ANet: Guild Wars reaches 4 Million sales - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

perfect

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

21 Aug 2007 at 14:36 - 1

http://www.guildwars.com/events/pres...2007-08-21.php

Quote:

Press Release - August 21, 2007

NCsoft's Guild Wars Breaks Four Million

Subscription-free business model sets new standard for online multiplayer games

Bellevue, WA. Aug. 21, 2007—The Guild Wars® franchise of online roleplaying games has broken the four million units sold mark in just over two years. Published by NCsoft® and developed by ArenaNet®, the Guild Wars series (consisting of Guild Wars, Guild Wars FactionsTM, and Guild Wars NightfallTM) has set the standard for online co-operative and competitive play with award-winning content and a subscription-free business model. Since the first campaign launched in 2005, Guild Wars has developed legions of loyal fans who are hotly anticipating the August 31 release of the game's first true expansion, Guild Wars: Eye of the NorthTM.

"ArenaNet's fantastic work on Guild Wars has helped make NCsoft the leading online gaming publisher in the world," said Robert Garriott, CEO of NCsoft North America. "Guild Wars players continue to join in droves and stay loyal to the franchise thanks to a business model that makes for a very accessible product. We are all excited about the future of Guild Wars with the expansion ready to be released and Guild Wars 2TM on the horizon."

In advance of the release of Guild Wars: Eye of the North, ArenaNet is hosting the Sneak Peek Weekend from August 24 to August 26, during which players can explore the frigid climes and encounter the wild beasts of the Far Shiverpeaks region. To participate in the preview weekend, players must purchase the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Prerelease Bonus Pack, on sale at retailers in North America and Europe, in the Guild Wars in-game store, and at PlayNC.com.

Any loot, items, XP, and Heroes earned by players during the Sneak Peek Weekend will be available when Guild Wars: Eye of the North goes live on August 31. Additional information about the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Sneak Peek Weekend can be found at www.guildwars.com/events/ingame/gwen-sneakpeek.

Guild Wars: Eye of the North is the first expansion to the subscription-free Guild Wars franchise of fantasy online roleplaying games. It features new characters, Heroes, items, and story content accessible to players who own any existing Guild Wars campaign.

For more information on the Guild Wars franchise, visit the Guild Wars website at www.guildwars.com. The award-winning Guild Wars series of games, as well as the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Prerelease Bonus Pack, can be purchased from retailers or downloaded from the PlayNC store at secure.plaync.com/cgi-bin/Store.pl.

This is even before most people have purchased EOTN. Looking good.

Ork Pride

Banned

Join Date: May 2005

21 Aug 2007 at 14:43 - 2

Ok, 4 million people created accounts. How many of those accounts are used by bots? How many of those accounts are actually active?

Ghost Omel

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

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W/

21 Aug 2007 at 14:47 - 3

Apperantly we have a WoW player or maybe A-Net Hater just for the record if you are a WoW player 9 mill and how mayn people stoped playeng and droped ot how many used bots so there ya go

Servant of Kali

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2006

Me/

21 Aug 2007 at 15:22 - 4

Did ANet say "we have 4 million people playing game 24/7"? No. People don't pay for bandwith, no monthly fee. All that matters is units sold.

What ANet said is "we sold 4 mill". Which part isn't clear?

Mkay?

Thunder79

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2006

Chaos Rising

21 Aug 2007 at 15:23 - 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost Omel

Apperantly we have a WoW player or maybe A-Net Hater just for the record if you are a WoW player 9 mill and how mayn people stoped playeng and droped ot how many used bots so there ya go

exactly....all companies use the big numbers to put out positive spin...WoW doesn't have 9 million players just like Guild Wars doesn't have 4 million players...there are real numbers out there...they just won't publish them because they are much lower. For WoW the number people are looking for is active subscribers...for guild wars it's active players...because once accounts are created who knows if an account is active or not...only Anet knows.

I don't really pay attention these kinds of press releases for exactly those reasons...they are marketing spin...every company does it.

wajir0

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2006

miami

Illustrious Knights

Mo/

21 Aug 2007 at 15:24 - 6

are they counting bots??

or real players??

4 million very impressive

zwei2stein

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Europe

The German Order [GER]

N/

21 Aug 2007 at 15:32 - 7

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ork Pride

Ok, 4 million people created accounts. How many of those accounts are used by bots? How many of those accounts are actually active?

4 million people definitelly didnt create accounts.

Most people bought three copies (Proph + F + NF), but they still have one account.

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

21 Aug 2007 at 15:38 - 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunder79

exactly....all companies use the big numbers to put out positive spin...WoW doesn't have 9 million players just like Guild Wars doesn't have 4 million players...there are real numbers out there...they just won't publish them because they are much lower. For WoW the number people are looking for is active subscribers...for guild wars it's active players...because once accounts are created who knows if an account is active or not...only Anet knows.

I don't really pay attention these kinds of press releases for exactly those reasons...they are marketing spin...every company does it.

Only difference between the Guild Wars and WoW figures is that ANet said how many people have bought they're game. Blizzard is stating how many subscribers they've got, meaning how many people are playing the game.

Ork Pride

Banned

Join Date: May 2005

21 Aug 2007 at 15:40 - 9

Quote:

Originally Posted by zwei2stein

4 million people definitelly didnt create accounts.

Most people bought three copies (Proph + F + NF), but they still have one account.

Ok so 4 million people bought GW. How many are actually active?

Quote:

Apperantly we have a WoW player or maybe A-Net Hater just for the record if you are a WoW player 9 mill and how mayn people stoped playeng and droped ot how many used bots so there ya go

When Blizzard counted active players they excluded: all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired prepaid cards. Also, WoW has GMs, meaning that there is little amounts of bots compared to GW.

Ninna

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Northeast USA

Guilded Rose

Me/

21 Aug 2007 at 15:40 - 10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunder79

I don't really pay attention these kinds of press releases for exactly those reasons...they are marketing spin...every company does it.

it does mean one thing with certainty

GW sold 1 million *more* copies since their last press release 9 months ago

GuildWars 3 million sold (dec 2006)
http://www.guildwars.com/events/pres...2006-12-13.php

fenix

Major-General Awesome

Join Date: Aug 2005

Aussie Trolling Crew HQ - Event Organiser and IRC Tiger

Ex Talionis [Law], Trinity of the Ascended [ToA] ????????????????&#

W/

21 Aug 2007 at 15:41 - 11

Saying that they sold 4 million is just good PR. People wouldn't be as impressed if they said they had 2 million accounts, and 1 million active players. Especially since WoW can boast 9 million subscriptions... It's a nice effort selling 4 million though, so grats Anet.

I wonder if the 4 million includes EotN preorders.....

Ninna

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Northeast USA

Guilded Rose

Me/

21 Aug 2007 at 15:52 - 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ork Pride

WoW has GMs, meaning that there is little amounts of bots

GMs mean little regarding bots and gold sellers

there are many websites listing WoW Gold for sale

Wow periodically makes announcement how they ban thousands of accounts

most recent announcement was 2 months ago
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread....96371062&sid=1

Quote:

we recently banned several thousand accounts associated with the use of botting programs that fully automate player actions, such as killing and looting monsters

you can bet WoW Gold Sellers are counted in Blizz numbers

Ork Pride

Banned

Join Date: May 2005

21 Aug 2007 at 16:07 - 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninna

Ebay lists scores of WoW Gold sellers

Wow periodically makes announcement how they ban thousands of accounts

most recent announcement was 2 months ago
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread....96371062&sid=1

you can bet WoW Gold Sellers are counted in Blizz numbers

Every game has gold sellers. It's just that Guild Wars has more.

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

21 Aug 2007 at 16:07 - 14

[QUOTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenix

Saying that they sold 4 million is just good PR. People wouldn't be as impressed if they said they had 2 million accounts, and 1 million active players. Especially since WoW can boast 9 million subscriptions... It's a nice effort selling 4 million though, so grats Anet.

I wonder if the 4 million includes EotN preorders.....[/QUOTE]

first the pre orders

those are separate from the game sales which are not charged until shipped so no

a sale is a sale no matter if it is added to a pre existing account or creating a new account so the number of accounts does not matter .

they have the sale and gain nothing per account afterwards.

sales equals income

number of accounts does not matter

clear?

Ninna

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Northeast USA

Guilded Rose

Me/

21 Aug 2007 at 16:11 - 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ork Pride

Guild Wars has more (Gold Sellers than WoW)

believe what you want

Buster

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

Elona

Clan Eternal Legion

D/W

21 Aug 2007 at 16:15 - 16

Congratulations Anet ! That is alot of units sold in only 2 years time.

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

21 Aug 2007 at 16:19 - 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninna

you can bet WoW Gold Sellers are counted in Blizz numbers

Lol, and bots are counted in ANet numbers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ork Pride

Every game has gold sellers. It's just that Guild Wars has more.

Oh damn hell no. More players = more chances for a sale. Not only that, but a quick search through eBay shows who's more.

I will say that it's harder to get rid of gold sellers in WoW than it is in GW - GW gold sellers rely heavily on bots while WoW gold sellers have gold farmers.

Redfeather1975

Forge Runner

Join Date: Sep 2006

Apartment#306

Rhedd Asylum

Me/

21 Aug 2007 at 16:29 - 18

Botting companies would generate fake accounts from a unit purchased.
I don't think accounts=units sold because of that. They didn't need to buy millions of units to have millions of bot accounts running around.
Anyhoo, a change was made in the last month to stop that exploit.
It was the August 10th update.
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Game_updates/20070810

Jebus

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2006

Belgium

Legion of Sacred Light [LSL]

W/

21 Aug 2007 at 16:32 - 19

And the question still remains, how many of them are bots?

boko

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2006

21 Aug 2007 at 16:37 - 20

4 Million sales is pretty good. That means that they are making a profit hopefully, and that their unusual subscription free system is working. And that they are sure to keep that format for GW2.

If they were making less than that, then I would be worried. That would have meant GW2 going subscription way, or no GW2 at all.

Hopefully, with enough profit, they will be able to make GW2 good and will bring what is missing in the current GW.

Vamis Threen

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2006

E/Mo

21 Aug 2007 at 16:40 - 21

4 million units sold? Well done. But is this relevant to me? Percentage increase in servers numbers/capability since the last press release is of more importance to my gaming experience, methinks.

zwei2stein

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Europe

The German Order [GER]

N/

21 Aug 2007 at 16:45 - 22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jebus

And the question still remains, how many of them are bots?

If anet was able to tell you how many bots they have, they would have banned them all aready.

Gaile was once boastign that they ban about ... 200-300 bot accounts dailly?

That means that in one year they banned well over 50 thousand bots.

pingu666

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2006

guildhall

[DETH]

21 Aug 2007 at 16:51 - 23

4/3=1.33

so id guesstimate about 800-1mill accounts

captain_carter

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2007

England

The X Viles [TXV]

R/

21 Aug 2007 at 17:00 - 24

Personally I think the estimated lower limit of 1.33333333333333333333333333333333333333333..... accounts is quite impressive.

/congrats

Ghost Omel

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

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W/

21 Aug 2007 at 17:03 - 25

Well its so hard to get rid of WoW supporters on GW sites dang once again stop prazing WoW here like "WE GOT LESS BOTS THEN YOU HAhAHA"
Just go blab it there we dont need you here and if you are here repct and talk about GW and Not WoW

WinterSnowblind

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2007

21 Aug 2007 at 17:10 - 26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ork Pride

When Blizzard counted active players they excluded: all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired prepaid cards. Also, WoW has GMs, meaning that there is little amounts of bots compared to GW.

Do you actually believe that? Did you just make that up?

Yes, WoW is undoubtedly the most popular MMO out there, but the numbers they give aren't something I'd take seriously. They count everyone who has ever made an account, and that does include free trials, etc.

Now, unless you have solid proof that isn't the case, please stop trolling. I don't see why there has to be such fierce competition between GW and WoW. They're both very different games, and I see no reason to enjoy both.

R!ghteous Ind!gnation

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

N/

21 Aug 2007 at 17:22 - 27

Obviously its profitable enough to operate... because they are with no subscription fee... and good for the player for the same reason... the exact number for any game (WoW, GW, Counter Strike... WHATEVER) isn't going to be known by anyone but that game because they all inflate the number. The only thing that really matters is that there is no cost increase to us.

Redfeather1975

Forge Runner

Join Date: Sep 2006

Apartment#306

Rhedd Asylum

Me/

21 Aug 2007 at 17:30 - 28

This accouncement has nothing to do with WoW.
It's about Guild Wars success. It's about showing that a non-subscription model can do well.
Jeff Strain has said that he believes non-subscription fee online RPGs are better for the industry. That the more subscription based games are out there, the more they take from each other's audience because most gamers aren't going to subscribe to multiple games a month.
Strain wouldn't bash WoW. He's actually commented on it's huge amount of content and polish. He used to be lead programmer for WoW, so why wouldn't he be proud of it's success on top of Guild Wars? They are both his babies in way.

Theus

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

W/Mo

21 Aug 2007 at 17:37 - 29

It would be surprising if the population of GuildWars even exceeded 2 million.

Since chances are, all of those titles are tired to one account.

upier

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Done.

[JUNK]

21 Aug 2007 at 17:41 - 30

Nice work guys!
I hope other companies see this and decide to pick it up!
More variation = more chance that we'll get something we like!
Gratz again!

Theus

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

W/Mo

21 Aug 2007 at 17:45 - 31

WTB:Actual number of players playing.

Anarkii

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

-None-

R/Me

21 Aug 2007 at 17:47 - 32

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinterSnowblind

Do you actually believe that? Did you just make that up?
Yes, WoW is undoubtedly the most popular MMO out there, but the numbers they give aren't something I'd take seriously. They count everyone who has ever made an account, and that does include free trials, etc.
Now, unless you have solid proof that isn't the case, please stop trolling.

Hate to go off-topic, but here you go :

Quote:

World of Warcraft's Subscriber Definition
World of Warcraft subscribers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or have an active prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the game and are within their free month of access. Internet Game Room players who have accessed the game over the last thirty days are also counted as subscribers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired prepaid cards. Subscribers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules.

And that's what they refer to in their '9 million' press release.

Ghost Omel

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

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W/

21 Aug 2007 at 17:55 - 33

Umm BS i got WoW i never installed it i never played it i never bought a card and i bet they count me in So guess what wrong and i bet there are more people like so there ya go i bought i dont play it

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

21 Aug 2007 at 18:30 - 34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost Omel

Umm BS i got WoW i never installed it i never played it i never bought a card and i bet they count me in So guess what wrong and i bet there are more people like so there ya go i bought i dont play it

If you never subscribed then you are no longer as one of their subscribers.

Ninna

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Northeast USA

Guilded Rose

Me/

21 Aug 2007 at 19:07 - 35

Subscribers are a better indication of player community

to show how lopsided it can get...

COH had a press event stating
http://kotaku.com/gaming/city-of-her...oes-256223.php

Quote:

The thriving community boasts over twenty four million user created characters with more than half of those reaching the game's top tier of Level 50.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Heroes

Quote:

As of June 2007 City of Heroes has around 153,331 subscribers in the US & Europe, according to financial reports released by NCsoft in August 2007

24 million characters vs 153,000 active subs

VanDamselx

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2006

Buffalo, NY

[TTBH]

21 Aug 2007 at 19:23 - 36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ork Pride

Every game has gold sellers. It's just that Guild Wars has more.

Can I have your proof please?

Ghost Omel

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

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W/

21 Aug 2007 at 19:38 - 37

Pics of them would be nice as well alwasy prove your point even if its easy

wetsparks

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2006

21 Aug 2007 at 19:46 - 38

First things first, BIG congrats to Arena Net on the 4 millionth copy sold, expect them to announced 5 or 6 million sold here soon as GW:EN is released, 6 may take a few months, but with all the build up around GW:EN, I think new people will come in to bring that up to 6 million with the Christmas selling season.

Second, do you really think all those bots pay for their accounts? I sure as hell don't, they either steal them from the gullable, or they are somehow able to make new accounts through a glitch like the one that closed recently.

Hopefully this will encourage other companies to make subscription free MMOs since like someone else has said, variety is good and there is only so many people willing to pay a monthly fee for a game and even less that are willing to pay for multiple games.

Zinger314

Debbie Downer

Join Date: May 2006

N/Me

21 Aug 2007 at 19:51 - 39

Quote:

Originally Posted by booooYA

Can I have your proof please?

Guild Wars may or may not have more gold sellers, but it's near undeniable that Guild Wars has a higher concentration of Gold Sellers.

Example, using somewhat random numbers. Let's say that Guild Wars has...1,000 bot acounts, and WoW has 10,000 bot accounts. Assuming Guild Wars has an active playerbase of...maybe 100,000 (and that's being generous), that's 1% bots, whereas in WoW, with its 9,000,000 player base, that's 0.11% bots.

Significantly different.

Henchman

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

A cave in the Shiverpeaks

Mo/

21 Aug 2007 at 19:58 - 40

4 million copies sold means that 4 million copies were sold. It doesn't mean 4 million players, and it doesn't mean that 4 million players are active.
I read somewhere (don't remember where) that the game has about 1.5 million active players.

And for all those that are asking "how many of them are bots?", I posted a thread with that question several moths ago, which received an answer from Gaile Grey.. take a look..
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...74#post2802074