ESO Announces 13.5 Million Players Up 2.5 Million From Last Year

usmguy1234

Dominoid wrote: »

The Trend:

• BE3 June 2016 - 7 million
• February 2017 - 8.5 million
• November 2017 - 10 million
• BE3 June 2018 - 11 million
• BE3 June 2019 - 13.5 million

From past announcements on player count.

• This is not active player count - last update 2.5 million monthly active in December 2017
• This number is people who have purchased and registered a copy of ESO at anytime since release
• This does not include players who do free trial and don't purchase game
• If you own more than one account on a platform or own accounts on several platforms, you are counted more than once.

Did someone say server upgrade?

Facefister

Despite all of this, we must ask:
"How do I benefit, as a customer, from the financial success of the company I buy the services from?"
If I would answer that question right now: 0.

Korah_Eaglecry

erlewine wrote: »

Korah_Eaglecry wrote: »

I think the more interesting thing about that announcement was that they are expanding their team. Ive heard rumors of them working on another property. But with the a position as a producer has opened up. Im wondering if the rumors are true and they are ramping up for the next big MMO.

well, judging by sales Elswyr seems pretty clearly the final full size expansion for ESO, it'll likely go into delayed maintenance mode sometime soon, maybe not for a few years though - then restructure updating to like 2 months per small DLC, somethin along those lines.

Or shut it down. But I think mtx can keep this profitable a long time.

I was wondering when the "DOOM" squad would make a return. Its been longer than normal for you types. Youre usually on a 6 month rotation. Guess it can be a little difficult crying the sky is falling when content is flowing out of the machine every quarter though.

Cundu_Ertur

Sylvermynx wrote: »

Imperial_Voice wrote: »

Sylvermynx wrote: »

*sigh* Yeah. Nice.

Or not. I'm SO TIRED of bajillions of people everywhere.... I personally liked it better 6/18, when I first started playing. I pay my way, so I really just want to not have people everywhere.

Yeah yeah.... not a popular opinion. I get that.

Sounds like you want a single player TES with all of Tamriel more than you want ESO.

*shrug* I still play Skyrim. I still play Oblivion. I'm really looking forward to living long enough to play TES VI.

In the meantime.... I play ESO. And hate the millions of people in my face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuAXFchvio8

bluebird

I hope that ZOS don't take these (deceptive) numbers as a thumbsup that the game is doing great. Sure, it's fine to celebrate successes (if Elsweyr sold well, no data to confirm whether it did or not), but let's not pretend that ESO is in some spectacular place right now. One of the largest selling points of the Chapter, the new class, is mechanically broken and clunky as hell. The servers - especially EU - are regularly in meltdown. Lag is rampant. They had to manually cap their group finder to prevent people from joining the queue, that's how broken the LFG tool is. ESO is a second-rate game and will remain so until they fix their recurring issues - no matter the account numbers or how many fluffy cats they add to the Crown Store in the meantime.

I watched so many ESO streams where devs talked about what a great achievement Elsweyr is, and how excited they are or how amazing it was to animate dragons... but I'm sorry I have a hard time being hyped for such mediocre content. Animating dragons in 2019 is not interesting, not unique, not an accomplishment. I could list dozens of other games on the market that have animated dragon encounters (even where those dragons actually move on the ground instead of spastically turning in one place). I have nothing against the animators, and please do celebrate your victories but let's not try to overhype what is being sold here, or pretend that Elsweyr is some monumental success story.

And as others pointed out, it would be great to see how this alleged success translates into the game. The account number data is some of the most deceptive that I've ever seen published - not only is it not a paying player number, it's not even a concurrent player number. How many of those accounts are bots? How many are accounts that haven't spent a single dime on the game since they bought it 3 years ago or whatever?

I personally perceive it as a bit insulting when the devs are hyping their game with great success stories in public, while we know it's in fact rife with problems. Dragons! Wow! Aren't you excited? Dragons are super cool! The best enemies ever! Like, no, thanks, I fought dragons in other games and in Skyrim, and I'm more concerned with the fact that players can't log in or join the queue, or find the luxury furniture vendor missing for two weekends in a row. I realize I sound a bit harsh, and I do know that devs can't very well complain about their game in public, but I'd like to see all this hype and apparent success translate into game improvements.

Rain_Greyraven

All millions of people do is clog up the idiotic decision to have 95% of dungeons public.

Which is why I play more FFXIV these days, while I wait for AoC.

NeillMcAttack

These kinds of numbers represent nothing but marketing jargon, and of course its around E3.

Since I moved to PC (since the game is barely playable on console now), I count as two of those accounts, one of the base number, and now one of the new.

Don't get me wrong, the game is healthy that's for sure, I'd be willing to bet its not far off GTA5 numbers, maybe a $Billion in 6 months of pure profit..... But these kinds of statements/numbers are really patronizing when they come this vague.

Tan9oSuccka

This thread delivers!

So many armchair analysts.

Reverb

bluebird wrote: »

I personally perceive it as a bit insulting when the devs are hyping their game with great success stories in public, while we know it's in fact rife with problems.

Your entire post is very good, and I agree with everything you’ve said. I want to call out the passage because I think it’s the best articulation of how pretty much everyone here is feeling.

randomkeyhits

Well its not going to go down is it? but imagine that, 1 mililion refunds...........

An almost useless headline number, bet we never hear the important ones like retention and average hours a player is playing per week, that kind of thing. Its also the kind of thing that you can use in a capacity plan to make sure that you can provision your service to meet user demand. What a concept eh?

This just reminds me how much I hate how statistics are used in marketing these days.

Shantu

I don't mind ZOS making money, because it insures the game with stick around. I just wish paying customers were treated with a little more respect than a numbered commodity. As numbers and content increases, performance continues to deteriorate...and that is just plain insulting. If you don't balance the capacity of server infrastructure to game expansion, players will only take so much before they move on. The technical team needs to either get their act together or hire smarter people. A smart business plans ahead for success. A dumb one just exploits momentary success until it fails.

Wildberryjack

I'd bet a lot of the new players came from WoW. No game is perfect and has zero problems but right now the servers are becoming an issue that they really need to address. Players will start leaving if they can't, well, play. Ya know?

Imperial_Voice

Rain_Greyraven wrote: »

while I wait for AoC.

I have some really bad news for you then.


(But FFXIV is amazing)

Elsonso

Facefister wrote: »

Despite all of this, we must ask:
"How do I benefit, as a customer, from the financial success of the company I buy the services from?"
If I would answer that question right now: 0.

We get to keep playing, and for a lot of people, that is a good thing.

Imperial_Voice

lordrichter wrote: »

Facefister wrote: »

Despite all of this, we must ask:
"How do I benefit, as a customer, from the financial success of the company I buy the services from?"
If I would answer that question right now: 0.

We get to keep playing, and for a lot of people, that is a good thing.

This^ ive been playing MMOs for over a decade now and Ive had the pleasure of playing some amazing games with some great people and when one of those games finally has to shut down it sucks. Star Wars Galaxies and City of Heroes were my favorites and seeing them go was a little like losing touch with a good friend.

I have a lot of problems with how ZoS does things but ESO is a good game and Ive met some great people while playing and Im happy enough to see it keep trucking along steadily.

goldCoaster

Makes sense, since it’s one of the best games this current generation.

goldCoaster

Rain_Greyraven wrote: »

All millions of people do is clog up the idiotic decision to have 95% of dungeons public.

Which is why I play more FFXIV these days, while I wait for AoC.

Playing an RPG (MMO or otherwise) that isn’t voice-acted feels weird.

idk

Tan9oSuccka wrote: »

This thread delivers!

So many armchair analysts.

And such meaningful comments about the thread.

Imperial_Voice wrote: »

Rain_Greyraven wrote: »

while I wait for AoC.

I have some really bad news for you then.


(But FFXIV is amazing)

Oddly FFXIV professed the same number of accounts in it's first 5 yearts after Realm Reborn was launched. Your comments seem more opinion since I find the game seems to be designed more for children rather than being an serious MMORPG. Just my opinion about the game, not suggesting everyone who plays is a child.

Tandor

Rain_Greyraven wrote: »

All millions of people do is clog up the idiotic decision to have 95% of dungeons public.

Which is why I play more FFXIV these days, while I wait for AoC.

What AoC are you referring to? Age of Conan has been out for years. Is there another AoC?

Thealteregoroman

Dominoid wrote: »

The Trend:

• BE3 June 2016 - 7 million
• February 2017 - 8.5 million
• November 2017 - 10 million
• BE3 June 2018 - 11 million
• BE3 June 2019 - 13.5 million

From past announcements on player count.

• This is not active player count - last update 2.5 million monthly active in December 2017
• This number is people who have purchased and registered a copy of ESO at anytime since release
• This does not include players who do free trial and don't purchase game
• If you own more than one account on a platform or own accounts on several platforms, you are counted more than once.

Dominoid

erlewine wrote: »

ESO has not grown in years. Guys, there are places on the internet you can find daily login data dating back years. It's steady decline overall, while following the usual summer/winter/expansion dips. This doesn't mean the game is going to die anytime soon but I don't really see the point in deluding yourself, either.

edit: somewhat slight decline, to be fair.

I’m clearly missing this decline. This is concurrent players without either console and with the vast PC purchases not being through Steam.

https://steamcharts.com/app/306130

Tasear

idk wrote: »

Tasear wrote: »

Saw a picture on Reddit there's 200,000 active subs.

As far as that goes, during the past year I have seen estimates of 321k to 3 million active players in ESO so these people who publish the numbers really do not know. Pretty sure if any of them got close to being right it would be pure accident. I expect that number of subscribers is not any closer to the correct number.

What would be interesting to know is if that 13.5 million accounts includes ones that were created for trials but never bought the game.

"Subs" aren't only active players. Also rich is holding the sign.

kpittsniperb14_ESO

Facefister wrote: »

Despite all of this, we must ask:
"How do I benefit, as a customer, from the financial success of the company I buy the services from?"
If I would answer that question right now: 0.

agreed, it doesn't matter how many active users, subscribers or whales if some of those revenues aren't making their way back into the game to improve performance, fix bugs etc. I'm happy for them that they are "killing it" but my end user experience has only degraded since they started "killing it".

Dominoid

Tasear wrote: »

Saw a picture on Reddit there's 200,000 active subs.

Tasear wrote: »

idk wrote: »

Tasear wrote: »

Saw a picture on Reddit there's 200,000 active subs.

As far as that goes, during the past year I have seen estimates of 321k to 3 million active players in ESO so these people who publish the numbers really do not know. Pretty sure if any of them got close to being right it would be pure accident. I expect that number of subscribers is not any closer to the correct number.

What would be interesting to know is if that 13.5 million accounts includes ones that were created for trials but never bought the game.

"Subs" aren't only active players. Also rich is holding the sign.

The sign Rich/Brian is holding, is celebrating the /r/elderscrollsonline subreddit reaching 200,000 subscribers, not the game. That's why they did the AUA there. in celebration of that milestone.

Reverb

Reverb wrote: »

That really is Firor’s only talking point. I’ll buy 10k crowns if he has anythingof substance to say at E3 that doesn’t circle back to number of copies sold.

I was only half paying attention, but I think I’m on the hook for some crowns. I don’t think Matt Firor’s crowed about copies sold tonight. Am I wrong?

Volckodav

Dominoid wrote: »

The Trend:

• BE3 June 2016 - 7 million
• February 2017 - 8.5 million
• November 2017 - 10 million
• BE3 June 2018 - 11 million
• BE3 June 2019 - 13.5 million

From past announcements on player count.

• This is not active player count - last update 2.5 million monthly active in December 2017
• This number is people who have purchased and registered a copy of ESO at anytime since release
• This does not include players who do free trial and don't purchase game
• If you own more than one account on a platform or own accounts on several platforms, you are counted more than once.

And still wait age to have 12 players in BG....

Casdha

Korah_Eaglecry wrote: »

I think the more interesting thing about that announcement was that they are expanding their team. Ive heard rumors of them working on another property. But with the a position as a producer has opened up. Im wondering if the rumors are true and they are ramping up for the next big MMO.

Wasn't that the flop they announced right after ESO, Commander Keen or whatever that cartoony phone game was? The one that was an original ID Software remake...

Chadak

Clearly, this is a sign that the game is terrible and everything's too easy and ZOS is throwing it straight into the bowels of El Diablo by not making overworld content as difficult as one-armed pull-ups.

Game's doomed. It's all over now for sure. You could have had whole thousands of players ZOS, but you made the game accessible to the multitudes and now you're stuck with millions.

Millions upon millions of players.

I hope you're proud of yourselves. You snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat, and now you have a wildly successful game on your hands.

It's just terrible.

Conduit0

erlewine wrote: »

ESO has not grown in years. Guys, there are places on the internet you can find daily login data dating back years. It's steady decline overall, while following the usual summer/winter/expansion dips. This doesn't mean the game is going to die anytime soon but I don't really see the point in deluding yourself, either.

edit: somewhat slight decline, to be fair.

There are also places on the internet that you can find data that proves the Earth is flat, all of the world leaders are shape shifting lizard aliens, and that Elvis, Tupac, and MJ are still alive and like to shop at Costco at 3 in the morning.

erlewine wrote: »

lordrichter wrote: »

The thing is that MMO games that are in a steady decline don't need multi-platform server capacity upgrades to handle additional players.

yes, all available data shows X but it is wrong because of totally unrelated Y. Cognitive dissonance is a hell of a drug.

Oh the irony.

EnglishTea123

Can't believe there are still those who believe this game has 1~3 million concurrent, active players... it might come cloooose to a million if you add up all the platforms. I haven't played this game in months, just occasionally logging in only to see the same people in the chat. Total copies sold does not mean concurrent player number. 😂😂😂