According to data on WarcraftRealms, MMOData and using the Internet Archive...

7 months ago there were 4 US servers with less than 1000 characters observed by wow census in 30 days, now there are over 40 of these servers, EU is worse, with 60 of them. This is a tremendous downward momentum.

Servers support 25,000 accounts each, there are over 100 servers with less than 4% capacity (based on no characters are alts).

The high water mark of subscriptions, which includes cataclysm release was 12 million, 6 in NA/EU and 6 in Asia.

Total player population observed by wow census now  is 1.9 million characters in the US, the last time wow census saw those numbers was Aug 2005 (1.7 mil, next archive is next year with 2.3 mil), and there were 3 million NA/EU subs back then. It looks like wow has lost 50% of subs in one year and one expansion.

 

http://www.warcraftrealms.com/realmstats.php?sort=Total

http://users.telenet.be/mmodata/Charts/Subs-1.png

http://users.telenet.be/mmodata/Charts/WoW.png

http://www.archive.org/

I would have believed you until you said 50% sub loss.  In no way to I believe they have lost that many.  I could almost believe 30% at most but 50% is a bit high.

We have one of these threads at least once a week.

But if those numbers are correct it would show a turn for the worse for WoW.

BUT!

Blizzard has a record of always releasing a patch or expansion everytime this happens to recover their numbers.

BUT!

That last patch didnt see alot of thrills and player returns even though it gave WoW players what they asked for for 5 years. Heck even me, Ive been a WoW player since vanilla and I quit a few times a year and comeback for patches but this is the first one I didnt even bother to return for.

It will be interesting to see how the numbers pan out with the new games in 2012.

that was alot of buts...

When the census showed full servers and populations that were reasonable for sub numbers I bet you had no problem with the data.

This data has been collected the same way for seven years, it does not need to be perfect to be informative.

Originally posted by Dragonantis

Blizzard has a record of always releasing a patch or expansion everytime this happens to recover their numbers.

 

Actually wow subs has never gone down by even 1 subscription in total subs except wrath lost 500 k until cata release. It is not a happens every xpac thing. Edit: and the time wow was unavalable in China due to content and operations changes, they pay by the hour anyway.

Cata lost all those subs in about 3 weeks, and went down to BC numbers in 1-2 months, then lost a couple million more. All before MoP announced.

I logged into WoW for a free seven days, and there was like no one in Stormwind at 4:00 AM.   Take that how you will lol

Originally posted by GameOvr

According to data on WarcraftRealms, MMOData and using the Internet Archive...

7 months ago there were 4 US servers with less than 1000 characters observed by wow census in 30 days, now there are over 40 of these servers, EU is worse, with 60 of them. This is a tremendous downward momentum.

Servers support 25,000 accounts each, there are over 100 servers with less than 4% capacity (based on no characters are alts).

The high water mark of subscriptions, which includes cataclysm release was 12 million, 6 in NA/EU and 6 in Asia.

Total player population observed now  is 1.9 million characters in the US, the last time wow census saw those numbers was Aug 2005, and there were 3 million NA/EU subs back then. It looks like wow has lost 50% of subs in one year and one expansion.

 

I've never played wow but if your going to make references from other sources you should post the links so we can verify.

Originally posted by GameOvr

When the census showed full servers and populations that were reasonable for sub numbers I bet you had no problem with the data.

 

This data has been collected the same way for seven years, it does not need to be perfect to be informative.

I would believe it just as much as I do now.  Im not saying its completly wrong but I'm skeptical of it. 

Who cares? Everyone takes this stuff so personally. Unless you own stock in Blizzard or Bioware or anything other MMO company, why do you care? If you wanna play it, play it, if you dont, dont. Why does anyone care who else plays it?

Originally posted by marinrider

 

I would believe it just as much as I do now.  Im not saying its completly wrong but I'm skeptical of it. 

if you google warcraft merge servers then use the advanced option to limit to last 30 days you get 154,000 hits. Most amusing are the ones that point to blizzard forums where they deleted or locked the thread. Like that will help.

Remember a lot of the player base are locked in with 1 year subs in order to get a free copy of D3.  I'm not surprised that pop is down, esp after 7 years online but they got time.

What servers are all these people leaving? The server I play on seems pretty darn packed, even later into the night.

Originally posted by GameOvr

According to data on WarcraftRealms, MMOData and using the Internet Archive...

7 months ago there were 4 US servers with less than 1000 characters observed by wow census in 30 days, now there are over 40 of these servers, EU is worse, with 60 of them. This is a tremendous downward momentum.

Servers support 25,000 accounts each, there are over 100 servers with less than 4% capacity (based on no characters are alts).

The high water mark of subscriptions, which includes cataclysm release was 12 million, 6 in NA/EU and 6 in Asia.

Total player population observed now  is 1.9 million characters in the US, the last time wow census saw those numbers was Aug 2005, and there were 3 million NA/EU subs back then. It looks like wow has lost 50% of subs in one year and one expansion.

 

This thread again...

When will people realize that warcraftrealms.com and MMOdata.net are very inaccurate websites?  I find it hilarious you mention both these sites, and I don't even know what you are referring to as "internet archive..". 

MMOdata.net: Relies on the data provided by public statements made by the publishers of these MMOs when stating their total sub numbers.  As many people know, MOST MMO publishers are very tight lip about their numbers, broadcasting them very rarely.  Thus, the numbers presented are extremely inconsistent and usually out of date due to publishers rarely disclosing their sub numbers and CCU.  The site hasn't been updated since October, and that was news on a new chat system.

Warcraftrealms.com: Relies on players of WoW to download a mod and use said mod while playing.  This mod takes a tally of everybody in every zone at that given time.  Sounds great, but people only use the mod once, if at all, then go about leveling, raiding, pvping, ect.  Not only that but hardly ANYBODY uses this mod anymore.  So unless this mod is constantly being used by BOTH factions 24/7 on ALL servers in the US, EU, and Asia, the results of this mod's use will not be accurate.  Warcraftrealms.com has also stated that they do not have enough submissions (people using the mod and uploading their data) on multiple realms, thus leaving out HUGE chunks of missing information which equates to missing sub and CCU numbers.

Dont believe me?  Look at all the 0% on the server realms.  That means nobody for that server's specific faction used the mod.  And why should they?  They are too busy actually having FUN.

http://www.warcraftrealms.com/realmstats.php

Why does every nub who stumbles upon these sites feel the need to act like they found the holy grail of WoW demise news?

Originally posted by TheHavok

 

This thread again...

When will people realize that warcraftrealms.com and MMOdata.net are very inaccurate websites? 

MMOData goes by blizzards numbers, you know earnings calls, what they tell investors and the press, MMOData numbers are blizzards numbers.

{mod edit}

Zero reporting realms, from memory, in the US 7 months ago there was 1, a year ago 0, there is nobody there to run the census anymore.

Internet archive keeps copies of websites in the past.

So what?

i think its pretty normal that its going down bit by bit.. after 7 years ,

it is very easy to see we use to get 100 live stream on x fire now if there are 50 it is a perak day!yes some moved to twitch ,but i believe it is really close to 40% people are moving on but only because blizzard unknowingly changed the way they were since one of activison rep is in the house everybody is careful etc unintentionally they didnt have that before they were the boss

remove the dum ass rep from activisojn in blizzard and blizzard will go back to what it does good success.now it isnt a blizzard game anymore it is an activision game!

Originally posted by GameOvr

Originally posted by TheHavok

 

This thread again...

When will people realize that warcraftrealms.com and MMOdata.net are very inaccurate websites? 

 

MMOData goes by blizzards numbers, you know earnings calls, what they tell investors and the press, MMOData numbers are blizzards numbers.

 

{mod edit}

 

Zero reporting realms, from memory, in the US 7 months ago there was 1, a year ago 0, there is nobody there to run the census anymore.

 

Internet archive keeps copies of websites in the past.

Data like this, that state WoW's subcription base at 10.3 million - the latest conference call of this year (Q3)? 

{mod edit}

The population will probably decline a bit for awhile. Until Mists of Pandaria is released, then it will be a huge increase in players coming back, and even new players too. I personally am taking a break from WoW and intend to go back when the expansion launches. I'm sure there are quite a few people who are doing the same.

Originally posted by TheHavok

Originally posted by GameOvr

Originally posted by TheHavok

 

This thread again...

When will people realize that warcraftrealms.com and MMOdata.net are very inaccurate websites? 

 

MMOData goes by blizzards numbers, you know earnings calls, what they tell investors and the press, MMOData numbers are blizzards numbers.

 

{mod edit}

 

Zero reporting realms, from memory, in the US 7 months ago there was 1, a year ago 0, there is nobody there to run the census anymore.

 

Internet archive keeps copies of websites in the past.

Data like this, that state WoW's subcription base at 10.3 million - the latest conference call of this year (Q3)? 

{mod edit}

3 quater?dam that was what 4 month ago 5 month ago? even in the artical you supply he does say wow is very succesfull mostly in asia!so the other poster isnt as off as you make it seem!it was 10.3 m 4 month ago but now ,with the various game gone f2p and swtor i bet thety arent more then 9 million and the only reason they arent lower is because swtor isnt avail in japan and china yet!it isnt dead in the least elsewhere in the world but in america i bet there arent more then 2 million .

it is sad tho to see it going down because someone put activison rep in there it is what is holding back the imagination of blizzard .it was expected people go like they walk on egg ,they arent bold like they were when activison left them to their job and didnt try to send spy that the boss as no control over!