From Blizzard's own site on how they count subscribers:
World of Warcraft's Customer Definition
World of Warcraft customers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or purchased a prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the installation box bundled with one free month access. Internet Game Room players that have accessed the game over the last thirty days are also counted as customers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards. Customers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules.
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In other words, they are not counting those from the cafes at all. they are counting those "individuals who have paid a subscription fee or purchased a prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the installation box bundled with one free month access" and not "all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards".
I do indeed believe there are 6 million players and that they have gained a million over the last 8 weeks, and 99% of them have reached 60 already. Trying to get in play time is almost impossible now. The 60's are so all over the place that they kill everything that moves and still aren't satisfied. My priest is at 52 and has been for 3 weeks. I can't get in any kills to get him levelled due to so many 60's out there. it sucks. I myself do have 3 60's, and I have been playing since release day, but I may quit soon due to the overcrowding.
World of Warcraft's Customer Definition
World of Warcraft customers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or purchased a prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the installation box bundled with one free month access. Internet Game Room players that have accessed the game over the last thirty days are also counted as customers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards. Customers in licensees' territories are defined along the same rules.
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In other words, they are not counting those from the cafes at all. they are counting those "individuals who have paid a subscription fee or purchased a prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the installation box bundled with one free month access" and not "all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired pre-paid cards".
I do indeed believe there are 6 million players and that they have gained a million over the last 8 weeks, and 99% of them have reached 60 already. Trying to get in play time is almost impossible now. The 60's are so all over the place that they kill everything that moves and still aren't satisfied. My priest is at 52 and has been for 3 weeks. I can't get in any kills to get him levelled due to so many 60's out there. it sucks. I myself do have 3 60's, and I have been playing since release day, but I may quit soon due to the overcrowding.