Bright colors, new MMO market share numbers, and an excuse to say the word "pie"? Heck, who could resist this friendly pie chart from MMOGchart.com?
Now WoW, don't be greedy. Leave some for the rest of us.
-Via Kotaku, via Wonderland, via Sex in Games.
I always amazes me when a new blog stumbles across my site, and suddenly it's news again. :)
Anyway, I do hope to have a new pie chart out in August... been busy the past couple of weeks, so I haven't had time to get new numbers for many games.
Posted by: Bruce Woodcock | Jul 30, 2006 at 13:56
Another way to look at the pie chart is by the company's total subscribers:
Blizzard - 52.9%
NCSoft - 12 + 10.4 + 1.3 = 23.7%
SOE - 4.4% + some not listed (like matrix)
Square enix - 4%
EA - 1.1 + 1 (for DAOC) = 2.1%
Eve online - 1%
Turbine - .7% for D&D + some extra for AC ~ 1%
Posted by: Mike Rozak | Jul 30, 2006 at 17:31
Oops. Forgot about Jagex = 6.3%
Posted by: Mike Rozak | Jul 30, 2006 at 17:33
A lot of people ask me for that. But, do you segment by publisher or by Developer? If you segment by developer, then City of Heroes isn't going to count for NCSoft, but for Cyptic. If you segment by publisher, well, Codemasters publishes Turbine's games in Europe, and SOE published the last expansions for AC1 and AC2.
Posted by: Bruce Woodcock | Jul 30, 2006 at 18:50
Segment by developer/publisher... I don't know.
I mentally sum the numbers every time I look at the chart. It's interesting to note that 5 (or so) MMORPGs control the market. It's even more worisome to notice that 2 companies own 75% of the market.
Posted by: Mike Rozak | Jul 31, 2006 at 17:47
Bruce,
I think you have to differentiate there between selling the box and running the servers...
Posted by: Mr Crick | Aug 01, 2006 at 08:30
IMO - the chart is worthless and will continue to be until full disclosure is given as to exactly how each % is calculated.
Posted by: dave | Aug 01, 2006 at 14:33
>IMO - the chart is worthless and will continue to be until full disclosure is given as to exactly how each % is calculated.
Read the FAQ, download the excel file. It's all there. Me thinks someone's a tad bitter.
Posted by: Jeff S | Aug 01, 2006 at 14:48
Actually Jeff - it's not 'all there', nowhere does Bruce actually cite sources. We don't in fact have any idea where these numbers come from, or how accurately they reflect reality. We have no idea how the numbers are calculated. (Bruce himself admits many are interpolations and educated guesses.)
Occasionally an individual number can be checked against other sources - and such checks imply, but do not prove, the accuracy of the remainder. In the end, it's just Bruces word.
Posted by: Derek L. | Aug 01, 2006 at 20:22
Every market research firms make forecasts, so Bruce is no different.
He makes good disclosures, but would still benefit from some polish and shine to look like it's coming from some big named firm that essentially have their staff do the same thing Bruce does :)
Still gives a good picture.
Frank
Posted by: magicback (Frank) | Aug 01, 2006 at 21:25
Jeff said, 'Read the FAQ, download the excel file. It's all there. Me thinks someone's a tad bitter.'
No it isn't. Additionally most MMO publishers no longer release subscriber information. Read a few press releases and you'll see a lack of concrete numbers.
Magicback said, 'Every market research firms make forecasts, so Bruce is no different.'
Bruce isn't making forcasts - he is saying current subscribers. All the difference in the world.
Posted by: dave | Aug 02, 2006 at 08:21