NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.mpogd.com/news/?ID=2639

Runescape, the online MMO which is a browser-based Java game, has hit one million subscribers.

I don't know if any of you play it now, or any played it back when it was free or p2p was new. But when they introduced p2p, I think it was like a dollar a month. Now, Runescape costs five dollars a month. A browser-based Java game is earning Jagex $5 mil a month. Wow, just wow.

But......but........how? Runescape is a pile of shit!

But......but........how? Runescape is a STEAMING pile of shit!

Fixed.

What about the Gia gits and there 14,000 page topics? certanly they deserve to be in this catagory

$5 MIL A MONTH??? Geez-god-holy-crap, how can I get into this racket?

Somebody just got a promotion in that company. :D

$5 MIL A MONTH??? Geez-god-holy-crap, how can I get into this racket?

WoW has 8 million subscribers, each paying $15 a month. More or less, I'm sure it's cheaper in China and such than that, but I don't know exactly.

Blizzard is printing their own money at this point. A good MMO is a goldmine, but most are absolute crap.

Blizzard is printing their own money at this point. A good MMO is a goldmine, but most are absolute crap.
They don't even have to be good, just popular. Once you suck enough nerds in, momentum will keep your subscription rolls full.

WoW has 8 million subscribers, each paying $15 a month. More or less, I'm sure it's cheaper in China and such than that, but I don't know exactly.

Blizzard is printing their own money at this point. A good MMO is a goldmine, but most are absolute crap.

American and European subscribers to WoW are carrying the burden/cost of the Chinese market because Blizzard is giving the Chinese market a much cheaper price, something like $3 per month.

Guild Wars has a hell of a lot of subscribers but unlike WoW and Crapscape, it costs nothing beyond the base cost of buying the game itself.

Runescape is a steaming.. I agree.

Yes, they are all goldmines. Some are better at making money than making interesting gameplay though.

If I'm paying for a game, I would rather play a more interesting game.

I would also rather play in a game where all of the subscribers are on the same server, and not split up over "shards" or separate server worlds.

I've found it interesting that a lot of these games charge different rates depending on where you come from. If you're paying in Euros to play Eve, you're paying about 30 percent MORE to play the exact same game that I pay to play in dollars.

I hear this is a common problem across MMOs.

They don't even have to be good, just popular. Once you suck enough nerds in, momentum will keep your subscription rolls full.

Eventually they die the slow horrible death they deserve.


EverQuest for instance.

WoW has 8 million subscribers, each paying $15 a month. More or less, I'm sure it's cheaper in China and such than that, but I don't know exactly.
WoW isn't a browser based Java game.

Guild Wars has a hell of a lot of subscribers but unlike WoW and Crapscape, it costs nothing beyond the base cost of buying the game itself.
Which they can afford by getting everyone to pay them $50-70 every 6 months and having boring, easy to finish content so their servers arn't very stressed.

WoW isn't a browser based Java game.

However, after a very short while, all you are doing is grinding. Basically, it's like playing Diablo 2, only you pay $15 a month to play it, with pretty much nothing happening. Wheee!


Which they can afford by getting everyone to pay them $50-70 every 6 months and having boring, easy to finish content so their servers arn't very stressed.

Guild Wars can be quite fun at times, especially Guild games. Of course, it gets repetive, but hey: You only pay once.

And there is no forcing you to buy the expansions either. I bought the original from a friend for $20, and I never looked back. Of course, I take a few months hiatus every once in a while, but I don't have to pay to keep my account going. So meh. Even trade.

That game scares me.

However, after a very short while, all you are doing is grinding. Basically, it's like playing Diablo 2, only you pay $15 a month to play it, with pretty much nothing happening. Wheee!
You're not understanding my point here. A Java game would put far less pressure on a server (and that is if they let as many people into a single Runescape world as are on a single WoW server) and the game would take far less money to develop. Overall, the money they are putting into it every month is a fraction of a fraction of what it is costing Blizzard to keep WoW running.

you' know nationstates states that its had Over 1.9 million nations served....

You do realize that:
a. Runescape gets much of its money from advertisers
b. You can play Runescape for FREE! That's right. If you want the barebones experience, it'll cost you zero dollars and zero cents. In other currencies, that's zero yen, zero pesos, zero pounds, zero euros, zero gold coins, zero gil, zero rupees, zero etc. That $5/month is only for the membership package, which you only need to access most of the map, get some funky clothes, etc.
c. Not every player is a Member. I play it and I didn't pay squat.

Which they can afford by getting everyone to pay them $50-70 every 6 months and having boring, easy to finish content so their servers arn't very stressed.
Then I guess you haven't played hard mode yet or even tried to go for any of the protector titles or have 4 survivors. Sure it's "easy" when you just play through and don't even bother with trying to get "masters". It's easy when you don't explore and do all the quests. When you do the minimum, the game is easy. Try actually playing it more.

You haven't done UW, FoW or Tombs in hardmode have you? It's not easy, not by a long shot. The first two are hard even in normal mode unless you've got a good group. PuGs don't always work, and you need to know your skills.

And I got my copy of each Guild Wars game (Prophecies, Factions and Nightfall) for $40 each. I don't see how you're paying a lot unless you opt for the Collector's Edition, which does come with more.

You do realize that:
a. Runescape gets much of its money from advertisers
You do realize 1 million subscribers means $5 million a month regardless, right?

b. You can play Runescape for FREE! That's right.
With content that hasn't been updated in, 5 years I think. It doesn't get old pay content, it has had no new content since the update. Except for the partial release of fletching and rune making or something, I forget.

Then I guess you haven't played hard mode yet or even tried to go for any of the protector titles or have 4 survivors.
With what shitty henchmen AI and only allowable 3 heroes with questionable AI? Four survivors? A waste of everyone's time and money and an encouragement of 55-monks and other rule-bending class creations.

You haven't done UW, FoW or Tombs in hardmode have you?
You can't do Tombs in normal mode without a B/P (and it has been that way since a week after Tombs was converted). I havn't played UW or FoW since a few months after the game was released because it is run by stuck up asshats like PvP. Hey, I bet you're there alot.

PuGs don't always work, and you need to know your skills.
So you are admitting you can't do much of the stuff in the game without knowing a large group of regular players that you play with?

And I got my copy of each Guild Wars game (Prophecies, Factions and Nightfall) for $40 each.
Where? Canada? You don't get new games less than $49.99 each in the US.

It's easy when you don't explore and do all the quests. When you do the minimum, the game is easy. Try actually playing it more.Don't get me started on that horse shit.
Only the original game has replay value. The other two have weak stories, bad progression, and uncompelling objectives.

Actually, a million subscribers doesn't mean $5.000.000 a month, as they're offering extended memberships at lower rates, like $45 for a year (I think), which is 25% off.

To be honest, you have to appreciate how two brothers have created an MMORPG that has grown to this size simply because it's accessible. It's a gateway game. No need to slag it really. It gives a lot of people something to do. It didn't shoot Bambi's mother. I'll admit that I used to play it. Still do occasionally, because I have a few friends I do. I'm only level 50 or something, but I'm a millionaire because I held on to a few items that were dropped during the holidays years ago.

Actually, a million subscribers doesn't mean $5.000.000 a month, as they're offering extended memberships at lower rates, like $45 for a year (I think), which is 25% off.
So, at least, they are still making $4 mil a month.

My 9 year old brother is addicted to that game....He wants to move to Guild Wars or, you know, something GOOD...

So, at least, they are still making $4 mil a month.
I'd be satisfied with $1 mil a month.

*starts scribbling ideas insanely and runs out to find a copy of MMOG's For Dummies*

1. It's 1 million players, not subscribers.
2. I like the game.

1. It's 1 million players, not subscribers.
No, it's 1 million subscribers. Hence the article title.
"Members" are what subscribers are called. They surpassed 1 million players some time ago.

The RuneScape site does not really specify which they are talking about.

Also, if they get $5M a month, why would they have ads?

The RuneScape site does not really specify which they are talking about.
Yes, it does. They say members. Members are subscriber account. The game is in the millions of players.

Also, if they get $5M a month, why would they have ads?
So they don't have to have real jobs.