What games did some of the thinkers and titans of the game industry play in 2010?
When we last checked World of Warcraft subscriber numbers in December of 2008, the game had 11.5 million subscribers. According to Blizzard’s Mike Morhaime, today’s numbers are exactly the same. Has the mighty MMO plateaued?
Each of the seven or so times I’ve canceled my World of Warcraft subscription over the past few years, I’ve found it curious that they ask your reason for leaving. What could they possibly do with said information? Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime answered my question for me during yesterday’s earnings conference call to investors, during which he put the information to good use. “To date, 68 percent of the players who listed Age of Conan as their reason for cancellation, and 46 percent of players who listed Warhammer as their reason for cancellation have reactivated their subscriptions to World of Warcraft.”
Blizzard is rolling out a bunch of its MMOs in China. Striking a joint venture with NetEase.com affiliate Shanghai EaseNet Network Technology Limited, Blizzard will be introducing StarCraft II, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, and Battle.net platform. Says Blizzard’s CEO Mike Morhaime:
NetEase has been a leader in the Chinese game market, and we look forward to working with them to deliver high-quality entertainment to Chinese gamers. This partnership is a sign of our continued commitment to our players in China and to the local industry.
The licence will be on a three-year term and have a mutual one-year renewal period. Full details in the release after the jump.
