only 500k subscribers?

[Thayos]

SE also doesn't feel the same pressures to repay third-party companies for the creation of the game. Sure, there are shareholders, but that's a different kind of relationship. SE and Blizzard are fortunate to have this kind of financial leverage with their games.

[Arkista]

SE makes at least $6.5mil a month off of 500k paying subscribers, $78 mil a year with a minimum of 500k subscribers paying $12.99 a month. How much does it cost to run this game for a whole year including employees?

[Starlord]

SE makes at least $6.5mil a month off of 500k paying subscribers, $78 mil a year with a minimum of 500k subscribers paying $12.99 a month. How much does it cost to run this game for a whole year including employees?

I am not sure, but what I am sure off is it should be less that 78 mil. Especially since FFXIV ARR team is small now.

[Zenaku]

SE makes at least $6.5mil a month off of 500k paying subscribers, $78 mil a year with a minimum of 500k subscribers paying $12.99 a month. How much does it cost to run this game for a whole year including employees?

Less seeing how a big % of the player base are legacy users where i only pay 9.99$ a month. For 8 char slots per world for 40 overall i can make. Pretty much i'm getting the 14.99$ payment for 9.99 a month.

[Tagihi]

AND if they have 500k+? who cares, i play on a very busy server and iknow there server who are even more busy then other.
I think XIV i still an succeeded mmo after Wow who been out longtime now.
Back in 2004 there was not many mmo to play and it was sort of a new era and ofc blizzard won a huge number of players.
Lets say wow start 2013 they would not have that number of active sub like they have today.
10 yeras has change game industry a lot.

[Able]

I played Eve Online for ten years. Don't think it ever had more than 500,000 subscribers. And, it never mattered to me. I never had trouble finding players.

[314159265358979323846264338327]

I played Eve Online for ten years. Don't think it ever had more than 500,000 subscribers. And, it never mattered to me. I never had trouble finding players.

It hit more than 500k back in 2013, but they're also on the same server so there's that.

[NefarioCall]

I played Eve Online for ten years. Don't think it ever had more than 500,000 subscribers. And, it never mattered to me. I never had trouble finding players.

Eve is more of an outlier than WoW in that it is one of if not the only MMO i am aware of that has lived more than a decade with subscriber numbers that continue to CLIMB. Although of course that slow steady rise is still in a range far below the millions. The fact it is probably the most hardcore MMO out there keeps the numbers low, but the game is also constantly updated to keep graphically and systematically current, which is why it doesn't feel like it was made 10 years ago.

Most 'successful' P2P MMOs experience up to 5 years of growth and then a steady decline. The first expansion is a big boon period because many players tend to 'wait' for that expansion period to start on a new MMO. SE probably knows this, which is why they are giving Heavensward such a 'western' flavor, and 'mature' at least artistically/thematically.

Even if the 500k number is accurate, that number is likely to expand gradually up and through the 2nd or 3rd expansion periods if this game follows success trends. Add in china and korea etc etc, and this game might be on pace to peak at several million.

[myahele]

To be fair, SE had very low expectation in regards to ARR. With only a 2 yrs production and probably limited budget; it FAR exceeded the number of copies/sub to break even.

[cramerb535]

We are a niche community. Personally, if there are 500k people that love this game like I do, then I am so happy. I stopped caring about sub number many years ago. If you can find a good FC you are all set.