49 replies to this topic

[Cion]

Wait wut? <-- if this is your reaction let me explain

There are several factors that point to a companies profitability. Here is a basic rundown of "good signs" for PGI.

1- Russ has stated on Twitter, that the player count has reached new highs, twice in the last month.
2- We've seen resurgence of Unseen mechs as iconic as the Warhammer. Imagine how many sales that had.
3- Steam has helped bring in new players. Keep in mind that all MC sales, hero mech sales, colors, etc do not suffer from 30% Steam tax.
4- Russ is hiring. These are confirmed new positions, not replacements.
5- Steam graphs show anywhere between 1000-4000 players logged in at anytime.
6- The average price for a new mech has gone way up with the new price model:
Old method
$20 per mech with special variant OR 35 "a la carte"
New method
$40 per mech with special variant (or a la carte, its the same)
7- Several minor factors, like returning players, new streamers, positive reviews, etc.

but most importantly
The exchange rate for US Dollars to CAD Dollars

Remember all sales of MWO are in US Dollars. The great mayority of expenses are in CAD Dollars. The main expenses of a business are 1-Salaries, 2-Rent.

For those that do not know: a year and a half ago, Jul 2014, the exchange rate was at 1.06. Meaning, for every 1 US dollar PGI received 1.06 CAD Dollars.
Now the exchange rate is at 1.41, meaning that for every 1 US Dollar in sales, PGI receives 1.41 CAD Dollars.

So for doing absolutely nothing PGI's revenue has increased 33%. Couple that up with things they have done like the Warhammer, new pricing model, etc. and it's safe to assume that PGI has more cash than ever before.

What would you like PGI to spend all that money on?
psst, dont go on a crazy spending spree, save some for a rainy day.

edit:clarify last paragraph

Edited by Cion, 26 January 2016 - 11:44 AM.

[Dread Render]

PGI is like a rich spoiled kid... they just want more and more money for less and less work.

[Revorn]

Well they doning fine in the last Time (better Balance, cool Maps, Great new Mechs) so nice that they get payed well. imho

Good Work deserves good Money..

Edited by Revorn, 26 January 2016 - 11:08 AM.

[HamAndRye]

[C I L L I P U D D I]

This is post is so dumb. Just another bash PGI because I think I'm owed something post.

[Davegt27]

Russ said in one town hall that they need $70K a month so no I dont think they are doing that great

[KHETTI]

I'm happy for PGI to have a healthy income/bank balance, as long as an appropriate amount is channeled back into development.
As for saying PGI did nothing to earn it, that's nonsense, but they will have to up their game in 2016, lets hope they do.

[Dread Render]

Cillipuddi, on 26 January 2016 - 11:27 AM, said:

This is post is so dumb. Just another bash PGI because I think I'm owed something post.

Wrong... I have spent more on this game than every other game I have ever played...
Yes that was my decision and all on me, but damn, I think we deserve better than these cheap money grabbing new Mech sales.
Where is the new content ? All the stuff we want like Solaris 7 and many other things people have been asking for?

[Cion]

Cillipuddi, on 26 January 2016 - 11:27 AM, said:

This is post is so dumb. Just another bash PGI because I think I'm owed something post.

what dude? no, just making and observation. Yes I'm against whiny kid posts, but you have got to differentiate them from people trying to have a real conversation.

Davegt27, on 26 January 2016 - 11:32 AM, said:

Russ said in one town hall that they need $70K a month so no I dont think they are doing that great

Interesting, when did he say that? I follow him on Twitter often and have attended every town hall but for sure missed some tweets or got late to a town hall.

KHETTI, on 26 January 2016 - 11:33 AM, said:

As for saying PGI did nothing to earn it, that's nonsense, but they will have to up their game in 2016, lets hope they do.

That part was referring to the 33% increase in revenue solely due to the exchange rate. All other factors are their doing.

Edited by Cion, 26 January 2016 - 11:45 AM.

[C I L L I P U D D I]

@Cion I meant the original post. I should've been clearer, haven't finished my coffee yet.

@Render All the Solaris stuff is coming out in Phase 3. Most of the maps for 4v4 and 8v8 will be Solaris based. The February Patch is going to be one of the largest updates ever. I mean seriously man. They just came out with a new map, new mechs are dropping regularly, and most higher skilled players would say game balance is really good atm. Over the last year this game has improved 100 fold. It's not perfect, no game is. They're trying to hire multiple mech, map, and balancing devs currently as well. I think they're spending their money very wisely. I've spent hundreds of dollars on this game as well and only have one complaint, and that's about how salty this community is.

Edited by Cillipuddi, 26 January 2016 - 11:48 AM.

[Scout Derek]

Tinfoil hat theory is tinfoil, and unless you have reliable sources such as these new hired PGI employees or this:

Cion, on 26 January 2016 - 11:00 AM, said:

it's safe to assume that PGI has more cash than ever before.

What would you like PGI to spend all that money on?
psst, dont go on a crazy spending spree, save some for a rainy day.

Is still tinfoil hat theory, and should be treated as just.

So, facts please?

I wouldn't be asking if I felt this wasn't important or a just thread.

[MeiSooHaityu]

KosherBacon, on 26 January 2016 - 11:13 AM, said:

[DAYLEET]

Cion, on 26 January 2016 - 11:00 AM, said:

Wait wut? <-- if this is your reaction let me explain

There are several factors that point to a companies profitability. Here is a basic rundown of "good signs" for PGI.

1- Russ has stated on Twitter, that the player count has reached new highs, twice in the last month.
2- We've seen resurgence of Unseen mechs as iconic as the Warhammer. Imagine how many sales that had.
3- Steam has helped bring in new players. Keep in mind that all MC sales, hero mech sales, colors, etc do not suffer from 30% Steam tax.
4- Russ is hiring. These are confirmed new positions, not replacements.
5- Steam graphs show anywhere between 1000-4000 players logged in at anytime.
6- The average price for a new mech has gone way up with the new price model:
Old method
$20 per mech with special variant OR 35 "a la carte"
New method
$40 per mech with special variant (or a la carte, its the same)
7- Several minor factors, like returning players, new streamers, positive reviews, etc.

but most importantly
The exchange rate for US Dollars to CAD Dollars

Remember all sales of MWO are in US Dollars. The great mayority of expenses are in CAD Dollars. The main expenses of a business are 1-Salaries, 2-Rent.

For those that do not know: a year and a half ago, Jul 2014, the exchange rate was at 1.06. Meaning, for every 1 US dollar PGI received 1.06 CAD Dollars.
Now the exchange rate is at 1.41, meaning that for every 1 US Dollar in sales, PGI receives 1.41 CAD Dollars.

So for doing absolutely nothing PGI's revenue has increased 33%. Couple that up with things they have done like the Warhammer, new pricing model, etc. and it's safe to assume that PGI has more cash than ever before.

What would you like PGI to spend all that money on?
psst, dont go on a crazy spending spree, save some for a rainy day.

edit:clarify last paragraph

I was having a similar discourse last year when they implemented regional servers and other stuff and i posted about it too. It wasnt very long till the players base was so low and the waiting time so high that they had to remove game mode choice and replace it with voting. I guess we have another year with Steamers to see where the game will be and how it has evolved with that supposed influx of cash.

[lshtaria]

An increase in revenue streams is only a good thing. If PGI are seeing an increase in usable cash flow then well done to them and I hope it continues.

Never begrudge game developers a fair income for their work and moreover, always remember how costly it can be to not just keep an online multiplayer game up and running, but to move forward with its development.

Those of you who are workers will know that any kind of praise is good. Being constantly berated about your hard work can be soul destroying. I've been there and it's not nice.

I hope finances aren't something you have to constantly worry about PGI. Thank you for your work so far.

[Cion]

Scout Derek, on 26 January 2016 - 11:50 AM, said:

Tinfoil hat theory is tinfoil, and unless you have reliable sources such as these new hired PGI employees or this:



Is still tinfoil hat theory, and should be treated as just.

So, facts please?

I wouldn't be asking if I felt this wasn't important or a just thread.

Hi Scout.
PGI's job postings are on their website, I check regularly (several times a month) for fun. A few weeks ago Russ tweeted the job postings. I think someone even posted it here on the forums. Russ confirmed via Twitter they were new.
Sorry, dont have links ready for everything. Simple searches should be good though.

But, I do like the "show me the proof" approach, because people make up stuff all the time.
So in that light, take everything I said away and just assume no increase in sales or player numbers. Simple exchange rate variation give the 33% increase in revenue.

Milocinia, on 26 January 2016 - 11:55 AM, said:

An increase in revenue streams is only a good thing. If PGI are seeing an increase in usable cash flow then well done to them and I hope it continues.

Never begrudge game developers a fair income for their work and moreover, always remember how costly it can be to not just keep an online multiplayer game up and running, but to move forward with its development.

Those of you who are workers will know that any kind of praise is good. Being constantly berated about your hard work can be soul destroying. I've been there and it's not nice.

I hope finances aren't something you have to constantly worry about PGI. Thank you for your work so far.

Personally, I wish Russ becomes filthy rich.
1- hopefully that long term funds the development of the game
2- Russ took a huge risk in putting his business working on a new game for a decade old abandoned franchise. Whether he's done good or bad is anyone's opinion, but we have to admit it must have been quite the risk at the beginning.

[Sandpit]

Render, on 26 January 2016 - 11:04 AM, said:

PGI is like a rich spoiled kid... they just want more and more money for less and less work.

uhm that's every business, employee, and supervisor, and part-time worker being employed across the globe.

What exactly is your point? lol

[Rizzelbizzeg]

Here's some fun numbers:
4,173 Rizzelbizzeg 52

because I'm admittedly bad at the game, I played one terrible (pretty standard for me) match on my WHM-6R for the tournament. Yes, that's right, a score of 52 putting me in oh so glorious 4173rd place! Huzzah!

However what it does mean is that even if all these are just $20 packs, that's $83,460. Or $117,678 in loonies or whatever they call them in Canadia.

I played the Black Widow for considerably more games and got this:
1,528 Rizzelbizzeg 747

That's with multiple games so the number is likely much higher than only 1528 buys. Slam jam, tack another at least $30,560 (CAN $43,089) onto the pile!

For just the warhammer, they pulled in AT LEAST $114,020 (CAN $160,768). That should pay for 1 developer for a year.

Edited by Rizzelbizzeg, 26 January 2016 - 12:18 PM.

[Rizzelbizzeg]

Moar numbers!

I did equally as bad or even moreso on the IIC tourney! FYI I only bought the HBK and JR7.

JR7-IIC (pow bang EXPLODE!)
2,032 Rizzelbizzeg 34

HBK-IIC (whoa that's awful)
2,254 Rizzelbizzeg 24

My most impressive match ever (in bizarro world) with the HBK-IIC-A ROFL
1,913 Rizzelbizzeg 13

Humble anti-brags aside, lets math this at the minimum numbers again. Assume everyone that bought the HBK pack also got a Jenny so the Jenny numbers are already included in the HBK numbers.

$40 per Hunchpack * 2254 packs = $90,160 (CAN$ 127,125)

Add it to the pile!

Edited by Rizzelbizzeg, 26 January 2016 - 12:27 PM.

[Zolaz]

Rizzelbizzeg, on 26 January 2016 - 12:17 PM, said:

For just the warhammer, they pulled in AT LEAST $114,020 (CAN $160,768). That should pay for 1 developer for a year.

How much hookers and blow is that?

[mogs01gt]

Davegt27, on 26 January 2016 - 11:32 AM, said:

Russ said in one town hall that they need $70K a month so no I dont think they are doing that great

Assuming 2500 on average for Steam players and another 2500 for non-Steam, that is 5000 players a day. So they need $14(9 Canadian) day from each player. That doesnt seem right.