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[Borys]

WORLD OF WARCRAFT® SURPASSES FIVE MILLION CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE

Linkz0r

Customer base reaches new heights as Blizzard Entertainment®'s MMORPG continues its growth in North America, Europe, and Asia

IRVINE, California - December 19, 2005 - Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that World of Warcraft®, its massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), has surpassed five million customers worldwide. The subscription-based MMORPG launched approximately one year ago in North America, Australia, and New Zealand and has since released in multiple countries throughout Europe and Asia. This latest milestone comes on the heels of Blizzard Entertainment®'s recent announcement of a World of Warcraft expansion, World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade™, which will push the boundaries of the game and offer even more content and features for players.

"World of Warcraft's growth continues to exceed all our expectations," said Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We want to reiterate our thanks to the millions of players worldwide and to all the retailers who have enthusiastically supported the game over the past year. Our commitment to continue growing World of Warcraft is stronger than ever, with development on future content patches and on our 2006 expansion, World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, well underway. We look forward to offering even more content for current customers in the months ahead and welcoming new players into the world this holiday season."

With a strong presence across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, World of Warcraft has quickly become the world's most popular MMORPG. Most recently, the game was launched in the regions of Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong on November 8, 2005.

As World of Warcraft's population grows, Blizzard continues to support the game with additional content through regular patches and a planned expansion pack, set to release in 2006. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade will add new lands, quests, monsters, magic items, spells and abilities, two new player races, a new player profession, 10 new levels of power for players to achieve, and much more. Additional information on the expansion and the game's regular content updates can be found at the official World of Warcraft website.

World of Warcraft's Customer Definition
World of Warcraft customers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or purchased a prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the installation box bundled with one free month access. Internet Game Room players that have accessed the game over the last seven days are also counted as customers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards. Customers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules.

About Blizzard Entertainment®, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Vivendi Universal Games, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating many of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard's track record includes nine #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's free Internet gaming service, Battle.net®, reigns as the largest in the world, with millions of active users.

Huh?

Since 2004 GAF keeps on telling me that that PC gaming is dead?

GAF am cry?

Congrats Blizzard for making money on a dead market!

 

[Dr_Cogent]

I am cry.

My wife is addicted to this game and shirking her responsibilities as a mother as a result.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Dead in terms in innovation and diversity. Anyway, WoW is awesome (taking a break from it at them moment). My question is, if they are raking in insane amounts of cash, why is the expansion taking so long? The kind of money they are making, they should have had multiple expansions out by now.

 

[Oracle Dragon]

I am cry.

My wife is addicted to this game and shirking her responsibilities as a mother as a result.

I know I am hopelessly lost to this game... its at times like this I am thankful that my wife thinks that video games are a total waste of time. I shudder to think what our home would be like if BOTH of us were hooked

 

[FitzOfRage]

WORLD OF WARCRAFT® SURPASSES FIVE MILLION CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE

Linkz0r



Huh?

Since 2004 GAF keeps on telling me that that PC gaming is dead?

GAF am cry?

Congrats Blizzard for making money on a dead market!

Well for years the problem with PC games from a sales perspective has been the fact that a handful of tiltes soak up the majority of the shrinking sales.

 

[Wollan]

*Applauds Blizzard*

Amazing.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

GAF also claimed Xbox "had momentum". Go figure. :\

WoW rox.

Isn't that greater than the online users of all consoles?

 

[Dr_Cogent]

I know I am hopelessly lost to this game... its at times like this I am thankful that my wife thinks that video games are a total waste of time. I shudder to think what our home would be like if BOTH of us were hooked

Yeah, I quit a few months ago myself. Probably more out of anger at how my wife has been acting more than the game itself.

 

[Nerevar]

Dead in terms in innovation and diversity.

The only platform out there that sees more diversity and innovation than the PC is the DS. Just because big-name sellers are sequels in a subset of all the genres available (and really, how is this different from every other console?) doesn't mean that you can't find very unique and interesting PC games.

 

[Oracle Dragon]

Dead in terms in innovation and diversity. Anyway, WoW is awesome (taking a break from it at them moment). My question is, if they are raking in insane amounts of cash, why is the expansion taking so long? The kind of money they are making, they should have had multiple expansions out by now.

Any other company, I would complain. But these guys always do it right. Always. I played a lot of EQ as well, and the expansions were raining from the sky for the game... and not all of them good. I would rather have an expansion that is fantastic that one that only exists to give me one more raid instance and 10 more levels to grind.

I am kinda hooked on this thing, but for a bigtime gamer like me, WoW is like a giant savings coupon. I used to blow tons of money on games (used, new, rentals, 4 consoles, etc). Now for months I have played NOTHING but WoW. If I quit tommorrow, I still would have saved hundreds of dollars over all the months I have not bought any more games and/or gaming accesories

 

[Pimpbaa]

The only platform out there that sees more diversity and innovation than the PC is the DS. Just because big-name sellers are sequels in a subset of all the genres available (and really, how is this different from every other console?) doesn't mean that you can't find very unique and interesting PC games.

It's a problem on every platform, it just seems more severe on the PC where only FPS, MMORPGS, and RTS sell.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Any other company, I would complain. But these guys always do it right.

I just wish they would do it right quicker :lol I mean they haven't even shown the new alliance race because they said they don't have enough to show yet. I was really dissapointed when I heard that. Hopefully there will be some patches before then that will bring me back to the game.

 

[Nerevar]

It's a problem on every platform, it just seems more severe on the PC where only FPS, MMORPGS, and RTS sell.

that's a horrible exaggeration. Civ 4, a turn-based strategy game, has sold very well. The Movies I'm sure will sell very well. Garbage like the Sims still sells very well. Even small turn-based strategy games and simulations manage to turn a profit in the PC gaming arena. Basically, any genre that sells well on consoles sans platformers (which really don't even sell that well on consoles anymore) sells well on the PC, plus other stuff sells well enough to appeal to a niche audience and turn a profit. That's much more diversified than what you see on consoles.

 

[Acosta]

Victory For Sylvanas!!

Err..

It´s a great game, perfectly designed for what is intended. I can play it in a very comfortable way without puttint too much hours on it and even feel I´m doing things each time I play.

Now I want to test more complex MMORPGs, but I will keep playing WoW (I´m just 43 with my main).

The other day I arrived to a new zone called Feralas, if you want to understand the beauty of the word created by Blizzard, you must go there. I spent 10 minutes there just riding wth my horse and seeing the scenario.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

My question is, if they are raking in insane amounts of cash, why is the expansion taking so long? The kind of money they are making, they should have had multiple expansions out by now.

It's Blizzard. None of their game are rushed to market, and the same thing seems to be holding true to the WoW expansions.

 

[DSN2K]

Blizzard must be making loads of money.

 

[Pimpbaa]

that's a horrible exaggeration. Civ 4, a turn-based strategy game, has sold very well. The Movies I'm sure will sell very well. Garbage like the Sims still sells very well. Even small turn-based strategy games and simulations manage to turn a profit in the PC gaming arena. Basically, any genre that sells well on consoles sans platformers (which really don't even sell that well on consoles anymore) sells well on the PC, plus other stuff sells well enough to appeal to a niche audience and turn a profit. That's much more diversified than what you see on consoles.

You just listed more strategy games (not real time, but still strategy). PC is sure as hell not more diversified than consoles, that is a fact. The rare time an original game does come out on pc, it bombs and you never hear of it again. I'm not blaming the developeres too much, they are just playing it safe. I'm blaming PC gamers, for buying the same shit over and over. Look how many considering BF2 GOTY. Also hard for PC to have diversity when it has a slower release schedule than the GC.

 

[Mashing]

Victory For Sylvanas!!

Err..

It´s a great game, perfectly designed for what is intended. I can play it in a very comfortable way without puttint too much hours on it and even feel I´m doing things each time I play.

Now I want to test more complex MMORPGs, but I will keep playing WoW (I´m just 43 with my main).

The other day I arrived to a new zone called Feralas, if you want to understand the beauty of the word created by Blizzard, you must go there. I spent 10 minutes there just riding wth my horse and seeing the scenario.

One of my favorite things about WoW are the Gryphon/Wyvern rides and get a birdseye view how beautiful the game is. Great art FTW!

 

[Frankfurter]

Blizzard must be making loads of money.

5,000,000 x ~13 Dollars = 65,000,000 per month *you'll say WoW *

To be fair, one or even two million of these subscribers are probably from China where they pay different (and less), so 50,000,000 sounds quite realistic

Btw. PC gaming sure as hell is doomed :lol

 

[pxleyes]

Blizzard must be making loads of money.

Understatement of 2005.

Net revenue every month is somewhere in the range of 70 million dollars.

That is just an estimate taking into account that people with longer subscriptions pay less per month, and that doesn't take into account the new sales of the product itself.

 

[FitzOfRage]

that's a horrible exaggeration. Civ 4, a turn-based strategy game, has sold very well. The Movies I'm sure will sell very well. Garbage like the Sims still sells very well. Even small turn-based strategy games and simulations manage to turn a profit in the PC gaming arena. Basically, any genre that sells well on consoles sans platformers (which really don't even sell that well on consoles anymore) sells well on the PC, plus other stuff sells well enough to appeal to a niche audience and turn a profit. That's much more diversified than what you see on consoles.

Well overall PC game sales have dropped about 40% in the US in the last 4 years. There's definitely a problem in the market.

 

[Nerevar]

You just listed more strategy games (not real time, but still strategy).

Wait, you consider The Movies and The Sims strategy games? I mean, you might be able to make a case that it takes a lot of cues from strategy games in building a successful movie studio, but the latter ...? That's like me saying only "action" games sell on consoles. What an asinine point.

Well overall PC game sales have dropped about 40% in the US in the last 4 years. There's definitely a problem in the market.

I didn't say the market itself was without its problems. I just said that there is diversity out there in PC games. Saying only FPS, MMORPG, and RTS games sell is an exaggeration.

 

[Izzy]

Amazing is an understatement.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Wait, you consider The Movies and The Sims strategy games? I mean, you might be able to make a case that it takes a lot of cues from strategy games in building a successful movie studio, but the latter ...? That's like me saying only "action" games sell on consoles. What an asinine point.

I considering those sim strategy games. I remember when PC used to get tons of aircraft simulators, racing games, single player RPGs, graphic adventures. They seem to be very rare now, and when one does appear, it's just a console port.

 

[Vieo]

I play WoW for free. =)

 

[Geek]

Understatement of 2005.

Net revenue every month is somewhere in the range of 70 million dollars.

That is just an estimate taking into account that people with longer subscriptions pay less per month, and that doesn't take into account the new sales of the product itself.

Not sure if it's really THAT much. I think they are defining customers as anyone who has EVER paid a subscription fee or purchased a retail copy as in this definition.

World of Warcraft's Customer Definition
World of Warcraft customers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or purchased a prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the installation box bundled with one free month access. Internet Game Room players that have accessed the game over the last seven days are also counted as customers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards. Customers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules.

No doubt they are pulling in money hand over fist, but I don't think they have 5 million active subscribers at that $13 rate.

 

[pxleyes]

I play WoW for free. =)

:lol :lol :lol Keep telling yourself that.

 

[manngc]

Not sure if it's really THAT much. I think they are defining customers as anyone who has EVER paid a subscription fee or purchased a retail copy as in this definition.

I thought so too, until I read this line:

The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards. Customers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules.

That says to me that only active members are counted. As in I'm not counted since I canceled earlier in the year. Now how much money is necessary to support servers for this many territories? Like was is the monthly net profit is what I'd like to know. That number must still be huge. I'm also assuming that the game has shot way passed it's R&D costs.

Mann

 

[FitzOfRage]

Wait, you consider The Movies and The Sims strategy games? I mean, you might be able to make a case that it takes a lot of cues from strategy games in building a successful movie studio, but the latter ...? That's like me saying only "action" games sell on consoles. What an asinine point.



I didn't say the market itself was without its problems. I just said that there is diversity out there in PC games. Saying only FPS, MMORPG, and RTS games sell is an exaggeration.

I guess people can draw their own conclusions

http://www.theesa.com/files/2005EssentialFacts.pdf

US PC Game Software Sales

1998 - $1.8 billion
1999 - $1.9 billion
2000 - $1.78 billion (84.9 million units)
2001 - $1.75 billion (83.6 million units)
2002 - $1.4 billion (61.5 million units)
2003 - $1.2 billion (52.8 million units)
2004 - $1.1 billion (45 million units)

Best Selling Computer Game Genres 2004

Strategy: 26.9%
Family/Children's: 20.3%
Shooters: 16.3%
RPGs: 10.3%
Adventure: 5.9%
Sports: 5.4%
Action: 3.9%

TOP 20 SELLING COMPUTER GAMES OF 2004 by units sold:

1 The Sims 2
2 Doom 3
3 World of Warcraft
4 Half-Life 2
5 The Sims 2 Special Edition
6 The Sims Deluxe
7 Battlefield Vietnam
8 Call of Duty
9 Roller Coaster Tycoon 3
10 Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection
11 City of Heroes
12 Unreal Tournament 2004
13 The Sims: Makin’ Magic Expansion Pack
14 Age of Mythology
15 Far Cry
16 Halo: Combat Evolved
17 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
18 Flight Simulator 2004: Century of Flight
19 Zoo Tycoon 2
20 Rome: Total War


US Console & Handheld Game Software Sales:

1998 - $3.7 billion
1999 - $4.2 billion
2000 - $4.1 billion (130.6 million units)
2001 - $4.6 billion (141.5 million units)
2002 - $5.5 billion (162.8 million units)
2003 - $5.8 billion (186.4 million units)
2004 - $6.2 billion (203 million units)

Best Selling Console & Handheld Game Genres 2004:

Action: 30.1%
Sports: 17.8%
Shooters: 9.6%
Family/Children's: 9.5%
Racing: 9.4%
RPGs: 9%
Fighting: 5.4%

TOP 20 SELLING VIDEO GAMES OF 2004 by units sold:

1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas PS2
2 Halo 2 XBX
3 Madden NFL 2005 PS2
4 ESPN NFL 2K5 PS2
5 Need for Speed: Underground 2 PS2
6 Pokemon Fire Red GBA
7 NBA Live 2005 PS2
8 Spider-Man 2 PS2
9 Halo XBX
10 ESPN NFL 2K5 XBX
11 Pokemon Leaf Green GBA
12 Madden NFL 2005 XBX
13 NCAA Football 2005 PS2
14 Fable XBX
15 MVP Baseball 2004 PS2
16 NFL Street PS2
17 Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 PS2
18 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater PS2
19 Mario Brothers 3: Mario 4 GBA
20 Need for Speed: Underground PS2

 

[manngc]

I can't believe Halo 1 is on the top 10 for 2004!

 

[DSN2K]

its funny im not even playing the game right now but im still giving them money every month.... :lol

like a drug I cant let go

 

[Swat]

I know I am hopelessly lost to this game... its at times like this I am thankful that my wife thinks that video games are a total waste of time. I shudder to think what our home would be like if BOTH of us were hooked

I know the feeling. We (wife and I) have been playing since March pretty hardcore but it has waned in the past couple of months. If she had her way she'd be playing a lot more - for once the tables are turned and I'm the one suggesting we don't play it as much. The house is much messier, less home cooked meals, less time hanging out with real friends.

It's a fun but demanding game. Not demanding in the sense where you feel obliged to play, demanding in the sense that it remains fun for the most part while doing so, making it harder to put in "just one hour".

No matter how you try and define WoW , I think it's a given to say that this game is definitely not tailored or designed for a casual "every now and then" experience. It becomes part of your daily and weekly life.

Great game if you have a chunk of your life you are willing to sacrifice

 

[madara]

With 80 percent of a "community" I cant stand too, gotta love bnet! It would totally freak me out if thought most of them were past 11, wish I knew how to ignore yells though, IF is so painful

 

[D2M15]

It'll be 4,999,999 on the 23rd! IN YOUR FACE, BLIZZARD

 

[cybercrash]

I think it's a given to say that this game is definitely not tailored or designed for a casual "every now and then" experience. It becomes part of your daily and weekly life.

I know what you mean but it certainly isn't necessarily true, I only play WoW a few times a week and when I do I play for a few hours. I've been playing it like this since I started like 6 months ago so you can certainly play it very casually.

 

[Pimpbaa]

WoW is casual until you hit 60. Then you have to put in ridiculous hours to improve your character. Blizzard said they are workin on making that aspect better tho.

 

[Demigod Mac]

That means 4 million of them must be night elves. 3 million of those being rogues. Sigh.

 

[Suburban Cowboy]

wait... i thought there were reports of 6 million by summer?

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Accomplishment. Casuals can see 60 in a few months. Raiders can see big bad bosses die in a few more. Death is a $$$ hit tailored to your level. Surprisingly, more people like not getting reamed and bored to tears in their on-line worlds.

Still, just having the option of casual late-game play has made a yawning devide between raiders and non-raiders. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, (the very fact it's possible is again, a huge plus), but I have noticed it getting worse over the last few months. Those casuals still got many good months of fun soloing before they either start raiding as a rank-and-file or quit, though.

 

[LiquidMamba]

I'm finally coming down from my WoW addiction. lol
Canceled my account last month.

 

[xsarien]

WORLD OF WARCRAFT® SURPASSES FIVE MILLION CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE


Since 2004 GAF keeps on telling me that that PC gaming is dead?

One game doesn't a market make.

And send us a memo when they reach a number like that in one country alone. There are several console games that are damned closed to that mark.

 

[Swat]

I know what you mean but it certainly isn't necessarily true, I only play WoW a few times a week and when I do I play for a few hours. I've been playing it like this since I started like 6 months ago so you can certainly play it very casually.

I guess it depends on who you play with. I can tell you that one of the main reasons we would come back every day is that we played regularly with a core group in our guild. You enjoy grouping with these people, and if any one of you gets too far ahead it makes you want to stay at the same competetive level.

Same thing for getting good gear. You don't want to be the only one in your group missing a lot of the cool set pieces do you? It's this friendly competition between people you play with that ups the ante a bit.

I imagine WoW as a typical neighborhood. You and your friends live in a pretty cool part of town. If you don't work every day, you will keep the same normal, boring 2 bedroom flat. Your neighbors on the other hand will get that pool in the backyard. The helipad on the roof. The team of ninjas guarding the property. The new coat of shiny, shiny paint that really makes it stand out on the block.

<links image of epic drop in guild chat>
"Oooh, WTG! Dude that Rocks! OMG you are lucky"
/ego +1

 

[SomeDude]

Blizzard makes the best games.

 

[ToyMachine228]

I played WoW for the first timevia the CGW Trial around August I think. I've been addicted every since, and I love WoW

 

[siege]

I've been free from WoW's clutches for a good 2 months now. It feels great.

 

[blackadde]

Good! Now pump all of that revenue into a new Starcraft.

 

[Ferrio]

I'm kinda sickened by the amount of money their making..... but oh well we killed Rag last week.