StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty falls short compared to World of Warcraft’s “Sparkle Pony Horse” in revenue
Former Blizzard developer, Jason Hall, reveals that StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty generated less profit than World of Warcraft’s first microtransaction mount, the “Sparkle Pony Horse.” Despite the mount’s initial cost of $25 and the game’s price tag of $59.99, the mount managed to outperform the entire StarCraft 2 game in terms of revenue.
Hall, who now works for indie game developer Captain Software, spent six and a half years at Blizzard Entertainment, contributing to the development of StarCraft 2. During a Twitch stream in September, he made the surprising claim that the single mount brought in more money than the entire game. He attributed this success to the continuous purchases made by players.
While Hall did not provide specific details on how the mount surpassed the game’s revenue, it is likely due to the significant investment of time and resources required for game development compared to the creation of a mount. Developing a game involves a larger team and higher costs, whereas designing a mount can be accomplished with fewer resources and in less time. Additionally, Hall’s statement may refer to the profit generated during his tenure at Blizzard.
This revelation raises questions about the rationale behind investing substantial time and money into game development when microtransactions can yield greater profits with minimal effort. In the gaming industry, microtransactions have become a prevalent and lucrative aspect of many games. It has become increasingly rare to find a game without some form of microtransaction. Ultimately, these transactions offer quick and substantial returns for game developers.
The “Sparkle Pony Horse,” officially known as the Celestial Steed, was introduced during the peak of World of Warcraft’s Wrath of the Lich King expansion. Data for Azeroth indicates that 40% of players own this mount, although this figure includes those who acquired it through the Trading Post for 900 Trader’s Tender.
Initially, the mount was available for free in the game for a month, requiring players to complete Trading Post activities and make a purchase. However, it is difficult to determine how many players purchased the mount before it became available through the Trading Post.
Source: DOTESPORTS