MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Final Fantasy XIV beckons former players with Legacy, Welcome Back campaigns

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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Final Fantasy XIV - welcome back and legacy campaigns
Square-Enix is rolling out the welcome mat for former players of its Final Fantasy XIV MMORPG.

The company has announced two new promotional campaigns, the first of which is aimed at players who have paid for at least 90 days of sub time since January 6, 2012. You should be getting an email from Square if you're eligible, and you'll receive a discount on your monthly sub ($9.99 for 30 days) as well as 40 playable character slots on your account (with a maximum of eight per world).

Legacy members will also get an exclusive chocobo mount with version 2.0 as well as the option to have their name listed in the update's credits.

Square's second announcement concerns the Welcome Back Campaign, which is intended to stoke the interest of former players with inactive service accounts. Eorzean ex-patriots can come back for free between May 9th and May 20th. During the 10-day trial Square says that you can take part in the "once-in-a-lifetime" Seventh Umbral Era content and experience the new job system and inn room updates. Finally, Naoki Yoshida has published a new producer's letter which expounds on the campaigns as well as the game's future.

[Thanks to William for the tip!]

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV beckons former players with Legacy, Welcome Back campaigns originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turbine talks Eberron vs. Forgotten realms in new DDO video

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 09:30 AM PDT

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Dungeons and Dragons Online - spider queen
Turbine has released the next installment in its Menace of the Underdark dev diary series. The video clip runs for two-and-a-half minutes and features various developer personalities discussing Dungeons and Dragons Online's jump from one fantasy world to another.

"It's really important to us that Faerun feels unique and is more true to the classic high-fantasy setting," says producer Fernando Paiz. Whereas Eberron featured elements of fantasy-tech and magicpunk, the Forgotten Realms is one of the more iconic and traditional high fantasy settings around. As such, Turbine says, it has collaborated closely with Wizards of the Coast to ensure the authenticity of the expansion experience.

So what is the link between these two different realms? In a word, Lolth, the drow spider-queen goddess who is powerful enough to connect the worlds. Turbine remains mum on the specifics, though, so you'll have to check out the expansion to see for yourself.

[Source: Turbine press release]

Continue reading Turbine talks Eberron vs. Forgotten realms in new DDO video

MassivelyTurbine talks Eberron vs. Forgotten realms in new DDO video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Vendetta celebrating 10-year anniversary, prepping new content

    Posted: 20 Apr 2012 09:00 AM PDT

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    Vendetta Online - 10 year anniversary
    Ten years is an eternity in the game industry, and MMOs that manage to hang around for a decade or more are few and far between. One such title is Vendetta Online, which originally released on April 20, 2002 and is still going strong today.

    Guild Software is hosting a couple of celebration events this weekend. The company has also announced that its massive 1.9 patch is coming later this year, followed by an even more massive expansion in 2013.

    Vendetta is unique among MMOs for its twitch-based space combat and extensive trading, mining, and exploration gameplay. Large space battles, dynamic territory control, and player-generated content systems round out the feature set, all of which is coded and maintained by a four-man dev team. The single-universe game server is accessible from a number of different platforms that include Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. In March 2011, Vendetta became the first PC MMO to jump to mobile platforms, and it spent several weeks as the number one paid app on Android devices.

    Check out the game's official website for more info, and don't forget to sign up for the trial while you're there. You can also read Massively's latest game impressions in Some Assembly Required.

    [Source: Guild press release]

    MassivelyVendetta celebrating 10-year anniversary, prepping new content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      SOE games down Monday for 24-hour maintenance

      Posted: 20 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT

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      SOE logo
      We imagine that the word downtime makes Sony Online Entertainment employees cringe, convulse, and eye-twitch for hours on end after last summer's disastrous hacker-induced service outage. Happily though, the next service interruption is planned and we've got plenty of notice.

      SOE will be performing maintenance this Monday, April 23th, and the firm says that all of its game services will be unavailable for approximately 24 hours. The downtime starts at 3:01 a.m. EDT. Commerce transactions and account management functionality will also be affected, so you might as well cross all of your SOE-related plans off Monday's calendar.

      MassivelySOE games down Monday for 24-hour maintenance originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Mount & Blade: Warband DLC features 250-player battles

      Posted: 20 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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      Mount and Blade: Warband - Napoleonic Wars
      A Mount & Blade MMO is something we've wanted to see for a long time. While that's not exactly happening, 250-player battles is probably the next best thing. Paradox has just released a new DLC pack for Mount & Blade: Warband called Napoleonic Wars. It brings the game's signature real-time combat to 19th century Europe and gives players the ability to use soldiers, artillery, and even battlefield musicians to wage epic multiplayer battles.

      Napoleonic Wars features five nations, a wide range of artillery pieces, an Engineer class that uses barricades, trenches, and explosives, and over 220 new units. There's also a new commander battle mode for your squad-leader gameplay needs. The DLC pack will set you back $9.99. Oh, and don't forget to check out the launch trailer after the cut.

      [Source: Paradox press release]

      Continue reading Mount & Blade: Warband DLC features 250-player battles

      MassivelyMount & Blade: Warband DLC features 250-player battles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Diablo III roars into an open beta weekend

        Posted: 20 Apr 2012 07:00 AM PDT

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        Diablo III
        Flex those mouse-clicking fingers, compadres -- it's demon-hunting time! This weekend, Blizzard is blowing the doors off Diablo III's beta, allowing any and all (well, those with a Battle.net account, that is) to come try out this upcoming action RPG.

        The open beta weekend begins at 3:00 p.m. EDT today and lasts until 1:00 p.m. on Monday, April 23rd. During the beta, all five classes will be available, but players will be limited to a level 13 cap as they give the game a whirl.

        To access the Diablo III open beta, players need a valid Battle.net account and a BattleTag. Despite playing in the open beta, participants won't be able to post in the beta forums and won't receive Beta Bucks with which to spend.

        Asian players in Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau won't be part of this stress test, but rather a separate invitation-only closed beta test starting on April 23rd.

        MassivelyDiablo III roars into an open beta weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: Is there such thing as too much new content?

        Posted: 20 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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        Buffet!
        Getting the best value for your money has always been a concern with MMOs. As players, we want to see our dollar stretch as much as possible, and developers want to make sure they're creating enough content to keep their hardcore players happy as well as maintaining that early experience to keep new players coming in. But can it ever be just too much?

        I've found myself drifting away from a few MMOs after a new expansion or content update makes me feel completely lost. I played the game to max level, thinking I was doing good to finally join my friends in endgame content, only to have a new expansion nullify that feeling.

        So tell us your opinions, dear readers. Have you ever experienced content overload in a game, or do you welcome the content avalanche with open arms?

        Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

        MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is there such thing as too much new content? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Ask Massively: I approve of more staves edition

        Posted: 19 Apr 2012 07:00 PM PDT

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        There's no better way to beat up enemies and try out for the school's color team at once.
        You know what we need more of? Staves used as melee weapons instead of a caster's Set of Stats in a Stick. Usually, what we get is closer to a cane than an actual staff, so it makes sense that a curvy stick with a lawn ornament on one end isn't much for actual combat. But come on, folks. You can do some serious damage with a metal pole and a few witless mooks. City of Heroes is ahead of the curve here.

        This week's installment of Ask Massively has nothing to do with staves, however. It has to do with a few more lingering questions about the comment system and some wide-ranging "best of" topics. If you've got a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment of the column, you can leave it in the comments or mail it to ask@massively.com. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.

        Continue reading Ask Massively: I approve of more staves edition

        MassivelyAsk Massively: I approve of more staves edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Summoner's Guidebook: Yes, I've seen your bear Tibbers

          Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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          League of Legends screenshot
          Annie is a very popular champion in the lower skill ranks of League of Legends. This is especially true of the Classic gametypes, where she is one of the more common choices for the solo mid lane. Additionally, she is a fearsome enemy even when played by the AI. Horror stories of Annie Bot wrecking whole teams have been going on since the dawn of the game.

          Because Annie is so popular and deadly, she's an ideal character to spotlight on the Guidebook. She's fun, easy to play, and oh-so-very cute. When you go up against her, it's good to know exactly what to expect.

          Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Yes, I've seen your bear Tibbers

          MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Yes, I've seen your bear Tibbers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Dungeons & Dragons Online invites players to build a guild

            Posted: 19 Apr 2012 05:00 PM PDT

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            Fight the Drow, fight random strangers in a bar.  Either one.
            If you're going to take on the Drow in Dungeons & Dragons Online, you're going to need help. You'll need allies, people you can count on no matter what. In other words, you need a guild. That means recruiting some good players -- and the new Build Your Guild event is aimed at giving players incentives for just that. Running until late June, the event offers players two different ways to gain fantastic advantages just by being in a guild.

            All players can gain extra experience and loot by grouping with fellow guild members, whether you're a new player or an old hand. You can also gain special bounties for reaching leveling milestones, which grants bonus guild renown and astral diamonds. Last but not least, guilds will randomly be rewarded a variety of prizes during the length of the event, culminating with a level 85 airship in late June. The event should provide plenty of incentive for players to work together in a guild, and if you happen to get some prizes along the way, so much the better.

            MassivelyDungeons & Dragons Online invites players to build a guild originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            APB: Reloaded's patch 1.7: New Breed Part One is locked, loaded, and live

            Posted: 19 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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            Screenshot -- APB: Reloaded
            Heads up, APB: Reloaded players; the game's patch 1.7: A New Breed Part One is now live, so it's time once again to lock and load. This rather sizeable update brings quite a few new features with it, such as the previously covered new contacts, weapons, mods, weekly challenges, and more.

            On top of all those goodies, the patch is also introducing a number of new clothing sets and vehicle kits to allow players to commit/bust crimes with panache. A great number of changes have been made to the game proper as well, such as some environmental tweaks and some modifications to weapon and character mechanics, the full list of which can be found over on the game's official blog. But why read about it when you can experience all the new content yourself? Just head on over to San Paro and join the fight.

            [Source: GamersFirst press release]

            MassivelyAPB: Reloaded's patch 1.7: New Breed Part One is locked, loaded, and live originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              The Guild Counsel: What makes a guild leader miserable?

              Posted: 19 Apr 2012 03:00 PM PDT

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              swtor facepalm
              Guild-leading can be a very enjoyable and rewarding activity, but it's not always a walk in the park. In many of the columns here and the discussions that follow, the most common theme is how leading guilds is both the best and the toughest role in the game. When things are all falling into place and everyone's clicking, it's extremely satisfying to see it all come together. But when it's not, it can be extremely frustrating and stressful.

              We've often looked at the benefits of running a guild, but in today's Guild Counsel, let's look at a few areas that can sometimes make guild leadership almost seem not worth it. Hopefully by discussing and recognizing these moments of misery, guild leaders can find some solace in knowing that they aren't alone, and members can help make life easier for their leaders.

              Continue reading The Guild Counsel: What makes a guild leader miserable?

              MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: What makes a guild leader miserable? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Guild Wars 2 briefs players on next weekend's beta event

                Posted: 19 Apr 2012 02:30 PM PDT

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                Guild Wars 2
                Excited about next weekend's Guild Wars 2 beta event? We're right there with you, which is why we uttered a sigh of relief to hear some concrete details about the hows and whys of the nitty-gritty details from ArenaNet's mouth.

                The event will take place from Friday, April 27th, at 3:00 p.m. EDT until Monday, April 30, at 3:00 a.m. While there are various ways to obtain a key for the weekend (such as having gone to PAX East), the only 100% surefire way of getting in the event is to have pre-purchased the game. All event attendees will be emailed next week with instructions about the client download.

                The beta event will allow players to choose from three races (Charr, Human, and Norn) and all eight classes, to experience PvP and PvE content, and to see Lion's Arch for the very first time. ArenaNet assured us that this will not be the final beta weekend prior to launch and delivered the good news that this event will not be hampered by an NDA of any sort.

                MassivelyGuild Wars 2 briefs players on next weekend's beta event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Ex-MMO devs aim to fund space combat game via Kickstarter

                Posted: 19 Apr 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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                Squad Wars
                They were part of the force behind many MMOs you've known and loved, including Jumpgate, Auto Assault, LEGO Universe, RIFT, and League of Legends, and now they're banding together for a new cause funded by crowdsourcing. They're the developers at END Games, and they hope to raise a quarter of a million dollars to create a multiplayer space combat game.

                Despite the team's legacy, however, this new title will not be an MMO. Titled Squad Wars, the proposed project will blossom into a frantic starfighter game that will pit squads of players against each other in the deadly vacuum of space. Instead of focusing on a persistent world, Squad Wars will offer packaged scenarios that will "ensure the most fun every time you login."

                END Games is also notable in that two of its members were founders of NetDevil: Scott Brown and Ryan Seabury. As of the time of this writing, END Games has $1,430 toward its goal, which must be attained by May 19th for the project to proceed.

                MassivelyEx-MMO devs aim to fund space combat game via Kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Guild Wars 2 releases underwater concept art

                Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:30 PM PDT

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                Guild Wars 2
                They say a picture is worth a thousand words, or in this case, 460,000 likes on Facebook. Reacting to the growing popularity of Guild Wars 2 in its social media, ArenaNet has released a brand-new piece of gorgeous concept art for you to gawk at.

                The piece shows Norn Eir Stegalkin finding something hidden deep underwater. Eir is one of the five key heroes of Destiny's Edge, the retired adventuring group that plays a huge part in the game. As Guild Wars 2 will have a significant underwater portion, this art is a good reminder that not all of the game's exploration and landmarks will take place out in the open air.

                The concept art is by ArenaNet's Jamie Ro and can be viewed in high resolution on Flickr.

                MassivelyGuild Wars 2 releases underwater concept art originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Outspark launches Fiesta Social beta on Facebook

                Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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                Fiesta Social - beach scene
                It's beta time for Fiesta Social, a new Facebook RPG based on Outspark's Fiesta Online MMO. "With Fiesta Social, when you meet someone in-game, you're hanging out with them in real-time, laughing at their jokes and saving them in battle. It's highly addictive, soul-satisfying bonding you just can't get from the current 2-D turn-based social games," says Outspark CEO Philip Yun.

                We're not sure about the soul-satisfying bit, but the trailer has a certain cute factor that you can see by clicking past the cut below.

                Outspark says that Fiesta has nearly 10 million registered users and close to 600,000 Facebook fans, so there's always someone to share your personal information with... er, have fun with, day or night. Outspark is also giving away free dance emotes and free mounts. All you have to do is enter the code OTTERGONBEAT.

                Continue reading Outspark launches Fiesta Social beta on Facebook

                MassivelyOutspark launches Fiesta Social beta on Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Otherland alpha sign-ups begin

                  Posted: 19 Apr 2012 12:30 PM PDT

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                  Otherland - demon dude
                  Fancy getting an early peek at the MMO version of Tad Williams' Otherland? Head to gamigo's official forum, then, because the company is seeking a few good alpha testers.

                  This isn't your typical marketing beta, at least according to the sign-up verbiage. "As an alpha tester, you will be asked to focus-test specific game elements, document your user experience, and fill out in-depth surveys each week. Alpha testing is hard work," gamigo says. It's also unpaid work, so only die-hard Otherland fans need apply.

                  If you're not a die-hard but are still interested in the game, check out our GDC impressions as well as this handy post that collects all of the publicly known information in one place.

                  MassivelyOtherland alpha sign-ups begin originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Funcom temporarily takes The Secret World Facebook tie-in offline

                  Posted: 19 Apr 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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                  Secret War loading screen
                  Earlier today Funcom pulled its new Secret War game from Facebook. The minigame launched yesterday in an attempt to drum up interest in the upcoming The Secret World MMO.

                  We've received a few news tips and heard a few rumors as to why the game was taken offline, so we decided to contact Funcom directly for the full scoop. Director of communications Erling Ellingsen gave us the low-down:
                  What's happened is that the activity levels on sharing to Facebook has been significantly higher than expected, and we have been asked by Facebook to make certain adjustments. So we are taking down the experience now and will be bringing it up again once the necessary adjustments have been made.

                  Even shortly after launch yesterday we had tens of thousands of people playing and sharing actively, so the interest for the experience has been very high.
                  And there you have it. We'll update the story as Funcom brings The Secret War back online or if there are any further developments.

                  [Thanks to Adam for the tip!]

                  MassivelyFuncom temporarily takes The Secret World Facebook tie-in offline originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

                    Posted: 19 Apr 2012 11:00 AM PDT

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                    Perfect Ten
                    In the increasingly diminishing field of subscription-only MMOs, two distinct camps have formed. There is the Old Guard that has its established playerbase and is simply not interested in jumping on board the F2P train, and then there are the New Kids on the Block (which would make an excellent band name, by the way), who argue that their premium features and AAA content warrant a subscription in the F2P age.

                    A few years ago, doing a list of the final few F2P holdouts would have been a ridiculous proposition, but now it's actually difficult to get to 10 of these. Each company has a different reason that it hasn't given these games more flexible payment options (FPO should replace F2P; pass it on!), and while some have addressed this publicly, others say nothing and leave us to speculate on it.

                    For today's Perfect Ten, we're going to look at the 10 biggest current F2P holdouts in the industry and muse about what's going on behind the scenes. Will this list be impossible to do in a few years or will subscription-only titles come back in a big way? Hey, I don't predict things; I just make lists.

                    Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

                    MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Analyst says SWTOR subs peaked at 1.7 million, now declining

                      Posted: 19 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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                      Image
                      Stop us if you've heard this one before. Expensive themepark MMO launches to critical and fan acclaim (minus a healthy contingent of naysayers, of course). A few months after launch, rumors of bleeding subscriptions abound, followed by analyst predictions of... well, business as usual.

                      Gamasutra reports on one such forecast for Star Wars: The Old Republic by Cowen and Company. Analyst Doug Creutz says that though TOR's subs peaked at 1.7 million in February, he expects them to drop to around 1.25 million by March of 2013. The analysis is based on statistics gleaned from TorStatus.net, which tracks daily users as opposed to sub numbers. Electronic Arts' recent SWTOR promotional blitz also factored into the report.

                      "While the game got off to a good start, the relatively light amount of end-game content does appear to be taking a toll," Creutz wrote.

                      MassivelyAnalyst says SWTOR subs peaked at 1.7 million, now declining originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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