Planted Threads by Blizzard

[Raven]

They have people who reads forums, but if they want to know something they will just ask, wont bother to create fake or anonymous accounts to ask if players like a certain npc.

[T-34]

I find the concept of Blizzard having "data" on people's opinions actually quite amusing.

Mostly, because it suits the attitude of this company quite well.
"I know what you're thinking"
"No, seriously, I KNOW what you're thinking, i have the data!"

It is a well documented phenomenon that people often say one thing about a subject, but when you observe what they actually do then it doesn't fit with what they say.
So, Blizzard might have data that shows that "your" words and "your" actions in-game don't match. That doesn't mean that Blizzard makes the "right" decisions, but making decisions solely on written/oral customer feedback/forum words can also lead to wrong decisions.

[Tente]

Assuming you are right, that would mean they don't know what do to or sure about nothing in their game. scary

[Myokony]

Literally everyone: We hate Sylvanas and want to move on from her horrible excuse for a character arc

Blizzard: What's that? You want Sylvanas to be the center of attention for the next two expansions? I got you, fam!

Still prefer her than jaina sneaking into every expansion since like wotlk. So many characters exists in this universe, but here is jaina AGAIN.

[Kralljin]

It is a well documented phenomenon that people often say one thing about a subject, but when you observe what they actually do then it doesn't fit with what they say.

That's not the point.

The examples given in OP clearly focus on something that is highly subjective in nature, such as the fate of Sylvanas (or story in more general terms), i doubt that Blizzard has any reliable "data" on what the community actually wants to see happening to Sylvanas.

but making decisions solely on written/oral customer feedback/forum words can also lead to wrong decisions.

I never claimed they should, but whenever i read "they have the data" i can't help but to remind that video games and its enjoyment is very subjective and frankly, game design would be a lot easier if all you needed is a bunch of data analysts that tell how you to design the game.

You need good designers that look at something and employ their knowledge to judge whether something is actually reliable, that goes for both "data" and player feedback.

[Chriisto]

If we have learnt anything about Blizzard over the past few years it's that they couldn't care less what the player base thinks of their game.

[scelero]

If Blizzard pays for advertisements, why wouldn't promoting on a forum fall under that category?


You already see it with 'patch notes' and upcoming fix posts. Yes. Blizzard pays their staff to hype their product within the community. Hell they even created an event where people pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars to hear these promotions in person at a thing called Blizzcon.

Funny the first response to this was a tin foil hat remark. Every account is blizzard's account, per TOS. So the playbase pays blizzard a monthly fee to do it as well.

[Blackmist]

I think they do it on their own forums.

That conduit/spec change the other day felt like they coded the change, added a thread and replied to it to make it look like they were listening, because we've been asking for that shit since the start of Shadowlands.

[Xenonn]

blizzard dont care what players think, why would they go through the trouble of making threads on other sites?

[Lahis]

Good evening, everyone.

Over the last couple of years, I've been watching these forums and seen some "odd" topics come up now and again. Topics that are to spark both creativity, discussion and also conclusions.
Now, I've often been one for asking questions simply to incite discussion and whatnot, like: "If Sylvannas go bad, would you forgive her? What would take for you to forgive her?" - that was actually a thread posted a few years back.

So the reason why I am making this post is to incite thoughts and discussion:

Do you think Blizzard have either employees hanging out in fanbases to "take the temperature" regarding certain topics, incite discussions and otherwise gather data for "what if we write the lore this way?"? Do you think this is a good way to get in touch with their playerbase, or should they do more surveys?

Writing this, I realize I might sound like I have been hired or placed her by blizzard themselves (I am just a curious gamer is all ), but do you guys think that many of the threads out there are planted?

Your theory fails at the assumption that Blizzard listens to any kind of player feedback.

[Zka]

If anyone thinks 20-100 responders in a forum thread are anything but completely irrelevant for a game played by millions they are very much misguided.

They used to read (and sometimes even respond to) this forum. Not sure if they do it anymore and how they process the information. Could be useful to gauge general satisfaction or find problems.

[erifwodahs]

They probably have personal accounts for fanbases, but I would really doubt that they would come here of all places to take "temperature". While there definitely is good points and feedback given here, it is also oversaturated with contrarian/jaded/overinvested people.

[Beuargh]

If we're fighting among ourselves, then how can we hold ActiBlizz accountable?

just stop playing the game. vote with your wallet. you can say whatever and the opposite on forums, as long as you keep paying your sub, actiblizz don't give a shit.

[Yunru]

This is quite easy to check with the site owners. All they have to do is check the IP of where the post is coming from. If its coming from blizzard location, well you got them.

However there is a good chance that blizzard hired some firm to pretend that people here are usual posters and are gathering feedback this way. Companys do that.

As for people working at blizzard and maybe from home, they are probaly on this forum. But not for company gain, either for ideas for a game or they are protesting and just posting stuff on forum due to boredom. (they cant realy do it on their offical forums right now)
A site owner can probaly check the IP of those people and if its near the workplaces for blizzard, those posters can be found out easy. (most people have a home close to work at max of 100km away)

Realy no need for tinfoil hat. Maybe you should ask the Garfield guy if he still has a way to get into forum servers

[Doombringer]

I want to say that yes, sure, they could plant threads to get feedback in these forums...

But considering they can barely pay their QA people... does anyone on the community team have the time or inclination to do so?

Seems like they'd be tied up just taking in feedback from threads already created on these topics.

[Beefhammer]

Literally everyone: We hate Sylvanas and want to move on from her horrible excuse for a character arc

Blizzard: What's that? You want Sylvanas to be the center of attention for the next two expansions? I got you, fam!

Except literally everyone doesn't hate Sylvanas nor her arc.

But this is why they don't "plant" threads, especially here, to test the water.

- - - Updated - - -

I want to say that yes, sure, they could plant threads to get feedback in these forums...

But considering they can barely pay their QA people... does anyone on the community team have the time or inclination to do so?

Seems like they'd be tied up just taking in feedback from threads already created on these topics.

No one pays their QA anything, no excuse but this is pretty much industry standard.

[Soon-TM]

If we have learnt anything about Blizzard over the past few years it's that they couldn't care less what the player base thinks of their game.

More like they ship a broken/undercooked product, which lasts half of an xpac's lifetime. Then they cover the gaps with duct tape until the thing is more or less playable during the second half (and sometimes not even that, cf. WC3 Refunded).

More OT, Blizzard doesn’t need to "plant" or to "steer" any threads, in MMOC or elsewhere. They must have already a lot of hard data, and that's all they care about, even if they often seem to misrepresent it.

[Beefhammer]

Your theory fails at the assumption that Blizzard listens to any kind of player feedback.

Yet they do. Many just conflate not listening with didn't do what I personally suggested.

[Zuvio]

It used to be that expansions were thought up and planned out far far ahead. In that sense they can't poll a userbase on current events, because those events are already set in stone months / years prior.

However, is this still the case? Sure you need months to create the world in which you want to tell a story, but doesn't it feel like the story is made a lot more on the fly than before?

[kranur]

Given the fact that the forums were filled with "Just end this Sylvanas bullshit already" and at no point did they even hinted at removing her, as well as various other complains that get adjusted years later (if they do) I think it's safe to say that no one even reads the info here, let alone create threads for targetted feedback.