Support for GW 1 - Guild Wars Forums

Blackbirdx61 · Feb 04, 2012, 04:50 AM // 04:50

Has NCSoft or Areana Net announced any time frame for how long they will be supporting play of GW after the release of GW2;

Personally I can see myself easily needing a year just to play through the campains I've paid for before the lights go out; on the other hand; I certainly have gotten way more value than my $30(40) $60 investment (with Mercs) out of the experiance so far. Blessings, BB.

Yes,
I expect someone else has asked this question, but I have not figured out how to google up the anwser. apologies if Im being redundant BB.

Zebideedee · Feb 04, 2012, 05:00 AM // 05:00

There seems to be a team that creates additional content like Winds of Change etc.

God knows how long they'll keep working on GW's after GW2 comes out. It's been said that the GW1 servers won't be shut down once GW2 comes out. I'd like to believe that!

Lanier · Feb 04, 2012, 05:33 AM // 05:33

My guess is that Anet will continue supporting the GW1 servers for awhile after the release of the sequel, before opening up the code or w/e they have to do to allow players to set up private servers.

gremlin · Feb 04, 2012, 06:07 AM // 06:07

I guess it depends on how many of us move over to gw2 and how engrossing that game proves to be.

There needs to be some new players continually buying the game for it to remain worth keeping the servers open.
I guess they could make it a standalone game and let players host their own games before they close down their servers, that would be nice of them.

Sagittario · Feb 04, 2012, 07:15 AM // 07:15

Think a little bit...
We have bought product GW1, they can't just shut down servers, it would be the same like they stole all sold GW1 codes.
But there will be a massive migration to GW2.
So Anet will either keep GW1 as it is without any further updates, bugfixes, ect.
Or make it much cheaper or free so new people would come to play GW1.

This is what I think

Venganza · Feb 04, 2012, 09:24 AM // 09:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sagittario

Think a little bit...
We have bought product GW1, they can't just shut down servers, it would be the same like they stole all sold GW1 codes.

Oh yes they can, or didn't you read T&C?

GW is a commercial product, what they have said to paraphrase it: We will keep GW up as long as there is sufficient demand from the playerbase.

Now if you take a look about, you will see even now, no one forms teams in DOA or anywhere for that matter outside Zaishan, so just how barren will GW be post GW2?

Certainly for PR purposes they would want to keep GW up as long as they can, but you can be sure if it becomes a drain financially and the userbase dwindles, they will kill it or make it open source. Why wouldn't they? They are not a charity and the game is a commercial product.

It is pure speculation as to just how long GW will be around, my guess is it won't be more than 12 months after GW2 launch, but in any case sooner or later it will be R.I.P time.

Spiritz · Feb 04, 2012, 11:19 AM // 11:19

Dont also forget that for quite a while players new to gw 2 may buy gw1 to see what the original was like.Quite a lot of players do buy previous series of games these days - ive even heard of ppl buying the original sims series to see what it was like etc - so at least gw1 will be around for a year or 2.

LanaDarkess · Feb 04, 2012, 11:20 AM // 11:20

I would like to think that GW's will be up for as long as we're all still playing it, but it will probably be shut down before I can have my fill of it, as I'm still learning all about other classes and new areas I haven't done before.

That having been said, maybe they would limit the districts to how many players are actually still on there? Instead of having all the international, europe, america and asian districts, they may just smash them all into one. Just a thought.

drkn · Feb 04, 2012, 11:44 AM // 11:44

Quote:

but you can be sure if it becomes a drain financially

Why would it?
I mean - sure, less players means less new accounts and microtransactions, so it means less income. But then again, the money required to sustain GW's servers and the micro GW1 crew would be just a tiny fraction of what GW2 will most likely earn. The outcomes for GW1 would become a David when compared to the Goliath of GW2's incomes.
So, why would GW1 become a real financial burden for ANet - and, more importantly, for NCSoft?

I mean, sure - when the playerbase goes severely down, they will most probably shut some servers, limit the districts, the game might lag a bit more, and so on. They might stop supporting the current performance, but it still will be playable, especially given that the playerbase will be smaller (so there's no need for that many open districts, or for such powerful machines, or that broad connection - and the game is still stable, playable).

Just take a look at NCSoft. At their Lineage.
Released back in 1998 (!). The sequel, Lineage 2, was released in 2004 (Eu/NA). Even then, the support for the first part was still maintained, only to shut it down in June 2011 (!!!). And that's only about the NA servers - the Asian servers of Lineage I are still running (even though L2 was released there half a year earlier than in NA).
Why would it be any different in the case of GW1?

enter_the_zone · Feb 04, 2012, 12:19 PM // 12:19

Realistically, the extra cost of keeping the GW servers alive next to the GW2 servers will be almost zero. We're talking maybe five thousand a year and that would be a hell of a lot. That's just keeping the lights on in a largely static manner ie no balances, new content etc.

If the GW2 servers are in different physical locations to the GW1 servers, then it'll be a different story, but how long it takes to close them down will depend on just how many new GW2 players get GW after GW2 launch (to get the titles), and how much money the store is bringing in. I can't see them shutting GW1 down until it's not making them money.

I could also see them shifting to a complete F2P model (no buying it at all) with many more microtransactions if that would keep GW1 online.

**cosyfiep** · Feb 04, 2012, 12:27 PM // 12:27

there will also be those people who decide after trying out gw2 --they dont like it and return to playing the original....not to mention those who dont have the money to buy gw2 for whatever reason (if you already have gw you can play and play.....)....I see it as much longer than 1 year after gw2 release (and no one has mentioned the possibility that gw2 doesnt do well-----).
there will be people who continue to play gw after gw2 is released for whatever reasons, even with no updates.

Calista Blackblood · Feb 04, 2012, 12:47 PM // 12:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sagittario

Think a little bit...
We have bought product GW1, they can't just shut down servers, it would be the same like they stole all sold GW1 codes.
But there will be a massive migration to GW2.
So Anet will either keep GW1 as it is without any further updates, bugfixes, ect.
Or make it much cheaper or free so new people would come to play GW1.

This is what I think

They can and probably will. In a true sense,none of us actually own the game,we by virtue of ???? have the right to play it. That is until ArenaNet decide that enough is enough. It's in the T+C's very clearly and nothing the playerbase can do will stop it.

Benderama · Feb 04, 2012, 01:20 PM // 13:20

Quote:

Now if you take a look about, you will see even now, no one forms teams in DOA or anywhere for that matter outside Zaishan, so just how barren will GW be post GW2?

It's been much worse than this before, around 2008-2009 I swear the game population everywhere was lower than it is now.

Quote:

I could also see them shifting to a complete F2P model (no buying it at all) with many more microtransactions if that would keep GW1 online.

that seems kinda silly, since most places would selll you a campaign for less than ??10 (however much that is in the US or EU) so it's not exactly expensive. NCsoft kept up Tabula Rasa and Lineage 1 as pay monthly games right up until a month or two before they shut them down.
also a B2P model might give them an incentive to keep the servers running.

I'd be interested in what'd happen if Anet made the code public and all that (it'd certainly be a good experiment to see how the fanbase uses it). But i'd kinda hate having to do everything again on a private server, most peope put a lot of time into their characters, so just starting again isn't going to be great D:

Hopefully they'll keep the servers going for a good 2 or 3 years at least, I know a few people who wont migrate to GW2, and some other who want to come back every now and then. (hopefully they'll keep all the festivals in GW2)

Blackbirdx61 · Feb 04, 2012, 08:27 PM // 20:27

Lots to think about, thanks for all the replies BB.

MisterB · Feb 04, 2012, 08:45 PM // 20:45

Speculation and opinions are nice for discussion, but the fact is that multiple ArenaNet representatives have stated on multiple occasions that they intend to support GW as long as players are still present and interested in playing it. The exact details are uncertain, specifically what level of activity they require to continue support, and no hard date has ever been given for termination of GW's servers or support. These statements from ANet can be found, but I am having difficulty locating them.

Venganza · Feb 04, 2012, 10:30 PM // 22:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by drkn

Why would it?

Two word for you: DUNGEON RUNNERS

It would not be the first time they closed down a game with a crap of residual players on it.

KZaske · Feb 04, 2012, 10:54 PM // 22:54

Guild Wars 1 will never be opened sourced. Why? Because GW2 uses a modified version of the GW1 engine. If GW2 is suscessful, there will come a time when the GW1 servers will be shut down, I have no clue when but I know it will be. If GW2 falls flat on it's face, and it might (I really really hope not), I don't expect ArenaNet to come back to GW1 and add in content. I expect they will try to fix what they precieve is wrong with GW2 and push on.

Iuris · Feb 05, 2012, 12:07 PM // 12:07

I think there are two parts to the idea of "supporting the game": keeping the servers up and adding new content.

I would say that Anet will never completely pull the plug on the servers, but they likely will stop producing additional content when the player base goes low enough.

Quaker · Feb 05, 2012, 02:08 PM // 14:08

This topic comes up every so often. The general conclusion I've come to, is this:

- ANet has said that they will keep the "servers" open as long as there is viable player base. Keep in mind that GW is just software that runs on a server farm, which will be the same server farm that GW2 will run on. So, keeping the servers open just means leaving the software running.

- ANet is under a legal and moral obligation to keep GW running for a reasonable length of time - at least a year or so - after they stop selling new accounts.

- ANet will probably stop selling new GW1 accounts around the time GW2 is released.

- most likely, post-GW2, there will be no new content for GW1. There would be no financial incentive to add any new content, so GW1 would remain static from then on, partially to encourage players to move to GW2.

- it's very unlikely that ANet/NCSoft would ever release GW1 to open source as it involves proprietary 3D code that is also used in GW2. So there's no use in hoping for private servers.

Bottom line is - although GW1 will continue post GW2, it will not advance any and will eventually fade away.
Edit - I haven't gotten the impression from what I've seen/heard from ANet/NCsoft that "support" for GW1 would mean anything more than just keeping the software running. I've never gotten the impression that they intend to add any content. Why would they?

Blackbirdx61 · Feb 06, 2012, 01:15 PM // 13:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterB

Speculation and opinions are nice for discussion, but the fact is that multiple ArenaNet representatives have stated on multiple occasions that they intend to support GW as long as players are still present and interested in playing it. The exact details are uncertain, specifically what level of activity they require to continue support, and no hard date has ever been given for termination of GW's servers or support. These statements from ANet can be found, but I am having difficulty locating them.

Well this is really more specifically what I was asking, have they made any formal statement of support; NCSoft is still selling GW on Steam, it seems to me if you're still selling the game you've made some commitment to buyers they will have time to complete said game; but how long is that I don't know. My friend Tony who is a GAMER completed the Wow expansion from Lv 50 to 70 in a weekend; As a much more casual gamer I expect that would take me months. (BTW I don???t play Wow, but most everyone has friends who do, no?)

Still there's been alot to think about, and it seems to me reassuring that even at my own Kts of the Tortoise pace I might finish a campaign or two. Thanks all BB.

Feb 04, 2012, 04:50 AM // 04:50	#1
Blackbirdx61 Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Maryland. Guild: Costumed Aggression. : ) Profession: R/E	Support for GW 1 Has NCSoft or Areana Net announced any time frame for how long they will be supporting play of GW after the release of GW2; Personally I can see myself easily needing a year just to play through the campains I've paid for before the lights go out; on the other hand; I certainly have gotten way more value than my $30(40) $60 investment (with Mercs) out of the experiance so far. Blessings, BB. Yes, I expect someone else has asked this question, but I have not figured out how to google up the anwser. apologies if Im being redundant BB. Last edited by Blackbirdx61; Feb 04, 2012 at 04:54 AM // 04:54..

Feb 04, 2012, 05:00 AM // 05:00	#2
Zebideedee Jungle Guide Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 55?? 57' 0" N / 3?? 12' 0" W Profession: N/Me	There seems to be a team that creates additional content like Winds of Change etc. God knows how long they'll keep working on GW's after GW2 comes out. It's been said that the GW1 servers won't be shut down once GW2 comes out. I'd like to believe that! Last edited by Zebideedee; Feb 04, 2012 at 05:03 AM // 05:03..

Feb 04, 2012, 12:19 PM // 12:19	#10
enter_the_zone Jungle Guide Join Date: Nov 2007 Profession: R/	Realistically, the extra cost of keeping the GW servers alive next to the GW2 servers will be almost zero. We're talking maybe five thousand a year and that would be a hell of a lot. That's just keeping the lights on in a largely static manner ie no balances, new content etc. If the GW2 servers are in different physical locations to the GW1 servers, then it'll be a different story, but how long it takes to close them down will depend on just how many new GW2 players get GW after GW2 launch (to get the titles), and how much money the store is bringing in. I can't see them shutting GW1 down until it's not making them money. I could also see them shifting to a complete F2P model (no buying it at all) with many more microtransactions if that would keep GW1 online. Last edited by enter_the_zone; Feb 04, 2012 at 12:23 PM // 12:23..

Feb 04, 2012, 12:27 PM // 12:27	#11
cosyfiep are we there yet? Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: in a land far far away Guild: guild? I am supposed to have a guild? Profession: Rt/	there will also be those people who decide after trying out gw2 --they dont like it and return to playing the original....not to mention those who dont have the money to buy gw2 for whatever reason (if you already have gw you can play and play.....)....I see it as much longer than 1 year after gw2 release (and no one has mentioned the possibility that gw2 doesnt do well-----). there will be people who continue to play gw after gw2 is released for whatever reasons, even with no updates. __________________ where is the 'all you can eat' cookie bar?

Feb 04, 2012, 08:45 PM // 20:45	#15
MisterB Furnace Stoker Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Planet Earth, Sol system, Milky Way galaxy Guild: [ban] Profession: W/	Speculation and opinions are nice for discussion, but the fact is that multiple ArenaNet representatives have stated on multiple occasions that they intend to support GW as long as players are still present and interested in playing it. The exact details are uncertain, specifically what level of activity they require to continue support, and no hard date has ever been given for termination of GW's servers or support. These statements from ANet can be found, but I am having difficulty locating them. Last edited by MisterB; Feb 04, 2012 at 08:49 PM // 20:49..

Feb 04, 2012, 05:33 AM // 05:33	#3
Lanier Desert Nomad Join Date: Jan 2010 Guild: [Pink] Profession: P/	My guess is that Anet will continue supporting the GW1 servers for awhile after the release of the sequel, before opening up the code or w/e they have to do to allow players to set up private servers.

Feb 04, 2012, 06:07 AM // 06:07	#4
gremlin Furnace Stoker Join Date: Oct 2006 Guild: GWAR Profession: Me/Mo	I guess it depends on how many of us move over to gw2 and how engrossing that game proves to be. There needs to be some new players continually buying the game for it to remain worth keeping the servers open. I guess they could make it a standalone game and let players host their own games before they close down their servers, that would be nice of them.

Feb 04, 2012, 07:15 AM // 07:15	#5
Sagittario Krytan Explorer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Czech Republic Guild: The Dragonfly Effect [Phi] Profession: Rt/	Think a little bit... We have bought product GW1, they can't just shut down servers, it would be the same like they stole all sold GW1 codes. But there will be a massive migration to GW2. So Anet will either keep GW1 as it is without any further updates, bugfixes, ect. Or make it much cheaper or free so new people would come to play GW1. This is what I think

Feb 04, 2012, 11:19 AM // 11:19	#7
Spiritz Forge Runner Join Date: Apr 2007 Guild: DMFC	Dont also forget that for quite a while players new to gw 2 may buy gw1 to see what the original was like.Quite a lot of players do buy previous series of games these days - ive even heard of ppl buying the original sims series to see what it was like etc - so at least gw1 will be around for a year or 2.

Feb 04, 2012, 11:20 AM // 11:20	#8
LanaDarkess Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Australia Profession: N/	I would like to think that GW's will be up for as long as we're all still playing it, but it will probably be shut down before I can have my fill of it, as I'm still learning all about other classes and new areas I haven't done before. That having been said, maybe they would limit the districts to how many players are actually still on there? Instead of having all the international, europe, america and asian districts, they may just smash them all into one. Just a thought.

Feb 04, 2012, 08:27 PM // 20:27	#14
Blackbirdx61 Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Maryland. Guild: Costumed Aggression. : ) Profession: R/E	Lots to think about, thanks for all the replies BB.

Feb 04, 2012, 10:54 PM // 22:54	#17
KZaske Jungle Guide Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Boise Idaho Guild: Druids Of Old (DOO) Profession: R/Mo	Guild Wars 1 will never be opened sourced. Why? Because GW2 uses a modified version of the GW1 engine. If GW2 is suscessful, there will come a time when the GW1 servers will be shut down, I have no clue when but I know it will be. If GW2 falls flat on it's face, and it might (I really really hope not), I don't expect ArenaNet to come back to GW1 and add in content. I expect they will try to fix what they precieve is wrong with GW2 and push on.

Feb 05, 2012, 12:07 PM // 12:07	#18
Iuris Forge Runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Guild: Crazy ducks from the Forest Profession: W/	I think there are two parts to the idea of "supporting the game": keeping the servers up and adding new content. I would say that Anet will never completely pull the plug on the servers, but they likely will stop producing additional content when the player base goes low enough.

Feb 05, 2012, 02:08 PM // 14:08	#19
Quaker Hell's Protector Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Canada Guild: Brothers Disgruntled	My 2 cents This topic comes up every so often. The general conclusion I've come to, is this: - ANet has said that they will keep the "servers" open as long as there is viable player base. Keep in mind that GW is just software that runs on a server farm, which will be the same server farm that GW2 will run on. So, keeping the servers open just means leaving the software running. - ANet is under a legal and moral obligation to keep GW running for a reasonable length of time - at least a year or so - after they stop selling new accounts. - ANet will probably stop selling new GW1 accounts around the time GW2 is released. - most likely, post-GW2, there will be no new content for GW1. There would be no financial incentive to add any new content, so GW1 would remain static from then on, partially to encourage players to move to GW2. - it's very unlikely that ANet/NCSoft would ever release GW1 to open source as it involves proprietary 3D code that is also used in GW2. So there's no use in hoping for private servers. Bottom line is - although GW1 will continue post GW2, it will not advance any and will eventually fade away. Edit - I haven't gotten the impression from what I've seen/heard from ANet/NCsoft that "support" for GW1 would mean anything more than just keeping the software running. I've never gotten the impression that they intend to add any content. Why would they? Last edited by Quaker; Feb 06, 2012 at 02:49 PM // 14:49..