Golem.de on the matter...

[wuchter]

Golem.de about Gameforge and Ryzom

Source: http://www.golem.de/0710/55117-2.html

this is a quick and dirty translation...page 1/2...

Gameforge: MMORPG Saga of Ryzom will be sold

Gameforge France in liquidation process

At the past Games Convention 2007, Golem.de was able to speak with Gameforge-CEO Klaas Kersting about the Online-Roleplaying game Saga of Ryzom. The news, however, were anything but positive and now it's official: Gamefore won't be able to continue Saga of Ryzom.

Klaas Kersting of Gameforge actually didn't want to talk about Saga of Ryzom at the Games Convention. For him it was a visibly unpleasant topic for it was the first failure in the yet young company's history, which most of all made a name for themselfs with browser games and by now also runs Online-Roleplaying games under license.

Everything should become differently with Saga of Ryzom. The game should have been saved from the looming end under the hood of Gameforge. Gameforge took over Nevrax' Saga of Ryzom including developers by the end of 2006. Nevrax themselfs were in finacial dilemmas and couldn't continue business.

The same fate now overtakes the spin-off Gameforge France, which is now in liqudation process. The first signs became visible by the end of September 2007 already, and caused some speculating on the official forum. But now it's official: Saga of Ryzom won't be continued by Gameforge. That, however, is not equvivalent to the end of the game, what Kersting, who's playing Saga of Ryzom himself, already emphasised at the Games Convention towards Golem.de.

The lastly colleted 10 million Euro couldnt save the project. Too much time and money has been put into the project already. The Nevrax insolvency proceedings in France alone took 7 months in which nobody knew to whom Ryzom and the developer team belonged. That in turn made the further development a problem. Apart from that and according to Kersting, the number of players mentioned by the former operator differed considerably from reality.

[riveit]

You missed the second page: (courtesy of Google translator)

Klaas Kersting still estimated on the Games Convention that it would cost 1 to 2 million euro, in order to bring the play to preceding endorser and to make the Ryzom enterprise economical. Kersting today in addition: “A further marketing of “Saga OF Ryzom” would have meant a disproportionately high load for our still recent enterprise, why regrettably in the long run nothing else remained remaining for us.”.

In on today's 2 October the published press release Kersting gives itself nevertheless confidently 2007, what concerns the future of on-line game of roles: “The play “Saga OF Ryzom” will in the course of the dissolution procedure as valuable ate to be marketed and a new operator find. Thus the further enterprise of the play is in all probability secured.” Not more under the roof of Gameforge.

Saga OF Ryzom
Saga OF Ryzom
It remains hoping that Kerstings confidence is confirmed and a new buyer is found, who can take over and continue using on-line game of roles. Enough Potenzial has the existing infrastructure. Approximately 40 to 50 servers administers the play with last 4,500 subscribers. The servers are to have enough capacities for the three-way number of players. Ryzom offers a very own world its own diagram style, and unites new ideas, among other things the players have many liberties with the production of own contents.

Meanwhile Gameforge concentrates on the Browser and clientbasierten MMOGs, which are driven out excluding on-line. In addition Gameforge takes meanwhile also on-line plays under license, translated, operates and markets these. Gameforge had registered users to the Games Convention 2007 according to Kersting 42 million, per day is added approximately 80,000 new applications, which played along and against each other on many Browsern and platforms.

[gcaldani]

So... the CEO is playing Ryzom? well, why he don't just reboot the server now, so we can at least have our last days in the game??? Or the CEO care only of the german server?

uhm... 10 millions euros?? This is a joke, for sure, or are u mean that the Nevrax insolvency was higher than 10 million euros?

EDIT:

Well posted without Riveit post so: glad that estimate 2 millions is what i always was thinking about Ryzom.... Don't seems a very big investment.

And, finally we got the NUMBER: 4.500 subs for all the 3 communities....

[wuchter]

You missed the second page: (courtesy of Google translator)

no, i didn't. i was tranlating it
didnt want you to have to wait

quick and dirty transpation ...page 2/2...

Klaas Kersting estimated at the Games Convention that it would cost another 1 to 2 million Euro to whip the game into shape and make the Ryzom-business profitable. Kersting today about it:"A further marketing of 'Saga of Ryzom' would have meant an out of scale charging for our yet young company which is why we regretfully had no other choice.". (a more accurate translation would be appreciated)

In today's October 2., 2007 press release, Klaas Kersting is still confident about the future of the Online-Roleplaying gmae: "The game 'Saga of Ryzom', in the course of the terermination process, will be brought to market as a valuable asset and find a new carrier. Thus the further operation of the game is most likely assured." Just not anymore under the hood of Gameforge.

Hoping remains that Kersting's confidence is confirmed and a new buyer is found who can take over and continue operation of the Online-Roleplaying game. There is enough potential in the availible infrastructre. At last approximately 40 to 50 server administer the game for 4500 subscribers. The servers themselfs should have enough capacity for 3 times the number of players. Ryzom awaits with it's own graphic style, a rather unique world and several new ideas, amongst other things, the players have a lot of freedom to create their own content.

Meanwhile, Gameforge is focusing on the browser und clientbased MMOGs, which are soley sold online. In addition, Gameforge translates, operates and markets Onlinegames under license. Gameforge itself had by the time of Games Convention 2007, according to Kersting, 42 million registered users, with another approximate 80000 new subscriptions per day, who play on many browsers and platforms together and against each other.

[darega25]

So... the CEO is playing Ryzom? well, why he don't just reboot the server now, so we can at least have our last days in the game??? Or the CEO care only of the german server?
communities....

Definitely not, they´re probably running at the same "speed" atm!
It´s rather a 3D-chat than a MMORPG right now...

uhm... 10 millions euros?? This is a joke, for sure, or are u mean that the Nevrax insolvency was higher than 10 million euros?

He was talking about Accel investing €10 mio in Gameforge!
Why would he spend that money on Ryzom, if his browsergames obviously make more money???

[martl]

humm as i read that interview...

"...wichen die vom ehemaligen Betreiber genannten und buchgeführten Spielerzahlen laut Kersting erheblich von der Realität ab"

(trasl.: "according to Kersting, the game numbers in the books and as told to us by the former owners of Ryzom differed significantly from the real numbers")

...makes me wonder how hard could it be to look at how much money came in in a month...

then, on page 2:
"Gameforge selbst hatte zur Games Convention 2007 laut Kersting 42 Millionen registrierte Nutzer, pro Tag kommen rund 80.000 Neuanmeldungen dazu"


(transl.:"according to Kesting, gF itself had at the time of the Games Convention 2007 42 Mio registered players, and 80000 new signings per day")

i'm sure they all are paying customers, Herr Kersting?

lets have another look at Golem from last year 21.12.2006
http://www.golem.de/0612/49592.html

"Zusammen mit unseren zukünftigen Mitarbeitern werden wir an der Weiterentwicklung des Titels feilen und unseren Spielern ein wirklich fantastisches Produkt anbieten. 'The Saga of Ryzom' wird von unseren Erfahrungen im Community-Management, Marketing und im Publishing profitieren", so Kersting weiter. "

(transl.: " together with our future employees (Nevrax France stuff, Glo) we will finetune further development of the game and offer a truly fantastic product to our players. "The Saga of Ryzom" will profit from our experience in community-management. marketing and publishing", Kersting said.

..umm anyone saw development? anyone saw advertising? i didn't, and it wasn't for lack of searching.

[wuchter]

i'm sure they all are paying customers, Herr Kersting?

no, they are not. browser games are free. money comes from item sales and premium accounts.
see http://www.gameforge.de/content/view/22/21/lang,en/
that is basically cheating for money.

He said 42 mil registred accounts - of which are 40 mil abandoned and/or 2nd, 3rd, 4rth subscription of same player - most likely

as for the 10 mil Euro investement..i must have missed the part that said it was invested in Ryzom...no word about that in the article, only "the project". Which one - keeping the money for themselfs?