AtD45 Answer from PGI: We are acutely aware of the #saveMWO group. As with all feedback/suggestions, whether it be from groups or individuals, we weigh them all equally and work through the pros and cons of the suggestions. We cannot move forward with all suggestions made and we have to keep in mind
our original goals of the game…
bringing the IP back to life and making the game fun for as many people as possible, not just
the core group (which is who the majority of #saveMWO is). While we do actively listen to our core group (and as mentioned, we cannot follow up with every suggestion made), who we do value greatly, we have to keep in mind
what is best for MWO in the long term, and that is
attracting as many new players as possible.
So... This says to me that they are not making a mechwarrior game that appeals to fans of the IP, but are making a video game with a mechwarrior skin on it. I think most players feel that their two stated goals are somewhat mutually exclusive at this point in development. I believe that most publishers felt the same way when they were shopping it around for financing, but then again, they probably weren't expecting the core fans to be willing to shell out ten times the cost of an ordinary AAA title.
I was under the mistaken impression that a solid Mechwarrior sim was what they were making and they would make it so good that people couldn't ignore it, thus attracting new players; I thought I was who they were marketing to. They are actually going for the mass market, wanting to use high player turnover for profitability versus repeat customers.
It feels like they want to make the video game equivalent of a $5 pizza buffet-style restaurant where the faster you turn over tables the more money you make instead of a fine-dining establishment where you take your time with each table and make large profits from over-priced alcohol sales. I feel that they are asking me to pay fine-dining prices for some $5 pizza just because they are the only place in town that calls themselves "fine-dining".
What PGI is doing is like marketing rap music to white kids in the suburbs... they may be the ones who are your largest consumers but they aren't who you market to; you market to your core audience of young, inner-city trend-setters. When the core group says it's cool,
then everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.
This loss of market focus is stated as one of their two main goals for this game... that says all I need to know. It says that whatever the core group does, they don't care because you were only the market to get the initial financing for this game. Now that financing is secured they can proceed to make a mass market game with your monies.
Edited by Duncan Longwood, 23 August 2013 - 10:49 PM.