Guestimating MMO subscriber numbers

by Shawn Schuster Nov 24th 2008 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Business models, Economy, MMO industry, Education

Subscriber numbers can get thrown around all day with little to no meaning. For example, did you know that 87% of all statistics are made up right there on the spot? It's true! In the case of MMO subscription numbers though, they can sometimes become obsessions for critics and fanboys alike. Some publishers release numbers readily, while others keep them under lock and key. So what are we to do since there is no officially-regulated organization to act as a trusted source for our subscription numbers?

In a recent article at T=Machine, Adam Martin takes an in-depth look at the mechanics of subscription numbers and provides us with a detailed rundown of the existing organizations and websites in an attempt to make sense of the numbers. He even explores the avenues of East vs. West and subscription vs. free-to-play in a separate analysis. Check out the complete article for more charts and comparisons than your left brain can handle.

[Via Broken Toys]

Tags: economy, f2p, free-to-play, subs, subscription-numbers, subscriptions

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