Has NCSoft or Areana Net announced any time frame for how long they will be supporting play of GW after the release of GW2;
Personally I can see myself easily needing a year just to play through the campains I've paid for before the lights go out; on the other hand; I certainly have gotten way more value than my $30(40) $60 investment (with Mercs) out of the experiance so far. Blessings, BB.
Yes,
I expect someone else has asked this question, but I have not figured out how to google up the anwser. apologies if Im being redundant BB.
Support for GW 1
Blackbirdx61
Zebideedee
There seems to be a team that creates additional content like Winds of Change etc.
God knows how long they'll keep working on GW's after GW2 comes out. It's been said that the GW1 servers won't be shut down once GW2 comes out. I'd like to believe that!
God knows how long they'll keep working on GW's after GW2 comes out. It's been said that the GW1 servers won't be shut down once GW2 comes out. I'd like to believe that!
Lanier
My guess is that Anet will continue supporting the GW1 servers for awhile after the release of the sequel, before opening up the code or w/e they have to do to allow players to set up private servers.
gremlin
I guess it depends on how many of us move over to gw2 and how engrossing that game proves to be.
There needs to be some new players continually buying the game for it to remain worth keeping the servers open.
I guess they could make it a standalone game and let players host their own games before they close down their servers, that would be nice of them.
There needs to be some new players continually buying the game for it to remain worth keeping the servers open.
I guess they could make it a standalone game and let players host their own games before they close down their servers, that would be nice of them.
Sagittario
Think a little bit...
We have bought product GW1, they can't just shut down servers, it would be the same like they stole all sold GW1 codes.
But there will be a massive migration to GW2.
So Anet will either keep GW1 as it is without any further updates, bugfixes, ect.
Or make it much cheaper or free so new people would come to play GW1.
This is what I think
We have bought product GW1, they can't just shut down servers, it would be the same like they stole all sold GW1 codes.
But there will be a massive migration to GW2.
So Anet will either keep GW1 as it is without any further updates, bugfixes, ect.
Or make it much cheaper or free so new people would come to play GW1.
This is what I think
Venganza
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sagittario
Think a little bit...
We have bought product GW1, they can't just shut down servers, it would be the same like they stole all sold GW1 codes. |
GW is a commercial product, what they have said to paraphrase it: We will keep GW up as long as there is sufficient demand from the playerbase.
Now if you take a look about, you will see even now, no one forms teams in DOA or anywhere for that matter outside Zaishan, so just how barren will GW be post GW2?
Certainly for PR purposes they would want to keep GW up as long as they can, but you can be sure if it becomes a drain financially and the userbase dwindles, they will kill it or make it open source. Why wouldn't they? They are not a charity and the game is a commercial product.
It is pure speculation as to just how long GW will be around, my guess is it won't be more than 12 months after GW2 launch, but in any case sooner or later it will be R.I.P time.
Spiritz
Dont also forget that for quite a while players new to gw 2 may buy gw1 to see what the original was like.Quite a lot of players do buy previous series of games these days - ive even heard of ppl buying the original sims series to see what it was like etc - so at least gw1 will be around for a year or 2.
LanaDarkess
I would like to think that GW's will be up for as long as we're all still playing it, but it will probably be shut down before I can have my fill of it, as I'm still learning all about other classes and new areas I haven't done before.
That having been said, maybe they would limit the districts to how many players are actually still on there? Instead of having all the international, europe, america and asian districts, they may just smash them all into one. Just a thought.
That having been said, maybe they would limit the districts to how many players are actually still on there? Instead of having all the international, europe, america and asian districts, they may just smash them all into one. Just a thought.
drkn
Quote:
| but you can be sure if it becomes a drain financially |
I mean - sure, less players means less new accounts and microtransactions, so it means less income. But then again, the money required to sustain GW's servers and the micro GW1 crew would be just a tiny fraction of what GW2 will most likely earn. The outcomes for GW1 would become a David when compared to the Goliath of GW2's incomes.
So, why would GW1 become a real financial burden for ANet - and, more importantly, for NCSoft?
I mean, sure - when the playerbase goes severely down, they will most probably shut some servers, limit the districts, the game might lag a bit more, and so on. They might stop supporting the current performance, but it still will be playable, especially given that the playerbase will be smaller (so there's no need for that many open districts, or for such powerful machines, or that broad connection - and the game is still stable, playable).
Just take a look at NCSoft. At their Lineage.
Released back in 1998 (!). The sequel, Lineage 2, was released in 2004 (Eu/NA). Even then, the support for the first part was still maintained, only to shut it down in June 2011 (!!!). And that's only about the NA servers - the Asian servers of Lineage I are still running (even though L2 was released there half a year earlier than in NA).
Why would it be any different in the case of GW1?
enter_the_zone
Realistically, the extra cost of keeping the GW servers alive next to the GW2 servers will be almost zero. We're talking maybe five thousand a year and that would be a hell of a lot. That's just keeping the lights on in a largely static manner ie no balances, new content etc.
If the GW2 servers are in different physical locations to the GW1 servers, then it'll be a different story, but how long it takes to close them down will depend on just how many new GW2 players get GW after GW2 launch (to get the titles), and how much money the store is bringing in. I can't see them shutting GW1 down until it's not making them money.
I could also see them shifting to a complete F2P model (no buying it at all) with many more microtransactions if that would keep GW1 online.
If the GW2 servers are in different physical locations to the GW1 servers, then it'll be a different story, but how long it takes to close them down will depend on just how many new GW2 players get GW after GW2 launch (to get the titles), and how much money the store is bringing in. I can't see them shutting GW1 down until it's not making them money.
I could also see them shifting to a complete F2P model (no buying it at all) with many more microtransactions if that would keep GW1 online.
cosyfiep
there will also be those people who decide after trying out gw2 --they dont like it and return to playing the original....not to mention those who dont have the money to buy gw2 for whatever reason (if you already have gw you can play and play.....)....I see it as much longer than 1 year after gw2 release (and no one has mentioned the possibility that gw2 doesnt do well-----).
there will be people who continue to play gw after gw2 is released for whatever reasons, even with no updates.
there will be people who continue to play gw after gw2 is released for whatever reasons, even with no updates.
Calista Blackblood
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sagittario
Think a little bit...
We have bought product GW1, they can't just shut down servers, it would be the same like they stole all sold GW1 codes. But there will be a massive migration to GW2. So Anet will either keep GW1 as it is without any further updates, bugfixes, ect. Or make it much cheaper or free so new people would come to play GW1. This is what I think |
Benderama
Quote:
| Now if you take a look about, you will see even now, no one forms teams in DOA or anywhere for that matter outside Zaishan, so just how barren will GW be post GW2? |
Quote:
| I could also see them shifting to a complete F2P model (no buying it at all) with many more microtransactions if that would keep GW1 online. |
also a B2P model might give them an incentive to keep the servers running.
I'd be interested in what'd happen if Anet made the code public and all that (it'd certainly be a good experiment to see how the fanbase uses it). But i'd kinda hate having to do everything again on a private server, most peope put a lot of time into their characters, so just starting again isn't going to be great D:
Hopefully they'll keep the servers going for a good 2 or 3 years at least, I know a few people who wont migrate to GW2, and some other who want to come back every now and then. (hopefully they'll keep all the festivals in GW2)
Blackbirdx61
Lots to think about, thanks for all the replies BB.
MisterB
Speculation and opinions are nice for discussion, but the fact is that multiple ArenaNet representatives have stated on multiple occasions that they intend to support GW as long as players are still present and interested in playing it. The exact details are uncertain, specifically what level of activity they require to continue support, and no hard date has ever been given for termination of GW's servers or support. These statements from ANet can be found, but I am having difficulty locating them.
Venganza
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by drkn
Why would it?
|
It would not be the first time they closed down a game with a crap of residual players on it.
KZaske
Guild Wars 1 will never be opened sourced. Why? Because GW2 uses a modified version of the GW1 engine. If GW2 is suscessful, there will come a time when the GW1 servers will be shut down, I have no clue when but I know it will be. If GW2 falls flat on it's face, and it might (I really really hope not), I don't expect ArenaNet to come back to GW1 and add in content. I expect they will try to fix what they precieve is wrong with GW2 and push on.
Iuris
I think there are two parts to the idea of "supporting the game": keeping the servers up and adding new content.
I would say that Anet will never completely pull the plug on the servers, but they likely will stop producing additional content when the player base goes low enough.
I would say that Anet will never completely pull the plug on the servers, but they likely will stop producing additional content when the player base goes low enough.
Quaker
This topic comes up every so often. The general conclusion I've come to, is this:
- ANet has said that they will keep the "servers" open as long as there is viable player base. Keep in mind that GW is just software that runs on a server farm, which will be the same server farm that GW2 will run on. So, keeping the servers open just means leaving the software running.
- ANet is under a legal and moral obligation to keep GW running for a reasonable length of time - at least a year or so - after they stop selling new accounts.
- ANet will probably stop selling new GW1 accounts around the time GW2 is released.
- most likely, post-GW2, there will be no new content for GW1. There would be no financial incentive to add any new content, so GW1 would remain static from then on, partially to encourage players to move to GW2.
- it's very unlikely that ANet/NCSoft would ever release GW1 to open source as it involves proprietary 3D code that is also used in GW2. So there's no use in hoping for private servers.
Bottom line is - although GW1 will continue post GW2, it will not advance any and will eventually fade away.
Edit - I haven't gotten the impression from what I've seen/heard from ANet/NCsoft that "support" for GW1 would mean anything more than just keeping the software running. I've never gotten the impression that they intend to add any content. Why would they?
- ANet has said that they will keep the "servers" open as long as there is viable player base. Keep in mind that GW is just software that runs on a server farm, which will be the same server farm that GW2 will run on. So, keeping the servers open just means leaving the software running.
- ANet is under a legal and moral obligation to keep GW running for a reasonable length of time - at least a year or so - after they stop selling new accounts.
- ANet will probably stop selling new GW1 accounts around the time GW2 is released.
- most likely, post-GW2, there will be no new content for GW1. There would be no financial incentive to add any new content, so GW1 would remain static from then on, partially to encourage players to move to GW2.
- it's very unlikely that ANet/NCSoft would ever release GW1 to open source as it involves proprietary 3D code that is also used in GW2. So there's no use in hoping for private servers.
Bottom line is - although GW1 will continue post GW2, it will not advance any and will eventually fade away.
Edit - I haven't gotten the impression from what I've seen/heard from ANet/NCsoft that "support" for GW1 would mean anything more than just keeping the software running. I've never gotten the impression that they intend to add any content. Why would they?
Blackbirdx61
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by MisterB
Speculation and opinions are nice for discussion, but the fact is that multiple ArenaNet representatives have stated on multiple occasions that they intend to support GW as long as players are still present and interested in playing it. The exact details are uncertain, specifically what level of activity they require to continue support, and no hard date has ever been given for termination of GW's servers or support. These statements from ANet can be found, but I am having difficulty locating them.
|
Still there's been alot to think about, and it seems to me reassuring that even at my own Kts of the Tortoise pace I might finish a campaign or two. Thanks all BB.
MisterB
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Blackbirdx61
Well this is really more specifically what I was asking, have they made any formal statement of support; NCSoft is still selling GW on Steam, it seems to me if you're still selling the game you've made some commitment to buyers they will have time to complete said game; but how long is that I don't know.
|
IIRC, members of the Live Team and Community Relations are the people who have talked about this. I still haven't located the statements I refer to. I don't know if they have made anything you'd consider a formal statement of support. They have made declarations of intent.
Turkey Baster
NC Soft controls what happens to it ultimately. They have shut down two MMOs that didn't gain enough attention and failed in the past. I wouldn't doubt for a moment they would do the same to a game that doesn't have a monthly subscription fee.
ion bg
That was one of the reasons for witch i bought the game ( i bough it before almost mmm not even 2 months ) Readed somewhere in faqs that they not gona stop it but who knows. Gona be shame but still think many players gona jump on the gw2 so really idk ( witch when be up gona be expensive in my country like 50 + euro. Yup for me thats a little a lot money for a game )
Gona be good if they make offline content for download on gw1 if they think to stop it . Anyway i dont think to jump on gw2 even when got released!
Gona be good if they make offline content for download on gw1 if they think to stop it . Anyway i dont think to jump on gw2 even when got released!
Gabs88
As long as GW earns more then it costs to maintain the servers they will continiue to support it. It's really that simple.
Not to mention the fact that if they shut it down and it pisses off former GW1 players playing GW2 they can loose an income doing that as well. So GW1 will be around for a long time
Not to mention the fact that if they shut it down and it pisses off former GW1 players playing GW2 they can loose an income doing that as well. So GW1 will be around for a long time
Azarkar
My first MMO was Asherons call in 2000 or so.
Asherons Call 2 was released.. and then was closed down.
Asherons Call is however still up and breathing, where AC2 is not.
I do not see GW1 closing at all anytime soon.
The fact that there is not a monthly fee for these games makes them
much more accessible to return to GW1 when in GW2.
Asherons Call 2 was released.. and then was closed down.
Asherons Call is however still up and breathing, where AC2 is not.
I do not see GW1 closing at all anytime soon.
The fact that there is not a monthly fee for these games makes them
much more accessible to return to GW1 when in GW2.