We all do. We all want more content. But that isn't happening and feasible right now. So DBG is going to do what they have to do, within their means and ways, to drag out content for 12 months and not 3. We want content. They want money. We aren't getting enough content. They aren't getting enough money.
Hogwash. Everquest was THE most profitable game in their entire portfolio until the most recent quarter when it was relegated to second-place. They are getting enough money, the issue is where it goes.
In regards to not enough money, I think they need to be careful how these expansions are structured with scraps for non-raiders. Expansion sales start dropping, which weights revenue towards TLPs. Combined with an EQx or EQ3 on the horizon and the C-suites are going to question why waste dev time for smaller returns on Live.
Businesses want money. People want money. And when businesses and money get money, guess what? They want more money. A business makes 10 million profit. Guess what? They would like to have 15 million profit. And when they get 15, they want 20 million. So yes, I stand by my comment. People, businesses, no one is ever satisfied with how much money they have. They always want more.
They don't make enough content to drag out for 12 months. It's why hundreds, if not thousands, of "live" players go to TLPs during the slow months. You start annoying people with minimum content, they'll go there forever and not bother buying these micro expansions. Revenue tanks, game development tanks, game tanks
Your attempt at "teaching Granny to suck eggs" above does not "stand by your comment" because your prior comment did not say DBG wanted more money, it said : I hope you are educated enough to know what the difference between an infinite more & a finite enough is? Maybe next time you are feeling condescending you should read your own post first. I responded to what you actually said, not what you may, possibly, might, perhaps, potentially have been thinking at the time that you wrote it, or retroactively started thinking after it was responded to, because I don't read minds. And look, here is also another poster who read what you actually said, not what you may, possibly, might, perhaps, potentially have been thinking: So it isn't just me. (good post btw KushallaFV). I think we can all agree they get enough money no matter how much more money they would like. It isn't about EQ not being profitable, it is, that's an undeniable fact, as always with EQ it is about how much of what EQ makes is used on EQ and not "other stuff" you know, the conversation that one studio head (Holly Langdale in an interview with Fading on his "The EverQuest Show" & in interviews / AMA prior to that) and multiple prior developers have been speaking of for the past 2 decades.
Big Blue Bubble's: My Singing Monsters Summary commentary • MSM was once again the key driver for Game Segment’s performance • BBB contributed 39% of Net Revenue and 67% of Adjusted EBITDA for Game Segment • Our biggest title now and looks to stay that way
I don't think its a money issue, I think it is a staff issue. Everytime EQ loses a member of staff it takes time to bring new staff members up to speed. This year we also have a major player who cannot sit for too long. It all has a knock on effect of how much work can be completed.
EQ players care about EQ. A company cares about all its products. Nothing new. DBG has a dozen or so games they want to see be successful. Majority of EQ players (I would guess at least 97%) care only about EQ. So while we want EQ money to stay with EQ, DBG doesn't just see "EQ money"... they see "money". And they will use that money to try and support all of their games/properties, not just one. Which (again) falls back to my comment that they want more money. If EQ has 10 million in revenue and it is siphoned out to all their games, maybe if EQ has 15 million that extra 5 stays with EQ. Maybe that also gets siphoned, which means maybe 20 million in revenue allows the extra 5 to stay with EQ. Who knows, besides DBG corporate?
They aren't getting enough money ... It all depends. I dropped $140 for Premium. I think I spent enough money to get a decent amount of content and when I say decent, I mean more then 1 group mission (that by the way is rather un-fun).
Sure, that could be the case & it may not have been possible to cover the gaps of those who are no longer with the company or the workload of those who are struggling with health issues, themselves or of their family-members, but I think we should still have been getting a heads up about this considerable content drop off from the studio head & some indication of what the plan is to deal with it or mitigate it. I mean let's cast our minds back to CoV, there WAS a statement put out about the smaller content offering in that expansion blamed on the pandemic, so it is not like they have no idea how to do it or when it is needed.
It may not be simply but lets still put out ideas like this and discuss them. Ideally DB would let us know what problem they are trying to solve so we could all help generate ideas to fix it. Its hard to believe the exp reduction was to hurt afk boxers though because they are the only ones who don't care because they arent doing the work its all automated. The only folks who seem hurt by it are people at the keyboard playing. Assuming the exp nerf was to fight afk boxers what is an easy answer? Seems to me an easy fix is to just set a maximum amount of exp an account can get in a 24 hour period. The next part is to figure out how to not have that impact players who just play 16 hours a day but are not afk. And I say accounts not toons as afk players would just rotate teams. I am sure there are problems with this idea but I think the concept of only punishing afk bots on exp would be the best answer not nerfing exp for everyone. Again assuming this is why the exp nerf occurred. DB has never told us why as far as I know.
I think it was mentioned on the Everquest Show. Blue something or other? Some game I have never heard of. Unless I am misremembering.
After reading the comments on this thread I am more convinced than ever that the game is completely dead for a certain sub-section of EQ players. The players who liked to get a crew of folks together and camp nameds for gear improvements and to max their exp bars. The game is dead for those people since Overseer exp change. Overseer only exists for one reason: to make them money. No one would use Overseer if the wild exp hadnt been nerfed, at least the impetus to use it would become a fraction of what it is now. The remaining EQ players dont care. Idle exp suits them fine. Groupless leveling suits them fine. The game I cared about is gone on live servers. One day maybe enough people feel the way I do and something changes but I highly doubt it.
How is it dead? There's still a few good camps out there and a few instances to run that give decent rewards to their time put in. Just have to put the time in. Do explain this one to me if you would. How/why are people spending money on Overseer? It's afk leveling. Why would you spend money on that?? And when was the last time you actually played? I don't see many people going around and solo'ing and molo'ing in the last few expansions. In fact, most of the content is based around groups, and it's groups I see. So what's this "groupless" leveling that you're referring to?
After reading this comment, I am more convinced that ever that you either do not play or have just absolutely no concept of playing the game. There was no Overseer exp change, lol. Overseer just adds a way to get xp for free (with minor input).
Must be those flash words or trigger warnings or something people see. I've read a few things about an Overseer nerf...although I'm not sure what it's referencing by any means. Seems to still be a solid 10% exp gained over 24 hours with maxed out missions.
I'm with Randomized on this one - where is the financial cost of Overseer? I've levelled 3 chars to max Overseer on live, have done the same on test, and am also in the process of starting 3 other characters at lvl 85 as well. I've not had to spend a single dime on Overseer at all. Seriously, have I been missing something other than the slow levelling curve at the start?
