What is a good lifespan of a MMORPG?

[Astralporing.1957]

On 3/21/2024 at 7:10 AM, eyelogix.1654 said:

GW1 graphics has aged like milk.
WoW has a different artsyle compared to GW1. You can't really compare apple with oranges.

More like WoW went through several waves of graphics updates since its release. While GW1, obviously, stopped when it got abandoned for GW2.

[QueenKeriti.5176]

An MMO making it past 5 years with active development is pretty impressive these days. Have had so many flash-in-the-pan MMOs that are ultra hyped and then just...die, or change developers/publishers multiple times until they wind up with Gamigo/similar publishers and become p2w and die.

MMO gamers are a niche subset within gaming overall. There aren't actually a lot of us relative to the entire "gamers" group. The chance of an MMO getting (and maintaining) 20 million players from the beginning is stupidly small. 

[TheQuickFox.3826]

On 3/9/2024 at 8:18 PM, uberkingkong.8041 said:

Let me ask something, do you think it was a good move that GW1 created GW2 and they focused 100% on the newer game?

Now GW2, whats a good lifespan of a MMORPG? SO that a new version of it comes out?

I think that most players play MMORPG games for long term progression. Players have to feel secure that what they invest their time and energy in will stay with them.

World of Warcraft is a good example of a game that keeps player progression yet still gets updated with new content and game engine updates. I think, for MMORPG games this is the best way to build a solid player base. With all new games, like the move from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2 it is important to have enough progression to transfer over to the new game. For example, characters, gear and achievements. Guild Wars 1 only did this via the Hall of Monuments with a limited selection of items and achievements that would lead to recognition in the new game. I'm glad that at least this was realized and that the prestigious GWAMM title carried over directly.

But I prefer gradual improvements of GW2 over a new start with a GW3 game for sake of player, account and character progression.

[uberkingkong.8041]

Yes but should playerbase be in consideration as well?

Do 18-25 year olds think of an MMORPG as an old people game? Is that a good indicator to create the next version of the game?

It's not really good to just keep the base and maintain, and people get uninterested and you just losing people slowly. A new version would solve peak interest back right? 18-25 year olds they see new and its not an old people game anymore.

 

On 3/22/2024 at 12:08 PM, TheQuickFox.3826 said:

I think that most players play MMORPG games for long term progression. Players have to feel secure that what they invest their time and energy in will stay with them.

World of Warcraft is a good example of a game that keeps player progression yet still gets updated with new content and game engine updates. I think, for MMORPG games this is the best way to build a solid player base. With all new games, like the move from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2 it is important to have enough progression to transfer over to the new game. For example, characters, gear and achievements. Guild Wars 1 only did this via the Hall of Monuments with a limited selection of items and achievements that would lead to recognition in the new game. I'm glad that at least this was realized and that the prestigious GWAMM title carried over directly.

But I prefer gradual improvements of GW2 over a new start with a GW3 game for sake of player, account and character progression.

You mention WoW, is that considered an old people game to 18-25 year olds? What do you think.

 

Also, with newplayers being on even playing is a big factor in MMORPG right? So if a game is going on 10+ years, someone looking into a new MMORPG, age a factor in their decisions?

 

Should the MMORPG not do anything and just ride it out with whoever is there or should it grow and be proud of the brand of the MMORPG game for continuing to evolve and not become old as in old people play it or old as in playing the game you'll be super far behind everyone and not many newplayers in it too kind of vibe.

[Astralporing.1957]

17 hours ago, uberkingkong.8041 said:

It's not really good to just keep the base and maintain, and people get uninterested and you just losing people slowly. A new version would solve peak interest back right? 18-25 year olds they see new and its not an old people game anymore.

Looking at the playerbase of fresh MMORPGs, like New World, does not support this reasoning. The playerbase for that game was pretty much the same as for older, established MMORPGs.

[Knighthonor.4061]

On 3/9/2024 at 2:18 PM, uberkingkong.8041 said:

Let me ask something, do you think it was a good move that GW1 created GW2 and they focused 100% on the newer game?

Now GW2, whats a good lifespan of a MMORPG? SO that a new version of it comes out?

Guild Wars 1 wasn't a MMO. Most people that play GW2 didn't play GW1. This why I knew Cantha based expansion would be such a flop.

[Astralporing.1957]

15 hours ago, Knighthonor.4061 said:

Guild Wars 1 wasn't a MMO. Most people that play GW2 didn't play GW1. This why I knew Cantha based expansion would be such a flop.

There's still quite a number of original GW1 veterans in the game. Cantha expansion was made to appeal to that group. Problem is, the Cantha they gave in EoD is significantly different than the one in Factions. Let's just say that not everyone liked those changes.

For me personally, the Canthan callouts were mostly surface level, but underneath was a setting that could take place anywhere. The elements i liked in Cantha from Factions were no longer there. Nor was there a feel of being in a different culture - to me seemed like more US, or, at least, generic modern setting,  just with a barely concealing shallow coat of Eastern-themed paint. Now, i know that my personal opinion need not be necessarily shared by everyone - there were people that liked what they've got, just as there were people that disliked different elements of this setting than i did. Still, this underscored an issue - if an expansion is based around envoking feelings of nostalgia in a certain part of you playerbase, and you change stuff enough that it runs counter to that for at least part of that group, then the question is, who was it for, really?

Edited March 25 by Astralporing.1957