Warframe Economics?

[TioMegaManX]

For the longest time I have been reading a few arguments on the forum when monetization comes into play, most of the time the loyal fanbase will point out that Warframe is always in dire need of monetary support so I decided to take the total number of users once mentioned by DE to try to guess how much the game could have made at a certain point.

 

So, the base is having 10 million users, we will assume every user buys 75 platinum once or the equivalent for $9.99, then we will be really pessimistic and assume 1000 users always buy a Prime Access bundle (4000 users total), and then we put on a presumably confirmed quantity of 20 founder's packs sold (need better sources), finally we will compare with the budget for the making of Star Wars: The Old Republic which is to date the most expensive MMO made as far as I know which is $250,000,000 aprox.

 

10,000,000 Users x $9.99 (75p with no discount) = $99,900,000

$49.99 (Prime Access 1050p) x1000 Recurrent Users x 4 = $199,960

$79.99 (Prime Access 2625p) x1000 Recurrent Usersx4 = $319,960

$139.99 (Prime Access 3990) x1000 Recurret Users x4 = $559,960

$49.99 (Prime Accessories) x1000 Recurrent Users x4 = $199,960

$249.99 (Founders Pack) x20 Founders Confirmed = $4,980

$388,000 from the Grand Masters Program.

 

Total: $101,184,820

Total: $101,567,840

 

It would be rather useful to know how much this takes on taxes, salaries, expenses and more or less how it is used and how much it gets back on average, of course, I just have these rough numbers so I wish I could have more info even if I am only doing basic math.

 

What do you think people? it may be useful to know how exactly DE would need monetary support, specially when people insist one doesn't need to spend real money on the game at all, that would spell bad news for DE in the long run, wouldn't it?

Edited August 11, 2014 by VanFanel1980mx

[darthdart]

inb4 hundreds defend DE endlessly

 

Chances are we will never know exactly how they use this money because it's "not the players business".

[TioMegaManX]

inb4 hundreds defend DE endlessly

 

Chances are we will never know exactly how they use this money because it's "not the players business".

I really think it should be a player's business, specially when there is something like a founder's program, let's be fair, founders should be entitled to some kind of report.

[sneakatone]

does steam also take a certain percentage if players purchase through steam?

[PlayerNone]

What I really want to know is, where do these player numbers come from. I know 7 million tenno was being thrown around for awhile, which I felt was ludicrous. But 10 million? How could anyone ever arrive at that number when Steam charts have yet to go over 50k.

[Cleesus]

Im confused about some of the numbers, where did you hear only 20 founder packs were sold.

[AVENTUS]

They be chillin on that cash flow.

[TioMegaManX]

does steam also take a certain percentage if players purchase through steam?

That's a good question, I forgot to consider numbers coming from starter packs so I decided to round up to one purchase of basic platinum instead.

 

Im confused about some of the numbers, where did you hear only 20 founder packs were sold.

When I was asking around they mentioned something about 20 solar marks or the like.

[Cleesus]

That's a good question, I forgot to consider numbers coming from starter packs so I decided to round up to one purchase of basic platinum instead.

 

When I was asking around they mentioned something about 20 solar marks or the like.

Ahh okay

[TioMegaManX]

Ahh okay

I would like anyone who would contribute with better sources to do so, I doubt there are only 20 Excalibur Prime's running around, as for the regular plat purchases I can't be sure, and then I keep asking, how much is it supposed to go on taxes alone? now that we got the whole PWE issue it would be even more useful to know how could DE consider selling out to a company after trying to figure out the projected profits from the game.

[immolator1001]

Ya these are just random numbers. Like 10 million people buying $10 each is where you get 99% of how much money you claim they have made.

 

 

Seriously you just made up numbers we really can't make any speculations about how much money they've made from guesses

 

If you really want answers I'd say look for company reports.

Edited August 11, 2014 by immolator1001

[Cleesus]

I would like anyone who would contribute with better sources to do so, I doubt there are only 20 Excalibur Prime's running around, as for the regular plat purchases I can't be sure, and then I keep asking, how much is it supposed to go on taxes alone? now that we got the whole PWE issue it would be even more useful to know how could DE consider selling out to a company after trying to figure out the projected profits from the game.

Well If I were you I would avoid talking about it outside of the official pwe thread.

[TioMegaManX]

Ya these are just random numbers. Like 10 million people buying $10 each is where you get 99% of how much money you claim they have made.

 

 

Seriously you just made up numbers we really can't make any speculations about how much money they've made from guesses

 

If you really want answers I'd say look for company reports.

The 10m comes from that gamescom report, but we can just reduce it to the 7m mentioned on a stream, the purchase would be basically the minimum to make up for the ones who buy platinum regularly and the ones who never buy platinum at all, you are a founder right? do you know how many founders there are or what was the price of your founder's pack?

 

Well If I were you I would avoid talking about it outside of the officail pwe thread so you dont get your thread closed or whatever happens.

Yeah, I only mentioned it because it is kind of related.

[SmokinDevil]

I really think it should be a player's business, specially when there is something like a founder's program, let's be fair, founders should be entitled to some kind of report.

 

They are entitled to the exclusive content they paid for.

 

Most sales are probably made through 50% or 75% plat discounts and prime access. There is a ton of plat around not being used and it's pretty easy to get through trading.

 

And then there are players like me who haven't spent a dime. I've been here since closed beta and I have no intention of spending money on the game.

[fatpig84]

Taking the most official number back in March 2014 is 4 million+ Tenno.

For most F2P MMOs, payers only make up 3% to 10% of the total population.

 

That is 400 thousand payers, if optimistic.

 

Removing the founders and prime access fellows who make up a mere 20% (they pay an average of $80), you are left with 320K players. Who usually don't pay more than $20 to $30 bucks.

 

This is a lot more reasonable.

And don't forget, the vastly inflated account figures don't count for anything, as there are TONS of Alt accounts.

Edited August 11, 2014 by fatpig84

[Ov3rd0se]

I think you're being a bit too low with those numbers. I honestly think they made much more than that. Point is, that people are clearly missing, they don't desperately need money.

[TioMegaManX]

They are entitled to the exclusive content they paid for.

 

Most sales are probably made through 50% or 75% plat discounts and prime access. There is a ton of plat around not being used and it's pretty easy to get through trading.

 

And then there are players like me who haven't spent a dime. I've been here since closed beta and I have no intention of spending money on the game.

Yep, that's the kind of info that we would need to find accurate numbers so we could more or less have the right info to not fall into the "P2W vs DE's Starving" argument and the like.

[TioMegaManX]

Taking the most official number back in March 2014 is 4 million+ Tenno.

For most F2P MMOs, payers only make up 3% to 10% of the total population.

 

That is 400 thousand payers, if optimistic.

 

Removing the founders and prime access fellows who make up a mere 20% (they pay an average of $80), you are left with 320K players. Who usually don't pay more than $20 to $30 bucks.

 

This is a lot more reasonable.

And don't forget, the vastly inflated account figures don't count for anything, as there are TONS of Alt accounts.

http://www.eslgaming.com/interview/stay-honorable-warframe%E2%80%99s-path-gamescom-2014

 

This is one source, yeah, there are alternate accounts but consider that DE mentions they get more people each day so we could assume they make up for the alts in an increasing manner at least.

Edited August 11, 2014 by VanFanel1980mx

[fatpig84]

I think you're being a bit too low with those numbers. I honestly think they made much more than that. Point is, that people are clearly missing, they don't desperately need money.

I am not being low at all. You might see a lot of founders here, but it is widely accepted that forum goers don't even make 5% of the gaming population.

[vaugahn]

Let's not forget Warframe is not DE's only source of income.

[Fullmetal_Underpants]

inb4 hundreds defend DE endlessly

 

Chances are we will never know exactly how they use this money because it's "not the players business".

 

[fatpig84]

This is one source, yeah, there are alternate accounts but consider that DE mentions they get more people each day so we could assume they make up for the alts in an increasing manner at least.

 

Personally I know of players who try all 3 starter frames just to feel the difference.

Plenty of rank 0 and rank 1s admit that to me. Even among higher ranked players, there are some who are quite frank on this.

 

If DE wants to be accurate, they should be tracking on how many people login at least once a month.

Rather than just total figures.

[vaugahn]

If DE wants to be accurate, they should be tracking on how many people login at least once a month.

Rather than just total figures.

 

This is for online players via steam. 

http://www.steamcharts.com/app/230410

[fatpig84]

This is for online players via steam. 

http://www.steamcharts.com/app/230410

 

Doesn't seem a lot eh ?

Heh.

[TioMegaManX]

Personally I know of players who try all 3 starter frames just to feel the difference.

Plenty of rank 0 and rank 1s admit that to me. Even among higher ranked players, there are some who are quite frank on this.

 

If DE wants to be accurate, they should be tracking on how many people login at least once a month.

Rather than just total figures.

I completely agree, in any case the point is to try to figure out what's the real problem with monetization, I mean, they need to sustain the game and all, but for that to happen the game needs to give them a certain amount, earlier today I was reading about the prices of pre-crafted gear being a little too high and some not even updated like the Stalker Bundle, so there should be a reason they are unable to lower the prices to increase the sales even though people still think the game is actually pressuring them to buy stuff.