$OE milking the Vanguard player base until the very end. Hit them with a sunset and drop prices by HALF. You know, because you've already told the player base the game is going to be shutdown... why not kick them while they're down, eh? Shame on you, SOE.
Seriously, who is going to buy items for a game that is shutting down? And furthermore why even bother fixing bugs, it's going to be canned. It seems a bit pointless. How about instead drop in some changes like give everyone a level 55 with free mounts, let them see the world before it is gone?
Ugh. Just...ugh...
Well, I suppose it allows for maximum purchasing power for somebody who wants to dump all their Station Cash and never play another SOE game after Vanguard closes. Maybe. I can't really come up with a "this is a really good idea" scenario.
ReplyDeleteThat would be the only way I could see it. Still I think the cash shop should be closed in case any unsuspecting player logs in and doesn't notice the announcement. My husband is a prime candidate for logging into games and not paying attention to notices. I haven't even seen an email sent out.
ReplyDeleteTo me it just seems weird :( Sure, players could spend it in other games, however SOE isn't doing much of a job on making sure they don't lose those players/customers for good. The new CM is a bit snarky on the forums, she's not gained them any favor either.
SC items half off in any game for old VG players who do have a balance, that might tempt people to spend it and look towards other titles, at least check in on them. Not my company though, what do I know, heh.
I think it's okay. There was some mild hate for the idea on the forums and I posted there to disagree as well. There are six months left for this MMO. Some MMOs never even make six months and the term "three-monther" tells us that plenty of people are in and out even of an MMO they quite like in half the time Vanguard has left.
ReplyDeleteI don't think SOE would be doing the people already committed to and playing Vanguard, nor any curious latecomers the publicity may attract, any favors by either removing the cash shop or making it free, as has been suggested. There are some extremely useful items in the VG SC store - better, I would suggest, than much of what's in EQ2's shop. I've spent money in there before and there's a good chance I'll spend some of my SC savings in there again before the end of July. Therefore I certainly think the store should remain.
Making everything free would be better than closing it but I would say it sends the wrong message, namely that it's party time, which it definitely isn't.
I think reduced prices are a good way to go with this at this stage. There will come a time when it's no longer reasonable to take peoples' money but half a year away from the end isn't it.
ReplyDeleteYaviey commented on the requests for max levels and mounts, etc, by saying that everyone was already getting double xp from now until closing...the implication being that that was "enough" and that people should have been grateful for even that. :-p
And... my own blog eats my comment.
ReplyDelete@Bhagpuss I guess IMO I think the VG community deserves 'party time' they've been through a real rough ride for so long. Why not go out with a bang. I don't mean give all cash shop items for free but try to make things easier on the players. For some people this is their main game, not like you and I, who play many. We popped in and this is all very sad and tragic but we have other games. Them? They are losing their community. This is a low blow for them, I think they deserve something on the way out. A good time or a depressing six months? Frankly, it is too somber for me to log in, chat isn't exactly mood boosting atm.
@Hzero- She is a tool. It isn't her call but she lacks empathy and has a huge disconnect from the player base. I saw that post too, I've been following the forums a bit, I'm not surprised at the answer.
I guess we should all be grateful SOE took over and put the game on autopilot for so long? I say all this as a 14 year customer. I have played most of their titles, spending STUPID amounts on expansions, transfers, yada, yada, yada. I was always the first one to stick up for SOE. But now? I don't like the direction the company is going, the changes. The quality of SOE gets lower with each passing year, that's what has pushed me away.
How this is/was handled- the community, the autopilot of the game, the lack of updates, the bugs that were never fixed, and you still charge money for it show it off as your product? All this reflects on the company to me. Now it is time to sweep it under the carpet. A little late for that. As a customer I ask: Why should they do any better with the newer titles?