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These Events Are Economic Suicide For Pgi


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#1 Spheroid

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 10:24 AM

In a course of a little over a week I have accumulated 1,120 additional MC. That is 89% the value of a lowest tier MC package(something PGI needs to sell to keep the servers running).

They don't just do this one a year. St. Patrick's, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are creating situations where people don't draw down MC at a rate greater than they earn it.

Now that monthly meckpacks are no longer thing it seems stupid to undercut your only remaining source of income by giving out substantial amounts the digital goods you need to sell.

Is this unintentional economic idiocy or is it some nefarious plan to convince Microsoft MechWarrior is more popular than it actually is, damaging the business model in the process in order to reup the license?

#2 Armored Yokai

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 10:58 AM

I recall reading that MWO is on maintenance mode and PGI says it no longer makes them the money to keep updating it.

#3 Spheroid

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 11:30 AM

View PostArmored Yokai, on 07 July 2019 - 10:58 AM, said:

I recall reading that MWO is on maintenance mode and PGI says it no longer makes them the money to keep updating it.

It doesn't matter if it is maintenance mode or not. Reducing income now and going forward accelerates the end of life date. When expenses > income the plug is pulled. Gifting MC comes at the detriment of MC for dollars.

Its dumb to assume that whales are a constant percentage of all players, that they are created at an equal rate late in a game's lifecycle or that they will continue to spend as they have in the past on a now discontinued avenue of spending (mechpacks).

#4 FupDup

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 11:31 AM

It's pretty clear that PGI's current game plan is to try to keep the active population at a healthy size even if it means reducing/removing incentives to buy MC.

#5 Spheroid

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 11:34 AM

@FupDup: Do you think that MWO player count is a consideration for license renewal or that sales of MW5 is the determining factor?

#6 FupDup

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 11:35 AM

View PostSpheroid, on 07 July 2019 - 11:34 AM, said:

@FupDup: Do you think that MWO player count is a consideration for license renewal or that sales of MW5 is the determining factor?

I'm not the one making these event reward decisions. I'm just explaining that PGI for whatever reason is prioritizing player base size over revenue generation.

Edited by FupDup, 07 July 2019 - 11:36 AM.


#7 Nightbird

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 11:42 AM

It's economic suicide to not have these events, since the summer usually reduces pop by a huge amount and could lead to a death spiral if not blunted. Try harder

#8 Spheroid

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 11:50 AM

View PostNightbird, on 07 July 2019 - 11:42 AM, said:

It's economic suicide to not have these events, since the summer usually reduces pop by a huge amount and could lead to a death spiral if not blunted. Try harder


You care about QP? I don't. Its full of free loaders. You assert that higher population prolongs life through increased sales. What is your evidence? Don't attack my premise without offering a more attractive one.

#9 Nightbird

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 11:56 AM

View PostSpheroid, on 07 July 2019 - 11:50 AM, said:

You care about QP? I don't. Its full of free loaders. You assert that higher population prolongs life through increased sales. What is your evidence? Don't attack my premise without offering a more attractive one.


Lower pop = longer queues = paying customers have to wait longer

Way to demonstrate your economics knowledge is as good as your tactics

#10 Curccu

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 12:16 PM

Well PGI has always given loads of MC for free...
Comp league rewards, MWOWC and events combined I have gained over 100k MC with just playing the game.

#11 Nightbird

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 12:22 PM

View PostCurccu, on 07 July 2019 - 12:16 PM, said:

Well PGI has always given loads of MC for free...
Comp league rewards, MWOWC and events combined I have gained over 100k MC with just playing the game.


Comp I can agree was economic suicide for PGI, comp players easily earned enough MC and mech packs to not need to spend any money, the viewership/participation rate was extremely low, and unlike regular events, normal customers didn't benefit from the prizes nor faster queues. All the effort spent on comp could have been used to implement all sorts of maps, modes, and even new tech/time skips, which have been proven to boost pop.

#12 WrathOfDeadguy

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 12:22 PM

Players who get lots of free MC might not pay additional money into the game.

Players who don't play definitely aren't paying money into the game.

MC does not cost PGI anything extra to offer, since it is an imaginary currency with a completely arbitrary and non-refundable real-world value. If it works as bait to get people back and playing, though, some of them might be tempted by other stuff on offer which can't be had with MC (Hey, what's this event with free MC- oh look, a Mechpack sale! What a coincidence!) or even more MC to buy items which they've won almost but not quite enough to purchase.

#13 Prototelis

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 02:10 PM

They are very careful to only give you almost enough MC for premium content in order to spur people into buying MC.

#14 Burning2nd

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 02:37 PM

THEY HAVE given me at least 10,000 this year

i agree with the title...

but its because they have something else up there sleeve

#15 Sabertooth1966

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 03:56 PM

I personally think this event was done pretty smart. They did a grab bag that got you a lot of goodies. Then put cockpit items on sale and MC. They also put mech packs on sale, along with in game currency items like engines. I baught some MC to boost what I had won in the grab bags, also got a few of the cheaper cockpit items while they were on sale. I also baught a basic level mech pack for a chassis I was eyeing while they were on sale. It took 2 hours to get the mech pack injected so I am guessing a lot of others baught some right after they went on sale too.

#16 Polecat

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 06:13 PM

"I already got a little for free, but I really want X...now's a good time to top it off."

There is a psychology to it. A taste of free stuff can (and often does) lead to increase in sales.

#17 FRAGTAST1C

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 06:14 PM

I bought the K9, Grinner, Shaard and Purifier from the Dropship sale (which was $30, I think). From the Loot Bag event, I received 5,675,000 CBills, 12 Cockpit Items, 23 Consumables, 9,100 GXP,
870 MC and 13 Days of Premium Time (on top of 65'odd days that I already had). This is a fair deal. You can tally up your rewards from the Loot Bag here...https://mwomercs.com...ot-bag-rewards/

We've had this discussion already. Giving away stuff entices people to keep playing. Some of them, like me, will spend money on the game. Those who think they're more important than others won't have to spend a lot of time waiting to get a game.

As for the actual mech packs, I don't buy them all 'cause I figured it out that PGI don't want us to have fun. Just take a look at the Warhammer IIC. If you thought that after trying out the Bludgeon (which is slightly decent only 'cause I'm running quad ERPPC on it), I'd spend money on that mech pack. Hell no! But I'll buy other things. So, PGI giving away generously during events will only help to retain my interest and I'll keep spending 20-30 bucks a month on MWO.

#18 crazytimes

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 06:26 PM

Economy is worth nothing if the servers are empty. The events are to keep people playing on the short term. I am glad they are doing something. It was hard to get a match last year, that has improved in my experience.

Enjoy it while it lasts.


#19 JediPanther

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 06:41 PM

I don't care why they are doing it because I like the fact that it is working to keep the game alive. I've done roughly 120 matches in the past week. I've also spent mc on things,browsed both the in-game store and web store and as noted above had just enough mc to want to and look into buying mc to get a new mech using mc.

I have enough gxp and c-bills from hording, playing constantly over a six year time span and playing hero mechs that I could buy any,ANY, c-bill mech and master it with the skill tree should I wish. I've also been using premium time that was banked. you can't buy banked pt or make any amount of pt banked now.

Pgi needs to get wise on the events causing mwo burn out quickly and find new-er and/or better ways to get people to play,stay and possible buy other than constant events however. As much as I love the instant action and fun of qp in mechs I do get to the point where i simply want to do some thing else for a while then come back to mwo.

#20 Xeno Phalcon

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Posted 07 July 2019 - 07:27 PM

Its less about economics and more about population management, essentially video game CPR trying to keep it alive when it stopped functioning naturally.

Or maybe they are just like, screw it - lets let the ones that are still here have some fun?





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