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How long does a typical game last? How long does a typical MMO last? WoW may last a generation for sure but SWG won't. It's at the 6 year point. Another 2-3 years before it is down to a single server seems realistic. From there it may last another 2-3 years. I'm guessing it survives TOR but just barely. It will persist for a few years after TOR but really, it won't go on forever.

WoW will flame out eventually, just like EQ did. No game is everlasting in the online environment. There's just so much that the game, particularly the graphics engine, can take. Eventually, demand for something newer and next gen will take over, and the dev team there are obviously not stupid. They'll grab the horns in a couple years and develop WoW 2, and just like Guild Wars is doing, have you be able to keep some achievements or something. Lets face it, the goal of the game is to make money and while subscriptions are great, there's something to be said for a big influx of cash from selling new boxes.

As far as SWG goes, I don't think that the game will ever 100% cease to exist. Since Sony has so much in the way of servers and infrastructure to begin with, it won't be too much to keep one server up and have a couple part timers or interns take care of the support staff. Don't expect them to pump money into new content though, and by new content I don't mean the same crap regurgitated into a slightly different quest chain on a different planet. 6 Years. It's been a damn good run by any standard.

Don't view TOR as competition for SWG. I'm kinda viewing it as if it were SWG 2. The game has done more than anyone expected it to ever do (because of and in spite of the SW license) and now it's time for the next generation. Wave goodbye to the old and embrace the new, it's just the way of things. We of the information age should understand that. I know it's hard for those still engrossed to let go, but the pangs fade over time. Now and again you do get a spike of nostalgia, but it's like visiting your hometown years after you've moved away. It's the same town, but it's moved on without you. Kinda how I feel about SWG now.

Ok, I didn't expect to get weepy doing this...I'm cutting it short before I get overly emotional :-p Don't say the game is dying. It's growing into a bigger and better thing (we hope!)

Actually EQ is still running. I guess a few people play it even now. WoW keeps growing. I am not sure if there is growth in the US market but the Asian market is still growing. So WoW is simply not going anywhere any time soon. At the same time all things die and WoW will at some point in the future be turned off. A 20 year run is very realistic however crazy it sounds. UO lasted for over 10 years and may still be going with only a small fraction of the player base of WoW.

Yeah I see SWG ending up like EQ with just a token server and not much else. For now it is is strong enough though and will keep going as is until TOR. Then the game will start to bleed people again.

Swg needs another expansion released or alot more frequent updates with new material . Unfortunatly neither is in the budgets or plans by SoE . So you make of the game what we can . Sadly for many veterns the game lost it's appeals and just doesn't have the staying power that EQ an WoW an other niche' games offer .

I love that you just called WoW a niche game.

I love me some SWG, even after what they did to it. But SWTOR really needs to come out cause the old girl is tired.

Lets face it, the old girl got more than just tried. TOR does look young, pretty and really hot, just like the old girl used to be before the headaches and love handles. Of course TOR won't be anything like that first love.

EVE EVE EVE EVE! EVE EVE EVE EVE! You all need to come to EVE!

Almost got the collectors edition the other day...

Yeah right, if I start playing Eve you all will up and quit! :mep:

Yeah right, if I start playing Eve you all will up and quit! :mep:

I wouldn't count on that

Unless perhaps you start playing right when TOR launches.

Ok, who all is playing Eve right now?

Me, Doc, Sonic are in a corp together along with a bunch of friends Doc has from Washington. We're part of a decent sized alliance. Bink also plays.

Myself, Doc and Nis are. We've got a Corp all set up in it. Saber Corp.

Umm, yeah, what nis said.... :mep:

You two must have gotten your ass kicked and then got on the boards to be posting at the exact same time.

If I were to start playing, what race are you guys and what are your names?

Sonic is Roan Bishop, I'm Kvikorma Marteh and Doc is SBRDoc.

Race doesn't particularly matter too much, Josh is Gallente, Sonic is Amarr and I'm Mim.