What can SE learn from Bioware's failing Star Wars MMO?

[Jinrya-Geki]

You would think the Star Wars universe would provide an ideal setting for an MMO. It has everything, from `wizards` to swordplay to epic duels to guys with blaster rifles. It has this planet, that planet, a rich and well established lore, depth, and so on and so forth. Despite this, it looks like Bioware and Lucas Arts have just released one huge dud on the MMO market. Rumors are circulating that Bioware is now exploring the F2P model and just completed a wave of free server transfers to accommodate people playing on empty servers. While advocates of F2P might argue otherwise... this to me sounds like the last gasps of an MMO in serious trouble. If this is true, considering the alleged investment in development and the fact that they had all of the Star Wars universe at their disposal, this can, should and will be considered a monumental failure.

Are you cracking a joke at me?

[Xatsh]

What can SE take out of this.

STOP MAKING WOW CLONE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM FAIL!!!

Besides that make something original, make enough content that people cannot complete it as quick as you add it. No one can deny WoW is a great game, but no one wants to play WoW again from level 1 with just new skins.

Make a mmo with content for everyone not just the 1hr a day casuals.

[Keres]

I just think this deals a serious blow to the people who say the future of MMO's is in creating online single player games based on instances and easily accessible everythings.

Indeed, but let's not pretend that making everything difficult and arcane is the solution either. Thankfully, 2.0 seems to be seeking the middle ground.

[Azurymber]

Also SWTOR had something like 100+ servers. So i don`t think this moving servers thing is really a sign the game is dying completely. Remember, SW tor had 100ish servers all as big as ffxiv servers. FFXIV has like 8?

[Alhanelem]

(that challenge is a remnant of the past)

Challenge isn't a remenant of the past. Challenge due to game design defects is. Everquest and FFXI weren't successful because of punishing death penalties or hours of walking. They were successful because the battles were fun and the experience was immersive. MMOs fail because they get half-assed in a genre where there are already too many to choose from. MMOs don't succeed or fail purely because they are or are not challenging enough. They succeed or fail because of poorly designed mechanics, clunky user interfaces, copypasted NPCs terrain etc, and general half-assery. MMOs are huge projects. No matter how huge your game world is, the players expect you to fill it and keep it interesting. But the bigger it gets, the harder it is to accomplish.

FFXIV tanked at launch because they half-assed it. Then SE learned their lesson and began to take their time to make more of the right calls.

[Manticore]

I dont think Star Wars is a monumental failure by any means, it is probably one of the greatest games i've ever played. Full voice acting, in depth storylines, Star Wars universe, beautiful worlds, I have every class at 50 and have seen everything there is to see, and that is the only problem I have with the game. I have completed everything, I have a full set of endgame armor best in every slot and best in every pvp slot for 2 of my characters republic and sith. The problem is, I beat the game 3 months in. They just need more content, I think it is a great game.


XIV just needs to take elements from popular MMOs, and use it to SUPPLEMENT XIV not clone it. XIV is unique in it's own right and should never "Clone" anything, but by taking elements that work and players enjoy from other games, it will only make XIV better.

Don't copy, supplement information and things from other games for your original and unique game.

[Isaveron]

The game was great..

The game was far from being great. It felt like a mediocre single player game with a subscription fee.

[Alhanelem]

Too many companies are trying to just cash in on WoW's success and the result is too many MMOs with not enough people to play them. Any developers currently considering one ought to think twice about doing it, no matter how good of a job they think they can do.

[Hirmu]

I would also caution against calling it a failure. If SW sold 3 million copies at $50 each.. then that's 150 million dollars. Anything on top of that is their profit. It might be best to phrase it as not living up to its Warcraft-level expectations.

I have to raise a counterpoint and caution against calling any MMO a success based on the initial sales figures. Many games these days have the tendency to build immense hype, gather millions of sales on launch and lose 75% of their players during the first few months. Financially these games might make up for their production costs, therefore being "successful" but games shouldn't be judged by their profit margin, and especially not by gamers. It should be in the nature of an MMORPG that the game persists for more than a year. If it can't keep it's players, it's a failure. No matter how much money they manage to scrape with their hype.

[Scherwiz]

Star Wars : The Hand Hold Republic