14 DAY TRIAL // MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) are becoming more and more popular these days because they appeal to almost every kind of player, hardcore or casual, and can offer loads of hours of quality entertainment. The MMORPG market is growing by leaps and bounds and has become synonymous with Blizzard's massive hit World of Warcraft, also known as WoW.
The game, launched in 2004, surpassed every expectation set by industry analysts, publishers or developers, and has evolved into a gaming phenomenon, currently holding over 62 percent of the MMORPG market, defeating big titles like Everquest or Eve Online. Everybody expected that the game would be successful, but nobody ever dared to think that, 4 years after its launch, it would have such a strong user base and such a high level of popularity.
Now, just to confirm the huge success this title has, Blizzard has announced that the game has reached over 11 million subscribers. This is a massive number but not so surprising considering the worldwide popularity of the title and the fact that it already spawned local versions of the game to further attract players.
"It’s been very rewarding to see gamers around the world continue to show such strong support for World of Warcraft," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "We remain fully committed to responding to that enthusiasm with a high-quality, constantly evolving game experience."
It's really safe to say that Blizzard is a very happy company these days knowing that only a couple of weeks separate us from the launch of the second expansion of WoW, Wrath of the Lich King, which is surely going to further boost the number of subscribers. And let's not forget that the company also has in development sequels to major games like Starcraft II or Diablo III, which are sure to raise players’ interest in the company's products even more.