Flagging MMO, The Secret World, shifts 70,000 copies in four weeks.
Now that it’s shed its untenable subscription charges and switched over to a Buy-to-play (B2P) model – think Guild Wars 2 – The Secret World is beginning to pick up steam. In the four weeks since the switchover, Funcom has managed to shift 70,000 copies of the game. According to the publisher’s press release, that’s nearly a 30% increase in total sales.
The Secret World’s activity levels have increased by over 400% thanks to the infusion of new players and the return of conspiracy veterans, myself included.
So now the subscription fees have been nixed, where is Funcom going to get it’s much needed money? Well, while all of the content available in the original version is available to players who buy the game, there is an optional subscription which offers a monthly allotment of currency for the game’s cash shop, a selection of exclusive items and free access to the monthly quest updates – the first four of which were free.
Unfortunately, the influx of cash hasn’t altered the need for some serious restructuring of Funcom. “Restructuring” is being used in the unpleasant, “people are getting fired and offices are getting closed,” sense in this case. Several of the company’s teams and offices are being shut down or merged.
Traditionally, I end every news piece about The Secret World by begging creator, Ragnar Tørnquist, for news about The Longest Journey 3. Now that this has happened, I suppose I’m going to have to come up with something different.
Th-th-th-that’s all, folks!
Source: Funcom
Published: Jan 10, 2013 03:30 pm