EU gets shafted - AGAIN!

GG. Yes they are "busy" thinking about GR and all that. Well Devs are, not so sure the marketing, server responsible etc (whoever is in charge) is that busy.
And... even if he/she was, it would be better with say a server list merge for NA/EU BEFORE GR disks are burned, packet and sold (aka going Gold) in the shelves in America.
Why?
Simple. Cause they would not longer need to make two versions of the updater, just one. Which would be compatible with ever updater that goes to the merged list.
And if GR was a success in NA, well they could just make more copies and sell more of that version... even in Europe.
Making it possible to sell the same item on two markets is far better then just selling it in one.
So just before GR is made and goes gold, it would be far more prudent and less time consuming to do an eventual Server list merge then After GR hits the shelves.

Wouldn't a 'GR' system developed and attuned for NA servers as well as EU servers further complicate the procedure of combining both editions of the game?

Fury

Yes, the informal chat with War Witch has been entertaining, but I think we're all still here for answers to the original questions. So, hopefully they weren't hoping that 'beads' would distract us, no matter how shiny. We'll see.

Hey everyone,

Now that I have got some more “official” information from our publishing/marketing teams in Europe, I figured I’d give you a quick update. I'll paraphrase as best I can.

This isn’t just from me (because you guys already know that I love you), but the EU community is very important to both Paragon Studios and NCsoft as a whole, and have always been passionate about making sure you have a great time in the game. Everyone involved is committed to making sure that you feel loved and appreciated, and I hope that starts to come across, especially as we ramp up marketing and PR for Going Rogue. In fact, I’ve been told that NCsoft is about to announce a number of distribution partners that will sell and promote Going Rogue in Europe, including offering the prepurchase program that kicked off earlier this month. You’re also about to start seeing a lot more coverage of Going Rogue on your favourite gaming websites, blogs, press outlets, and advertising as the expansion nears its launch date. (Ok, that sounded kind of marketing-ish, but it's pretty much verbatim what they said.)

Next up: the box. This is a big issue and I know some of you are pretty cheesed about it. So here is the information I got (which shouldn’t come as a surprise, really): because the game is online, and our consumers are predominantly online, it makes business sense to distribute online. Most MMO gamers in the EU are very net savvy and comfortable purchasing/downloading online. So NCsoft sells online because that is how more and more people are buying games, and we do get most of our new players from online distribution. There are boxes on the shelves in the U.S. because, from a distribution perspective, there is more demand here—a much lower percentage of people in the US have broadband compared to the EU. (I didn't know that part.) Plus online distribution and production is much less complicated in the US, with only a single language version and a handful of major retailers and distributors, versus three languages and dozens of distributors in Europe. So there are no plans for a box on shelves in EU, but you will see Going Rogue available soon in a variety of digital stores across Europe.

Before you scream at me, remember, this isn’t something I have any say in. I’m just the messenger, so don’t shoot me! (If it were up to me, however, I’d have a box. That’s just me. No I don’t have the pull to get one. No, I don’t understand all the financial/technical issues behind it. Yes I’m shooting my mouth off. But I did ask, and point out - several times - that it sure would be nice.) As someone who prefers a box, I get your frustration; although now that I think of it, I did just buy software digital-only, so I’m kind of a hypocrite.

Last topic: servers. Yes, the EU servers feel underpopulated at times, and that makes it harder to group. Last year we merged the forums to bring the EU and US communities together. There are, however, no plans to merge the servers, but we are looking at designing an in-game system that will help solve the problem. One of my big personal goals is bringing people together, and this will help with that agenda. (How's that for vague? What can I tell you, it's "in development.")

Anyway, I'm sure they're not all the answers you wanted to hear, but at least you have "an official word" now, which was the goal of the exercise. So that is progress.

War Witch

Thanks for the reply WW even though you know its not what we wanted to hear, but at least we got an official reply [with reasons too].

Quote:

Last topic: servers. Yes, the EU servers feel underpopulated at times, and that makes it harder to group. Last year we merged the forums to bring the EU and US communities together. There are, however, no plans to merge the servers, but we are looking at designing an in-game system that will help solve the problem. One of my big personal goals is bringing people together, and this will help with that agenda. (How's that for vague? What can I tell you, it's "in development.")

Interested in what this will turn out to be.

Again, thanks for taking the time to give an official statement [but be prepared for a few "meh"'s ].

Finally, did you tell them to advertise the EU version over here and not the NA one like they did last time?

Thank you very much War Witch for voicing our concerns to the powers that be and coming back here to give us the official word. As you've no doubt gathered, we're used to feeling a little bit forgotten about over here so for you to have taken the time to find out the current situation and bring us this news means a lot (to me at least).

I'm curious to see what emerges from the 'in development' box as after having devoured the information that's come out of PAX, I'm looking forward to the future of the game. Although some of the answers aren't what some of us would like to hear, getting those answers in the first place is a good thing. So thank you.

well at least we have an ''official word'' but i dont see whats holding a server merge back!? surely it would take time to move our 4 servers onto the US list but after they are merged everyone would be in the same boat? is there any reason that they point blank refuse to do it???

but thank you in kind for the heads up hope what ever your working on does in fact up our server numbers or GR and other issues are gonna be short lived this side of the pond

Yeay for War Witch.
Thanks for the update
Really curious on this new feature that you were vague about. I suspect some kind of linky with the US. Maybe not a server list merge (I can still hope) but something close. However I would not know or be able to guess what it would be...
But thank you War Witch. You've given reasons and answers. (If only the men/woman in black that you talked to could have talked abit this... earlier. By the way do they dress in black, are they men/woman or are they Nemesis automatons? ;D )
Yeay for War Witch.


@fatalnova. I think you mean Server LIST merge, NOT Server merge.
Server merge would mean two servers merged into one (and unhappy people). List merge would mean joint US and EU list (aka 15 servers).
I do believe it was Server LIST you meant to say, just wanted to be sure