FFXIV is not a failure, never was.

[viion]

Most Subs listed was 500,000 sometime in 2008. Total active characters(peoples alts included) 2M in 2009. by 2009 a lot already had about 9 alts for inventory space if nothing else(+1 adding their main).

So did they reach 1M at least? maybe but I doubt it.

Ahh right, yeh just googled it up: 500k subs in 2008: http://forums.ffxiclopedia.org/viewt...hp?f=1&t=16794
And 2million characters by April 2009, http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...opics_all.html

Which is what 7 yrs since release? Well 5/6 to US/EU

So with XIV following XI's release so tightly i think in 5-6 years this game is going to be BOMBIN

[Blair]

Right thing to do: launch ps3 version in summer with 1st expansion as a pack deal , sell cheap on pc expansion. Otherwise this game is doom to failure.

Question is , is there an expansion in place ?

This is look from marketing point of view

[MiNuN]

^You wouldn't want expansion with PS3 release if you were looking it from a Marketing P.O.V.

[Abriael]

^You wouldn't want expansion with PS3 release if you were looking it from a Marketing P.O.V.

It depends. Marketing doesn't always aim to "make more money as soon as possible". An expansion with the PS3 release, would work well in pushing sales of the PS3 release itself, and would bring back many PC users as well. A bigger intake of players all at the same time has more staying power than two smaller intakes, simply because some of the population coming from the first could leave again because they don't find the world populated enough for their taste before the second intake hits.
It would also prompt a second review of the game from PC-dedicated sites at the same time as the PS3 version hits, and in the case of a strong reversal of initial scores that would create a much bigger buzz, and buzz = sales.
SE has already demonstrated that they aren't going for the "money! Now!" route with FFXIV, and this means that they can easily find pushing the PS3 release with all the means they have (including an expansion) a more sound strategy than selling them separately to make more money with box sales.

[Ostia]

It depends. Marketing doesn't always aim to "make more money as soon as possible". An expansion with the PS3 release, would work well in pushing sales of the PS3 release itself, and would bring back many PC users as well. A bigger intake of players all at the same time has more staying power than two smaller intakes, simply because some of the population coming from the first could leave again because they don't find the world populated enough for their taste before the second intake hits.
It would also prompt a second review of the game from PC-dedicated sites at the same time as the PS3 version hits, and in the case of a strong reversal of initial scores that would create a much bigger buzz, and buzz = sales.
SE has already demonstrated that they aren't going for the "money! Now!" route with FFXIV, and this means that they can easily find pushing the PS3 release with all the means they have (including an expansion) a more sound strategy than selling them separately to make more money with box sales.

You are so delusional sometimes that it is not even funny Mr. Whiteknight, how has SE demonstrated they are not going for the money with FFXIV, when the reason the game is in the gutter is because they went for the MONEY with the early release ?

If your answer is "Well they are not or have not charged for the Subs" Then you are delusional indeed, for they did not do it out of the goodness of their hearts, they just had not option, charge and kill the game, or not charge and hope they can save it.

And as things stand, doubt there will be a PS3 release anyways.

[Malakhim]

Yeah dude, if SE/shareholders/Cthulu hadn't been out for the money grab, the game would never have been released in the state it was. I'm not trying to open that argument again though, since the fact of the matter is that nobody save SE themselves know why that even happened, and they're not talking.

But they most certainly WILL go for a PS3 launch, as that's pretty much the only way they have a shot at getting mass awareness out. Like others have posted it doesn't matter how well an MMO changes if the mass market isn't aware of these things. There has to be a significant push, and the PS3 launch IS that push.

[Frebaut]

The game is not a failure.

Delusion of grander my friend. If its not a failure that's why so many people quit. If its not a failure that's why they hired a whole new Dev team. If its not a failure that's why their redesigning the game( probably the biggest reason the game failed). If it's not a failure that's why it's still FREE TO PLAY.

SE has dug a big hole with this game. They are doing what they can to get this game to what it should of been at release. This game was released at what most games would be called the ALPHA state. As of now the game is in BETA state.

Hopefully this game will be great. I have enjoyed the game even with all the frustration that is with it. Going from Rank 1-15 was fun, then that was it. The game was boring. If it didn't have a FF name in front of it. It would of been in the trash after a week of release. Again i want this game to do well and become great. With the pace of it now maybe 6-10 more months to make that happen.

[Lampy]

I have only read the OP, but i am interested in you saying they have the TIME!, no, no, sadly they do not. The first dev team released what can only be described as a pathetic excuse of an MMO, for the new dev team TIME is running short, by causing such a massive delay in releasing such an unfinished game, they are now a massive step behind any other MMO in the early stages of development, and they are nearly 6 months into release holding onto a meager tens of thousands regular players for a free MMO, made by one of the gaming industries most experienced and respected developers, pshhhh.

The fact is, SE entered a thriving MMO market, in which players are now used to a mass amount of content and lore. Ten years ago it was different, theres now so many to choose from, so much competition, people don't have the patience to play a game in hopes of what will come. If SE wanted to guarantee success they needed to release this game filled with content, the market demands it, they needed multiple end game events already in place and ready to go, they needed updates for the next 18 months planned and already in development.

They really have shot themselves in the foot releasing this game, i can't say where they went wrong, but i would hazard a guess someone really really slacked off in the market research department. Unless they can put some serious cash into marketing and advertising this game with a complete overhaul this game is going to fail.

Its so sad to see the amount of people who defend the game in its current state, people who reject the changes which are an attempt to make the game more appealing. Im sure SE would rather trade the 30'000 or so people still playing for the 1'000'000 paying subscribers they could have, if they just redeveloped and re-marketed the game correctly.

[Benjaman]

I have only read the OP, but i am interested in you saying they have the TIME!, no, no, sadly they do not. The first dev team released what can only be described as a pathetic excuse of an MMO, for the new dev team TIME is running short, by causing such a massive delay in releasing such an unfinished game, they are now a massive step behind any other MMO in the early stages of development, and they are nearly 6 months into release holding onto a meager tens of thousands regular players for a free MMO, made by one of the gaming industries most experienced and respected developers, pshhhh.

The fact is, SE entered a thriving MMO market, in which players are now used to a mass amount of content and lore. Ten years ago it was different, theres now so many to choose from, so much competition, people don't have the patience to play a game in hopes of what will come. If SE wanted to guarantee success they needed to release this game filled with content, the market demands it, they needed multiple end game events already in place and ready to go, they needed updates for the next 18 months planned and already in development.

They really have shot themselves in the foot releasing this game, i can't say where they went wrong, but i would hazard a guess someone really really slacked off in the market research department. Unless they can put some serious cash into marketing and advertising this game with a complete overhaul this game is going to fail.

Its so sad to see the amount of people who defend the game in its current state, people who reject the changes which are an attempt to make the game more appealing. Im sure SE would rather trade the 30'000 or so people still playing for the 1'000'000 paying subscribers they could have, if they just redeveloped and re-marketed the game correctly.

This sums up the feelings of a lot of players that don't bother to come to the forums or having anything to do with this game anymore.

[Verecund]

I wouldn't consider the game a failure.

But I would consider officially releasing a game still under heavy development into the professional market PRFOUNDLY UNWISE.