In fact it’s the ”largest ever development project” that EA have dealt with, revealed Eric Brown. Any MMO costs ”significantly more” to make.
A title is usually priced tagged around $30m at EA but the Star Wars MMO will bloat way beyond that for the sheer scope of the game. That makes the BioWare creation the ”largest ever development project, period, in the history of the company”, said Brown.
Asked how much the cost is compared to Blizzard’s World of Warcraft, he said that WoW took ”$100 million, perhaps more” to get it out the door in 2004. That’s lifetime R&D ”to actually ship it and obviously then there’s maintenance subsequent to ship and expansion packs,” said chief banker Brown, in response to Wedbush Morgan analysts.
”MMOs are sizeable undertakings,” pointing out the obvious, and EA are obviously hoping that BioWare can capture an audience like Blizzard have. World of Warcraft clears $100m a month in subscriptions - a clear profit margin wouldn’t you say?
EA is pointing toward spring 2011 for Star Wars The Old Republic.
Source: Eurogamer