Wintersdark, on 26 June 2016 - 06:14 PM, said:
I dunno. Maybe they're in a good midpoint? It's all guesswork till it happens.
I know personally I can't give up more mechsimishness myself. Any direction other than more battletech would mean I'd likely stop playing entirely. I imagine the same applies to many.
Note that I agree, and a more focused direction would probably be a better game, but it may not be a more commercially successful one.
In sports, there is a mindest: "
Playing not to lose". What that usually means is being overcautious, taking no risks, etc.
In the short term, it works OK, if you have the talent to actually avoid losing. In the long term, you never actually win. And after a while the fanbase get's tired of holding around .500 and changes happen, franchise get blown up.
The same mindsets pervade in business. There are times, you play not to lose while you patch up weak areas, address concerns, etc. But eventually if you don't grow a pair, and play to win? It's all for naught anyhow, as people get tired of your product circling around in mediocrity (at best).
Retail is a buyers market, not a sellers. Very few game companies have the cachet to consistently offer middling product and survive. (Wow being a good example of what massive marketing budgets can let you keep afloat, something MWO and PGI don't have). There are simply too many alternative offerings. Yes with an IP like Battletech/Mechwarrior if buys you a little more immunity, because other stompy robot games aren't part of said IP. But dilute it far enough, leave it mediocre long enough, and even the most rabid fans of the IP get burned out and go elsewhere.
Do you know of any fans of Battletech more frothing than myself, Sturm Wealh or Koniving? I am willing to bet if one was to look at their play logs, they would resemble mine, with a decline showing around mid 2013 in play time, a slight bump around mid 2014, that has turned into an every steepening dive ever since mid 2014. When people like myself are barely interested enough to log in any more.... that tells me they are surviving on the few hardcore Comps that are left (and trust me those teams are not what they were in quantity, and possibly quality, compared to 1 year ago, let alone 2) and casuals.
Niche games don't survive long on casual support, especially mediocre niche games. There are too many other options for entertainment.
So yes, PGI can keep chasing it's tail, playing not to lose as it were... and it will slow down the eventual demise of the IP. But unless they cowboy up and take a chance, they will never "win", and it will still die. Yes, if they make the wrong choice (and it would have to be a pretty categorically bad one, to actuall crash and burn utterly with this fanbase... we played MW4 for a decade despite all it's massive flaws) they will die a bit quicker. But they more likely to rejuvenate the franchise, the fanbase and be surprised by the outcome.
People tend to respect strong decisions and confidence, even if they don't always agree with the initial idea. People have no trust in indecision and bravado (which is what Russ's "we know better" spiel came across as), nor should they. Even skeptics will usually fall in line when they see RESULTS, simply because it is progress.
Going all in on Esports, I think is ultimately limiting, but at the same time at least is SOMETHING, and I do believe MWO would have some success, though small market. Going all in on a SimLite, likewise would lead to more success, and even bring back a LOT of the departed Whales and Founders. Either will breed some discord and discontent, and lose you a some players possibly. But even for all the bluster (no CoF!) etc,? Most would stay. And those that do stay would have more confidence in the product, and thus, spend more. That's basic economics. Developer Confidence (no arrogance and bravado) and Direction breed Consumer confidence, which in turns opens up wallets.
A good plan NOW, is better than maybe finding the perfect plan tomorrow.... and a whole lot better than having NO PLAN today or tomorrow.
Edited by Bishop Steiner, 27 June 2016 - 02:04 PM.