The MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar does not seem to be doing very well. Player numbers are declining and even the telethons no longer provide as much revenue for the developers.
The launch of the MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar did not go particularly well. Although (according to official statements) only about 35 percent of all players play via Steam, a steady downward trend is still evident.
Things do not look good…
Declining player numbers. While the number of players increased at the launch on March 27, it has been rapidly declining since then. In May, the largest player loss in about a year was measured. And the downward trend continues. According to Steamcharts, only about 220 players are currently online at the same time – as mentioned, according to the developer, this is “only” about 35 percent of all players. The rest use the official launcher.
The last telethon left many with long faces. Every month, the development studio Portalarium holds a telethon. This is a four-hour live stream in which the team answers player questions and raises money for the continued development of the Buy2Play title. Anyone who buys something in the in-game shop for at least 5 dollars during the telethon contributes to the total amount. Depending on revenue, certain new in-game items such as costumes or emotes are unlocked, which everyone automatically receives who participates in the telethon.
However, only about 42,000 dollars could be raised this time. This led to many long faces in the live stream, as otherwise between 70,000 and 100,000 dollars could be raised. This is the worst result since the telethon in January. The team tried to explain that this was likely because the telethon took place on a Monday this time and not, as usual, on a Friday. The team believes that many missed the live stream – despite the regular announcement.
A new telethon aims to change the situation. Because the revenue was so low, another telethon is scheduled for Friday, June 8. The developers hope to raise more money with this one.
Problems upon problems
SotA apparently has problems. This sounds a bit like a desperate move. Is the team perhaps facing financial issues, which is why they now need to hold another telethon at all costs? Additionally, discussions about a botting problem are taking place in the official forum. Botters are currently disturbing the player-driven economy. But instead of just banning all these players, they are usually only warned. Perhaps because they would further reduce the already low player count?
What happens next? The future of Shroud of the Avatar does not look particularly rosy. Steadily declining player numbers, low telethon revenue, poor reviews, and negative ratings on Steam do not inspire much hope that SotA will last long. However, there are plans to start another Kickstarter campaign for the second episode of the MMORPG. Assuming there are still enough fans left who want to participate in it.
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