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f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  The Gaming Graveyard  |  Everquest 2  |  Topic: Smedley interview, with sub numbers 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
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Author Topic: Smedley interview, with sub numbers  (Read 5993 times)
Alkiera
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Posts: 1556

The best part of SWG was the easy account cancellation process.


on: March 04, 2005, 12:08:44 PM

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/computing/personaltech/20050228-9999-lz1b28five.html
Quote from: San Diego Union/Tribune website
February 28, 2005


SCOTT LINNETT / Union-Tribune

John Smedley is president of San Diego-based Sony Online Entertainment, which recently released EverQuest II, the sequel to its successful online game EverQuest.

How is EverQuest II doing?

It's doing really well. We have over 350,000 registered users worldwide. With EverQuest I, it took us three years to hit 300,000 registered users. We've done that in three months. I can't give you the exact number of (paid) subscribers, but we convert roughly 80 percent of registered users to subscribers, so that should give you some idea.

How many SOE employees did it take to make EverQuest II, and how many to keep the game running?

It takes about 200 people to make and work on EverQuest II. About 100 of those are developers. If you count the customer-service people, it's closer to 300. We're constantly adding new content, so we didn't scale back after the launch of the game. Think of it as if we were Disneyland opening a new fantasy experience. We would need staff to build and operate new rides.

Is the number of online gamers growing fast enough to support all the new games? And are they all still guys?

It is indeed growing fast enough. In the U.S. alone, that population is over 2 million. When EverQuest I launched, the online gaming population was about 5 percent female. Since then, the total population has grown 800 percent and women now make up 15 percent. The scarier number is that over half the people who play online play as women (laughs).

Do you play online games?

Yes. I play EverQuest II. I'm an online game player. I wouldn't say I know any inside tricks (for EverQuest II). I tell the developers that I don't want to know. When I play on my own time, I don't want to cheat. That ruins the game for me. I play because I want to have fun. I play the competitors' games all the time. I play all the games.

What's next for SOE?

Going forward, we're working on a couple of different things. We want to bring our games to a lot more platforms. Online gaming is changing, and we want to be available to all the platforms. We're also expanding internationally. We have a strong presence in Europe. We're focusing on expanding in Asia.

– JONATHAN SIDENER

Got link from a post on the (EQ2)forums asking about the '350,000' number.  Blackguard says it's currently active accounts, including those paying subs and those in their initial free month.  Still, a lot better than has been claimed by pundits here.

Alkiera

"[I could] become the world's preeminent MMO class action attorney.  I could be the lawyer EVEN AMBULANCE CHASERS LAUGH AT. " --Triforcer

Welcome to the internet. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used as evidence against you in a character assassination on Slashdot.
HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42628

the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


WWW
Reply #1 on: March 04, 2005, 12:47:31 PM

As I've said before, I don't believe those numbers, because he could very easily be counting All-Access Pass members who don't even play EQ2. 350,000 registered users is buzzword for "This is how many people bought the box, and registered an account."

WindupAtheist
Army of One
Posts: 7028

Badicalthon


Reply #2 on: March 04, 2005, 01:05:36 PM

And going by the "registered users" standard, it's... what?  Half of what WoW has in the US alone?  I don't know what the 'pundits' said, but I personally didn't expect SOE to get bitchslapped this hard.

"You're just a dick who quotes himself in his sig."  --  Schild
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome."  --  Me
Miasma
Terracotta Army
Posts: 5283

Stopgap Measure


Reply #3 on: March 04, 2005, 01:10:53 PM

Heh, I just accidentaly hovered over Haemish's WWW link .  Did someone give you a grief link or is that an old joke? I can't tell if that guy is serious or not, it's both disturbing and funny.
AOFanboi
Terracotta Army
Posts: 935


Reply #4 on: March 04, 2005, 01:34:01 PM

I fear people who use the phrase "going forward". It's salesdroidish/weaselese, and using it tags you an evil person. You either want to sell something worthless or like firing "resources".

Current: Mario Kart DS, Nintendogs
Alkiera
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1556

The best part of SWG was the easy account cancellation process.


Reply #5 on: March 04, 2005, 01:39:22 PM

As I've said before, I don't believe those numbers, because he could very easily be counting All-Access Pass members who don't even play EQ2. 350,000 registered users is buzzword for "This is how many people bought the box, and registered an account."

Quote from: Blackguard
350,000 means registered users. That includes players who are on the 30 day trial and do not current pay subscription fees, but roughly 80% of registered users becoming subscribers.

80% of that is still 280,000, which is still more than a lot of people estimated.

Alkiera

"[I could] become the world's preeminent MMO class action attorney.  I could be the lawyer EVEN AMBULANCE CHASERS LAUGH AT. " --Triforcer

Welcome to the internet. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used as evidence against you in a character assassination on Slashdot.
HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42628

the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


WWW
Reply #6 on: March 04, 2005, 02:12:53 PM

Yep, it's sold more boxes than I ever thought it would. Of course, I did predict that WoW would have double the numbers, my numbers on both of them were just way low.

I still don't believe that there are 280,000 subs that are unique EQ2 subs. And thanks to the incestuous way of the industry, we'll never know.

jpark
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1538


Reply #7 on: March 04, 2005, 04:35:27 PM

If they are happy with the sub numbers - as they would have you believe...

why /Pizza?  Why Smedley's earlier dribble about the future of MMORPGS?

Why release these numbers so late?

My user experience in EQ2 was people were disappearing.  Fast.



"I think my brain just shoved its head up its own ass in retaliation.
"  HaemishM.
SirBruce
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Posts: 2551


WWW
Reply #8 on: March 05, 2005, 11:58:23 PM

Quote from: Nyght
John Smedley: "It's doing really well. We have over 350,000 registered users worldwide.

The AP just had a article about /pizza which quotes 330,000 active players, and that seems to be in line with the 325,000 figure that was put out in an earlier CNN/Money report and in the EverQuest II / FilePlanet free trial email.  So I've assigned 330K to February.  I suspect the 350K+ is, as he said, registered users total.

Quote from: Alkiera
With Everquest I, it took us three years to hit 300,000 registered users.

WRONG.  EQ1 hit 300K in October of 2000, only 18 months after launch.  Unless SOE was lying about its numbers then.  I wonder how he could make such a mistake?

Quote from: Alkiera
We've done that in three months. I can't give you the exact number of (paid) subscribers, but we convert roughly 80 percent of registered users to subscribers, so that should give you some idea."

They were quoting 85% convesion rate at CES, so 330K / .85 = 388K registered users.

Quote from: Alkiera
He believes the US market is about 2 million players and about 15 percent are women.

That's about right, although some studies put it as high as 20%.

Bruce

PS - Since the above news article, SOE has already reported they have over 350K people logging into their game every week, so they must have at least 350K real, active subscribers (although that possible counts people on their free month).  So any way you slice it, EQII has at least 330K subs and perhaps as high as 400K.
Merusk
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Reply #9 on: March 06, 2005, 04:07:16 PM


Quote from: Alkiera
With Everquest I, it took us three years to hit 300,000 registered users.

WRONG.  EQ1 hit 300K in October of 2000, only 18 months after launch.  Unless SOE was lying about its numbers then.  I wonder how he could make such a mistake?


Or they were lying/ misleading earlier.  I know which one of you two has access to the exact numbers and a history of misleading comments.  Who do you think we should believe.

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet within your power.
SirBruce
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Posts: 2551


WWW
Reply #10 on: March 06, 2005, 04:22:50 PM

Or they were lying/ misleading earlier.  I know which one of you two has access to the exact numbers and a history of misleading comments.  Who do you think we should believe.

I don't think he'd intentially admit that they lied in official press releases earlier, do you?

No, I think the most logical explanation is he was simply misremembering, or perhaps was even misquoted.  If I see him at GDC, I'll ask. :)

Bruce
HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42628

the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


WWW
Reply #11 on: March 07, 2005, 03:02:09 PM

Hey, let's play the Semantics Game again, SHALL WE?

He said EQ1 had 300,000 registered users. What have we learned boys and girls? REGISTERED USERS IS NOT THE SAME AS SUBSCRIBERS.

Those numbers given are meaningless. 350k people have somehow registered as a user of EQ2. That doesn't even say they've sold 350k boxes, just that that many people have registered. Does that count free trial accounts? Maybe. Does that count All-Access Pass members who may or may not have logged into the game ever? Big shrug, no one knows, because they won't tell us, and they are the only ones who have that information.

What else have we learned? CONCURRENT USERS IS NOT THE SAME AS SUBSCRIBERS.

They say "SOE has already reported they have over 350K people logging into their game every week." What does that mean? That 350k DIFFERENT people have all logged in once during the week? Or that there have been 350k logins, which could be the same person 3 times or once? It's all bullshit. Total bullshit.

Toast
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Posts: 549


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Reply #12 on: March 07, 2005, 03:28:56 PM

How many times can we have the argument over subscription numbers?

Can't we just put a sticky at the top of the forums that says,

1. WoW has a lot more subs than EQ2
2. EQ2 was disappointing, but is showing signs of life
3. Any number that Sir Bruce says will be argued against vehemently

A good idea is a good idea forever.
HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42628

the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring


WWW
Reply #13 on: March 08, 2005, 08:34:30 AM

We could do that, but people still keeps posting vague subscription numbers like they mean anything more than jack and shit.

jpark
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1538


Reply #14 on: March 08, 2005, 08:40:57 AM

We could do that, but people still keeps posting vague subscription numbers like they mean anything more than jack and shit.

And Jack left town.. ;)

"I think my brain just shoved its head up its own ass in retaliation.
"  HaemishM.
SirBruce
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Posts: 2551


WWW
Reply #15 on: March 08, 2005, 05:48:07 PM

Hey, let's play the Semantics Game again, SHALL WE?

He said EQ1 had 300,000 registered users. What have we learned boys and girls? REGISTERED USERS IS NOT THE SAME AS SUBSCRIBERS.

Regardless, that's not the point.  The number of subs is always going to be less than the total number of all registered users later.  SOE quoted 300K in their own press releases 18 months, not 3 years, after EQ1 release.  So any way you slice it, whether he or they were talking registered users or subscribers, he must be wrong (or they were lying).

Quote
Those numbers given are meaningless. 350k people have somehow registered as a user of EQ2. That doesn't even say they've sold 350k boxes, just that that many people have registered. Does that count free trial accounts? Maybe. Does that count All-Access Pass members who may or may not have logged into the game ever? Big shrug, no one knows, because they won't tell us, and they are the only ones who have that information.

Again, SOE clarified in later articles and such that there are at least 330K, and then 350K, active subscribers.  Although those still could include accounts on their first free month, which is not a concern to me.

Quote
What else have we learned? CONCURRENT USERS IS NOT THE SAME AS SUBSCRIBERS.

Agreed.

Quote
They say "SOE has already reported they have over 350K people logging into their game every week." What does that mean? That 350k DIFFERENT people have all logged in once during the week? Or that there have been 350k logins, which could be the same person 3 times or once? It's all bullshit. Total bullshit.

No, it doesn't mean that.  It means 350K unique accounts.  You can ask SOE yourself if you're not clear on that.

Bruce
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