A Business Focused View of NCSoft's Actions

If it doesn't pick up soon and continues the slide, would NCSoft cut off additional projects? Should Carbine Studios polishing their resumes?

What I am about to say is a personal plea, and is in no way as a representative of Paragon Studios or other NCsoft companies.

Please don't punish ArenaNet or the other NCsoft companies because of this closure. There are many talented, highly motivated people that have worked years to bring you fun games to play. I would ask that you judge these companies on the quality of their products, and not the actions of the owners.

Thank you.

Its not about punishing employees of various development studios: its about a lack of player willingness to commit to spending years creating and honing characters in an MMO owned by NCSoft - and indeed, the entire MMO industry - only to have the rug pulled out from under us again.

I have GW2. I have one character in it, currently a level FOUR. WhooO! Lev el 4. I cannot muster the enthusiam to really get into that game, because at the back of my mind I know as soon as I get fully engaged, NCSoft might decide to pull this s*** AGAIN. In fact I rarely log into that game, because the whole time I am there I am thinking about NCSoft and what they are doing to CoX. It ruins my enjoyment. My trust in them is basically destroyed.

I am afraid to become fully engaged with CO, thats an old game and they could pull the plug any time. Any ol' time. Bang. Goodbye.

I think the entire MMO industry needs to sit down and think about what they're doing. Because what they are doing with this "SHAZAAM!, KISS YOUR GAME GOODBYE FOR NO GOOD REASON, HAHAHAHA!" is.... turning off the very customers you should be wanting to court. People who do not trust you have little incentive to spend money on your products; these companies are killing the geese who lay their monetary golden eggs.

It seems many if not most businesses are run in a similarly bloodthirsty fashion, which perhaps is a small part of why the global economy is in the shape its in right now; but I digress. Frankly if I were someone working in the gaming industry, I'd trust no employer.

Think of it as less a punishment and more of incentive to work for someone that isn't the embodiment of all that is wrong with corporate culture. If they really want my money they can disassociate themselves from NCSoft.

(For the record, I hate both the player AND the game. No "hate the game not the player" cop out for me.)

[QUOTE=Bad_Influence;4415143]Its not about punishing employees of various development studios: its about a lack of player willingness to commit to spending years creating and honing characters in an MMO owned by NCSoft - and indeed, the entire MMO industry - only to have the rug pulled out from under us again.

I have GW2. I have one character in it, currently a level FOUR. WhooO! Lev el 4. I cannot muster the enthusiam to really get into that game, because at the back of my mind I know as soon as I get fully engaged, NCSoft might decide to pull this s*** AGAIN. In fact I rarely log into that game, because the whole time I am there I am thinking about NCSoft and what they are doing to CoX. It ruins my enjoyment. My trust in them is basically destroyed.

I am afraid to become fully engaged with CO, thats an old game and they could pull the plug any time. Any ol' time. Bang. Goodbye.

I think the entire MMO industry needs to sit down and think about what they're doing. Because what they are doing with this "SHAZAAM!, KISS YOUR GAME GOODBYE FOR NO GOOD REASON, HAHAHAHA!" is.... turning off the very customers you should be wanting to court. People who do not trust you have little incentive to spend money on your products; these companies are killing the geese who lay their monetary golden eggs.



100%

As I pointed out in one thread, somewhere, GW2 is only what, $60, once. I had spent at least $150 a year in this game for nearly 8 years. So even buying that game is still reducing the amount you give to NCSoft.

Thanks for your original post, Golden Girl. I think that article summarized things nicely.

At minimum, from reading this thread, I've now heard of civet coffee or Kopi Luwak http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

Not to mention that they openly lied to us in their last "official" announcement. I mean did they even have to explain to us that they we're looking for someone to sell the game to? They reason they told us they "exhausted all possibilities" was because of the PR hit that they took and they just wanted to make themselves look good. They have/had no intention ever of selling COH to anybody, but then to just come out and virtually LIE to us about wanting to sell it shows that this company has no ethics. I have no intention of doing business with them ever again.

Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.

One thing I will say is that the PR hit NCSoft has taken goes far beyond just the people that signed the petition or were playing the game at notice.

Many people will not actively go and get friends to sign petitions to save a video game, especially with such a small likelihood that 100,000 signatures would change NCSoft's position.

However, the number of gamers that know that NCSoft killed a viable game; especially in the strange illogical and non-transparency way that CoH has been killed, has left a stain on the entire gaming community.

All MMO's have been hurt because it slightly has eroded confidence in future IP might be sold to a company like NCSoft and they might close the game down without any significant forewarning.

NCSoft in particular has singled itself out as a company with a reputation among gamers that does not stand behind its titles. Especially a title that seemed like it was self sustaining and healthy like CoH.

There will always be doubts about any MMO that NCSoft puts out. And the CoH player base will be vocal in reminding future players to avoid NCSoft products.

I WILL HELP FUTURE GAMERS PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM NCSOFT PRODUCTS.

Revenues in North America were down over 60% from 2009 to 2011 and 30% in the the first half of 2012 when compared to the first half of 2011. Factoring out CoH and GW, those numbers representing Aion and L2 are even worse. How could any negative publicity from our game's and it's studio demise impact those numbers any more than they already are. Sure it could go to zero but right now there isn't a lot a difference between where they are now and zero. All it proves is as gamers, we don't like the MMO experience they are offering. They embraced Starcraft, why can't we embrace grindy MMOs that are heavy on PvP?

So they'll try again but heavy on the boobs and violence. After all we liked Mortal Combat and Dead or Alive fighting games.

Uhh no I won't be telling people to avoid NCSoft. MMOs close it is the nature of the beast. CoH had 8+ years which is a good run.

There were not 100,000 signatures to Save CoH - try... 21,088 as of today - NOT an impressive amount imo for such a "healthy" game.

CoH would have been more viable had Project X never happened. As it stands it was barely profitable due to the excessive staff.

My confidence in MMOs has not been eroded in the slightest. MMOs require players...they require profit that meets the demands of the publisher. If they can't do that then they will be closed. NCSoft gave a 90 day sunset which is more than a lot of MMOs that have closed can say.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talionis One thing I will say is that the PR hit NCSoft has taken goes far beyond just the people that signed the petition or were playing the game at notice. Many people will not actively go and get friends to sign petitions to save a video game, especially with such a small likelihood that 100,000 signatures would change NCSoft's position. However, the number of gamers that know that NCSoft killed a viable game; especially in the strange illogical and non-transparency way that CoH has been killed, has left a stain on the entire gaming community. All MMO's have been hurt because it slightly has eroded confidence in future IP might be sold to a company like NCSoft and they might close the game down without any significant forewarning. NCSoft in particular has singled itself out as a company with a reputation among gamers that does not stand behind its titles. Especially a title that seemed like it was self sustaining and healthy like CoH. There will always be doubts about any MMO that NCSoft puts out. And the CoH player base will be vocal in reminding future players to avoid NCSoft products. I WILL HELP FUTURE GAMERS PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM NCSOFT PRODUCTS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paladiamors I love you, I Burnt the Toast!

That's right, forgot the name was spelled funny for trademark purposes.