Will a console release split the player base too much?

Vulix

So, we don't have official subscription numbers or active player counts, but we can safely assume that ESO isn't the most popular MMORPG around (but it's certainly not dying by any means).

Complete conjecture with no data here, but let's assume a hypothetical (but possible) scenario. I suspect that most people who will end up playing ESO on console are people who are already playing it on PC. The console release has taken so long at this point, anyone dying to play ESO is most likely playing the PC version now. Further, I do not expect many people to hold-off on playing the PC version just because they are waiting for console release. That is, I don't see a massive spike in ESO's population compared to what it is now when the console versions are released.

So who is likely to play the most console ESO? People playing the PC version. What this means is the PC version will bleed players and the player base becomes smaller, which is bad. Further, the console release will have a smaller playerbase, especially considering there will be different servers for PS4 and XBox.

So, are the console versions really worth it? Personally, I'd rather have more people playing on PC.

Thoughts? Again, complete conjecture on my part (I'm admitting it so don't flame me), but I do think this scenario is within the realm of possibility.

edit: Fixed thread title

NadiusMaximus

Personally, I don't think an mmo on a console would work that great. If it would, then wow would have done it years ago.

ers101284b14_ESO

Plenty of MMO's can work on console FF14, FFXI, DCUO, Everquest have all proven that.

As far as splitting the playerbase I don't think so. OF all the people I have come in contact with in the game not a single one is planning on going console. I think a few may leave but I think we have our PC core and we will gain/lose people as it goes. Which is normal. Just as console Players will have a core base after 3 months and then will gain and lose every month. And seeing how many console players whine every day on their Facebook I think they still have tons of players waiting to play.

EQOAnostalgia

700k+ subscribers to ESO atm. Also no... it's not going to split anything because the PC gamers that wanted ESO have it right now and the console gamers are waiting eagerly. PC players have zero reason to downgrade to PS4 unless they are running the game on low settings out of desperation and i'm sure not many are doing that, there are definitely people doing that though.

I have been waiting for the PS4 release because i couldn't even run the beta on this rig lol. So people are waiting, i'm currently enjoying FFXIV, and i expect a lot of people playing XIV will at least want to give ESO a shot, at least the EU and NA players. BUT... i'm worried that it has taken way too long to get the console version out... no one even seems to be talking about the PC version let alone the console version that is extremely tardy at this point.

I'm more concerned that the console version will fail and be shut down in a year or two... i've already suffered that when EverQuest Online Adventures was cancelled after 9 years, but then again Playstation 2 wasn't exactly mmorpg friendly lol. Also it wasn't really online friendly either as most console gamers didn't even go online at that time. But that's another story and i digress.

At any rate, all i can really say with certainty is that i'm here... waiting for the console release with much anticipation.

ozm8ey

i'll still play on pc because I don't own an xbox one or ps4

Rodario

If it runs on your PC, I don't see any reason whatsoever to switch to console. I'd hazard a guess that most people who play on PC right now will not switch to console. Like the poster above me said, it's unlikely many people are playing on minimum settings out of desperation.

Bloodfang

No I don't think so. ESO on Consoles will most likely have a bigger playerbase than we here on PC.

However I also think PC will benefit from it.

GreyBrow

Despair9 wrote: »

No I don't think so. ESO on Consoles will most likely have a bigger playerbase than we here on PC.

However I also think PC will benefit from it.

Agreed. Every pseudo gamer wanna be fanboi "omgerd fus ro dah lulz" who knew nothing of the real TES games jumped on the TES bandwagon after that dumbed down noob paradise piece of crap game skyrim came out will buy it and pay for at least one month's sub.

Or maybe not, considering the fact that every other console game is F2P once you buy the game.

AlexDougherty

Not sure, it could go either way, some of our player base will switch to console, it's just a matter of whether or not, it will be so many the Servers become empty.

Mind you I think we have quite a wait before that happens.

Moonscythe

I bought the PC version after playing the beta only when I was promised a character port and reduced cost when the console finally releases. I hate gaming on a computer but really wanted to experience the ESO world. I have played only minimally in only one alliance so I won't have been noticed as I play or missed when I'm gone. I am eagerly looking forward to the console version/

HydroCanuck

The PS4 version could very well be in the same servers as PC players. That's how it is for FF XIV. It's only Microsoft that doesn't allow cross platform play.

cyqa

I noticed on facebook that whenever there is a post for ESO, a whole slew of people are commenting on how annoyed they are there has been no console release information, they're canceling their pre-orders, they are really looking forward to playing this game some day, etc. I personally think the console version will do just fine* with new players and not just PC-converts.

*I do worry the time it is taking them to finish the console version will affect interest, though.

kijima

HydroCanuck wrote: »

The PS4 version could very well be in the same servers as PC players. That's how it is for FF XIV. It's only Microsoft that doesn't allow cross platform play.

Doubt it, ZOS have said that console and PC won't be sharing servers.

xaraan

No way would I give up add-ons and great graphics for console. Skyrim moved me from console to PC and I don't know that I'll go back.

EQOAnostalgia

xaraan wrote: »

No way would I give up add-ons and great graphics for console. Skyrim moved me from console to PC and I don't know that I'll go back.

Add-ons in WoW got annoying REAL fast... it devolved into everyone staring at DPS charts and stressing over updating their add-ons constantly. Been there done that, no thanks :disagree:

HydroCanuck

If they add suitable controller support, without needing third party apps, I stick with PC, if they don't, I'll move to the One

xaraan

EQOAnostalgia wrote: »

xaraan wrote: »

No way would I give up add-ons and great graphics for console. Skyrim moved me from console to PC and I don't know that I'll go back.

Add-ons in WoW got annoying REAL fast... it devolved into everyone staring at DPS charts and stressing over updating their add-ons constantly. Been there done that, no thanks :disagree:

Yeah, but that's up to the person.

I have one guy in my group that is from wow and he has stuff all over his screen when I watch his vids. I have as many add-ons as he does and my screen is nearly empty in comparison.

Gidorick

Vulix wrote: »

I suspect that most people who will end up playing ESO on console are people who are already playing it on PC.

This one assumption is likely wrong. The vast majority of those of us who have consoles will likely stay on PC. Console releases will simply add to those numbers and open the game up to those that don't have a PC.

The ONLY way I'll play on console is if ZOS allows me to pay an additional amount (like $5 a month) to add a console subscription to my PC subscription. I would love to have characters on both PC and PS4 but if I have to pay for 2 full $15 subs, that's not going to happen.

daneyulebub17_ESO

Gidorick wrote: »

Vulix wrote: »

I suspect that most people who will end up playing ESO on console are people who are already playing it on PC.

This one assumption is likely wrong. The vast majority of those of us who have consoles will likely stay on PC. Console releases will simply add to those numbers and open the game up to those that don't have a PC.

The ONLY way I'll play on console is if ZOS allows me to pay an additional amount (like $5 a month) to add a console subscription to my PC subscription. I would love to have characters on both PC and PS4 but if I have to pay for 2 full $15 subs, that's not going to happen.

Agreed. It's one thing to pay for the software itself on each platform, but to expect people who can only log-on to one server at a time after all, to maintain two full subs is ridiculous and off-putting.

Robocles

EQOAnostalgia wrote: »

700k+ subscribers to ESO atm. Also no... it's not going to split anything because the PC gamers that wanted ESO have it right now and the console gamers are waiting eagerly. PC players have zero reason to downgrade to PS4 unless they are running the game on low settings out of desperation and i'm sure not many are doing that, there are definitely people doing that though.

I have been waiting for the PS4 release because i couldn't even run the beta on this rig lol. So people are waiting, i'm currently enjoying FFXIV, and i expect a lot of people playing XIV will at least want to give ESO a shot, at least the EU and NA players. BUT... i'm worried that it has taken way too long to get the console version out... no one even seems to be talking about the PC version let alone the console version that is extremely tardy at this point.

I'm more concerned that the console version will fail and be shut down in a year or two... i've already suffered that when EverQuest Online Adventures was cancelled after 9 years, but then again Playstation 2 wasn't exactly mmorpg friendly lol. Also it wasn't really online friendly either as most console gamers didn't even go online at that time. But that's another story and i digress.

At any rate, all i can really say with certainty is that i'm here... waiting for the console release with much anticipation.

There is no basis for the 700k sub number. Why do people keep quoting it?

RDMyers65b14_ESO

When one is old enough to remember the old commidork64 vs the trash80 vs the Apple] [e wars, one does not play on anything less than a PC. I am sure that consoles have came a long way from the Commidork64 days. Ack, can you imagine PvPing at 300 baud? (For you youngsters out there, baud is bits per minute, so roughly 3 minutes to get a kilobyte of data)

Cuyler

I originally bought my PS4 specifically to play ESO now it just sits there (occasionally I play COD). I waited to buy the PC version as well until ZOS announced the lowered Console prices with the ability to port PC characters.

I was thinking about sticking with PC for the love of addons but then....

I had a friend who was going to sub up and be my running mate who's computer took a grand shite on him. Now he can't afford the $600-700 to purchase a new rig to play ESO. He can however afford a PS4 (with a little help from me) so that will be his obvious option.

If I want to play with my RL friend and not just the wonderful PC players I've met over the last couple months, I'll need to port to console. Stuck between a rock and a hard place considering I run a guild on PC server.

What do I do @ZOS_GinaBruno?

Vulix

OP here, just wanted to say it's cool there is good discussion here with no flaming. Thank you guys.

Also a question: how likely is it that the 700k sub number is actually accurate?

ers101284b14_ESO

Vulix wrote: »

OP here, just wanted to say it's cool there is good discussion here with no flaming. Thank you guys.

Also a question: how likely is it that the 700k sub number is actually accurate?

Not very since that was before steam sales and before the recent spike of the returning players after 1.5. The number was actually 772k which if you do it by normal MMO trends and when that number was released would of made sense.

Also it was from a 3rd party site with "Inside information" but no real sources. Just like the sites claiming ESO for consoles is cancelled.

Darkonflare15

I originally wanted to play Eso on the xbox one because it was the only rpg like game that was coming out in the summer but I brought the pc version to test out eso on my computer. It worked well on my pc but I prefer to play my games on the consoles. Since there were hardly any games coming out on consoles at the time, I just played Eso until it comes out on consoles. Then I heard that they push back the launch of the games on the consoles. I was sad but I was like hey I am used to play it on pc. Now that there is a lot games on xbox one right now and that the past couple of updates in Eso been rather annoying with the bugs, I stop playing on my pc and been playing on my xbox one. If they came with the console versions of eso right now or in 2 months than yeah I would stop playing it on my pc. So yeah I would switch to console.

Wicked_Wolf

I'm relatively new to PC gaming. Built mine last year and have just recently upgraded to a Gtx 980. I find it difficult just to play games that are made only for consoles, let alone multi plat. PC is just incredible and far superior with regards to visuals and framerates. No way will I be switching to console, for this game or any other game that isn't an exclusive.

EQOAnostalgia

Robocles wrote: »

EQOAnostalgia wrote: »

700k+ subscribers to ESO atm. Also no... it's not going to split anything because the PC gamers that wanted ESO have it right now and the console gamers are waiting eagerly. PC players have zero reason to downgrade to PS4 unless they are running the game on low settings out of desperation and i'm sure not many are doing that, there are definitely people doing that though.

I have been waiting for the PS4 release because i couldn't even run the beta on this rig lol. So people are waiting, i'm currently enjoying FFXIV, and i expect a lot of people playing XIV will at least want to give ESO a shot, at least the EU and NA players. BUT... i'm worried that it has taken way too long to get the console version out... no one even seems to be talking about the PC version let alone the console version that is extremely tardy at this point.

I'm more concerned that the console version will fail and be shut down in a year or two... i've already suffered that when EverQuest Online Adventures was cancelled after 9 years, but then again Playstation 2 wasn't exactly mmorpg friendly lol. Also it wasn't really online friendly either as most console gamers didn't even go online at that time. But that's another story and i digress.

At any rate, all i can really say with certainty is that i'm here... waiting for the console release with much anticipation.

There is no basis for the 700k sub number. Why do people keep quoting it?

there is no basis for your denying there is no basis... so why do people keep saying there is no basis?

Leeric

Simple answer, no.

Not so simple answer, if you have a decent PC I don't know why those people would switch to consoles. Some people could make an argument for comfort of playing on a couch or a controller, but now its relatively easy to hook up a PC to both a television and a controller. ZOS is also working on 360 controller support. Which will then be even easier for PC users.

What this will more than likely do is attract a lot more Skyrim players. which, hopefully means more income for ZOS and then more improvements or larger teams to work on those improvements and improve patch implementation. Of course there are players like some above who don't know how, or don't want to hook up their PC to make it closely resemble consoles, and if they are okay purchasing an inferior version, well then, they probably weren't the best people in game anyways

Also, MMO's do work just fine on consoles, and PS4 COULD although unlikely have cross play with PC as well as not having to purchase playstation plus for multiplayer.

Why anyone would play on the Xbox One if they have other options? Yah I don't get that one. But those who aren't responsible or think about their purchases usually don't make a lot of sense anyways. But to each their own I guess.

Mightylink

Theres no reason why zenimax can't just share the same server across all platforms, ff14 did it.

EQOAnostalgia

Vulix wrote: »

OP here, just wanted to say it's cool there is good discussion here with no flaming. Thank you guys.

Also a question: how likely is it that the 700k sub number is actually accurate?

It doesn't seem inflated to me... if people were going to lie about it why not hype it up? 700k subs is quite... meh actually so the chances of it being bs are slim imo. I mean who pulls 700k out of the air?

zaria

NadiusMaximus wrote: »

Personally, I don't think an mmo on a console would work that great. If it would, then wow would have done it years ago.

Two issues, the control system for wow will not work on consoles, you need an game more like ESO in handling.
Second it that MMO is pretty marginal on PS3 / 360 because of the memory limitations, the orginal WOW released 10 years ago demands too much memory