Barbelo Valentinian
Gallente
The Scope
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Posted - 2011.08.16 22:15:00 -
[1]
Edited by: Barbelo Valentinian on 16/08/2011 22:18:15
 Originally by: Hwong Jian
I posted this in another thread. But, I feel that it is still relevant to discussions currently being held and so I wanted to toot my own horn and give it a bit more recognition.
Especially since it is a staggeringly ignored statistic.
Originally by: Hwong Jian
Part of the pro and anti arguments that is really bothering me is the "kids" and "parents' money" statements.
EVE has (had?) around 360k active accounts. The average age per EVE account is 31 years old.
I really don't think there's such an abundance of 16-18 year olds playing that they could exert any real influence over the trends in this game, one way or another.
It's not "mommy and daddy's credit cards" that pay for EVE. It's people that balance such wonderful complexities as a mortgage/rent, insurance, car payments, groceries, the expenses of being a parent and other debts along with their leisure time. With the average age of EVE players sitting at 31, it is reasonable for one to assume that more than half of EVE's playerbase has outgrown fiscal irresponsibility.
A majority of EVE players are probably fairly frugal with there real money. In-game currency, though, is an entirely different story.
But, please, **** off with your "mommy's credit card" sentiments. Those players are an even smaller percentage of EVE than the industry average of players who also participate on forums.
Seriously, **** off. Get a reasoned and reasonable argument, perception or stance.
Well, from an "anti" standpoint, I guess, the worry is that although, sure, the kids are a relatively unimportant now, if the game goes the way some fear it might (especially given "Fearless", the devblog responses and the leaked email), CCP are looking to replace 300k more-adult game population with - what 500k, 600k with a greater proportion of kids (with daddy's credit card).
That's the demographic lots of MMO makers seem to be hunting these days, and the worry is that CCP's making moon eyes at the same demographic.
The reason it's a worry is because it will mean the nature of EVE will inevitably have to change, if that's the target demographic - it will have to be more of a casual game, more instant fun, etc., etc., as most MMOs are these days. Gone would be the sandbox - or it might exist,but as a sort of legacy "reservation" within the game, with relatively little resources devoted to it (more resources being devoted to making the game short-term fun).
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