I think the biggest effect of this is not with current players.  The biggest effect will be on any potential new player.  Knowing it is more than likely this game will be shut down so as not to compete with a game coming in a year is enough of a reason to keep them away.  Why would anyone start in a MMO that is only going to last maybe a year.  They might have time to level up one or two characters.  But not experience the whole game.

The future of the game is in question from this recent annoucement.  Before any one says it is not official, it came from the head of the company that owns Bioware.  I'm sure he is much more in the know than any current player that has faith this game isn't going anywhere.

If SOE or LA wants new subs to continue coming to this game, I suggest they open their mouth about specific time frames and plans for SWG.  Not an ambiguous "Well we don't see why SWG can't last forever."  They need to say "We will not..."  "SWG will..."  and give dates for shut down or say if the game will remain in station pass and for how long.  Till this happens there is no point for anyone new to play, or for me to resub.  And I was thinking about it for the WS and BM upgrades to try out.

Oh well saves me $15.

I'm guessing "nobody leaves". Current SWG players are probably so used to getting screwed over and over again that they don't mind it anymore and take pretty much anything as "oh great changes/stuff".

Originally posted by Fishermage

 

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Originally posted by Obee
Bioware licensed Perpetual's billing/support/server software prior to being bought by EA.  With Perpetual going belly up, and EA now in the picture, SOE would bring nothing to the table.  I don't see SOE being at all involved in the new game.  It would be an unneccessary expense.
On the other hand, I also don't see LEC forcing SOE to shut down SWG.  Considering it is all but unavailable, It won't do much harm to the new game's box sales, aside from the folks who's SWG experience will cause them to avoid the new game.
Again, SOE doesn't have anything to offer as far as the new game is concerned, aside from the baggage of SWG's history.  Offering them a role, no matter how insignificant, would not benefit the new game.
 
 

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Ah, I didn't know that. Interesting. And good news, as far as I'm concerned.

 

It doesn't mean that they won't be involved, just that the chances are pretty good that they won't be.  As a business decision, it wouldn't make much sense for LEC to offer SOE a role, even setting aside SWG's history.  Add in SWG's history, and LEC offering SOE a role in the new game becomes a bad decision.  Considering the folks at LEC have a long history of making bad business decisions, especially where Star Wars games are concerned, and the possibility of SOE being involved is still there.

Since Bioware did license the tech to cover any role SOE would possibly have had, I'd bet that they won't be involved.  With EA now in the picture, it makes even less sense for SOE to have a role, since EA can offer everything SOE could, and LEC wouldn't have to deal with another party (meaning they would have to further split the revenues).

Originally posted by Darth_Pete

I'm guessing "nobody leaves". Current SWG players are probably so used to getting screwed over and over again that they don't mind it anymore and take pretty much anything as "oh great changes/stuff".

Most of the current SWG players will likely leave during the first three months after the new game is released.  Pretty much all the "I'm only here because it's Star Wars" players will leave for the new game.  I doubt the announcement will have much effect on new players of SWG, especially since there are so few of them to begin with.  It might actually have caused a brief uptick in old players resubbing, until they remember why they quit in the first place (the game being a horrible unfun mess), if it wasn't for the fact that SOE offers free vet trials every couple months.

Originally posted by Obraik

Where's the "no change" option?  People are obviously talking about it, but that's about it.

Not that I'm outright ready to believe the latest rumour.  It still seems fishy to me.  Why is the CEO of EA supposedly announcing this title, which he has apparantly said is going to be huge, yet there's no announcement at the Bioware site or the LucasArts site?   Why did LucasArts just sign up with SOE on a new Star Wars trading game that's heavily intergrated with SWG? 

With so many cries of wolf over the last few years, I'm still not so sure there's a competitor on the way for SWG.

Jeeze Obraik, you really know how to spin stuff.
 

Don't you think BioWare would have refuted the story if it was a fabrication?

I said 25% of them will be leaving, but not due to the announcement. As people gain levels and get epics in the game and all that they'll eventually retire, that's what I did. I tried NGE just to get all my good crap and leave. Thats what about 25% of the population will do. Or they'll PvP for hours and hours just trying to get GCW to get their epic Crusader Armor OMG PWNZ!

Originally posted by CptKetten

Originally posted by Obraik

Where's the "no change" option?  People are obviously talking about it, but that's about it.

Not that I'm outright ready to believe the latest rumour.  It still seems fishy to me.  Why is the CEO of EA supposedly announcing this title, which he has apparantly said is going to be huge, yet there's no announcement at the Bioware site or the LucasArts site?   Why did LucasArts just sign up with SOE on a new Star Wars trading game that's heavily intergrated with SWG? 

With so many cries of wolf over the last few years, I'm still not so sure there's a competitor on the way for SWG.

Jeeze Obraik, you really know how to spin stuff.
 

Don't you think BioWare would have refuted the story if it was a fabrication?

Nevermind Bioware, how about Lucas Arts? I'm sure they'd be quite disappointed that a corporation is claiming to have access to their IP if it were not true. Undoubtedly there would have been a retraction by now if it was a lie.

Sometimes it's the silence that speaks louder then words.

Smedley will keep SWG up and running for the next twenty years. Just for the sole purpose of pissing you people off.

Originally posted by Suvroc

Originally posted by CptKetten

Originally posted by Obraik

Where's the "no change" option?  People are obviously talking about it, but that's about it.

Not that I'm outright ready to believe the latest rumour.  It still seems fishy to me.  Why is the CEO of EA supposedly announcing this title, which he has apparantly said is going to be huge, yet there's no announcement at the Bioware site or the LucasArts site?   Why did LucasArts just sign up with SOE on a new Star Wars trading game that's heavily intergrated with SWG? 

With so many cries of wolf over the last few years, I'm still not so sure there's a competitor on the way for SWG.

Jeeze Obraik, you really know how to spin stuff.
 

Don't you think BioWare would have refuted the story if it was a fabrication?

 

Nevermind Bioware, how about Lucas Arts? I'm sure they'd be quite disappointed that a corporation is claiming to have access to their IP if it were not true. Undoubtedly there would have been a retraction by now if it was a lie.

Sometimes it's the silence that speaks louder then words.

Agreed.  It had to be SOE's SWG is the total reason the new game has not been announced before now.

Originally posted by Esquire1980

 

 

Agreed.  It had to be SOE's SWG is the total reason the new game has not been announced before now.

Might be a part of the reason , I doubt it's the total reason though . Neither LA or Bioware release much information in the early stages of their products , They are both masters at dealing hype in small doses . EA on the other hand .... yeah.

I think the only people left playing SWG now are hardcore fanbois and they wont leave to play another mmorpg, sure they'll playa nother mmorpg but they'll keep playing SWG till it dies.

Originally posted by Obraik

Where's the "no change" option?  People are obviously talking about it, but that's about it.

Not that I'm outright ready to believe the latest rumour.  It still seems fishy to me.  Why is the CEO of EA supposedly announcing this title, which he has apparantly said is going to be huge, yet there's no announcement at the Bioware site or the LucasArts site?   Why did LucasArts just sign up with SOE on a new Star Wars trading game that's heavily intergrated with SWG? 

With so many cries of wolf over the last few years, I'm still not so sure there's a competitor on the way for SWG.

Near 9000 hours on SWG............... you need to go outside man.