It might surprise you to know that Bioware’s staggeringly expensive foray into the MMORPG market, Star Wars: The Old Republic, is still the fourth biggest subscription MMO in the world.
The game made a whopping $165 million in 2013, suggesting that despite largely disappearing from the gaming press since its switch to free-to-play back in 2012, there’s life in the old girl yet.
A study by SuperData reports that as well as making a boatload of cash, SW:TOR is keeping up with the big boys. Only World of Warcraft /i, Lineage and Tera made more money last year.
The figure counts both regular ‘legacy’ subscribers and those who use the free-to-play model, which allows users to pay small amounts of cash in return for convenience features, new gear and additional cosmetic items.
That bloated $200 million development budget doesn’t look quite so ridiculous now. Still wish they’d put a bit more effort into more singleplayer content, better animation and a less bland art design rather than voicing every single jumped up little jawa who sends you off to fetch womp-rat tails, but there you go.
SW:TOR’s player housing expansion Galactic Strongholds is coming later this year. Bioware are promising more new content further down the line.
