Still skeptical that massively multiplayer online games can work on the iPhone? We're still pretty skeptical too. However, today we got at least one good reason to hold out hope for the mobile MMO genre. Gameloft announced today that it's WoW-alike Order and Chaos has made over $1 million in twenty days on the App Store.
However impressive that statistic may be (the game retails for $6.99 and offers three months of free play time, so we can surmise that they've sold under 150,000 copies of the game when in-app purchases are factored in). That's a decent amount, to be sure, but the more important factors are still unknown. Are people sticking with the game? How many people are logging in daily? And how much are people spending on in-app purchases?
The gift of three free months of play time is a sign that Gameloft is betting on Order and Chaos to be a long-term game like it's illegitimate father, World of Warcraft. As nice as the million dollar accounting figure is, it's far from the runaway success achieved by the juggernauts of iOS. MMOs are a huge investment for a company, and they depend on achieving a critical mass of players. If they aren't able to achieve certain numbers then the player-base will eventually dwindle away.
Without enough people paying their monthly subscription and convincing their friends to join, the MMO can end up in an accelerating decline as current players become frustrated with the lack of new blood. This MMO has taken an important first step in the right direction, but the next two months will be even more important. It's relatively easy to create a big first month. The more difficult part is sustaining that success over a period of time. That's the part that has plagued past mobile MMOs.
Order and Chaos is a trailblazing title, and is stepping into largely uncharted territory. Their first step has been a successful one, but they'll need to continue this success if they're to have any hope of carving out a steady user base.
