Serene Repose
Caldari
Perkone
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Posted - 2011.06.24 05:59:00 -
[1]
Edited by: Serene Repose on 24/06/2011 06:03:59
Allow me for a moment to talk around the PR weenie. I was once a PR weenie for a very large military organization, so I know how significant that is in the overall scheme of things. And, folks, the fact that that's who's here speaking should speak volumes to you about where you really are on the list of priorities with CCP.
It is unreasonable and short-sighted to believe CCP is untouched by the present economic condition which permeates the globe. Most corporate pros realize there has been a sea change in the fundamental underpinnings of the world economy which shakes to the foundations all national economies...regional...local...and, quite frankly, most businesses are sucking wind trying to figure out how to reshape their business models to keep from going under in the ensuing transformation, the nature of which in the end is only a matter of speculation. "Bottom line" nobody is beyond the terror that they may not be in business tomorrow.
Therefore, it's only wise to understand CCP is subject to and has to respond to the same forces. If you've got your MMO antenna out you know they're not the only ones radically changing a game that's more than four years old, with a once-loyal customer base now jumping ship in droves. Also, it's wise to realize as these older players leave they are being replaced by newer players who never knew what the game was like before, and won't miss it, who are also willing to take it as it comes and pay whatever is required.
We've all by now heard the term "micro-transaction," and those in the know should also be painfully aware this is the basis for the new business model for MMOs. Like it or not, it's what they're going to attempt in some form or another. Maybe it's true CCP's first foray into this was a bit on the clumsy side, and has a lot of work left to do. Yet, it's foolhardy to believe they will back away from this. As far as the majority of CEOs dealing with MMOs can see it's either micro-transactions or raise the subscription rate to bring in the revenue to keep the boat afloat.
What this does is turn the devs' marching orders from creating a game, in the classic sense of a game, to making a game based on a business model. In the end they may find you can't do both. You can do one or the other. Whatever case that may be, as players you'll be wise to reconcile to the fact that from here on in all computer games of this sort will be based on this model until it proves itself as a failure, and another idea has to be dreamed up. Unfortunately, judging by today's economic climate, there won't be very many of these businesses left afloat to make another attempt in a different direction. It's just not cost effective given today's (and the foreseeable future's) circumstance.
It's sad to see it happen, and I don't want to rush to judgement to say we're watching the end of an era, but to paraphrase Bob Dylan, you really don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
A PR person, by the way, is professionally constrained to not tell you this is actually what's happening. A PR weenie's job is to keep telling you it's going to be alright, then when the door blows in, tell you what a BIG surprise it was!
(edited for a spelling correction)
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