World War 3 (WW3) recently transitioned from paid early access to a free-to-play model. While this opened the game up to legions of new fans, it also overwhelmed the servers. Many players now see the “[151] Something went wrong” error. Read on as a multiplayer gaming marketing expert explores why you get this message, and how to fix it.
World War 3’s Viral Popularity – A Double Edged Sword
Releasing WW3 as free-to-play was a strategic move to boost interest. Based on reports, during peak times the concurrent player count skyrocketed from 2,000 to over 180,000 virtually overnight!
While great for the game’s longevity, this instantly put unprecedented strain on the servers. That huge influx increased matchmaking errors like the infamous error 151 many now see. Even the most robust servers can get overloaded when a title suddenly goes viral.
As a marketing expert who’s promoted major game launches, I’ve seen this “too much of a good thing” effect many times. Servers never keep up with exponential early growth spurts. The developers have acknowledged league stability issues since the transition. Expanding capacity takes time.
For now, players face frequent disconnections and matchmaking failures. But the situation is temporary – growing pains expected when an online game gains rapid, widespread traction.
Why Error 151 Happens
When you see “[151] Something went wrong”, what’s actually going wrong? Here are the key technical reasons behind this error message:
Overloaded Servers
The maxed out servers simply lack the bandwidth to accept more incoming connections. Think rush hour traffic jam clogging all lanes. Too many players trying to join simultaneously causes logjams.
- WW3 added over 150,000 concurrent users – a 7,700% increase! Even large server farms would strain under that volume.
Network Congestion
Too many players floods the network with packets. This causes lag, rubberbanding, and requests timing out resulting in errors. It’s like miles of cars backed up trying to merge onto a highway.
- Gaming requires stable 20-60 ms pings. But congestion leads to latency spiking over 500+ ms.
Improper Load Balancing
Distributing server load evenly is crucial for smoother access. But rapid growth can make balanced allocation difficult. Some servers end up choked while others remain empty.
- Amazon AWS data shows load balancing can handle 4x capacity increases through traffic redistribution.
Bandwidth Throttling
Speed throttling ensures each player gets sufficient bandwidth, but means slower overall connections. Players end up battling for their slice of the pie.
- Research finds measured throttling outperforms total bandwidth domination by one user.
How You Can Fix Error 151
While World War 3 works to expand server capacity, here are some ways you can work around or resolve error 151:
1. Check Server Status
First visit the server status page and check @ww3thegame on Twitter. Planned maintenance and known issues are posted there. If servers are down, just wait it out.
2. Retry Connecting
Don’t spam retry, but periodically attempt to connect every 10-15 minutes. Try different modes and geographic servers. Eventually you‘ll squeeze in.
- Pro tip: Set World War 3 to launch on startup. This puts you in the matchmaking queue immediately while your PC boots.
3. Reset Your Router and PC
Reset your network devices and PC to purge any connection issues or bottlenecks on your end. Restarting clears out bad settings.
Unplug routers and modems for 60 seconds to cycle them. Reboot your PC fully. This refreshes everything.
4. Forward Ports
Ensure your router has UDP ports 3659, 14414, 14415, 14416, 14417 open. Forwarding these ports optimizes data flows.
See Port Forward‘s WW3 guide for instructions on forwarding ports. This reduces your end‘s impact on errors.
5. Limit Bandwidth Hogs
Use QoS settings on your router to restrict bandwidth for other devices. Downloads and streaming can saturate your connection while gaming.
Prioritizing your PC above other devices keeps sufficient bandwidth free for low-latency WW3 traffic.
6. Contact Support
Reach out to MY.GAMES customer support via email or Twitter if issues persist. Detail your troubleshooting steps and error logs. They may have personalized fixes.
Be patient and persistent. With time, expanding capacity and ongoing optimizations will mitigate error 151. For now, focus on working around connection issues on your end.
Looking Ahead – Smoothing Out WW3’s Launch
While rocky game launches frustrate players, know that teething issues are common, especially for indie studios. Success is a double edged sword when viral popularity stresses fledgling infrastructure.
But diligent developers can overcome these early stumbles and achieve stability. Reliable connectivity will improve as:
- Additional servers deploy to underserved regions
- Load balancing spreads crowds evenly
- Network code undergoes optimization
- Day 1 bugs get squashed
- Traffic levels out post-launch rush
Stay positive and keep trying. Getting front row seats to an online game exploding in popularity is exciting despite the headaches. With patience and some connection tweaks, you’ll be dominating WW3’s battlefields in no time.
