The player numbers of the MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar (SotA) are low. Nevertheless, a new city has now been introduced, which players can buy for 9,000 dollars.
What kind of city is this? It is a so-called Megalopolis, the largest city in the game. Those who buy this for 9,000 dollars in the SotA store get more than 200 spots where players can build houses. You may name the city and determine where it should be placed in the game world. You can also have 50 NPCs live in the city, including traders, for example.
A player buys the city and manages it. They can then determine who is allowed to live in their Megalopolis and what rights the citizens have.
Few Players for Huge New Cities
Why is this curious? Shroud of the Avatar has only about 184 concurrent players at peak. There is another launcher, but the player count is generally not very high. After all, the developer studio mentioned that about a quarter of all users play via Steam. This means that SotA has less than 800 concurrent active players.
Introducing a new city that offers space for more than 200 players is a bit strange. After all, it is certainly desired that multiple such cities are purchased.
What do players do with the cities? The core element of the MMORPG is Player Housing. This is also connected to these cities. It has been shown early on that social interaction such as dance parties, as well as decorating and showcasing one’s own houses, play a very significant role in SotA.
The cities essentially serve as playgrounds for roleplayers. They invite others to live in their cities and host events there, including small stories and quests. Additionally, some cities have developed into hubs for certain goods produced by the players themselves.
Who Needs This?
How do players react to the expensive city? At MassivelyOP, there is discussion about this new city. The SotA fans find the offer okay since everyone can do what they want with their money, and support for the game is always welcome. However, there are also negative voices:
- Reginald Bottomsworth says: “This is just another scam to milk the whales. Sad.”
- TJ French agrees: “Players own cities, but there is no one to live in them. Yay.”
Why are the developers doing this? MyMMO author Andreas Bertits says: Shroud of the Avatar targets a very specific audience. Players with a good income who build a virtual second home for themselves in the fantasy world, known as whales. These players continually spend money and keep the game alive even with a small population.
This new offer with the 9,000-dollar city is aimed at these players. The developers know that whales want to continue playing SotA and therefore invest money to keep the servers running and allow for further development. A city for 9,000 dollars is a kind of prestige item for SotA fans. Such items are simply bought, which is why they are offered.
- In Shroud of the Avatar, you can spend a lot of money. Recently, a house for 7,000 dollars was introduced.
- The MMORPG is struggling with a bad image, which the developers claim is hindering success.
