How many players does an MMO need to be considered a success in today's market?

To be a big success, at least 1 million. Over a 100k would be a moderate success.

 

100k-250k people around the world seems fine enough. That usually can be a successful game i guess.

After that though, for a huge success would have to achieve somewhere in the millions or higher.

 

I dont think success should be based off of how many players a game has.. Some of the "greatest" games I have ever played have had some of the smallest player bases. So IMO they are a huge success, and then theres games like WoW that I do not like at all even though they have a huge playerbase and I consider epic fail

I think success should be measured by the whole package. How much those players enjoy playing that game. The story inside and behind the game. How good is the customer support and GMs. How much do they listen to their players and try to give them what they want. Things like that should all be tied into rating a game a success.

 

Two types of successful.
Financially successful
Popularly successful

In that regard, WoW has been a huge financial and populary success.
Other games (Maple Story) have been financially successful.
Other games like Perfect World are financially successful but not populary successful.

 

I voted for the last option. Money, in the end, is what will make the game continue.

If you have a million non-paying players versus a thousand paying players, then the second one would probably be more successful. Of course, ratio and proportion would tell that more players might mean more paying players. But still, technically speaking, the second one is more successful.

 

for me, i dont think quantity matters...

sure they have alot of players during CB and OB but what about afterwards? will those people still play on? will the game make those people stay?

a good quality game with a core fanbase of players will last longer

 

More then 1 million.. That's what I think

 

Anything over a million is what catches everybody's attention.

 

I think its not the quantity, for how long i think?

 

If the game makes enough money to keep operating, then it's a success

 

There are games that have been out there for 5+ years that most people have never heard of. In my opinion, that's not success.

 

Over 500,000 for months.

 

100k+ with a steady profit sounds about right.

 

yea, it doesnt really matter if the game has over 1 million players at the start if the game only has 1000 left after a month or so

 

I think if you are in a gaming industry, the popularity of your product comes a good financial success. so i vote for the last option.

every opinion has a reason

 

More then 1 million.. But sometimes it can depend on what game it is.
If the game is in a ''unpopular'' genre, it can be less.

 

More than 1 Million if you ask me

 

I'd say any game that can support itself financially is a success, regardless of whether it's played by 3 people or 3 million people

 

500,000 - 1 Million for me.