@matzesingtI agree but Respawn has a history of making changes that nobody wants or likes (Ranked). What they think Apex is and how it should play seems radically different from what most players (I'm not talking pros) would like to see, too. They tend to make things worse rather than actually listen to the community and address the foundational issues with the game.
So true.
Somehow the feedback channel from the normal player base to the developers seems to be completely broken.
The question remains as to whether the developers would even listen to the needs and wishes if they found out about them. And if not, why not?
In short: Can't or don't they want to make the game better for the average player?
Apparently all the writing here in the forum is of no use. Maybe a shrinking player base will help.
After all, the number of players on Steam has halved within a year. You have to manage that first.
I see it similarly to you.
In my opinion, there are at least four possibilities as to why the game is at its current (largely unpopular?) state.
1. it contains bugs. It does contain a few bugs, but they are not so serious as to make the game bad. However, the servers could be better (tick rate and general quality), but this could also be for monetary reasons (see below). The response time for bugs could be faster...
2. the developers don't want to. This means that the developers are well aware of the wishes of the average player, but would rather take care of some fancy events or nice skins or something similar. I think this is unlikely.
3. the developers can't. This is a broad field and therefore I consider this point to be the most likely. They can't because EA gives them certain guidelines, because the team has been massively downsized, because they don't have the skills or the game is programmed so strangely that it can't be improved with the best developers. Any or all of the above, take your pick.
4. the developers don't need it (yet). Perhaps they have found a way to not only increase the number of matches (as you say) or the playing time, but also to increase or stabilize the cash flow, despite the declining number of players and dissatisfied remaining players. ATTENTION: Speculation! I recently made a consideration in another thread that fits this point very well.Since I can't prove it, it remains pure speculation!
Unfortunately, the realization remains that we average players have not (yet) found the sore spot of EA or Respawn with which we can get the developers to improve the game in our interest.
Protect yourselves and don't let emotions run too high.If you are no longer satisfied, then find another game!
Wow, that statement from the advisor is really tough.
Then, my friends, I believe that all dissatisfied players will have no chance of improvement in the near future.
Why are players investing so much money if the game is getting worse and worse? Is the perception problem with us or them?
As @ComicBookGuy2727 has already said: the best chance would be if revenue were to fall. But from EA's point of view, the numbers are right and everything is going great.
EA is too big, but can't we buy Respawn?
So I can only repeat my last sentence: If you are no longer satisfied, then find another game!
So according to reliable sources there are no new maps,no changes to any maps,no new weapons,no new characters,no character reworks but the only things to look forward to are changes to armor,loot in the Replicators & 120fps for consoles which might not actually feature at the start of the season.If thats true S20 is going to be nothing more than a grind for those willing to persist with it unfortunately.Massively underwhelming to say the least
So it looks like Game Informer (https://www.gameinformer.com/ApexLegends) is getting the 'exclusive scoop' on what's coming for Season 20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj72ZIZIv9A
I think they are going to start releasing information tomorrow with more detail available to subscribers.
Looks like there are a few maps for non-BR modes confirmed in the little bit we get here and HUGE changes to how Evo Shields work. Most notably is that the way they level up is no longer tied just to damage and every legend gets choices of perks to their abilities that kick in at each evo level (blue, purple, red). Seems like gold shields are gone now since perks are no longer specific to the shield you have and every legend gets their choice of them. You can see one example in the video where Maggie's ultimate explodes into a star pattern of thermite rather than the typical stun ball. Others examples discussed are for Loba where her ultimate's range would increase &/or you could pick 3 items from her ultimate instead of 2.
I've heard you won't be able to swap to a higher level shield in deathboxes anymore (full purple for broken blue) but this video doesn't confirm that. THAT would feel bad, IMO.
The other rumors, new Legend is Cave and new BR map codenamed District, don't seem to be mentioned.
@saurerDropsXXL
"Why are players investing so much money if the game is getting worse and worse? Is the perception problem with us or them?"
It's probably a little bit of both. There are many players in this game who login once or twice a week, or once or twice a month. They're casual, they float from one title to the next depending on where their friends are, on what peaks their interest at any given time, on what their favorite streamers are playing. And that kind of player is probably unaware of a lot of the things that irritate a more consistent player. I'm also pretty sure age has a lot to do with it. Ten year old kids, of whom there are a lot in this game, don't really care about aim assist, or glitchy audio, or probably even about ranking systems. They care that there IS a ranking system, but probably don't much concern themselves with how it works, or if it's better or worse now than it was ten seasons ago. And I'd also be willing to bet that these same kids are the ones making up the lion's share of store sales. Every day that I play I get matched up with some level 15 player who has his Octane kitted out like his dad OWNS Respawn.
And then you have the older, more experienced, more regular players. Like you. Like me. But even with people like us there can be big differences in focus which cause big differences in the experience. As an example, I almost never play ranked and don't give a hoot whether they create a ranking system that people love or hate. It just doesn't matter to me. I've never experienced the audio issues people talk about. I definitely have experienced most of the nightmare scenarios that matchmaking can cook up, but usually not for long, and none of them are any worse than any other game I've played. Once in a while I come across an opponent who I'm 90% sure is cheating, but it seems pretty rare to me. I'm told I'd notice more if I played mixtape, but, like ranks, arena game modes hold no fascination for me.
So I see most of the problems, but I experience them less I think than most other players. And I don't ever pump money into the game so I'm never rage quitting a match and thinking, "I can't believe I paid money for this!" Because I didn't. I'm all for finding a game I like better, but so far I'm not seeing anything that would justify abandoning all the time and effort I've put into learning this game. Especially when I still have so much more to learn.
@HappyHourSumwur I agree with you but we need to also see it from company perspective. Apex was not made by some garage community funded company. Whole idea of Apex is to generate money for EA. Only income they get from the game is the cosmetics sales. How would you feel if EA would be selling audio & matchmaking patches for 50 dollars? Competitive integrity and so on...
But dont get me wrong. I too feel that more money should be invested in the things you list below. But the issue is that EA is just too big stock company to do such things. Big execs & shareholders only see it as numbers game. And that numbers game is not the player numbers, its only the money numbers. Only thing that they care about is the profit. Should the devs / game directors try to make the game actually better (added cost + no direct income numbers like how much more sales we got from this audio patch) they risk losing their jobs. So in my opinion its not so much about their ability or interest to fix things but how the funding is allocated. Ive worked at higher level in big companies like EA (different industry) so I know the mindset.
For you its just a pastime where you get frustrated about the matchmaking. For devs its livelihood. What a life to be a dev. Get manured on and harassed by internet randos because of free to play game that your boss doesnt give you the funding or approval to do something about it.
@Airish85I understand the revenue model and would have no issue buying coins each season if the balance of the devs work was more on things that had value for me. It is more about the core experience for me than the window dressing of cosmetics. Their pricing is basic Economics 101 where they've priced me out of that market. I don't view them as luxury items where higher pricing would drive demand up. Many of them aren't really "micro transactions" anymore and thats an issue.
I look at live service games as entertainment investments. If I haven't seen an adequate return over time, I'm less likely to invest moving forward.
Of course EA wants to earn money. It should.
But the players' point of view/fear should not be forgotten: they don't want to invest money in a game in the hope that there will be enough money left over for the developers (to make long-awaited improvements), only to realize in the end that the "more" money disappears as profit into the pockets of the company bosses or shareholders (and nothing improves in the game).
Especially in the USA, they say "the market will sort it out". What if the market forces are out of action here? That only leaves the press, but I don't think EA cares about its image either.
If EA were demonstrably more concerned about the wishes of the players and could not make the improvements due to a lack of money, I would have a suggestion. But I don't want to say it, because an EA employee might read it and incorporate it into the game, and EA would rake in even more money without improving anything.
