Game maker Electronic Arts, EA, saw 400,000 of its "Star Wars: The Old Republic" subscribers vanish as the company's shares tumble down to nearly 10 percent.
The past few months took a toll on the massively multiplayer online, MMO, game title as its 1.7 million users now stands at 1.3 million. The drop in sales have exceeded analysts' expectations.
John Riccitiello, EA CEO, answered for the large loss of subscribers by stating that the company were counting users who were still using their 30 day free trial. Riccitiello remained optimistic saying that Star Wars: The Old Republic is a quality product and that more opportunities are present in winning back subscribers.
"We've captured a great business. It's the most successful MMO through this period in the history of our industry. But we are nowhere relative to sort of what the opportunity in front of us is," said Riccitiello. " What happens from here are content releases every quarter, systems, and tutorials, and feature upgrades quarter to quarter and a future of expansion of content."
Despite the gloomy reports, EA currently is working on a mystery game title which has generated curiosity from gamers after announcing a delayed release. Rumors are swirling at a potential new Star Wars game title starring Boba Fett after news reported that LucasArts registered a slew of Star Wars 1313 domains.
The trademarked 1313 url is reported to be used for merchandise, video games, and possibly a movie. According to a report from Fusible, a Boba Fett video game may likely be in the works.
Boba Fett is the highly popular bounty hunter who was hired to locate the Millennium Falcon. His origin as a bounty hunter began as a child when he was cloned from Jango Fett. Raised by Jango, he learned the craft for his future career and since then became a fan favorite among the Star Wars universe. Boba Fett would later use the alias of CT-1313 when confronted by a trooper on the planet Aargau.
This wouldn't be the first time that a Fett appeared in a video game. Star Wars: Bounty Hunter for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube featured Jango Fett as he battles through various tactical missions utilizing an arsenal of weapons and gadgets. The game received mixed reviews with some calling it repetitive.
Boba Fett may have an opportunity to redeem his father's honor with a possible game title of his own. Other rumors are also suggesting the 1313 domain is a sign of a new upcoming Star Wars film featuring Boba Fett. Fans will have to wait until official announcements emerge from LucasArts.
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