Conal Orion
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Posted - 2009.11.20 02:26:00 -
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Fact, regarding about 95% of current MMOs: customer service/relations really don't exist, despite fan convention seminars and testimonials otherwise.
Threats to suspend accounts and quit playing are generally disregarded, because all players are presumed to be hopeless, drooling addicts, who will never quit their current time and money investment. The only ones you really want to care about are new blood, because if you have enough new players replacing the ones that quit, you maintain enough market share, without having to provide any customer satisfaction-- spend the money on advertising, instead. Moreover, to new players, all your old content seems new and shiny.
Even if owners believe that some may quit, they generally presume that it will be a minority and that they'll still replace them, or make enough money.
Underestimating player discontent killed Warhammer Online recently.
If the playerbase actually does tough up, and enough quit to make the owners wake up, it may be too late for the game unless people are poised to re-up, and the owners know it.
Finally: not listening to players does have a reason behind it. Many players do not truly care about game balance (or even understand it), they just want more benefits for what they want to play. Therefore, management reasons, bowing to player pressure will ultimately kill the game anyway.
Obviously, going too far in either direction-- kowtowing to players or disregarding them-- is an error.
That said, there are veteran players here that CCP has, in the past, said that they listen to.
What it comes down to is this: if they don't listen, what will you do about it? If this is all emo-rage, with no follow up, then you simply prove that you have no clout. Empty threats don't accomplish very much. Spamming platitudes doesn't accomplish very much.
Are you actually prepared to suspend subs to make your point?
Ultimately, the paying consumer has only ONE tool when people stop listening to them. Stop paying. Never draw a line in the sand, unless you're willing to back it up.
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