It’s unfortunate that Another One Bites The Dust exists, but necessary. This column chronicles the fateful announcements ahead of an MMOGs’ downfall, a company closure or, in some truly sad cases, both. Grab your Big Gulp and let some hit the floor for the fallen.
Disney has informed players of Toontown and Pirates of the Caribbean Online that August will be the last full month of service. The company will be taking both titles offline on September 19. The silver lining is that each will become free-to-play until the closure next month. Players that have paid since August 20 will receive an email regarding refunds.
Disney did not reveal specifics details behind the decisions, but in its Pirates notice revealed that the company is looking to shift funds towards other online worlds, like Club Penguin, and assorted mobile apps. The Toontown notice did announce closing ceremonies, featuring “toontastic activities and kooky celebrations.”
Since the Mouse House purchased the Star Wars intellectual property via Lucasfilm, the company has reevaluated its digital offerings. Going so far as to close all active development at internal studio LucasArts.
While Disney and Disney Interactive does seek to eliminate the high risks associated in basing multiple games upon the short-term successes and popularity of corresponding movies or characters, the point to be made is that Disney could have enriched these properties it had at its disposal without turning its back entirely upon such games and the corresponding (player) “communities” whom voice and legitimate concerns were, in essence, blatantly ignored.
For example, players loyal to the game “Pirates of the Caribbean Online” (POTCO) maintained an ongoing petition movement for over a year which involved the gain of some 3,000 signatures from players whom had voiced their legitimate concern about the game and the status it was allowed to be kept.
To date (in the shadow of this report), no hint of acknowledgement of such concerns were ever received by the POTCO community from an official representative of Disney or Disney Interactive. http://revivepotco.org/