Last week Carbine Studios revealed that after its explosion of WildStar subscribers following launch, it would consolidate its server list to boost activity on each realm. While players were expecting a big move, few anticipated how big it really is.
It has been revealed that only four servers will remain after WildStar‘s impending “Megaserver” implementation. What this will do is reduce the total number of realms, ushering players into a smaller selection, effectively boosting the population of each server.
Currently, there are 32 total servers hosted for North American and Europe, each with its own configuration. This consolidation will result in much fewer options as the list of PvE, PvP, and RP servers dwindles down to just four selections. My guess is that there will be one PvP and PvE server for each of the two regions, and RP will be made history.
Related: WildStar vs. World of Warcraft
This news comes just days after the announcement that The Elder Scrolls Online‘s massive development team was hit with a devastating round of layoffs. Is there room for subscription-based MMOs anymore? The answer to that is yes and no. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has proven during the last year that a new MMO can survive in the market, but it takes some careful planning and thoughtful design. Meanwhile, other popular MMOs include Star Wars: The Old Republic, which transitioned to free-to-play after its turbulent subscription-based first few months, and Guild Wars 2, which should be the hallmark of the industry given its non-invasive purchase-only design with minimal micro-transactions.
However, for every single MMO that has survived, several have struggled to become anything more than a blip on the radar. Heck, even World of Warcraft is facing a tough time with retaining its player base.
I happened to find WildStar’s world, gameplay, and leveling experience to be fantastic. Sadly, that doesn’t appear to have been enough to make it the giant it aspired to be. It’ll continue to be supported by its staff, which are currently working on the third major post-launch drop planned for arrival in about a month, but it’s unlikely to ever forge substantial market share.
