Sessler's Soapbox: SWTOR and Why It's a Success

Adam returns after the New Year to talk Star Wars: The Old Republic and explain why, in his opinion, it's an MMO unlike any other.

[kevnb]

love the game, but sessler bugs me. Console games like fable 2 and skyrim so immersive, lmao. Fable 2 doesn't immerse very much, and skyrim is a multiplat game in a series that started as a pc exclusive (the formula hasnt changed).

[dedicatedtogamers]

We don't need to be told it's a success. If it's a success, it's a success.

People are so forgetful. They forget that EA specializes in pre-launch hype and advertisement. They forget that for the past DECADE there have been dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens of up-and-coming MMORPGs that all fizzled out. You think THIS one is different becuase it's Bioware, because it's Star Wars?

There has been a Matrix MMO, a Lord of the Rings MMO, a D&D MMO, and more.

I'm not trying to say that SWTOR is bad or that it's a failure. I'm just a realist: it will probably fizzle out and die in roughly 1 year's time.

[coolbeans]

Why are you determining "success" as only something of profitability in the coming year? Can't certain gameplay aspects shifting the genre forward be also what he's talking about-or at least alluding to?

[dedicatedtogamers]

Why do you determine "success" as only something that is decided within a game's first few months of release? If you know ANYTHING about the MMO market, it isn't the first six months that matter at all. Pretty much any MMO with decent hype can have a successful first six months.

However, very few MMOs maintain the hype after 12-18 months. THAT is the mark of success. If SWTOR can stay hot for 12-18 months, then we'll talk about it being a success. Until then, it is simply following in the exact same footsteps as...

- Lord of the Rings Online
- Matrix Online
- Everquest 2
- Lineage II
- D&D Online
- DC Universe Online
- City of Heroes
- Dark Age of Camelot
- Age of Conan
- Aion

Just to name a few

[coolbeans]

"Why do you determine "success" as only something that is decided within a game's first few months of release?"

That's the thing though, I'm not narrowing down success to just the player count and dollar signs (which is funny that you seem to be considering your other comments). You can also determine success in an MMO by simply playing the games. When playing it, I find that it succeeds at what it's trying to accomplish (SP RPG and MMO mixed together, making story more relevant in MMOs) while also delivering refinements across certain facets of gameplay.

The point of my first reply wasn't to but heads as to how many MMOs soon become ghost towns, it's to display that success can also be determined by the influence said game could have to future MMOs.