I think I'm finished; a new player's final thoughts

[Afania]

I'm curious what you'd say to someone who came FROM WoW to try "your" game.

Here is a game that came out within a year of FFXI.

Examine the graph closely:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...2LHxJL0cCw5ukw

The reason why the game continues to add players year after year is a topic too exhaustive for this discussion.

Suffice it to say, the graphics engine has been redone on two separate occassions.

In the mean time, FFXI got "Playstation Limitations."

Brilliant.

The reason why EVE online can retain players, is because EVE online is sandbox MMORPG, and there aren't enough sandbox RPG competition on the market. Also by nature, sandbox gameplay are not just "beat the content then quit" kind of game. Showing a graph of a sandbox MMO doesn't really show anything, because FFXI is themepark and it's not even same genre.


Theme park has bigger market, but every title are competing against one million F2P titles coming out every year, hundred and hundred of asian titles pop every year too. Pretty much any new theme park MMO can't retain sub because they're competing against one million other titles AND by the nature of gameplay, players would play through their content and quit.

FFXI is just like any theme park MMO, but with different flavor. It's directly competing against games like WoW/FFXIV, there isn't much you can do if the sub numbers drop.