Revenue Loss from Classic WoW

[Sorelai-wyrmrest-accord (Sorelai)]

And also, they will have gear from loot boxes which you can pay real money for.

Source?..

His mind…

[Vicktoria-area-52 (Vicktoria)]

Classic wow will require a monthly sub of retail to access. So they aren’t missing out on anything. Not to mention there may be an initial price for the “remastered classic game”

[Oakenshroot-durotan]

Since this is 2019 Acti-Blizz and not 2004 Blizzard, they’ll definitely be monetizing it in every way they think they possibly can.

[Akston-bloodhoof (Akston)]

First of all, you cannot lose something you do not currently have. Sales of Classic, subs for Classic, store mounts and coins and game services, are all potential FUTURE revenue. They don’t have it, they can’t quantify something they don’t have, they can’t “lose” what they don’t have.

Any revenue generated by Classic will be on top of what they’re getting now. Right now, they’re getting nothing from Classic. This notion of “lost” future revenue is corporate-speak to distract the Board and shareholders from the amount of money going into the CEO’s pockets.

The OP is referencing that he feels a large portion of the WoW playerbase will forever give up retail and move to Classic. This means there would be less people on Retail to buy new expansions and less people to purchase store items.

Obviously it won’t be the case. Classic will be a small niche server after the initial wave.

[Varb-twisting-nether (Varb)]

I can’t think of a single thing WoW does better now than it did in Classic. The BfA fanboys are going to be shocked with how many more people will be playing classic than BfA.

[Varb-twisting-nether (Varb)]

The funny thing is that you actually believe this.

[Akston-bloodhoof (Akston)]

Since this is 2019 Acti-Blizz and not 2004 Blizzard, they’ll definitely be monetizing it in every way they think they possibly can.

Genuinely curious. Outside of a handful of items on the store. What ways do you feel retail wow is monetized in a way that classic wasn’t?

[Akston-bloodhoof (Akston)]

The funny thing is that you actually believe this.

That I believe that classic servers will have a large initial rush of people, then mostly be an afterthought for the entire WoW playerbase?

Yeah. Ok. Be sure to stick around when this proves to be accurate.

[Margaritaa-stormrage]

Don’t worry retail will still get support. We need as much player as we need, So the game can still be alive. A lot people love this game, so we need the old players to support the game. We hope with classic make the game a comeback, I just hope they don’t ruin it by putting pay to win tactics in classic, also they confirmed they are going to put more effort in the development team, with the new loot they showed in the raid gives me more hope.

[Enkki-eonar (Enkki)]

Even those who quit retail will still be purchasing Classic, and maintaining their subscription to access it. Fewer copies of retail sold, more copies of Classic sold. In fact, Classic sales may even be greater if enough former players (not currently sub’d) come back and purchase Classic and resub for it.

For every retail sale not made because of Classic, there will be a copy of Classic sold.

[anon44207803]

The OP is referencing that he feels a large portion of the WoW playerbase will forever give up retail and move to Classic.

[Flashelas-duskwood (Flashelas)]

How will Blizzard make up the revenue loss from Classic? They will have many players who will put down Retail for many months if not years. Store mounts, coins and in game services will all take a hit and supporting classic will not be cheap.

You’re making a huge assumption here, that Retail and Classic will have the same audience for more than a month or two. I for one definitely won’t be playing it longer than that.

[Enkki-eonar (Enkki)]

I can’t think of a single thing WoW does better now than it did in Classic. The BfA fanboys are going to be shocked with how many more people will be playing classic than BfA.

I really don’t see the numbers moving all that much. There will be players who avoid Classic like the plague (mostly those who came in at Cata and beyond), players who will abandon current WoW and play Classic exclusively, and players who will play both. How many of which is irrelevant as whatever revenue is realized will go straight into the company’s bank account.

[Wolfsheart-moon-guard]

No doubt Classic will be popular and a lot of players new and old will play it will it be a flash in the pan who knows for Blizzards sake I hope not so anyone who wanted it back then can play it and enjoy it.

[Cyniel-dentarg (Cyniel)]

Have they stated that we won’t have to pay for the release? I mean I would find it weird if we weren’t paying the 49.99 for the initial game and then another monthly access fee.

[Chroesire-bleeding-hollow (Chroesire)]

I doubt that Classic will be a net loss. If anything, a lot of modern WoW players will play Classic in a casual capacity, tiding them over during content lulls in modern WoW. It should serve a significant subscription stabilizer.

EDIT: It’s worth remember that while the costs of building Classic surely aren’t insignificant, they likely pale in comparison to what gets spent to develop modern WoW. Blizz wouldn’t be creating Classic if the cost:benefit ratio didn’t make sense.

[anon44207803]

I can’t think of a single thing WoW does better now than it did in Classic.

LFR
LFD
Pet battles
No ammo
Better bags and far less clutter with odds and ends you needed to carry everywhere
No more farming resist gear.
40 man raids went the way of the dodo - a 40 man raid that drops two pieces of loot - LOL no.
No more soul shard farming.
Flight
Better raids - Molten Bore vs MSV . MSV wins hands down.
Better questing
Better professions - and yes they are better
Better flight point systems
New classes and specs
Less trivia and makework
Better zones and design - Vash’jir is and was magnificent
Scenarios
Better itemisation
Better graphics.
Music is exquisite.
Reagant tab
Crafting without having to lug mats everywhere.
Toys
Better load times and technology
CRZ and sharding to prevent server crashes
Increased guild bank space and storage

…want me to go on?

Vanilla was never “difficult” , never “a challenge”, it is, and was, solely time consuming, which isnt the same thing by several thousand percent.

[Celyda-stormrage]

I can’t think of a single thing WoW does better now than it did in Classic. The BfA fanboys are going to be shocked with how many more people will be playing classic than BfA.

You will be able to think of a lot of them when you play it. 14 years is a long time, but you will remember.

[anon44207803]

I give it three weeks before the nostalgia starts to wear off.

[Mistymint-zuljin (Mistymint)]

I doubt they would have released it if they don’t plan on making that revenue loss back in surplus from additional people subbing for classic. Hopefully they’re right.