Why do Reddit and Twitter get updates before this forum?!We (forum members) are typically the most loyal and supportive community members but by continually leaving us in the dark... that gives the impression our feedback is useless. ... I mean - it’s not like news is announced on Twitter first, then Reddit, and finally the forums.... most of the time, us forum members are completely left out of the loop?Doesn't someone on staff realize members will eventually LEAVE THE FORUMS, if there’s announcements made on other media platforms???I just tried to @ mention @Popcap_Shaun and the forum won’t tag him??EDIT: autocorrect revenge

I refuse to join social media of any kind. January will make 2 years that I’ve been off of social media and aside from a few forums, plan to stay this way.I just don’t get it... these other places are inundated with people TALKING CRAP on devs, content creators, etc... making memes and other jokes, etc... yet they get information not only before but sometimes exclusively?!As much as I love the series and volunteering my help, this is awfully off-putting even for the most loyal crowd.😢

@TiltedPixel wrote:I haven't used Twitter for months now (and have to say I don't really miss it) Im on reddit every once and a while. Next thing you know they'll start doing updates on TikTok. Im probably slipping into a more difficult demographic to market to since I find myself using social media less and less. I always liked to think that forums like these were a true direct link to fans and the developers but it's hard to compete with the reach and saturation of most social media outlets.True, true.... however, I’ve run several online communities and built one from scratch that has over 300,000 Facebook fans and one thing I can guarantee you is if announcements were exclusively announced here, a large majority of those other crowds would frequent these boards.In other words, stop spreading resources so thin. Allow the community to share content and market to social media but keep everything official here.It would work... I’ve seen it/done it.🙁

I've wondered about this since GW2 to be honest. It's this very reason you mention that I joined Reddit and Twitter in the first place!

I haven't used Twitter for months now (and have to say I don't really miss it) Im on reddit every once and a while. Next thing you know they'll start doing updates on TikTok. Im probably slipping into a more difficult demographic to market to since I find myself using social media less and less. I always liked to think that forums like these were a true direct link to fans and the developers but it's hard to compete with the reach and saturation of most social media outlets.

@spIash_damage I'm on Twitter only (definitely staying away from Reddit!) but even with Twitter, very little comes from the official PvZ/EA sources. The vast majority of the stuff we really want to hear about comes via the YouTubers - which is not my thing at all ☹

Why Leave Out The Forum Community?!

12 Replies

Iron_Guard8
Legend
6 years ago
I've wondered about this since GW2 to be honest. It's this very reason you mention that I joined Reddit and Twitter in the first place!
spIash_damage
6 years ago
I refuse to join social media of any kind. January will make 2 years that I’ve been off of social media and aside from a few forums, plan to stay this way.
I just don’t get it... these other places are inundated with people TALKING CRAP on devs, content creators, etc... making memes and other jokes, etc... yet they get information not only before but sometimes exclusively?!
As much as I love the series and volunteering my help, this is awfully off-putting even for the most loyal crowd.
😢
TiltedPixel
6 years ago
I haven't used Twitter for months now (and have to say I don't really miss it) Im on reddit every once and a while. Next thing you know they'll start doing updates on TikTok. Im probably slipping into a more difficult demographic to market to since I find myself using social media less and less. I always liked to think that forums like these were a true direct link to fans and the developers but it's hard to compete with the reach and saturation of most social media outlets.
ToastedSarnie
6 years ago
@spIash_damage I'm on Twitter only (definitely staying away from Reddit!) but even with Twitter, very little comes from the official PvZ/EA sources. The vast majority of the stuff we really want to hear about comes via the YouTubers - which is not my thing at all ☹
Iron_Guard8
Legend
6 years ago
Oh I loathe social media and only got on FB at all for the local board game design group and my phone keeps bothering me about how I'm missing things; good I say!
The GW Reddit isn't really that bad but when you look at other games, like Stellaris, hooboy. I love that game but that Reddit community is dreadful so I stopped going there.
On Twitter I almost solely follow the GW team and Youtubers like Zero, Wolfy, and Zack Scott, and pretty much nobody else. Like FB it loves to bug me about stuff I missed and unless it's Justin Wiebe or Shaun Laker or other GW team members, I don't really care Twitter!
ToastedSarnie
6 years ago
@Iron_Guard8 I only got Twitter because a group of us PvZ friends in different countries found it easier to DM than use Xbox messaging in games where we couldn't chat, due to stuff going on at home!!! 😂
spIash_damage
6 years ago
@TiltedPixel wrote:
I haven't used Twitter for months now (and have to say I don't really miss it) Im on reddit every once and a while. Next thing you know they'll start doing updates on TikTok. Im probably slipping into a more difficult demographic to market to since I find myself using social media less and less. I always liked to think that forums like these were a true direct link to fans and the developers but it's hard to compete with the reach and saturation of most social media outlets.
True, true.... however, I’ve run several online communities and built one from scratch that has over 300,000 Facebook fans and one thing I can guarantee you is if announcements were exclusively announced here, a large majority of those other crowds would frequent these boards.
In other words, stop spreading resources so thin. Allow the community to share content and market to social media but keep everything official here.
It would work... I’ve seen it/done it.
🙁
GrandDeluxeGami
6 years ago
@spIash_damage what update you're talking about?
spIash_damage
6 years ago
@GrandDeluxeGamin wrote:
@spIash_damagewhat update you're talking about?
I’m not 100% sure because I am not on other social platforms but @jnicol1975 has been kind enough to share a few updates.... from.... Twitter, I believe?

We (console crowd) were hoping for mechanics to be fixed in the latest patch. Jnicol just let us know Shaun Laker confirmed the aim/etc will be addressed with a December patch. Initially, he (jnicol) also let us know that some of the tuning had been left out of this patch.
Since I began reading the forums and then a few years later (when I became active), this has been the case; the official PvZ forum crowd feels left out of the loop. If we want news here, we often have to farm it ourselves.
For me, I wish there was something in place that was Popcap/EA policy in that every time something is posted elsewhere, it should also be posted here (quickly thereafter).
I believe we (this forum community) are being heard more than we realize and staff assumes we know we’re being heard... but we don’t.

I have made pretty good buddies with EA_David and EA_Blueberry and can guarantee you they care about this community (as do all the employees we know) but the lack of a procedure or policy (that would keep this community well informed) doesn’t exist.
I’m not complaining in this thread; I’m pleading for a small change that only requires simple copy/pastes.
jnicol1975
6 years ago
@spIash_damage I check Reddit for news about the game, since things seem to surface there before here.

I haven't noticed EA staff using Reddit to make official announcements, but they do participate in discussions there. For instance Shaun Laker addressed the "moon jump" glitch on Reddit, but I haven't seen EA staff comment on it here.

In some cases EA staff do post official announcements here, such as the detailed patch notes, and then someone will post it to Reddit later.

I can understand why the devs are active on social media like Reddit, since that's where they can reach a big player base (a popular post in r/PvZGardenWarfare will have several hundred upvotes, vs a couple dozen here). But I agree that Answers HQ should be the first and official place for announcements to be made.