Matrix Online Downsizes

[if76]

Gamespot.com (http://www.gamespot.com) reports that Matrix Online has downsized (http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/29/news_6130058.html) its world from 9 servers to 3.
As it turned out, the only thing big about the game was the amount of money its developer, Monolith Productions, and publisher, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, lost on the project. In the wake of tepid reviews and even cooler sales--reportedly less than $100,000--the game was sold off to Sony Online Entertainment, the MMORPG-centric publisher of EverQuest II, for an undisclosed sum.
Apparently Sony and Warner Bros didn't get the memo that The Matrix wasn't cool after the 2nd movie. But, but Enter the Matrix sold so well....Idiots.

[bean19]

I don't think it is the intellectual property that didn't move the units. . . It was the terrible, horrible, no-good design and poor execution.

[Hizawky]

Or it was the horrible looking trailers. That is what turned me off. The world looked so barren and empty.

[Worldcrafter]

I'd say he was dead on for me. I stopped caring about the Matrix after the first movie.

[Chagrinful]

I'd have to agree with the rest of the ppl here, after the 1st movie the fresh wrapper of novelty wore off and the shitty decrepid juedo-christian shit began.

[Sloth]

It wasn't the movies that killed the game. I guess if you're just a hater, then you might think that because "the matrix is teh suk" that any game with the matrix theme must also be "teh suk".

However, most gamers only care about gameplay and if the game is good, the theme is just window dressing. I'd play My Little Pony Online if the game rocked.

However MxO did not rock or even close to it. The world was boring and dreary. The combat was cumbersome. The character system was clunky and abstract. Plus the matrix just renamed generic MMOG skills to make them sound Matrixy. So instead of a pet spell you had code that created a simulcrum. Basically EQ in the Matrix. The problem with Mx0 wasn't the setting it was the implementation.

[if76]

It wasn't the movies that killed the game. I guess if you're just a hater, then you might think that because "the matrix is teh suk" that any game with the matrix theme must also be "teh suk".

However, most gamers only care about gameplay and if the game is good, the theme is just window dressing. I'd play My Little Pony Online if the game rocked.

However MxO did not rock or even close to it. The world was boring and dreary. The combat was cumbersome. The character system was clunky and abstract. Plus the matrix just renamed generic MMOG skills to make them sound Matrixy. So instead of a pet spell you had code that created a simulcrum. Basically EQ in the Matrix. The problem with Mx0 wasn't the setting it was the implementation.

So you're saying the reason that StarWars Galaxies was a success and Matrix Online was a failure had nothing to do with their respective IPs? Neither game was favorable with critics and they're about even in terms of gameplay goodness (at least at launch).

Also the fact that Enter the Matrix sold incredibly well despite mediocre reviews tells me that average game buyer cares more about the IP than the gameplay.

[if76]

I'd have to agree with the rest of the ppl here, after the 1st movie the fresh wrapper of novelty wore off and the shitty decrepid juedo-christian shit began.

I don't think people like Matrix 1 for the novelty. They like it because it's a genuinly good movie and a genuinly great action movie.

The two sequels were boring and pointless. You really never cared about what was happening no matter how cool it looked. From that scene in Reloaded where Neo talks to that old guy in front of the irrigation system, I knew that the Watchowskis had lost it.

[Riyia]

Both the movies and the gameplay added to the success of Star Wars Galaxies and failure of Matrix. I enjoyed both movie series(well Matrix was decent) and ended up getting Star Wars Galaxies. The movies contributed to it, but the game itself did not look bad, and it appeared to have plenty of things to do. I thought about getting Matrix, but unlike Star Wars the game just didn't have as much to do or as many places to travel to(from what I've seen).

[Sloth]

So you're saying the reason that StarWars Galaxies was a success and Matrix Online was a failure had nothing to do with their respective IPs? Neither game was favorable with critics and they're about even in terms of gameplay goodness (at least at launch).

Also the fact that Enter the Matrix sold incredibly well despite mediocre reviews tells me that average game buyer cares more about the IP than the gameplay.

SWG is a good game. If it had been Generic Space Universe Online it'd still be a good game. If you play SWG you aren't playing it because its star wars because frankly it isn't very star warsy. sure its got some locations and names, but overall it isn't really like the movies.

Initial sales were probably helped by the IP, but retention was primarily on the strength of the gameplay.

[Klade]

You can't compare Star Wars Galaxies to Matrix Online. They both have pretty crappy gameplay but think of the timing. The Matrix Online came out right after World of Warcraft and EQ2. While Star Wars Galaxies came out right after... what planetside? Or did it come out right before that? I think SWG's biggest competitor was EQ1 a game that had been around for 2 years and DAoC which was already in decline. Of course it had more sales. Matrix Online had shitty timing.

If that wasn't enough it also had subpar graphics while SWG had pretty decent graphics for its time. Actually they were too damn good and slowed down computers of the day to a crawl.

SWG when it came out boasted a wealth of innovation. This all turned out to be false for the most part, but they had their hype engine spilling out pretty well in advance of release. Matrix Online had a combat system that was supposed to be innovative.. and well that was it. Plus as has already been said a bunch of shitty trailers and a mediocre hype machine at best.

Interesting to note that 100,000 / 50$ = 2000 copies sold... Thats pretty crapy but lets assume that it was 30$ budget price just for the sake of argument and you get 3,333 copies sold. I'm damn sure Anarchy Online has higher subscribers to that. This game bombed in the worst way. They were better of canceling it before it reached beta most likely. Would have avoided the server costs..

[bean19]

SWG is a good game. If it had been Generic Space Universe Online it'd still be a good game. If you play SWG you aren't playing it because its star wars because frankly it isn't very star warsy. sure its got some locations and names, but overall it isn't really like the movies.

Initial sales were probably helped by the IP, but retention was primarily on the strength of the gameplay.

Have you played WoW or CoH?

If they released SWG at the time that MxO came out, it would have been a similar flop. It's gameplay really isn't very good in comparison to the top MMOs now. SWG endured because it came early when it's only real competition was Everquest and even back then Everquest was beggining to show it's beard (although it still has more subscribers than it's own sequel).

Interestingly, CoH is not doing very well in comparison to competitors even though critics and most gameplayers generally agree it is the second best MMO out right now (some might argue that FFXI takes that spot, but I disagree).

In any case, I mention this to return to the point. SWG actually has more subscribers right now than a very highly rated MMO (CoH). The IP definitely is a good seller. This is true in console games too. . . I was reading the sales charts for video games and was surprised that two of the top sellers for PS2 this year have been Madagascar and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.

[GrinR]

I'd have to agree with the rest of the ppl here, after the 1st movie the fresh wrapper of novelty wore off and the shitty decrepid juedo-christian shit began.

It's heartening to see a modern-day philistine, unafraid, if not proud of his base nature. Cheers!

[Klade]

In any case, I mention this to return to the point. SWG actually has more subscribers right now than a very highly rated MMO (CoH). The IP definitely is a good seller.

CoH is rated highly because the low level gameplay is very very very good. And reviewers don't have months to play these games before they make their review. It has few subscribers because theres not a lot to do in it other then the same gameplay over and over again.

[Scull]

Interesting to note that 100,000 / 50$ = 2000 copies sold... Thats pretty crapy but lets assume that it was 30$ budget price just for the sake of argument and you get 3,333 copies sold. I'm damn sure Anarchy Online has higher subscribers to that. This game bombed in the worst way. They were better of canceling it before it reached beta most likely. Would have avoided the server costs..

100,000/$50 != 2,000, rather 20,000. And at bargain rates 33,333. Not a terrible amount but certainly not enough to justify a long existence without life support.

[Lexicon]

Scull you might want to recheck your math there buddy. 100,000/50 = 2000 not 20,000

[thecrazyd]

The numbers will definately pick up when MXO is added to the Station Pass. No one wants to pay to play it, but if you can play MXO, SWG, EQ, EQ2, and PlanetSide for 22 bucks, the numbers will definately raise. Thats how SOE's gonna market it, and I'm willing to bet it will be a lot more sucessful.

[Cyrano]

The $100,000 has got to be a mistake on Gamespot's part. I'm sure they mean fewer than 100,000 subscribers, not dollars. Somewhere between 50k and 100k subscribers would be in line with rumors on the net (based on a quick Google search).

[Kefkataran]

Interestingly, CoH is not doing very well in comparison to competitors even though critics and most gameplayers generally agree it is the second best MMO out right now (some might argue that FFXI takes that spot, but I disagree).

CoH is rated highly because the low level gameplay is very very very good. And reviewers don't have months to play these games before they make their review. It has few subscribers because theres not a lot to do in it other then the same gameplay over and over again.

Actually, according to the game's devs and all recent stats, the game is currently at its highest number of subscribers since it started. The number went down after WoW and EQ2 were released, for obvious reasons, but it shot back up after Issue 4 (PvP) was put in. Then factor in all the recent free game/gametime giveaways and this is even more.

Anyways, the game still gets repetitive, but they have been adding a lot to missions. I quit after issue 2 but just came back a month or two ago and have been having a blast discovering all the redone missions and new content. And I can't imagine the number of subscribers will go down with City of Villains release.

[jwbxx]

The game is garbage it got owned by ff11. Then both ff11 and MO got owned by WOW.

[TRiLoGY]

Well for me, I've really only had the time and the money for one MMORPG, and being a big Star Wars fan I naturally had to go for SWG, even though it isnt necessarily the best MMORPG out there.. (There is not even that much Star Wars in it, but it contains the general Subject that im most interested in).

[Zeal]

This game was doomed from the beginning.

[if76]

The $100,000 has got to be a mistake on Gamespot's part. I'm sure they mean fewer than 100,000 subscribers, not dollars. Somewhere between 50k and 100k subscribers would be in line with rumors on the net (based on a quick Google search).

I agree that $100,000 seems like a pretty low figure but if they meant 100,000 subscribers than that would mean over 10,000 people on each of the original 9 servers. This seems like it would be enough people to justify keeping the original 9 alive. Now if they were correct when saying $100,000, I could see how reducing the server number to three might be a good idea.

[Mondopest]

I think that the move to the Station Access Pass is the best thing for MxO. It will help introduce it to a bunch of new players that would otherwise not think of trying it out. Also, existing station pass owners will get an extra game on their playable list. It's a win-win situation.

[Chagrinful]

It's heartening to see a modern-day philistine, unafraid, if not proud of his base nature. Cheers!


Awwww bitch, I heart your feelings? because TEH MATRIX is the eptiome of intellect which crushes all the achievments of every film that came before it? With superior acting of Keanu, how could anyone say anything bad about it right?Your a funny clown. Matrix 1 was amusing but thats about it, and this online game also sucks, maybe I should take the red pill and shove it up your ass, you pompous whore.

edit: about the "game"

The game was pretty bad, on the 10 day trial I kept getting invites into level 20 and 30 parties while I was level 1-10, so it was a pretty funny experience. That and the stupid missions were pretty funny too.

[Kefkataran]

That and the stupid missions were pretty funny too.

Care to elaborate for someone who's had no experience with the game? What were the missions like and why were they stupid?

[bean19]

CoH is rated highly because the low level gameplay is very very very good. And reviewers don't have months to play these games before they make their review. It has few subscribers because theres not a lot to do in it other then the same gameplay over and over again.

This is very true.

I'm praying that CoV will add a great PvP endgame and I'm excited about what they've said about interactive zone quests.

Also, the villains all seem to be more damage-dealing-centric. I think I'll enjoy this a lot more because I've only thought the blaster was incredibly fun so far.

However, if you were given the choice of two MMOs (with their updates) of those currently released (but no future titles like Conan and DDO) to take to a desert island , which woudl you choose? I think CoH and World of Warcraft would win out in a landslide against all others. CoH continues to get better and better in very real ways.