Only a month ago Scottish game developer Real Time Worlds cut its staff down to 50 people (just enough to keep the servers running) and began looking for a possible buyer to take over APB. When no one showed up to take over the IP, it was time to let go. According to Real Time Games, APB had about 130,000 registered users with an average play time of four hours per week and averaging $28 per month. This was the last thing we heard on August 24th about the company's financial progress:
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These are healthy numbers and reflect positively on APB as a ongoing concern. They prove this is a very enjoyable game, which is shown by the average player daily playtime and an ARPPU (Average Revenue per Paying User) that is highest of any game out there” ~via Joint administrator Paul Dounis and business rescue and restructuring specialist Begbies Traynor |
It looks like these numbers were not enough to keep the action MMO alive. Unfortunately players that paid the $50 price tag along with a subscription fee (or any micro-transactions) are out of luck, and pretty much shafted. It's a shame really because APB did have a lot of great potential, and I would have liked to see more out of the title.
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RTW founder David Jones had this to say on the forums: “I truly wish we had the chance to continue to craft APB into the vision we had for it. It has been a long&difficult journey but ultimately rewarding to have had the chance to try something bold and different." |
Well one man's failure is another man's gain. Global Agenda (another action-MMO) is offering a home to the refugees of the APB world. Global Agenda's Executive Producer, Todd Harris wrote an open letter to Shooter/MMO community:
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Today, we mourn our latest fallen colleague, APB. In making APB, Realtime Worlds had a bold vision to make an MMO devoid of traditional tab-targeting, cast bars and die-roll combat. We honor their effort and innovation, and greatly mourn the game's closing. Sadly, the APB server shutdown leaves their entire community with nothing to shoot or blow up tonight! |
Along with this moment of silence for APB's fall, capitalism is always right around the corner. Global Agenda is offering 30% off its title when you use the coupon code LongLiveShooterMMOs when buying the game on their web-store. This offer is only good until September 24th. There's a brilliant way to build a player base!
