Official global alpha start date: November 28th.

[Enkidu]

That's pretty spot-on, but I'm not sure SE even thinks ARR is going to be a success. It should keep a niche market of FF MMO fans happy (us), but for most people the games legacy as a failure will be enough to keep them away.

It certainly couldn't pick a worse year for a release either. TES:O and a year full of Titan-gasms.

[Lucavi]

The Final Fantasy brand itself can sell on its own, so long as the content within the game doesn't drag it down. This time SE should be able to easily compete with other "themed" MMOs such as LotR, SW, and the upcoming Elder Scrolls MMO, so long as it isn't held back by bullshit decisions like 1.0 and Star Wars were.

It really doesn't take a metric ton of subs to churn out a nice profit and be able to pop out a few big expansions. Rift is still doing that right now, and they're about as WoW-Cloney as it gets, for better or worse (and there's both involved). You just can't go in half-assed like 1.0 did and expect people to lap it up. You can fool people initially (lots of us bought the CE, just like lots of people were fooled into buying the Star Wars CE, only to play for a month or two and roll out), but not when that monthly payment starts kicking in.

Beta is going to tell a whole lot about this game and where its going - moreso than other games because 2.0 has the benefit (or curse) of having something come directly before it, so everyone gets to see how its adjusting and growing now compared to previously (which was 0%). If there's a lot of changing (hint hint) come beta, that's going to be seen as more favorable than most games, as people can directly compare and contrast it with the complete lack of changes in 1.0 and think "looks like SE might actually have learned their lesson this time!"

2013 can't come fast enough.

[Rakisho]

Depends how you look at it I guess. Rift is very similar to WoW and could be called a success. It's going strong and has a stable playerbase. It doesn't have millions of subscribers, but it's profitable.

Edit: Lucavi replied 2 seconds before my post with what I was writing.

My main point is though, with WoW and Rift as the 2 successful games with similar gameplay (I don't count LotR since it was forced into F2P, and well SW failed hard, and we have yet to see how it will do in F2P mode), isn't that market close to saturated (spelling, I'm swedish)? As I wrote before, are there enough Final Fantasy fans that are willing to pay a sub, only for the Final Fantasy name? FFXI worked because at the time, it was one of the better MMORPGs out, so it was able to attract MMO fans, and FFXI fans, making it very successful by that days standard. Today we got too many choices. I am very curious to see what SE has in store for us, because it will have to be something spectacular, otherwise, why play this over WoW and Rift, 2 already established games that both do well?

[Lucavi]

^ I'm fast, yo~!

2.0 isn't going to be like WoW and Rift. Hell, the graphics engine alone would realistically eliminate neutral players from claiming that the game was a WoW Clone. I mean, you don't hear anyone screaming that Age of Conan was a WoW Clone, and that game pretty much took WoW's quest system verbatum. The game was a graphical powerhouse for the time, and did enough with its dynamic combat system to differentiate itself. Too bad the lead guy in charge was essentially a Westernized version of Tanaka and burned the game to the ground initially, but even AOC has made somewhat of a revival, kicking that guy out and releasing 2 expansions, largely aimed at writing a lot of the wrongs.

The more I think about it, the more 1.0 mirrors AoC. Two games attempting to have the prettiest graphics around, both had stupid lead guys, both promised way too much too soon and failed to deliver, both promised console releases (although SE is sticking to their guns), both were slammed by the press and the public, and both have had to work their asses off to turn the ship around. AOC went F2P, though, and 2.0 is determined to retain the paid model (of which I have no problem with, so long as they deliver), so they've really got the spotlight on them to right the wrongs of the past.

[Grey Jorildyn]

TESO isn't going to be a threatening market competitor next year imo. FFXIV should be the biggest IP game next year for mmos. Doesn't mean it's gonna be successful though.

[Rakisho]

If the region locks will lock out EU and US players playing together, I feel many servers might end up dead, unless EU gets 1 or maximum 2 servers.

Neither FFXI or FFXIV was a big title in EU, ARR and all, the information we get here is still very little and not that "big".

[Xanthe]

If the region locks will lock out EU and US players playing together, I feel many servers might end up dead, unless EU gets 1 or maximum 2 servers.

Neither FFXI or FFXIV was a big title in EU, ARR and all, the information we get here is still very little and not that "big".

There will be regional servers, but they won't be region locked. You're free to play on whatever server you want regardless of your region. The only restriction they have mentioned so far is not being able to use 1.0 characters on servers designated as "fresh start" only.

[Enkidu]

TESO isn't going to be a threatening market competitor next year imo. FFXIV should be the biggest IP game next year for mmos. Doesn't mean it's gonna be successful though.

That's probably true for this forum, but I hardly think it's true outside of that. People are extremely pessimistic about TES:O, but if they do things right it'll be a WoW competitor, nobody really cares about XIV unless they're an FF fanboy. TES:O is certainly the biggest IP for MMO's in 2013 though.

[Jamison]

That's probably true for this forum, but I hardly think it's true outside of that. People are extremely pessimistic about TES:O, but if they do things right it'll be a WoW competitor, nobody really cares about XIV unless they're an FF fanboy. TES:O is certainly the biggest IP for MMO's in 2013 though.

I'd say it has the -potential- to be, and the series certainly has some good mindshare behind it. However I don't know a single Elder Scrolls fan (and I know a decent amount) who has even the slightest interest in playing one of those games as an MMO.

I don't read a lot of first impression that indicate they'll be knocking it out of the park, and if they don't (or have technical issues like, well, the majority of MMO launches) I'm doubting this will gain enough traction.

[Enkidu]

I don't read a lot of first impression that indicate they'll be knocking it out of the park, and if they don't (or have technical issues like, well, the majority of MMO launches) I'm doubting this will gain enough traction.

I don't want to discuss TES:O too much here but... I've read a few first impressions and they've been nothing but positive, even for what is clearly an unfinished pre-alpha game. Where were you reading? I'd make sure it's people who've actually played the game...

Again just pointing out that I think 2013 is a bad year for reviving a failed game. Titan may even be released in Q4, though it's extremely unlikely knowing how Blizzard operates.

[Cichy]

All that shit is what if. First SWTOR was gonna dominate than GW2 was gonna be the second coming of Jesus now TES. Bottom line is if SE makes a solid game, they can make it profitable.

[Jaxzer]

Offer an unlimited amount of trophies and they'll have me @PS3. An MMO with constant trophy updates would be hella sexy. I believe DC universe does this.

[Wulfgang]

I cannot believe this is the same game. Alpha has been pretty unbelievable imo.

[Alkar]

I don't want to discuss TES:O too much here but... I've read a few first impressions and they've been nothing but positive, even for what is clearly an unfinished pre-alpha game. Where were you reading? I'd make sure it's people who've actually played the game...

Again just pointing out that I think 2013 is a bad year for reviving a failed game. Titan may even be released in Q4, though it's extremely unlikely knowing how Blizzard operates.

Same applies to ARR. Either way we all know how Bethesda games are at launch so you have that+ this new "Megaserver" thing. Chances Bethesda will screw it up? High.
Also as far as I know TESO is not on consoles so that's a market FFXIV isn't sharing with other major MMO releases.

[Sephiroth]

People are extremely pessimistic about TES:O, but if they do things right it'll be a WoW competitor

People have said that about every MMO since WoW.

nobody really cares about XIV unless they're an FF fanboy. TES:O is certainly the biggest IP for MMO's in 2013 though.

I think there's a lot of people getting bored of WoW now and wanting something new. Which shows by the fact the subscribers have lost a couple of million. A guy I work with plays WoW but would like a new MMO. He never played XI or XIV V1 but is interested in the ARR beta at least. Hopefully it will have an open beta so that anyone who wants to sample it can. Or better yet, have a 2 week free downloadable trial of the retail version.

[Cichy]

They said there will be open beta for sure

[Lucavi]

People have said that about every MMO since WoW.



I think there's a lot of people getting bored of WoW now and wanting something new. Which shows by the fact the subscribers have lost a couple of million. A guy I work with plays WoW but would like a new MMO. He never played XI or XIV V1 but is interested in the ARR beta at least. Hopefully it will have an open beta so that anyone who wants to sample it can. Or better yet, have a 2 week free downloadable trial of the retail version.

The fact that its been out for this long and is only "lost a few mil subs" is frightening, especially in today's love it or leave it environment.

Every other company would kill to have the luxury of being able to lose a few mill subs here and there. They'd kill just to have a mil.

[Alkar]

I honestly doubt anyone is ever gonna match WoW's success in MMOs, not even Blizzard.

[Lucavi]

Shouldn't even try; just make a fun game and let people addict themselves.

[Alkar]

Shouldn't even try; just make a fun game and let people addict themselves.

Exactly, which is why all these "WoW killer" arguments are pointless. Nothing will ever kill WoW other than WoW itself (Blizzard shutting the servers down) nor match its success. Companies shouldn't even aim at that and honestly it's obvious that Bethesda isn't with that "Megaserver" thing. They're not expecting millions of subscribers. All they need is a good amount and give them reasons to stick around.