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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria news70% of trial players quit WoW before level 10
by Robin Torres 
Feb 11th 2010 at 1:00PM
Now, I know what you're thinking. How many of those trial accounts are scammers, so of course they don't make it to level 10? Good point. I don't know the numbers, though I'm sure Blizzard could just look at how many of those accounts made character names by facerolling. However, the account thieves aren't strapped for cash and have been known to not only purchase full accounts to do their evil bidding; but will also reactivate lapsed accounts, slap an Authenticator on and farm/scam away. So the 70% may very well include a large percentage of potential subscribers by process of elimination, since the scammers can afford multiple accounts.
As I've said before, the pre-level 10 changes we already have help us introduce our loved ones to the game. And I think we're all looking forward to the new starting zones and leveling experiences we'll find in Cataclysm. Particularly now that we've had a taste of the new quest mechanics in the Love is in the Air quests, such as PIlfering Perfume and Hot on the Trail.
[via Digital Spy]
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 7)
Kaid Feb 11th 2010 2:46PM
The DK starting chain and some of the other chains that open phased areas or start you off with a particular faction (such as the Ebon Blade) are a good example of how new starting areas can be done. I've done them on multiple toons and still find them interesting.
The long travel times involved in the Sons of Hodir pre-quests one (most of my toons still had their non-epic flier at that point too) were aggravating, but even so that's still my favourite questline in game.
If Blizzard follow that model with new starting areas, and I'm sure they will, that'll make the inevitable prospect of killing 10 [whatever] a lot more interesting.
peagle Feb 11th 2010 1:11PM
I would suggest that "only 30%" is a glass half full statement. Given the time investment and learning curve (albeit gentle with WoW), 30% of the accounts going past level 10 is a *HUGE* number of people who get vested into the game. I'll hazard a guess most other MMOs aren't close to 10% and if they were they'd be considered massively successful.
Robin Torres Feb 11th 2010 1:21PM
This is an excellent point. But, of course, they want more. :)
Daniel Feb 11th 2010 2:17PM
I agree with this comment. It's what I came to say. 30% is a huge number. Consider for a moment that the response rate to all the junk mail you get (snail or email) is 1%-2%. The response rate even when people have solicited information from your company or have been a previous customer hovers in the 25%-35% range.
So if Blizzard drew the conclusion that a 30% response rate means redo the level 10 experience they drew a bad conclusion. Don't misunderstand me. I actually like some of the changes they made and i think the experience needed to be redone. But I don't think that's because they thought the number of 30% was low; I think they thought it could be even better. Looked at another way, it wasn't fear that drove them but greed.
Tim Feb 11th 2010 1:14PM
When blizz says they have 11 million subscribers or something to that affect, how does this info relate? Are there ~70 million accounts that can be reactivated? or are the only 3.3 million people?
Jaddedyn Feb 11th 2010 1:14PM
I've never played on a trial account before but i've had a friend that did and quit playing before lvl 10. One reason they didn't like playing the game they said was not being able to communicate with people very easily. Apparently when on a temporary account you can't whisper people, group with people, enter a dungeon or join a guild. I'm not sure if those things have changed since my friend had their account going but if they want to make half of the gameplay unuseable to trial accounts it's not really going to get people to keep playing still imo.
Dragundam Feb 11th 2010 1:19PM
Those things you listed *were* to keep people from using trial accounts as spam accounts (though obviously the spammers have found ways around all those). As for being under level 10 and getting into a dungeon, there aren't any dungeons that level. Trials can't join guilds, but level 1 subscribers can.
chipersoft Feb 11th 2010 1:29PM
And speaking of spammers... I'm wondering how much of that 30% is taken up by spammers who only create level 1s to race them to capital cities and spam /y and /s.
chipersoft Feb 11th 2010 1:29PM
Oh for an edit button. I meant 70%
Drakkenfyre Feb 11th 2010 3:12PM
Yes, the restrictions clamped down on trial accounts is ridiculous. The reason is to prevent gold sellers from using them to sell gold, but it's still really clamped down.
Can't trade, use the mail, or the AH.
Can't whisper anyone who didn't whisper you first, or hasn't put you on their friends list.
Can't level above 20.
Can't join a party with anyone over level 20.
Can't talk in General or Trade.
Can't invite people into a party.
Maximum of 100g
Can't level skills above level 100.
Can't create or join a guild.
pandaba Feb 11th 2010 3:15PM
I thought those restrictions were in place too, but I recently made a US demo account on a Wednesday when my Euro servers were in maintenance. Took my troll priest to Razor Hill and was having difficulty with something when an orc warrior took pity on me, whispers me and I'm able to reply. We then group up to kill all humans.
So maybe in an effort to be more friendly to new players, they lifted some of those restrictions.
Drakkenfyre Feb 11th 2010 6:16PM
Errrrr, no. He whispered you first, and you could join him if he was under level 20.
Dragundam Feb 11th 2010 1:15PM
Are they also counting people who had or have 2/3/n trial accounts and for whatever reason abandoned them? I've got a second trial account (probably long hacked, rummaged for change, and wrecked) floating out there somewhere from a year after the game first came out. Not that it was worth anything; I made it to level 3 before becoming disinterested and letting the time run out.
Holgar Feb 11th 2010 1:18PM
I really believe this. I got one of my oldest real life friends into WoW recently and to get him interested had him create a character and try it out while he was visiting one day.
He didn't like it at ALL. He later admitted he only played for more than fifteen minuets because I was his friend and I said it got better.
Then at level 8 because he obviously wasn't that impressed I stuck him on a fresh DK.
The learning curve was a lot steeper but he had a blast. After half an hour with the DK he made me send him a recruit a friend invite and then bought a battlechest on the way home.
DraconisXC Feb 11th 2010 1:19PM
Scammers or otherwise, WoW hasn't posted subscriber growth past the 11.5 million player mark since 2008. Indicates to me the player-base is stagnating a bit no matter how skewed the above statistic seems to be.
Seffrid Feb 11th 2010 1:22PM
Please gods don't make the first 10 levels any easier, for pity's sake they're hardly challenging at the moment.
WoW attracts a lot of non-MMO players giving it a go because of family and other introductions and it won't suit everybody. Nor will the graphic style. I'm not surprised they have a high churn rate on the trial, I imagine all MMOs do.
jealouspirate Feb 11th 2010 1:23PM
That's interesting to see. I know they mentioned that the Goblin and Worgen starting zones are going to be epic, with crazy questlines, vechiles, phasing, etc. Maybe this is one of the reasons for that? To hook people from the start?
For example, imagine if your first experience in WoW was the Death Knight starting zone. I'm sure that would draw you in more than autoattacking critters in another starting zone.
Manko Feb 11th 2010 1:43PM
But who is going to start the game playing a Worgen or Goblin? If you look at the popularity of each race, what are the leaders? Human, Blood Elf, then Night Elf, but a big margin. If they are looking to improve buy-in from trial accounts, they should make sure those are optimal .
Al Feb 11th 2010 3:51PM
I doubt new players are going to look up population minutiae before making a character choice.
kevinblack16 Feb 11th 2010 1:26PM
Being an "adult" at 23, trying to get my friends to play the game is ridiculous. Convincing them that $15 a month is worth it is hard enough... but when you have to convince them of the tedious leveling experience is another. "Trust me, the game is far more complicated and interesting at the end". It's hard to believe when they're picking up 6 tails or 8 wolf meats for a quest. That is more of the issue here.