5 years ago

Popcap Might Be Planning Something...

So, I just came back and saw the new posts and info that BFN is no longer being supported. Although I was very upset since we didn't even get to a year properly, they may be planning something.

It is a hot take, but listen/read.

The PvZ series overall has been very successful, showing how it made itself a unique niche in the vast world games. People love this game and will support it, but BFN has too many fundamental issues. This "final" update might be a secret Repairville. I suspect them to go in one of three directions:

1) They balance and fix the game and let it die within the next year. It makes the most sense and least amount of work. The game is pretty balanced, and has enough content for some time. They can then choose how they are going to make the next few games if they even want to. They could choose how they want to play out the series, being more mobile games or console/PC.

2) They will take a year to fundamentally fix the game and the next year, then they will heavily support the game. This is way less likely. The game plan here is to do an Operation Health and Rework within a year. They don't need to release anymore cosmetic or gameplay content (maps, characters, upgrades, etc.) and we already have some knowledge about what they are doing with characters. This could be a massive update to get people game after they fix everything. Advertisement would start up in a massive way.

3) They quickly stop balance patches for the game, and let it die. They then release a new PvZ shooter. This is the one I would want. Popcap would only do some balancing and heavily focus on the next game. They could either make a straight GW3 or make BFN2 with a more stable foundation, more characters, more legendary upgrades, a better coin and rainbow star economy, and new PvE regions. Imagine BFN2 being the complete upgrade and great sequel.

That is all I have to say, I hope things get better from here.

13 Replies

MrKritiek
5 years ago
@SundropDot I really hope what you think about GW3 is true.
And i don't see why not.

Okay Neighborville has flopped, but as i see it Neighborville was an experiment. An experiment that didnt go well. So scrap the experiment and get back to what did work.
The GW games where so much better and more fun to play en keep playing. If they just remember that and keep the fun elements of those two games combined with the best of Neighborville (the PVE-region, Prize maps, Wizzard, Battle arena and Giddy Park) the can make a come-back with a game that can go on for years.

I think it's a good thing they gave up on Neighborville, as long as they don't stop this franchise. There is still life and love in this shooter franchise game so let's not waste it.
Shadowphinx101
5 years ago
@MrKritiek Why are u clinging onto hope for GW3. All the haters of BFN have been wanting this, because 'GW3 will happen'. That's just an obsolete and stubborn remark at this point, because it makes no sense to create a new shooter when one flopped. And this is EA we are talking about; they pull all the strings on PopCap. If they don't want to invest in a new game, then PopCap won't make a new one.
MrKritiek
5 years ago
@Shadowphinx101 Simply because Neighborville is not part of the Garden Warfare series. At least thats how i see it and want to keep seeing it.
And i hope that whoever is in charge over the franchise sees this too.
Just because neighborville didnt do as good as expected doenst ment they should give up.
I honestly believe that a new Garden Warfare game could still be happening and if it should happen that it could be a succes.
Shadowphinx101
5 years ago
@MrKritiek But Neighborville is still a shooter. It's still in the genre of games that the GW franchise was. They may see this as a huge loss, considering how much money goes into shooter games, rather than defense tower games. What I'm trying to say, is that EA may not see it worthwhile to invest a lot of money in a new shooter, when the recent one flopped, but they may see it fit to continue the mobile games. I think GW3 is a fantasy, and whilst BFN isn't GW, it is still a shooter. And all shooters cost a lot of money. Despite BFN being different, that doesn't dispute the money and effort that went into the game.
benn1nat0r
5 years ago
@SundropDot, @MrKritiek & @Shadowphinx101
The way it looks now GW3 will not be thing. I don't even think PopCap will be a thing for much longer. I noticed PopCap Seattle is looking for basically staff to replace the entire team since the beginning of August, with the most entries for job listings being made on 20/08/2020.
CharlesHlcBende
5 years ago
In my opinion, if Popcap does not think GW3 or something, he won't end updating BFN.
And Popcap ends updating BFN, so he must be thinking about GW3.
But I want Popcap that while creating GW3 updates BFN...
TheSprinter85
Hero
5 years ago
@CharlesHlcBendel Hard agree!
benn1nat0r
5 years ago
@CharlesHlcBendel Hopefully you are right. We need more feedback from them before we can give them ours. They should tell us straight what the possible options are.
If they are intending to make gw3 eveyone will say ok go ahead, let bfn rest in peace (although I still love it and prefer it over gw)
Gw3 featuring Acorn and Oak should be a legal requirement (😅)
If the other option is no more pvz shooters, everyone will say support bfn longer and tey to market it
TheSprinter85
Hero
5 years ago
Your ideas @SundropDot are really good because there is a possibility that these could happen, however we do need more information from EA when possible, such as what our options as consumers are.
I know that EA gets a lot of random complaints at lots of times, such as Origin doesn’t work, EA Help isn’t helping, EA are banning me for no reason sorts of complaints, all that kind of stuff.
However, I do not think of EA like that. If they give us a viable option with this game or franchise, and don’t just shut down support and stuff, then there’s not going to be any problems. The community really likes the PvZ Franchise, we really want PvZ games to continue being developed.
If GW2 or Heroes is no longer being developed, I would at least really like the franchise to take a different turn in the right direction.
agqwpe663oe6
5 years ago
@SundropDot It neighborville might been an experiment ground for straying from GW traits, such as the new upgrade system and removing variants. They tried things such as adding back features from the GW games (private play) and making a substitute for certain features (Legendary upgrades). Who knows what will happen, GW probably stopped getting updates around after a year them got another game after, the same might happen to BFN, we can only hope for the best.