Recently, GameStatistics released their survey based study on MMORPGs. The small French company polled French community players about their experiences in MMOs released between 2012 and now. The methodology used on the games involved was the same, the questionnaire was taken three months after the games release date. Players were asked a series of questions regarding balance, enjoyment, money spent and a variety of other topics.
One of the main findings of the study was that there was a correlation between retention rate and player reception in the first months of the game. The three titles that fared best in initial player reception and retention were GuildWars2, Planetside 2 and Final Fantasy XIV.
Some of the other findings of the study are listed below.
Only very satisfied players will continue playing an MMO
The average MMO player age is 28
Older MMO players are less enthusiastic but more likely to spend money
Digital purchases are still a growing trend
Bugs and balancing issues will create a lack of retention and are still a major weakness in the genre
Subscription model still a viable option in the genre
Players of most MMOs feel they do not have much impact on the world
To full study can be found on GameStatistics official website.
