EA expects 2 million subs for SWTOR

By Oli Welsh Published 19 March, 2010

Business model has "twists" - Muzyka.

EA has said that it's hoping for over two million subscriptions to BioWare's MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic.

The news comes from Stern Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia, who told Industry Gamers after meeting the publisher that the cost of making the vast game was hurting EA's earnings, but that it had "high hopes" for The Old Republic in the long term.

"Earnings are somewhat depressed due to ongoing expenses of the Star Wars MMO, [but] management has high hopes for this and believes two-million-plus subs is possible," Bhatia said.

He also revealed that the game will need over one million paying players to break even, reflecting its enormous development costs as the largest project ever undertaken by EA. While this is a fraction of World of Warcraft's subscriber base, it is considerably larger than the audience reached by most Western MMOs: twice that achieved by EverQuest at its height, twice Blizzard's original target for WOW, and three times the current subscriber numbers for EVE Online and Warhammer Online.

Meanwhile, BioWare boss Ray Muzyka has told Kotaku that, although The Old Republic will follow the standard subscription model for charging players, its pricing may have some "twists".

"[It will] be more of the traditional business model with maybe some twists as well," the good doctor said.

"What we're striving to do... is to make sure the fans and the audience that we're trying to reach feel they are getting something they understand and feel that it is a good value for their money - and feel that there is a way they actually want to engage in the experience, both in how they play it and how they pay for it. That's our high-level goal."

Star Wars: The Old Republic is due for release on PC in spring 2011. Check out our preview from GDC for the latest hands-on impressions, and our quest to uncover the features that make it a massively multiplayer game.

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (16) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • Spekingur #1 2 years ago

    That "twists" thing, doesn't sound good.
    Also, two million subscribers? For how long? Or just initial playerbase? If the last one, then that shouldn't be a problem. Otherwise a bit optimistic, I feel.

  • Ryboy #2 2 years ago

    They'll get two million initial subs easily as the hype will be mahoosive come release next year. It's up to them to expand the player base. By simply making a fantastic game that should take care of itself.

    Time will tell.

  • Danno #3 2 years ago

    "Twist" sounds like micro-transactions to me. Cash to replace earning your currency and items through gameplay.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #4 2 years ago

    The rumours of microtransactions certainly are persisting, which is usually a bad sign. Lets hope Bioware are aware that such things won't go down too well.

  • levitate #5 2 years ago

    If they seriously aim for 2 million subs they should really put out an amazing game. Hype alone won't get there, and stay, for too long. And these "twists" Muzyka is talking about sound indeed a bit dodgy.

    I have a bad feeling about this...

  • EugenesLair #6 2 years ago

    So a million subs to break even? ... but for how long? forever and ever?

    That's a lot of money.

  • iamian #7 2 years ago

    It's the fact that he says "traditional business model with maybe some twists as well," what other game does this? I hope the twists is something other than microtransactions... I'm thinking "premium" missions or content :(

  • Eikinskialdi #8 2 years ago

    I agree it screams 'Microtransactions as well as subscription model'. Cryptic have tried this to a limited extent in STO, thankfully on nothing important or gamebreaking. I'm always going to steer clear of any game that relies on me paying twice to get content. Paid expansions are fair if they add significant content, Microtransactions aren't when you're already paying a sub.

    Hints on Microtransactions, as well as lack of PvP information is making me avoid this one like the plague, I don't care about the license or voice over fluff, I want a good game.

  • Hydrogene #9 2 years ago

    This is looking more more and like EA and Bioware Big White whale project... I wonder how much of the development cost is linked to the voices?

  • darth_paul #10 2 years ago

    bah...was hoping that it was free to play :p guess im naive... considering im not paying for a MMORPG subscription EVER, i guess ill pass this one. shame. they should implemnet some kind of dual subscriprion, like a SILVER and GOLD one. the premium ones would have more possibilities, and the SILVER (free) ones less... and then, when i felt like upgrading for a couple of months, i would do so...
    Edited by 1 at 19/03/10 @ 13:23

  • makeamazing #11 2 years ago

    I would go with a free to subscribe, micro transactions and full subscription model, might as well cover all bases, then i think 2 million is possible...otherwise it might be the usual lots on release, falling off badly within a month.

  • Gastrian #12 2 years ago

    Hopefully the twist is a Pay as You Play subscription for those that would only play a couple of hours a week or a reduced subscription for those that just want to play it as a single player game with the occassional co-op as opposed to a full blown MMO while leaving standard subscriptions for thos that do want to play it as a full blown MMO.

    After the massive investment I put into WoW which towards the end of my subscription I was playing to get my money's worth as opposed to playing for fun I'm not willing to go the full hog and would like a more casual orientated subscription scheme.

  • Slipstream #13 2 years ago

    I'd say the targets are realistic, and I commend them for not boasting and bashing WoW, they've set their own targets and they know they have a killer IP in their hands, and an exceptional development team working on the project.
    I don't doubt that that with EA's killer marketing skills, they will smash these targets.

  • Cider-X #14 2 years ago

    No matter what, if it doesn't contain decent endgame PVE there won't be 2 million subs. When will MMO makers learn this?

  • Gastrian #15 2 years ago

    The bit they left out is that they expect 4 million subs when Bioware eventually show off the MMO side of their MMORPG

  • seanm2 #16 2 years ago

    I think it could be a risky product to make.

    Bioware are used to making games which most players finish in a few weeks and eventually move onto something else. Now they have to make a game that keeps players interested and subscribed for years.