Quote Originally Posted by Jeeqbit View Post
Lucky Bancho stats
2023/03/06 1.39 million active characters
2022/12/31 1.36 million active characters
2022/10/16 1.45 million active characters
2022/08/20 1.31 million active characters
2022/06/27 1.33 million active characters
2022/04/10 1.7 million active characters
2022/01/03 1.35 million active characters
2021/11/05 1.62 million active characters
2021/07/18 1.2 million active characters

These stats are over a 2-3 month period, which doesn't necessarily give an accurate picture of subscriptions, but the overall trend is still telling us things.

Active characters are higher than in July of 2021 when the streaming thing happened and have remained relatively stable since June 2022.

Criteria
  • The maximum level is 60 or higher (not including just 60) OR Jobs that cannot be released in the free trial OR FC affiliation *
  • HP, level, and experience have changed since the last survey (12/31)
  • The number of minions and mounts possessed has changed since the last survey.
  • New characters not present in the previous survey
  • Own 1 or more mounts
  • Characters using jumping potion in the job at the time of data acquisition (main weapon IL 260 and battle job maximum level 60 at the time of data acquisition, main weapon IL 390 and maximum level 70, IL 530 and maximum level 80) Characters excluded
People use tiny dataset (steam) & personal anecdotes that mean nothing in the grand scheme to doom & gloom when reality is contrary to their cherry-picked worldview, a tale as old as time. In other news, water is wet.
Game's more successful than its ever been with a constant higher active playerbase than even the highest point in SHB, even in these content lulls. Factoring in the deficit of MSQ players that disappear at the beginning of each expansion only to return at the next, 7.0 is on track to shatter player number records once again.

But I'm sure Square will think something major needs to be done to their formula as they walk to the bank depositing their record high profits this game generates from a formula that finds such insane success by targeting the new reality of the video game industry that is accessibility & simplicity in game design.