Are "Triple A" gaming companies liquidating their current audience?

[Shalaator]

We've EA, bethesda, Blizzard and several other [formally] great gaming companies do some pretty strange things these last couple of years. Many a variety of gaming youtubers, from calm serene Bellular, to the fiery and empassioned Accolonn, to the yolo down to earth Asmongold have all said the EXACT same thing in the past month (paraphrased):

The gaming industry is at war with gamers.

Controversies range from microtranactions, unfinished products upon release and immersion and community breaking elements (Content, Commitment and COmmunity are what makes an online multiplayer game succeed)... and, furthermore, doubling down on their poor choices after tidal waves of negative feedback.

However, it is not in any corporation's interest to lose money...thus, I have to assume that there is in fact a rather more ominous and damning explanation:

These companies will be investing their resources into MOBILE gaming, and have no intention of applying any more resources to PC (or console) gaming titles and released beyond what is needed to turn a minimal profit; and, since our audience is no longer valued for the long term as they are switching to mobile, they seek to liquidate us.

Evidence:
Bethesda absolutely decided to liquidate it's Fallout audience when their own lead falsely hyped the latest release to FOOL their no longer desired fanbase into buying it.

Blizzard decided to sell 1 year xp packs for HOTS only afew days before virtually pulling the plug on the franchise, therefore, before terminating HOTS (and yes I'm aware that the game is actually in "maintenance" mode), Blizzard decided to liquidate their customer base for whatever else they could get.

These are the only two examples, nor are these the only companies/corporations/studios to pull these moves in the past couple of years, I'm sure many of you can think of similar examples.


Now, all that being said, if it was simply a particular and failing gaming IP that a company decided to liquidate...lol...

However, HOTS was not failing, or, at the very least the FALLOUT IP WAS NOT FAILING AT ALL.

Thus, for bethesda to liquidate a successful IP implies that bethesda actually has no intention of continuing in the PC gaming industry beyond Elder Scrolls 6.

Couple this with the fact that the recently fired Blizzard CFO made 9 million dollars in a single year...money that could have been invested in the development of BFA or revamping hOTS (also proving that they don't need any transactions to keep WoW alive and produce content).

I think some very dark times are ahead of us. CDprojekt REd and CCP (EvE Online) will remain (and other honorable studios) and continue producing top notch products like the Witcher 3, but I do not think that Blizzard, bethesda, EA, Activsion, etc, have any intention of remaining in the PC business for much longer.

Expect to see "lifetime subscriptions for World of Warcraft, $500" and then they liquidate the franchise and terminate the servers with the a flick of a switch with no forewarning or apologies afterwards.

[MrPaladinGuy]

This was inevitable.

What I'd be worried about is kids literally being taught to gamble.

[porthworl]

We've EA, bethesda, Blizzard and several other [formally] great gaming companies do some pretty strange things these last couple of years. Many a variety of gaming youtubers, from calm serene Bellular, to the fiery and empassioned Accolonn, to the yolo down to earth Asmongold have all said the EXACT same thing in the past month (paraphrased):

Corporations are greedy shock. Btw Youtubers are greedy also and make negative videos to make money.

I never thought Activision Blizzard were my friend and I don't need fucking asmongold and his stupid hairless toothless idiot grin to tell me that.

[McFuu]

We've EA, bethesda, Blizzard and several other [formally] great gaming companies do some pretty strange things these last couple of years. Many a variety of gaming youtubers, from calm serene Bellular, to the fiery and empassioned Accolonn, to the yolo down to earth Asmongold have all said the EXACT same thing in the past month (paraphrased):

The gaming industry is at war with gamers.

Controversies range from microtranactions, unfinished products upon release and immersion and community breaking elements (Content, Commitment and COmmunity are what makes an online multiplayer game succeed)... and, furthermore, doubling down on their poor choices after tidal waves of negative feedback.

However, it is not in any corporation's interest to lose money...thus, I have to assume that there is in fact a rather more ominous and damning explanation:

These companies will be investing their resources into MOBILE gaming, and have no intention of applying any more resources to PC (or console) gaming titles and released beyond what is needed to turn a minimal profit; and, since our audience is no longer valued for the long term as they are switching to mobile, they seek to liquidate us.

Evidence:
Bethesda absolutely decided to liquidate it's Fallout audience when their own lead falsely hyped the latest release to FOOL their no longer desired fanbase into buying it.

Blizzard decided to sell 1 year xp packs for HOTS only afew days before virtually pulling the plug on the franchise, therefore, before terminating HOTS (and yes I'm aware that the game is actually in "maintenance" mode), Blizzard decided to liquidate their customer base for whatever else they could get.

These are the only two examples, nor are these the only companies/corporations/studios to pull these moves in the past couple of years, I'm sure many of you can think of similar examples.


Now, all that being said, if it was simply a particular and failing gaming IP that a company decided to liquidate...lol...

However, HOTS was not failing, or, at the very least the FALLOUT IP WAS NOT FAILING AT ALL.

Thus, for bethesda to liquidate a successful IP implies that bethesda actually has no intention of continuing in the PC gaming industry beyond Elder Scrolls 6.

Couple this with the fact that the recently fired Blizzard CFO made 9 million dollars in a single year...money that could have been invested in the development of BFA or revamping hOTS (also proving that they don't need any transactions to keep WoW alive and produce content).

I think some very dark times are ahead of us. CDprojekt REd and CCP (EvE Online) will remain (and other honorable studios) and continue producing top notch products like the Witcher 3, but I do not think that Blizzard, bethesda, EA, Activsion, etc, have any intention of remaining in the PC business for much longer.

Expect to see "lifetime subscriptions for World of Warcraft, $500" and then they liquidate the franchise and terminate the servers with the a flick of a switch with no forewarning or apologies afterwards.

I can't get past the first 2 words of this post.

Quick edit: I'm not saying you are incorrect in your usage of a contraction grammatically, it's just.... well look at it.

[NED funded]

Blizzard has always done the 1 year package for hots.

And a lot of the bads of bfa is that the systems dont work, Maybe its because "they are in a war with gamers" as you say, but its hard to say.

[sarahtasher]

Okay, so after bursting in laughter, I want to be sure I understood correctly : people generally very right wing are complaining that stock-traded videogames companies are trying to make money ? For real ?

What, IYO, is p-r-o-f-i-t-a-b-l-e between

A) a game that can cost hundred of millions of dollars, that need to sell 5-6 millions to be remotely profitable (hint : extremely hard in 2018, with 20, 30 such games per year) and that will be decried if it's the same game as the previous year and decried if they change the formula ?
B) Hearthstone style game ?

If it's no longer profitable to make a COD because the big gamers are not numerous enough to make it worth it, or, even worse, bored of it, what do you want companies to do ? When the arcade died, arcade-making companies moved to consoles or PC, or died. Gameboy-style handheld is virtually dead : do you cry about it or adapt ?

[Spectral]

Couple this with the fact that the recently fired Blizzard CFO made 9 million dollars in a single year...money that could have been invested in the development of BFA or revamping hOTS (also proving that they don't need any transactions to keep WoW alive and produce content).

They're a $7 billion/year company. I don't think C-suite pay in that range is particularly striking and it certainly isn't suggestive of a massive selloff.

I don't like the MBA-ization of much of anything, but it's not a surprising development for huge corporations.

[Deja Thoris]

I can't get past the first 2 words of this post.

Contribute to the topic or gtfo. Yes, I realise the irony in my post but what the fuck possesses you just to come in here and type that shit?

[Checkt]

Blizzard has always done the 1 year package for hots.

And a lot of the bads of bfa is that the systems dont work, Maybe its because "they are in a war with gamers" as you say, but its hard to say.

spend and hour on this forum and tell me you can blame blizzard for wanting to clear out the current player base....

[Miyagie]

Hots was never big and a failure if blizz thought it could beat dota or lol.
Fallout 76 was never for the core player from Fallout 1-4, it was a online Battleroyal style game to get a slice of that cake.
Every true RPG Fallout player saw from a mile that 76 was not for them.

Did you saw the lineup for the 2019 Games ?
We get so many good games this year but hey, its trendy to bitch about everything.
So get ready for angry videos about Resident Evil 2 is to whitewashed and Doom Eternal is to political.
Btw. Rage 2 looks very unfinished so get ready for another Bethesda outrage...

[P for Pancetta]

Perhaps the stockholders behind these companies are trying to make as much money as fast as possible disregarding any negative consequences this could bring to the companies future because they've realized that with the inevitable changes brought fort by climate change in the upcoming 10 to 15 years the companies they hold stock in would become worthless. And as their money becomes equally worthless by that time it's imperative for them to create for themselves a sustainable place of luxury where the effects of this climate change are minimal compared to other places on this planet.

[X Files theme fades out]

[Shalaator]

Okay, so after bursting in laughter, I want to be sure I understood correctly : people generally very right wing are complaining that stock-traded videogames companies are trying to make money ? For real ?

Right wingers, like myself, do not endorse deriving revenue from the exploitation of child gambling (stealing their parents debit cards while they're at it) any more than we endorse selling heroin as a legitimate source of revenue.

The above instances are not in a vaccuum, they are clearly demonstrative of abusive actions.

Image a contractor came to fix your plumbing; he took all your money up front and then did a half assed job, and then slowly fixed the problems (if over) over the next several months. That's what's happening today.

The video games I've purchased in order are (over my lifetime)

Warcraft 1, Orc and Humans
Warcraft 2 (playstation 1 version)
Starcraft 1
Warcraft 3
WoW
Starcraft 2
Witcher 1
Witcher 2
Witcher 3
WoW subscription still active as of 2019 (I still enjoy WoW, most dont, my only problem with WoW (as of patch 8.1) is that apothesis triggers the GCD on my Hpriest.)

The end (napoleon total war is in there, forget the date though).

CDProjR delivers a complete and finished product, as advertised.

The argument raging across the internetz isn't about whether or not a company should make money, but rather, should they be penalized under penalty of law for selling fake/false/broken/deceptive products and then refusing to refund the customer. In any other industry this would be called...THEFT by PENALTY OF LAW; Fallout is the best example to date.

[Immitis]

I dont think gaming companies are at war with gamers, i think gaming is becoming mainstream, more and more normal and commonplace with each passing year.

and with that comes a much different landscape of buyers, growing pains, entirely different demographics.

"gamers" are going to likely soon be the niche in the landscape of people who game, if they arent already. hobbyists etc.

there will still be companies that cater to us, just like people make ferarris.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

As mainstream as video games become, well more opportunities came up for greed. A little bit of complancy(From consumers) a little bit of not the greatest journalism about said games and probably more factors. That said, Shareholders shouldn't be really catered to, they don't really comprehend games like we do.

[I Push Buttons]

I am hoping China, with their huge resurgence of nationalism and bashing the west of late, bans western games in the coming years to really dick all these companies.

[szechuan]

Right wingers, like myself, do not endorse deriving revenue from the exploitation of child gambling (stealing their parents debit cards while they're at it) any more than we endorse selling heroin as a legitimate source of revenue.

Popular Youtubers definitely are still endorsing exploitative shady gambling websites similar to CSgo gambling.

Allegedly people have suggested some youtubers got around 100k for Promoting this website.

[Super Kami Dende]

Hots was never big and a failure if blizz thought it could beat dota or lol.
Fallout 76 was never for the core player from Fallout 1-4, it was a online Battleroyal style game to get a slice of that cake.
Every true RPG Fallout player saw from a mile that 76 was not for them..

Wut. 76 isn't anywhere close to a Battle Royale style game. it is a Survival Game..

[Seramore]

What I'd be worried about is kids literally being taught to gamble.

I too blindly echo things I watch on the internet

[MrPaladinGuy]

I too blindly echo things I watch on the internet

Speak for yourself

[nymphetsss]

Mobile games make more money for less money and effort. Not the greatest example but I've spent more money on league of legends that I have on WOW. My friends father (he's 70) spends 100$a month on coins for the tap tap tap game he plays. Im sure it costs 1/100th of what Red dead 2 was to make, Im gonna spend 80-140$? on a triple a title (if i but the season pass) while this one old guy spends 1200$ a year on a stupid tap game?

capitalism