Tue, Feb 19, 2008 | 13:35 GMT

Tabula Rasa “financial disaster”, says Korean Times

According to this, Korean journalist Cho Jin-seo has published a piece in the Korean Times about Tabula Rasa, saying that “some downsizing in Austin is inevitable” after the game has “has proven to be a financial disaster”.

“NCsoft CFO Lee Jae-ho did state that some downsizing in Austin is inevitable. But he also indicated in the conference call that he has hope that TR will improve its revenue stream over time.

NCsoft has committed to putting several million dollars more into further developing TR.

TR is launching in Japan later this year. Considering that Richard Garriott’s games have done well in Japan, this will only help to bolster the game’s population.

There will be some reduction at the Austin Studio, but only on the TR team. This isn’t shocking by the way. MMOs normally ramp up their staff during development and leading up to launch, then reduce it after. Fact is, some of the TR team has already transitioned over to other internal dev teams.”

Tabula Rasa was shown in recent financials to have taken over $5 million in revenue since it launched last autumn.

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5 comments

Blerk
19/02/08, 3:12 pm

Is there anything more risky than developing an MMORPG? Aside from developing a bestiality simulator?

ran93r
19/02/08, 6:37 pm

I think the demand is there for an MMO other than one based in a typical fantasy setting but as much as I really wanted to like TR, the beta didn’t really do it for me. It doesn’t help that I’m still playing other, more polished, longer running MMO’s that I’m reluctant to give up on so easily but I am still watching what goes on with TR and will jump back in again at some point. Some mould breaking needs to be going on to generate the interest, TR does try and five meeelion in revenue looks like a nice number, although I have nothing on hand to compare it to and no idea what it cost to develop.