World of Warcraft subscribers plummet to 8.3 million in Q1

Blizzard released their finance statement for the first quarter of 2013 and revealed that subscriber numbers for WoW have fallen to 8.3 million, down from 9.6 in the fourth quarter of 2012.

[Gravitic]

Terminal decline.

[adorie]

I'd like to refer to this as a slice of humble pie.

[3-4-5]

They moved to a different MMO...Star wars maybe since Old Republic's numbers have increased.

They get to try it out free, but since they are MMO addicts they jump right int to a subscription.

just a theory.

[TheEnigma313]

I think they should go f2p. Paying monthly is outdated. A few of my friends that used to play this switched to league of legends.

[StockpileTom]

I personally believe that any product, service, or experience is only worth what people are willing to pay. I could see myself very willing to pay a subscription for a superior product but most MMO's out there are very dated in mechanics and just aren't worth it to me.

I feel there needs to be a overhaul in the gameplay mechanics and content of the MMORPG. I want more variety in the characters including even their animations. In any RPG I expect a very personalized experience and I want a unique character. That goal right there will likely require a higher RAM standard among other things.

I also want the gameplay itself to be tighter and feel as if I have complete control over my character's actions. This hotbar style of combat is ridiculously dated. Hotbars should serve auxiliary functions and not be the main interface to gameplay.

[aliengmr]

So basically you aren't willing to pay monthly for any current MMORPG?

[Dan_scruggs]

Any owner that would take a business model that is currently generating 125 million dollars a month and turn it free to play would be immediately fired and thrown out of the industry for being a complete and utter idiot.

[cayleee]

Well they arent doing anything new with their game, infact they have dumbed it down significantly to suit the wider audience. I dont know why game developers adopt this short term strategy.

Its the hardcore that will keep playing, casuals well they just come and go. Hence it should be the hardcore that are your primary target and that pretty much applies to the entire industry.

[pompombrum]

As cayleee said, they just keep making the game more and more "accessible" while killing it for long term fans. MoP was a BAD idea to begin with, I and many others didn't want kung fu pandas in their mmo experience.

What got me cancelling my sub and vowing never to return until they sort it though is the ridiculous amounts of stuns and cc in the game. In pvp it's turned into World of CCcraft. It's just so boring now.

[JeepGamer]

As a former WoW player I keep looking for 'something new' to play and I keep getting let down. I even went back for Mists after skipping Cataclysm completely...

Wore out the dungeons just getting to 90 and realized the only thing left was the dungeons I'd already worn out getting there...

They really need to do something that makes WoW new and exciting or they're going to keep bleeding subs.

[Dan_scruggs]

For anyone thinking that World of Warcraft will go free to play any time soon. I'd like to introduce you to MATH. Brace yourselves.

World of Warcraft monthly subscription fee $15.00
Current number of subscribers 8.3 million
15 x 8.,300,000 = $124,500,000
A month.

It's not changing anytime soon guys.

[Tokyo_reject]

I got 3 words that will make them hella money.....ready for this....FREE TO PLAY!!! make it free, then make people pay for races, and expansion pack haha!!!

[Snarkasaur]

Oh no, how will they feed their families on such meager revenue!