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- scottsizemore, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5http://scottsizemore.com/files/mirror/WoW-1.8.4.4878-to-1.9.0.4937-enUS-patch.exe
- randylovin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"I play WOW but seriously why is this on the front page?"
That's what the users decided. - randylovin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"Given the ridiculous amount of money they are making on monthly subscriptions, does anyone know how Blizzard is getting away with charging money for the expansion to be released later this year?"
Because support costs and development costs are two different things? What do you mean by "getting away with"? - mike_p, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Hi, my name is Michael... I am a World of Warcraft junkie. It's really hard to resist the game once I wake up until the minute I go to sleep. When the servers are down, I read up on WoW Quest Info and L337 mob drops for my Hunter. But it is good for one thing! It's cured my addiciton to Halo 2 (which involved no strategies or thinking at all)... just pure aggression and yelling at Xbox Live for "lagging" (even though I know that my connection is fast and reliable)...
This is kinda a joke... but some parts are kinda not... kinda =) - neocryptek, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2First: The 5 million subscriber quote is CONCURRENT subscribers. They have stated this many times. This means counting all *active* trial accounts and *active* paying customers. This does NOT include people who have previously subscribed and have since canceled and moved on.
Now to be fair, they are probably fudging that number a bit, maybe by a hundred thousand or two to get a nice round number, but its most likely pretty accurate.
Second: You cant just simplify income into profit like that.
Everyone always forgets the tiny 5+ years this game was in development. It's Blizzard remember? They take AGES to make very, very good games. They poured in a huge amount of money to create this game, that is debt that must be repaid before you can even count a single penny of this.
Add that to the aforementioned run costs, entry cost to break into and deploy in other markets, VU royalties, legal obligations, support and general funds to better the company as a whole and your figures are much, much smaller.
Are they making money? Yes.
Is it anywhere near what your suggesting? No.
One of the only decent developers left in this horrible EA filled "gaming" industry today.
PS: Regarding the patch, I got it in about 5min using the Blizz downloader. But note it does rape your upload, so if your connection is limited there you will most likely be much slower. In that case just use a mirror. Also all the usual bittorrent rules apply to devices like routers and firewalls. - HottSauce, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Because support costs and development costs are two different things? What do you mean by getting away with?"
As far as I know the monthly fee is for added content, among other things. An expansion seems like added content to me. - daydark, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I just got it from dl.qj.net at like 400kb/sec, fileplanet is slow as molases! Heres a link:
http://dl.qj.net/World-of-Warcraft-Patch-v1.9.0-PC-Gaming-MMORPG-World-of-Warcraft/pg/12/fid/649/catid/157 - giles, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2boo, warlock nerfs :(
- StickyDragon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1definiteform: Already been said, but it's cheaper to pay $15 a month for a game that keeps you occupied for months than it is to buy a new game for $50 that you will be done with in a month. You also get the first month free, so it's really only $35 for the game. $15 is still cheaper than going to a movie which only entertains you for a few hours.
- jmet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1definiteform: You pay a monthly fee to get content patches such as these, for the company ran servers etc. I was sceptical also as this was my first pay to play game. My friend told me that once I started playing WOW that I would actually save money because I wouldn't be buying a game or two every month anymore. He was very right, I have actually save money in the past year that I have been playing the game.
- nacheen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1does anyone know of a file service that has the Mac Version?
- rapeandruin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1bittorrent!!!
http://www.3dgamers.com/torrents/games/worldofwarcraft/wow-1.8.4-to-1.9.0-enus-patch.exe.torrent - patonw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"boo, warlock nerfs :("
I've missed hearing warlocks whine. It fills my heart with joy.
"These Patches are way to big.... It takes a good 3 hours after an installation to download every patch... blah :("
It's not taking 3 hours because of the file size. Blizzard's downloader is fscked and performing much slower than the tech it's built on. Just download the patch from a regular file hosting service via http --- which the article has links to. - nesdude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1definiteform: I was suckered in because of my female friend and her parents. I too scoffed at the idea of paying 15 bucks a month for something I already shelled out 50 for, but after I got into it, I realized that the social factor was, for me, worth the added cost. And I have Blizz tech support, which may not be all that great, but they want my money, it feels like they go the extra mile.
- Bonobo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0omg this took me 5 hours to download.....i have broadband....but the patch was worth it theres now ALOT more quests but my guy definitly got nerfed!
- dongiaconia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0YAY! New bugs! No xp from fishing, and Hunter's pet won't come back without re-stabling them
- Kuth678, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0http://scottsizemore.com/files/mirror/WoW-1.8.4.4878-to-1.9.0.4937-enUS-patch.exe
posted by scottsizemore (2) at 10:10 AM 1/03/06
Scottsizemore rocks :) thanks for the fast download!!! - enki25, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Also, scottsizemore rocks. The fast download probably saved me and several others much time.
- Jack9, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Sure, 5M users, but you can't just muliply that by 15 bucks to come up with their revenue on montly subs. I'm sure many people buy time in bulk, which decreases the prices. On top of that, a good chuck of that player base is in places like China where I'm sure they don't pay the same sub prices we do here in the states.
I don't see why your facts are any more reliable than the common sense calculation. I think 65 mil per month is about right. Then come the expenses they incur.... - Denjira, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It makes me want to go back... I left around the 1.6 patch
- enki25, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0w00t
- cypher073, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"BTW, Bliz is bringing in about $70,000,000 per MONTH from their 5,000,000 users, just in subscription fees. I highly doubt it costs them anywhere near that number to run things."
Sure, 5M users, but you can't just muliply that by 15 bucks to come up with their revenue on montly subs. I'm sure many people buy time in bulk, which decreases the prices. On top of that, a good chuck of that player base is in places like China where I'm sure they don't pay the same sub prices we do here in the states. - HottSauce, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Given the ridiculous amount of money they are making on monthly subscriptions, does anyone know how Blizzard is getting away with charging money for the expansion to be released later this year?
- eastcoastweb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0They've changed numerous things in the settings, seems they removed camera behavior :(
- Dayyve, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I honestly can't believe how many people are still playing WoW since it's release (not talking late-comers). I retired from the game last April and still have a hankin' for it from time to time when I hear news like this. D&D comes out this year so it looks like it's time to kiss my life goodbye again :(
- DRawkus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I need to hurry and get my undead mage to 60.
- Durrok, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
Do I feel sorry for dial-up users.... - Durrok, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0btw, anyone want to paste the patch notes in for us restricted users?
- Porgie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Oh no, Partriv. Now you're going to try to blame WoW on us? That's right, everything is the gay guys fault. So far we've got destroying the family, destroying marriage, and destroying the cowboy tagged on us. And now it's the ultimate insult. WoW is our fault too.
- duketogo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Thanks for the mirror scottsizemore! :-)
- definiteform, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I'd like to take this opportunity to ask the WoW community a question. I know the gameplay is most likely entertaining to you (otherwise you wouldn't be playing), but how do you justify paying monthly to play a game you already purchased? I'm not here to bash WoW, just a curious party.
- dylanA, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"These Patches are way to big.... It takes a good 3 hours after an installation to download every patch... blah :(" - G-RaZoR
took me 40 minutes to download and install - wolever, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Horra for linked auction houses!
- derblase, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0http://pc.ign.com/articles/664/664494p1.html
Yeah. WoW is just pennies....pfft. - Graphite, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I agree the approx $75 million per month does seem awefully high
- vbrtrmn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0You can download it via bit torrent, I used isohunt.com
http://isohunt.com/release.php?ihq=wow-1.8.4.4878-to-1.9.0.4937-enus-patch.exe&id=33310 - MrTilley, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Nice been waiting for this =-)
TIme to play WOW again been away for about 5 months, WOOT! - OwlBoy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0How about a patch download link for mac users?
-Owl - Koskun, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Well for me it took about half an hour to get the patch using Blizzards torrent service (on 3mb DSL), the only thing that slowed me up a bit was it was maxing out my upload.
As to "Why pay a monthly for a game you own?" question, my two cents on it is that it keeps me entertained for a month. With patches, and the additions in the updates, I still have things to do. Going out to a movie and a dinner with just two people will run me $45-70. Now I still do those things, I don't just stay home and play WoW all the time, but it is a worthwhile cost (and is cheaper if you pay ahead) to keep the content going. - sergio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Re: number of users, from Blizzard.
World of Warcraft's Customer Definition
World of Warcraft customers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or purchased a prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the installation box bundled with one free month access. Internet Game Room players that have accessed the game over the last seven days are also counted as customers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards. Customers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules. - Graphite, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Can we explore the $70 000 000/month profit tho... it just doesn't seem right cuz it's close to $1 billion a year they are making from the game. The math doesn't seem right.
- Parmon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The math isn't correct. First off not all people paying subscriptions are paying 15usd to do so. Fees in all of the asian markets is much lower than the us and eu. Next even on money collected by subscriptions, blizzard has to shell out a good portion of its profits to father company vevendi.
After you look at all of that what you end up with is a few rich people and a development budget that isn't spectacular - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I don't play WoW but why do people act like Blizzard are such ***** for charging $15 a month and grossing 75million? Honestly, whats even wrong with charging $25 a month? They're allowed to charge and make whatever they want. If you're too cheap or mommy won't give you her credit card or an advance on your allowance, then don't play the game. Don't act like its some sort of injustice because they're not catering to your empting pockets. Blizzard developers/writers/etc. may say otherwise, but business comes before the game.
- bruneian, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Qoute from jmet
"definiteform: You pay a monthly fee to get content patches such as these, for the company ran servers etc. I was sceptical also as this was my first pay to play game. My friend told me that once I started playing WOW that I would actually save money because I wouldn't be buying a game or two every month anymore. He was very right, I have actually save money in the past year that I have been playing the game."
I agree. I save money by not going out.. no more nice dinner.. need not to buy nice shirts to go to nice dinner ;) - sergio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Gaming Steve blogged about WoW in China a while back.
http://www.gamingsteve.com/archives/2005/11/with_all_the_ta.php - subversive1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+015 bucks is the average for most MMO's.I play Guild Wars and they have no monthly fee.Their vision is to make money from the expansions.Although the morons are running amok in the game.I tend
to think that a monthly fee weeds alot of them out(unfortunatley not all =P). - BLiNDNeSS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Awesome that they finally got 1.9 out. Too bad though I will not be going back to WoW. Sucks way to much of your time. I'll be waiting for expansion before I even think about going back.
- HottSauce, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Five million subscribers times $15/month = $75 million per month. This is worldwide and assumes everyone is paying $15/month, which may not be the case overseas as far as I know.
- sergio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Also, Blizzard doesn't handle all of WoW customers directly. In China, The9 licenses WoW, and according to them:
"We are obligated to pay royalties equal to 22% of the face value of WoW prepaid cards and online points sold by us by making recoupable advances against royalty payments in an aggregate amount of approximately US$51.3 million over a four−year period commencing from the commercial launch. We paid VUG an initial non−refundable license fee of US$3.0 million in 2004 and the first year minimum royalty guarantee of US$13.0 million in 2005. We are also obligated to commit no less than approximately US$13.0 million in the marketing and promotion of WoW in China during the term of the license agreement." - endersadvocate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i am pretty sure that there are over a million chinese players and they pay roughly 3 usd a month to play WoW :)
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