 was released and games started having a larger amount of voiced content I've found it hard to go back to most story heavy games that use voiceovers sparingly or not at all. Seeing as this is one of the first games to do the same for MMOs, I'd say that it's not surprising that many people (notice that I'm not using words like "all" or "most" here) would feel the same thing here. It doesn't mean that everyone will agree or that it will be the game to end all games. It just means that it has that hook that gamers who like to latch on to the narratives of games (like me, admittedly) can get hooked on.

@Lafajet

You know, you may have something there with that observation about voiced vs. text. It can be the same way with graphics; I loved the classics, but it's hard to go back once you are used to great graphics! (Heck, I remember thinking blocky graphics were great in that your mind's eye could give you greater/better details, sorta like Radio Plays vs. TV).

While I am looking forward to SW:TOR, the voices may be the real thing that spoils people and causes them to raise their expectations (and heck, even Jef covered that in an AOC article just last week. The tutorial has voice-overs and when you head into the "proper" game at Lvl. 20, it's a bit jarring).

@Lafajet
I think it's true. Even part of FFXIV's roadmap includes adding voice to all the cutscenes. It's just going to become an industry standard now that people have experienced it.

I find it hard to imagine playing a SW mmo after SWG (pre-nge). We'll see.

Ive been playing in the beta, and ive reached the point that i cant bring my self to play. And not cause the game is bad, but because im loving it so much i actually want to wait for it to launch cause i feel as if im spoiling myself.

Everyone is going to be saying the games a WoW clone... Its not, its a Star Wars MMO. Whats in common in WoW is in common with ever other MMO out there.

While the game in other aspects is simply WOW+ (something not necessarily bad) the immersion factor on the beta forums gets a very very high ranking. The leveling up compared to say Wow or Rift gets a lot more fun because of the higher immersion.

Just tried Rift and I can´t even force myself to level in the game for more than a few minutes but in swtor a game with basically the same basic gameplay I easily lose hours without noticing it.

@Lenn Can't really blame Massively though. Every time they post something SWTOR with an out-of-context one-liner that implies anything the jaded, burnt-out MMO-vet doesn't like to hear, the view count and amount of comments on the article explode. It's easy money for them.

Haters going to hate.

Having played the Beta more than once, it's true. No other MMO does story telling right. SWTOR is the first MMO to actually have story telling done right.

Hate all you want, but it won't change the fact that other MMO's are doing it wrong. Enjoy them if you want, I'll be enjoying the great stories.

Troll bait. .......That seems to have worked, Perhaps the Good Doctors are in fact EVIL Doctors, and will be collecting people's names and addresses, if only to hire some goons and get some getback ala Jay and Silent Bob.

I have seen people say this, under no coercion from BioWare and outside the auspices of the NDA or PR events. People in unaffiliated forums and discussion boards have said this. What the doctors are saying is fact: people have said that it's hard to go back to other MMOs. But your mileage may vary, as always.

Don't scoff just because you don't share the same opinions as some players.

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

Reader Comments (200)

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:02PM Cromica said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:04PM Threecubed said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:09PM KvanCetre said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:25PM cyb3rpunk75 said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:26PM cyb3rpunk75 said

Posted: Oct 18th 2011 7:33AM Clemalum07 said

Posted: Oct 18th 2011 8:01AM KvanCetre said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:24PM cyb3rpunk75 said

Posted: Oct 19th 2011 1:24AM Gawdfather said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:46PM Kegheld said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:47PM Lafajet said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:58PM Space Cobra said

Posted: Oct 19th 2011 10:27AM Irem said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 9:57PM Paradigm68 said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 10:07PM Oskiee said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 10:20PM Verus said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 10:20PM Radev said

Posted: Oct 17th 2011 11:34PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 18th 2011 12:17AM Gawdfather said

Posted: Oct 18th 2011 1:08AM hereafter said

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