Interesting thoughts about how to define success for video games in today’s market, particularly for those using early access. Lots of respect for Hooded Horse’s CEO, Tim Bender, he says all the right things and seems genuine.
He describes van Lierop’s post as “exactly the kind of distorted endless growth/burden of expectations/line must go up perspective that causes so much trouble in the games industry”. He’s also unconcerned by Manor Lords falling behind its initial vast popularity, poking fun at “the apparently dark reality that some people, after enjoying their purchase of a premium, single-player title, might decide to go on and play another game (The horror! The horror!).”
Headline is a little melodramatic though.
I don’t think this is a bad article - or discussion - altogether, but this excerpt really brings out the most crucial aspect, or rather how its missing:
Missing from the discussion is a sense of how much cash Slavic Magic and Hooded Horse need right now to sustain on-going Manor Lords development.
The point being, major games owned by large studios are driven by infinite growth because that’s how their business model has shifted heavily into for the past few years. For minor developers, indie, solo or otherwise, the matter is far simpler: Can they afford their livelihood plus keep working on the game with how much they’re making? If yes, good, keep at it. If not, then we have a problem.
Given how that’s not detailed at any point, its impossible to really pick a side. If Styczeń has made enough money that he can afford to work on the game slowly for several months, this discussion is a non-issue. If he is struggling to make ends meet, or if he foresees struggling soon due to revenue slowing down, it might be time to work on rebuilding that publicity.
The Long Dark came out in 2017 and the story mode still isn’t finished yet, so I dunno if they’re the ones to be pontificating about being slow with the content lol.
I mean it’s a great game, but yeah it’s been a minute.
That was actually my first thought as well lol. Maybe story mode is secondary to some people who just like the survival grind, but it’s the only part I’m interested in, and my attention in The Long Dark has come and gone waiting for it to complete.
That’s honestly refreshing. Gaming companies think that people have to play their game constantly, and that’s such a weird take. Who watches the same movie every day without watching something else in between?
I remember halo Infinite thought they were going to be the next game to do that, like destiny. No, it’s okay to put down a game and walk away. I don’t care about how many season passes you have or other garbage to try and get me addicted. I’ll play it sometimes, other times I won’t.
I agree completely, no normal person wants that.
*clicks on another tree in my 6,000 hour Old School RuneScape account*
Who watches the same movie every day without watching something else in between?
Game distributers set their expectations on the most successful games, so they want to beat World of Warcraft and PUBG on player counts.
god forbid they have expectations of “successful” instead of “most profitable game in our company’s history”. I don’t think PUBG or WoW set out to be the successes they were, it just happened, I wish companies knew that that success can’t be planned for
