"M3kno;c-1831352" wrote:
@cannonfodder_iv I am not so sure that CG are correct that the current model is the one which provides them with the best financial return: plenty of companies drive good games into the dirt by making mistakes about pay to play and plenty of corporations make the mistake of favouring immediately increased returns over a more secure and longer term return.
Completely agree that corporations have to balance short and long term returns. Good ones do it better than bad ones. Often times, it's unclear when mistakes were made without the benefit of time to provide hindsight. And it's all too easy to sit back and judge from afar without understanding the hidden pressures present in any situation.
"M3kno;c-1831352" wrote:
However, the real point is that CG could still have a very profitable game (even if not quite as lucrative as the current one) and also have a better and more accessible game for all if a different financial model were used.
Please cite an article, reference, study, etc. to support this point. I can postulate and pontificate all I want, but it's just the opinion of some random voice on the internet without back-up. If you wanted to preface these statements with "In my opinion," I'd take no issue. But, you're stating these as facts. As such, provide evidence. My 10 minutes of Googling the topic yielded a number of articles from 5 years ago claiming that whales were the primary income source for the Freemium model. There were a few more recent articles saying "not so fast, it's more nuanced now, but it depends on the game." Neither of these support your perspective on the game's financial model explicitly.
"M3kno;c-1831352" wrote:
I do, however, think the decision to bring the Malak event in suddenly, at such short notice and without any chance to prepare is a slap in the face to many players who have worked hard and invested a lot in the game and seems to me to be based on a desire to extract as much money from the upper spending end of the player base as possible. That feels very pay to win and I would much prefer game whose results were based on skill and understanding of the mechanics instead.
I partly agree with you on this point and partly disagree. I think this is a fairly blatant paywall - much more so than Darth Revan and slightly more than the original run of Jedi Knight Revan. The gear on Malak is a pure cash grab. That being said, I'm prepared for the Malak event without spending any money specifically for it. I'm no whale, but have spent money on the game over the years I've played it.
I don't think playing Galaxy of Heroes is hard work. It's an entertaining hobby which does take a time investment, but I don't feel I'm owed anything for that investment I willingly make. When I start to see it as work, I think I'll probably put it down (actually wait, I've already done that once, so I know that's what I'll do).
Capital Games Team
