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The Daily Grind: Which game are you most concerned about right now?

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Players of The Secret World, Age of Conan, and Anarchy Online have had good reason to be a bit nervous over Funcom's recent woes. Those watching the future of WildStar can certainly tremble at the thought that the game might never see the release it deserves. Even World of Warcraft players might occasionally twitch at the thought that the game will drop in numbers as it ages, and suddenly the content for the game will start to dry up.

As players, all we can really do is keep playing and paying for the games we enjoy. But sometimes it feels like the game is in trouble and that's just not enough after all. So out of all games, both available and not, which one are you the most concerned about right now? Which title makes you worry that it might be facing its twilight even if the development team insists otherwise?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Which game are you most concerned about right now? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: I demand to pay more for this!

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Champions Online launched amidst a bunch of controversy. Admittedly, this was back in a time when we as a community had a much lower bar for controversy, but still, there were accusations and recriminations flying around like, well, superheroes. One of the chief complaints was that the game had a subscription fee, but it also had a cash shop right from launch. Scandalous!

These days we don't blink too much at this sort of thing. Pretty much every game in the world has a cash shop now, and the rare exceptions are games that try to pretend it's something else. But there are still a lot of people who object to the idea, who would much rather have a subscription or nothing or see everything from the cash shop free to subscribers.

I am not one of those people. In fact, I'm happy when a game goes into the free model or just opens up a cash shop of any stripe. The way I see it, there are some definite upsides to having a cash shop.

Continue reading The Soapbox: I demand to pay more for this!

The Soapbox: I demand to pay more for this! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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38 Studios assets to be auctioned off in October

MJ Guthrie — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Legal, Miscellaneous

After a series of misfortunes, 38 Studios closed down last May and then filed for bankruptcy in June. Next month, the assets of the company that was working on the MMO known as Project Copernicus will be auctioned off. The auctions -- scheduled for October 16th and the 23rd -- will include office furniture and equipment, TVs, audio recording equipment, graphic design and animation equipment, computers, servers, and more.

Currently listed in the assets are XBox 360 Development Kits, which Microsoft is requesting be removed since they are the property of Microsoft and not 38 Studios.

38 Studios assets to be auctioned off in October originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Schilling 'tapped out' after loss of 38 Studios

Jef Reahard — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Economy, MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous

Curt Schilling has spoken to a Boston radio station about the lingering effects of 38 Studios' demise. The former Red Sox pitcher has been vilified by some gamers who assume that he's living the high life while former employees are suffering, but he tells WEEI that that's pretty far from the truth.

"The money I saved and earned playing baseball was probably all gone... life is going to be different," he says.

Rhode Island taxpayers will also be tightening their belts, as they'll pay nearly $12 million annually through the year 2020 to cover 38's $150 million debt, according to Joystiq. Schilling also revealed that 38 Studios was close to signing a deal to produce a Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning sequel prior to remarks made by Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee that supposedly damaged the negotiation process.

Schilling also expressed remorse at the plight of former 38 Studios employees. "The employees got blindsided," he said. "They have every right to be upset. I always told everybody if something were going to happen, you're going to have a month or two of lead time, and I bombed on that one in epic fashion."

Schilling 'tapped out' after loss of 38 Studios originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Darkness information revealed in open letter to fans

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, MMO Industry, News Items, World of Darkness, Miscellaneous, Sandbox

Outside of confirmation that CCP Games is still working on World of Darkness, news on the game has been hard to come by. Some of the reasons behind that were revealed by senior producer Chris McDonough in a recent letter to members of the Mind's Eye Society, a fan group devoted to the tabletop and LARP games in the same IP. While the focus in the letter was not on the MMO, McDonough did still discuss the state of CCP as a company and what it means for the game.

In short, after a difficult financial year, CCP is devoting the lion's share of its resources to ensuring that DUST 514 is a successful game on launch. That doesn't mean that World of Darkness is being shelved -- McDonough stresses that development is still ongoing -- but it does mean that the company's first priority is elsewhere. How long that will be the case remains to be seen, but if you're hoping for more substantial news on the game this year, the odds are low.

World of Darkness information revealed in open letter to fans originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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38 Studios lays off entire staff, sells Big Huge Games [Updated]

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, Legal, Miscellaneous

The 38 Studios disaster continues to unfold today, as the troubled studio laid off its entire staff and may be selling off its Big Huge Games division in Boston. Boston's Fox 25 News speculates that the studio may close by this weekend.

38 Studios CM Charles Dane confirmed being laid off on Twitter: "Now on the market. I had an awesome run with 38 Studios, but this dream is now ending."

Word is that the company is also selling its subsidiary, Big Huge Games. Big Huge Games is the maker of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, 38 Studios' single-player prequel to its Copernicus MMO. This would not be the first time that Big Huge Games was sold by its parent company, as the studio experienced the same event back in 2009.

Oh his Facebook page, Curt Schilling stressed that Reckoning did quite well in sales. "I wanted to clear up some misinformation around 38 Studios' first product, Reckoning. Sales of Reckoning outperformed EA's expectations and sold more than 1.2 million units in the game's first 90 days in the market."

[Update]: Developer Ryan Shwayder has also confirmed the layoffs via his personal blog.

38 Studios lays off entire staff, sells Big Huge Games [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Layoffs confirmed for 38 Studios, Rhode Island takes no action

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Legal, Miscellaneous

If last week's Project Copernicus flythrough had been a hopeful note, the latest news out of 38 Studios is another downturn. Following a meeting today, the Rhode Island EDC board decided to take no action to help the ailing company at this time. Governor Lincoln Chafee said following the meeting that the financial situation of the studio remains unchanged from last week, but did note that the company has seen some layoffs and underwent unspecified internal shifts.

Founder Curt Schilling did not directly respond to press inquiries, stating that he would answer questions when he is able to do so. He did, however, state that he was not taking further taxpayer money. Whether or not there will be a company there to take any money in the near future is still very much in doubt, however, and while Chafee has been a bit more diplomatic about aiding the studio, he has stressed that any assistance would be far on the conservative side.

Layoffs confirmed for 38 Studios, Rhode Island takes no action originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: 38 Studios may be having financial trouble

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:20:00 EST

Filed under: Lore, News Items, Rumors, Miscellaneous

38 Studios is one of many developers whose first big game (Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning) was rumored to lead into an MMO further on down the line. It looks like there may be storm clouds on the horizon before that project even gets moving, however, as the company may be facing financial issues. Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee has apparently been meeting with owner Curt Schilling to work on "different issues," with Chafee noting that his administration has always tried to ensure that Rhode Island companies remain financially solvent.

If you consider that Rhode Island invested about $75 million in the company, it's obvious that the government has an interest in making the company remain viable over the long term. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was a moderate hit, but that might not be enough for the company as it develops. We'll have more on this story as it develops, hopefully with better news.

Rumor: 38 Studios may be having financial trouble originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Black Prophecy developer Reakktor Media on its last legs

Matt Daniel — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Economy, MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous

The future is looking a bit hazy for Black Prophecy developer Reakktor Media, as reports indicate that the studio "has begun the insolvency process" and is scrambling for work in order to keep itself afloat. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Reakktor Media's managing director Kirk Lenke stated that "[the studio is] in a position to accomplish basically anything [that] is played right now, even if we were focused in the recent times on multiplayer mobile gaming," which may indicate an interest in developing games outside of the MMO genre.

Lenke also notes that the studio currently has a Diablo-esque sci-fi title in the early development stages. At any rate, we wish the best of luck to the folks at Reakktor Media. Even if things are looking pretty grim, here's to hoping that there's a silver lining in store for the studio.

Black Prophecy developer Reakktor Media on its last legs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP touts EVE growth, considers IPO

Jef Reahard — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, Sandbox

Despite the commonly held belief that 2011 was a disastrous year for CCP and EVE Online, the firm recently told TechCrunch that its sci-fi sandbox game brought in $66 million in revenue last year.

The website reports that EVE's revenue features a compound annual growth rate of 53 percent, and the title has also generated $300 million in total revenue since its 2003 launch. Interestingly, the article avoids all mention of 2011's Monoclegate brouhaha and the resulting player protests that led CCP to refocus its development plans. It also paints a rosy picture of New Eden's future, and CCP head honcho Hilmar Petursson says an IPO is a possibility.

"We want to be ready for an IPO from a policy standpoint," he explains. "We're quite a substantial company, so we're thinking, OK, what is the next step?"

CCP touts EVE growth, considers IPO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subscriber numbers lead to a new hope for Electronic Arts stock

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

It's official: As of yesterday, Star Wars: The Old Republic has 1.7 million active subscribers and has sold 2 million copies. That's good news for fans of the game, but it's also good news for both BioWare and Electronic Arts. Apparently, it's seen as very good news for Electronic Arts, as the company's stock has gone up by 6.1% in the announcement's wake. The stock closed on Wednesday at $18.44 a share and closed today at $19.56, an appreciable gain for the company and a sign of good health.

This is sharp contrast to some of the early analyst responses before subscriber numbers were released, as well as some suspicions that the game was falling after a few first-patch fumbles. Whether the game will rise further or stabilize where it is remains to be seen, but it's certainly making a strong showing out of the gate, and the financial sector is taking note.

[Thanks to Robert for the tip!]

Subscriber numbers lead to a new hope for Electronic Arts stock originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analyst claims that Star Wars: The Old Republic points to a healthy MMO market

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

The gaming industry is pretty morbid when you get right down to it. 2011 has seen several people predicting the death of the MMO market and the death of subscription games, often times in the same sentence. But according to analyst Colin Sebastian, the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic makes it clear that these reports of death have been greatly exaggerated. As Sebastian puts it, the unprecedented growth of SWTOR's player figures indicates that the market still possesses a demand for new games and still responds favorably.

Sebastian goes on to predict that the game will likely move around three million units by March 2012, the end of the fiscal year, although he believes that staying power is a bit more questionable. He believes that predictions of up to two million paying users by the end of 2012 might be overly optimistic. That having been said, the game has certainly come out of the gate with real strength; it only remains to be seen if it can maintain that.

Analyst claims that Star Wars: The Old Republic points to a healthy MMO market originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square-Enix bracing for big financial losses

Jef Reahard — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Business Models, Economy, MMO Industry, News Items, Final Fantasy XIV

By all accounts, Square-Enix has had a rough year. Lukewarm reception of its Final Fantasy XIV MMORPG last fall, followed by the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami this spring, have conspired to paint a bleak portrait of the gaming giant's immediate financial future. Gamespot reports that Square-Enix has warned investors to brace for a $148 million loss for the year-long period that ended on March 31st, and the figures indicate an alarming reversal of fortune when measured against the previous year's $117.44 million profit.

The data come on the heels of a down-beat full-year financial outlook issued last February and also stem from what the company calls "tightened selection regarding title lineup." Translation: SE has trimmed some fat from the development budget, notably an FPS named Gun Loco that was originally planned for the Xbox 360. You can read the full report at Gamespot.

Square-Enix bracing for big financial losses originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision Blizzard posts record profits, WoW subs declining [Updated]

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous

The most recent World of Warcraft expansion has garnered its fair share of criticisms from players, but for better or for worse that hasn't made a dent in the parent company's empire. Activision Blizzard hasn't just been surviving but thriving, posting a record profit for the first quarter of 2011 -- $503 million in net income, more than $100 million over the year before. To the surprise of absolutely no one, Blizzard Entertainment was responsible for a large portion of that profit, bringing in $170 million all by its lonesome.

Needless to say, this has serious implications for the MMO world, especially with the long-awaited Star Wars: The Old Republic still on deck for this year -- a game rumored to have a nearly ruinous budget reaching well into the $200 million territory. While some of Blizzard's profit no doubt came from StarCraft II, the numbers involved will nevertheless send the message that there's still a great deal of profit to be had in MMOs, or at least in World of Warcraft.

[Update: Our sister publication WoW Insider is reporting that during the earnings call earlier this afternoon, Blizzard admitted to a drop in WoW's subscriber levels, from pre-Cataclysm levels of 12 million to 11.4 million at the end of March.]

Activision Blizzard posts record profits, WoW subs declining [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The state of the subscription MMO: Revenues up, WoW's stranglehold slipping

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Business Models, MMO Industry

While MMO subscription numbers are largely hidden from public eyes, GamesIndustry.biz found a report by Screen Digest that delivered solid figures for the rate of subscription growth and revenue from the Western market. It's a classic case of "good news, bad news" for the industry.

The good news is that MMO subscriptions rose from $1.4 billion in 2008 to $1.6 billion in 2009, a respectable increase, especially when you consider the increase of free-to-play and microtransaction titles. This number is expected to hit the $2 billion mark by 2014. The bad news is that the average revenue per player is down 10% during the same time period due to "the popularity of cheaper premium subscription services." So more people are playing and paying, but they're spending less per person.

The analysis noted that World of Warcraft's domination in the subscription MMO market is slipping, going from 60% to 54% during that time period. Screen Digest says not to count the subscription MMO out, however: "We maintain our view that subscriptions will continue to play an important role in the MMOG sector. Certain consumer groups and types of service are well suited to subscriptions but we also acknowledge the growing success and adoption of microtransaction-based MMOGs as an alternative business model for operators."

The state of the subscription MMO: Revenues up, WoW's stranglehold slipping originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: We're all in this together

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 19 May 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Opinion, Humor, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

Community can be a funny thing. We pick the community we're in -- in this case, City of Heroes -- but we don't pick any of the other members. Sometimes they're all really stand-out folks, and sometimes... well, sometimes your choices are between Flower Power, Slug-fest, and Hammer Time. Lucky for us, the community that's formed itself around our favorite superhero MMO is pretty darn good at its worst and outright awesome most of the time. (And a proper shout-out to our community for the game right here, while I'm at it.)

To be fair, we're a bit on the lean side at the moment. After all, we're not getting another update for a couple of months and we almost all know it. Issue 17 is pretty awesome, but we also know that Going Rogue is just around the corner, and so most of us are focused a bit more on the future. But we've still got a lot to talk about in our day-to-day adventures. That both helps everyone to feel that much more welcome, and it helps facilitate this week's look at some of the noteworthy community threads that have been cropping up lately.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: We're all in this together

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: We're all in this together originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Curt Schilling says majority of savings spent on 38 Studios

Rubi Bayer — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items

Retired Red Sox player Curt Schilling has approached the development of 38 Studios with the same drive and enthusiasm as he did his baseball career, a fact that comes as no surprise to those who know what an avid MMO gamer he is. A recent article on Gamasutra took a closer look at the development of 38 Studios.

Schilling felt confident in his endeavor from the very beginning, making an initial investment of $5 million and hiring a lineup of very familiar names including R.A. Salvatore, Todd McFarlane, and several others. Once the project was underway, he increased the investment in a big way: "I have put the majority of the money I've earned in my life on the table. If I make another financial investment, I will have crossed the point of no return from a personal investment and company standpoint."

The financial and personal commitments have been significant, as with any large business venture, but Schilling remains very confident in the project: "I have no doubt I am on the cusp of creating a multi-million dollar company[...]"

Take a look at the full story on Gamasutra.

Curt Schilling says majority of savings spent on 38 Studios originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jagex comes in 22nd on the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 list

William Dobson — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, RuneScape, Free-to-Play, Browser

With the hugely successful RuneScape in their stable, we've known that Jagex has been doing well for a long time now. They've already been recognized outside of the immediate gaming world on numerous occasions: Guiness World Records awarded RuneScape the title of the world's largest free-to-play MMO, and in 2008 the word RuneScape was typed into Yahoo! Search more than Lindsay Lohan and Naruto. The company's latest accolade comes via the Sunday Times Tech Track 100, where they were just ranked at number 22 on the list of the fastest growing private technology companies in the UK.

The Tech Track 100 report states that Jagex's sales have grown 84% a year for the last few years, from £5.2 million in 2005 to £32.3 million in 2008. This is the first time they've made it on to the list since the company was founded in 2001. Jagex CEO Mark Gerhardt made a statement about his company's achievement, sounding particularly proud (and rightly so): At Jagex we are passionate about the games we make and the technology we have created to develop and deliver our games; creating fun is just part of our DNA. Our values and passion have allowed us to grow one of the largest player communities in the world." The full Tech Track 100 list is available online in .pdf form.

[Via GamesIndustry.Biz]

Jagex comes in 22nd on the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 list originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Co-Chairman of Activision Blizzard cashes in stock for $20 million

Joe Blancato — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Real-Life, MMO Industry

Just in time for Activision Blizzard's earnings report, Co-Chairman Brian Kelly liquidated 2 million shares of his stock in the company on March 12, earning over $20 million in the process.

The move has caused some speculation that the trade spells bad news for the company's forthcoming report. Given that ~~Rock Band~~ Guitar Hero and World of Warcraft haven't showed signs of slowing even during the recession, it's a safe guess that the report won't trigger a massive sell-off. Kelly was the only director-level employee reported by the SEC to have traded large volumes of his stock, so it's unlikely his stock trade is related to Activision Blizzard's performance. When 30 percent of the board of directors begins selling off their assets, it'll be time to panic.

Co-Chairman of Activision Blizzard cashes in stock for $20 million originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft 2008 profits down and Guild Wars 2 TBA in 2010-2011

Brooke Pilley — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News Items, Guild Wars 2

After hearing recent news of NCsoft's lay-offs/restructuring at their European studio, it may not come as a surprise that their latest financial report for Q4 2008 is showing a 22% net income loss compared to Q4 2007 even though sales were up 11%. This loss was attributed to higher marketing costs for the quarter. Their overall 2008 net profits plummeted 40% compared to 2007. The high quarterly marketing costs probably had a lot to do with their Korean release of Aion, which accounted for 3% of their overall sales by games in 2008.

What does this mean for fans anxiously anticipating the release of Guild Wars 2? It means you'll have to wait a while longer. According to an anonymous source and ex-NCsoft employee, the company is heavily focused on both Aion and GW2 right now. After a successful launch in Korea, NCsoft plans to release Aion in Japan and Taiwan in Q3 2009 and in the US and Europe in Q4 2009. With such a strong Aion push in 2009, it seems to leave little room for GW2 in the calendar year. Their strong dedication to each title might explain why GW2 was pushed into 2010-2011 when many fans were hoping for a 2009 launch. Given the marketing costs of promoting Aion in Korea, it would be quite a financial burden to promote both titles simultaneously around the world.

NCsoft 2008 profits down and Guild Wars 2 TBA in 2010-2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former STO designer: Star Trek might be "hardest MMO IP ever"

Samuel Axon — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, New Titles, News Items, Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online is one of the most anticipated MMOs on the horizon, but it's no secret that Perpetual Entertainment has had a rough couple of months. There's an ever-present air of uncertainty around STO's future.

Most of that uncertainty stems from Perpetual's legal and financial troubles, but one former STO team member has written up a blog post suggesting that making a Star Trek MMO might be a Kobyashi Maru scenario to begin with. "At first glance, Star Trek seems like the perfect setting for an MMO," said former systems designer Eric Heimburg, "but appearances can be deceiving. It's actually a huge landmine of problems."

Heimburg wrote that it's an expensive and difficult task to produce both a space game and a land game, that making space interesting is challenging, and that it's impossible to please all Star Trek fans because everyone has a different opinion about what makes the franchise great. All good points; we'll see if Perpetual has what it takes to make it all come together ... if it can even survive its financial and legal woes.

[Via TTH]

Former STO designer: Star Trek might be "hardest MMO IP ever" originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Megapublisher Shandra sees 66% profit increase

Samuel Axon — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Aion, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Legend of Mir: The Three Heroes, MapleStory, MMO Industry, Ragnarok Online, News Items

Shandra Interactive Entertainment, the Chinese operator of MapleStory, Dungeons & Dragons Online, The Legend of Mir, and the positively ginormous Ragnarok Online let the world know that its profits for Q3 2007 are up 66% vs. last year and that it is expecting further growth in coming months.

Shandra is the biggest publisher of online games in the Chinese market, and recently reached an agreement with NCsoft by which NCsoft will distribute its new title AION in China through Shandra instead of its old partner in the region, Sina (in which Shandra ironically holds a 20% stake).

Megapublisher Shandra sees 66% profit increase originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The9 buys shares in ... itself

Samuel Axon — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, MMO Industry, Sword of the New World, News Items

The Escapist reports that following disappointing profits despite record sales, Chinese gaming company The9 (the Chinese carrier of World of Warcraft) saw its stock values plummet by 32% recently. The company then took the opportunity to purchase back $50 million worth of shares in itself.

CEO and Chairman Jun Zhu was quoted by The Escapist saying, "We think that the current shares price level do not reflect the company's value and potential. Mirroring this confidence, our board of directors has authorized the company to repurchase up to $50 million of its own stock."

This curiously comes after a great deal of growth of the Chinese World of Warcraft player-base in Q3 and the recent launch of Sword of the New World: Granado Espada.

The9 buys shares in ... itself originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamasutra's "China Angle" reports on The9, Giant Interactive, NCsoft

Samuel Axon — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aion, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Zhengtu Online

To North American and European MMO players, China is more than just a different country; it's a different universe. But it's important to keep an at least one eye on the Chinese market. Gamasutra ran its latest "China Angle" column today. Here's what we learned this time.

The9, the Chinese publisher of World of Warcraft, will be responsible for the Chinese version of EA's FIFA Online 2. The9 already operates the original FIFA Online in the PRC, and EA owns a 15% share in the company, so that's no surprise.

Newer company Giant Interactive -- who are behind the highly profitable Zhengtu Online -- saw a $38.7 million profit in Q3 2007, and all 800 employees of the company were given actual, real-life gold coins in celebration. The company is also actually awarding stocks to some of its customers.

Finally, Korean MMO supercompany NCsoft has selected a new partner company called Shandra to distribute their new title AION. NCsoft opted not to work with their old partner Sina this time. The decision to change may have been influenced by disappointing Chinese numbers for Lineage and Lineage II, two NCsoft titles which were brought to the Chinese market by Sina.

Gamasutra's "China Angle" reports on The9, Giant Interactive, NCsoft originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft still growing -- 9.3 million served

Samuel Axon — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:13:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items

Gamasutra reports that Vivendi, the parent company of Blizzard, has seen its Q3 2007 sales go up 19% over the last quarter. Vivendi credits this growth partially to the Chinese release of The Burning Crusade expansion for World of Warcraft, which occurred in Q3. The company revealed that World of Warcraft now has 9.3 million subscribers -- 300,000 more than the the number reported last quarter.

That means that WoW has grown by the size of one and a half EVE Onlines or two whole City of Heroeses in just a few months. Or put another way, the population of World of Warcraft is now greater than the population of Sweden. We think it's safe to say that World of Warcraft will be the dominant title in the industry for a while longer.

World of Warcraft still growing -- 9.3 million served originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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