Rethink Your Strategy

[Adry.7512]

Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money. I say this game needs a membership option. Now stop your crying, I don’t mean something like runescape or WoW, I mean something a bit more fair. For example, members have access to all expansions without needing to pay them, they have unlimited transmutation charges, all LW content without needing to log in, XP boost, Karma boost, etc. So of course if you cancel the membership then these features go away. For example, you’re a member and you finished POF, and then you cancel membership, you get to keep progress (armor, professions) but get locked out of the maps and content not yet obtained. So I believe that membership should be there, not as a big advantage, but as the ultimate convenience option. This way, Arenanet can FAIRLY have another method of cashing in. It’s super doable and not unfair in any way.

 

Of course other features could be added, like full access to certain gem store items, or a discount on some gem store items. It’s very easy to implement and it will add an entire new line of currency for Arenanet, which would produce consistent numbers every quarter.

 

We can change our minds on a gem store item, but we probably won’t want to go through the trouble of cancelling a fair and rewarding membership.

[Turkeyspit.3965]

> @"Adry.7512" said:

> Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money.

 

According to whom? It's a 6+ year old (now) free to play game that still posts a profit every quarter. What are you trying to fix, exactly?

[Dami.5046]

No thanks.

[Trise.2865]

> @"Turkeyspit.3965" said:

> > @"Adry.7512" said:

> > Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money.

>

> According to whom? It's a 6+ year old (now) free to play game that still posts a profit every quarter. What are you trying to fix, exactly?

 

If I might add to this: It's not merely posting profits, but posting *significant* profits. In fact, according to the recent financial reports, Guild Wars 2 has far surpassed well-entrenched subscription Lineage 2 as NCSoft's top-earning MMO property. Only the amalgamated clump of NCSoft Mobile games (of which there are a great many) earned more, and I'd be willing to wager no single Mobile game outperformed either of them. Guild Wars 2 is quite possibly the strongest business model NCSoft has.

[Adul.1520]

What they need better strategy for is how to get new players in and how not to bleed existing ones. Especially now that their future money-making projects are essentially shut down and it's likely going to take considerable time for them to develop new ones, thus GW2 is going to remain their only source of income for the foreseeable future.

[IndigoSundown.5419]

I'm sure ANet would be happy to bring in more revenue. Sure, the latest quarter did show a revenue reduction. However, the substantial layoffs were more an issue of significant expenses leading to overall lowered profits for NCSoft. If GW2 continues to bring in revenue as it has been, lowered expenses will result in a healthier bottom line.

 

An alternative to the risky proposition of going to a membership fee would be for ANet to produce more content and items for the store that will make people _want_ to spend money on the game. Historically, XPac's have generated a spike in spending, with gradual tapering off over time. If ANet does not plan to do an XPac reasonably soon, they will need to come up with some other incentives for players to spend. This requires them providing reasons to play, as players who no longer play are not going to spend.

 

As a consumer, I prefer the company provide gameplay I value as a reason to pay, rather than throwing together some features to rent and calling it a "membership."

[Randulf.7614]

> @"IndigoSundown.5419" said:

> As a consumer, I prefer the company provide gameplay I value as a reason to pay, rather than throwing together some features to rent and calling it a "membership."

 

> @"Turkeyspit.3965" said:

> It's a 6+ year old (now) free to play game that still posts a profit every quarter.

 

Both sum it up perfectly for me. It doesn't need an overhaul of business model. Some tweaks maybe or better marketing. I can see precisely zero reason changing to an optional sub nearly 7 years on is going to improve fortunes or increase population.

 

 

[Pomdepin.7068]

You have to understand that à subscription fee will not work on GW2 which is leaning towards more casual players.

 

I got into GW2 because it was B2P and I would go away as soon as it gets a sub, probably like many others.

 

Plus we already are starving for new things, so limiting the content to all non-sub players would sign the death of the game.

 

Maybe if they were putting interesting items only purchasable through real money instead of gems, and at a fair price (2k gems for a mount skin, chairs, really?...), they would make more money.

[Biff.5312]

Everyone's trying to 'save' Anet and GW2 when it's not in danger. Trust me - they've given their business model more thought than you have, and have access to more data to base their conclusions on. They don't need advice.

[Adry.7512]

Ok.....never did I mention NCSoft nor other games. I am implying a FAIR and profitable implementation that will help a company that (I hope) most of us support. Why implement it now? Why implement a free to play option over 2-3 years after launch? Because they can.

[Adry.7512]

> @"Pomdepin.7068" said:

> You have to understand that à subscription fee will not work on GW2 which is leaning towards more casual players.

>

> I got into GW2 because it was B2P and I would go away as soon as it gets a sub, probably like many others.

>

> Plus we already are starving for new things, so limiting the content to all non-sub players would sign the death of the game.

>

> Maybe if they were putting interesting items only purchasable through real money instead of gems, and at a fair price (2k gems for a mount skin, chairs, really?...), they would make more money.

 

Then you would be at a lose because the method I’m intending for you guys to understand has NO unfair advantages nor content that you wouldn’t be able to access.

[Katastroff.1045]

> @"Adry.7512" said:

> Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money. I say this game needs a membership option. Now stop your crying, I don’t mean something like runescape or WoW, I mean something a bit more fair. For example, members have access to all expansions without needing to pay them, they have unlimited transmutation charges, all LW content without needing to log in, XP boost, Karma boost, etc. So of course if you cancel the membership then these features go away. For example, you’re a member and you finished POF, and then you cancel membership, you get to keep progress (armor, professions) but get locked out of the maps and content not yet obtained. So I believe that membership should be there, not as a big advantage, but as the ultimate convenience option. This way, Arenanet can FAIRLY have another method of cashing in. It’s super doable and not unfair in any way.

>

> Of course other features could be added, like full access to certain gem store items, or a discount on some gem store items. It’s very easy to implement and it will add an entire new line of currency for Arenanet, which would produce consistent numbers every quarter.

>

> We can change our minds on a gem store item, but we probably won’t want to go through the trouble of cancelling a fair and rewarding membership.

 

How about you start your own video game company?

[Randulf.7614]

Nothing about your explanations makes this system better than what we have now. At best, it's a sideways move. We already get LW free so that wouldn't be a factor. No one's going to sub if they aren't going to log in and unlock for free after all. Expacs work just fine as a one off payment. So apart from some little bonuses which aren't going to cut it with this community, what are we gaining here?

 

Why would Anet, with superior knowledge and understanding of the market and what their playerbase is willing to pay, want to change to this system, given they have outright said they do not want an optional sub or membership system for their game on previous occasions, including on the forums a couple of years back?

[Adry.7512]

Fund me> @"Katastroff.1045" said:

> > @"Adry.7512" said:

> > Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money. I say this game needs a membership option. Now stop your crying, I don’t mean something like runescape or WoW, I mean something a bit more fair. For example, members have access to all expansions without needing to pay them, they have unlimited transmutation charges, all LW content without needing to log in, XP boost, Karma boost, etc. So of course if you cancel the membership then these features go away. For example, you’re a member and you finished POF, and then you cancel membership, you get to keep progress (armor, professions) but get locked out of the maps and content not yet obtained. So I believe that membership should be there, not as a big advantage, but as the ultimate convenience option. This way, Arenanet can FAIRLY have another method of cashing in. It’s super doable and not unfair in any way.

> >

> > Of course other features could be added, like full access to certain gem store items, or a discount on some gem store items. It’s very easy to implement and it will add an entire new line of currency for Arenanet, which would produce consistent numbers every quarter.

> >

> > We can change our minds on a gem store item, but we probably won’t want to go through the trouble of cancelling a fair and rewarding membership.

>

> How about you start your own video game company?

 

How about you fund me.

[Zaklex.6308]

> @"Adry.7512" said:

> Ok.....never did I mention NCSoft nor other games. I am implying a FAIR and profitable implementation that will help a company that (I hope) most of us support. Why implement it now? Why implement a free to play option over 2-3 years after launch? Because they can.

 

You didn't mention NCSoft, but you seem to fail to understand that NCSoft OWNS ArenaNet, there fore the profits from GW2 are used to support the game and provide money to the parent company. ArenaNet doesn't necessarily need more revenue, they just didn't have enough revenue to both develop new properties and support GW2, but the revenue they do get is sufficient to support GW2.

[Katastroff.1045]

> @"Adry.7512" said:

> Fund me> @"Katastroff.1045" said:

> > > @"Adry.7512" said:

> > > Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money. I say this game needs a membership option. Now stop your crying, I don’t mean something like runescape or WoW, I mean something a bit more fair. For example, members have access to all expansions without needing to pay them, they have unlimited transmutation charges, all LW content without needing to log in, XP boost, Karma boost, etc. So of course if you cancel the membership then these features go away. For example, you’re a member and you finished POF, and then you cancel membership, you get to keep progress (armor, professions) but get locked out of the maps and content not yet obtained. So I believe that membership should be there, not as a big advantage, but as the ultimate convenience option. This way, Arenanet can FAIRLY have another method of cashing in. It’s super doable and not unfair in any way.

> > >

> > > Of course other features could be added, like full access to certain gem store items, or a discount on some gem store items. It’s very easy to implement and it will add an entire new line of currency for Arenanet, which would produce consistent numbers every quarter.

> > >

> > > We can change our minds on a gem store item, but we probably won’t want to go through the trouble of cancelling a fair and rewarding membership.

> >

> > How about you start your own video game company?

>

> How about you fund me.

 

[https://kickstarter.com/?ref=nav](https://www.kickstarter.com/?ref=nav "https://kickstarter.com/?ref=nav")

[Vancho.8750]

Arenanet had bad quarter after BFA released which came after one of the best expansion that WoW had. To this moment they had really steady revenue even after 1 year of the expansion. The issue is that money business requires more and more money, so Anet decided to branch out with more games but the industry came crashing down over its own weight cause it had build up expectations off infinite growth.The gamer community has grown so much that the gaming industry rivals the movie industry and yet it is still not enough, so investors have pulled back and that whole game of cat and mouse has stifled the creativity of the studios cause everyone is trying to play it safe.

Also having the best Buy to play MMO doesn't cut it anymore, they do need better marketing, cause Arenanet and Guild Wars 2 only make the news when something bad happens these days. Path of fire didn't get a review on the main "gaming news" outlets, didn't get that IGN Gamespot 8 out of 10 ladi da i played it and i liked it shtick, we know they bullshit their way, they know they bullshit but it stills shows that the game is live and kicking.The whole beetle racing was cool and all, but not everyone could participate for the rewards and the money spend there could have went better to sponsor some streamers and youtubers to promote the game. If you remember last year TheLazyPeon gave a boost to the population.

[MoriMoriMori.5349]

As many have said - they just need to provide more content for us to buy in gemstore. As, funnily, it's not even remotely enough, and there is no new interesting options as well.

 

1. More detailed customization for your character available through Total Makeover Kit: ability to apply colors for, say, hairs, using several channels, more hairstyles, may be even mutilations (scars, prosthetic limbs, missing eye etc), ability to change mounting points of sheathed weapons (like, mount your single-hand weapons to your back), new premium animations for idling moves, and for sheathing / unsheathing your weapons, simply more options for different parts of your body (more faces, physiques, ears etc)

2. Better pet system for minis, through buying gemstore enhancements to its AI. They start to behave more like a living being, you can buy and attach several minigames to each of it (play a fetch, play with a teaser toy etc), they have more (paid) idling animations, they start ot react to other minis and players (if somebody stay around them for a while, they remember them and great them; otherwise they shy them, and bark at them; they start to play with other minis happen to be around; they are scared when combat start, run and hide, or running around and bark at your enemies)

3. More items allowing you to interact with other players, like Belcher's bluff, but better. How about an item allowing you to set up your own private Keg Brawl field anywhere in the world (or may be within settlements only, but not only racial cities, but within any hamlet or small city too), and make it free for all to join, or may be only for your guild? Ideally, it should also allow spectators to see the ongoing match. Then similar games as well, like basketball analogue, volleyball etc. A card games where players could bet ingame items perhaps?

 

[Algreg.3629]

you cut expenses, whether you have a huge top line or not. That just happened. I am not, what is the word, "fanboying" for anet, but these layoffs are not a good indicator for the game ailing, just for having disposable staff.

[Pomdepin.7068]

> @"Adry.7512" said:

> > @"Pomdepin.7068" said:

> > You have to understand that à subscription fee will not work on GW2 which is leaning towards more casual players.

> >

> > I got into GW2 because it was B2P and I would go away as soon as it gets a sub, probably like many others.

> >

> > Plus we already are starving for new things, so limiting the content to all non-sub players would sign the death of the game.

> >

> > Maybe if they were putting interesting items only purchasable through real money instead of gems, and at a fair price (2k gems for a mount skin, chairs, really?...), they would make more money.

>

> Then you would be at a lose because the method I’m intending for you guys to understand has NO unfair advantages nor content that you wouldn’t be able to access.

 

Then I didn’t understand what you said. I understood that I would not have access to POF maps if I haven’t an active subscription. Nor LW maps. I mean, I have access to all of that currently and I pay nothing.

 

What you suggest is that we pay to have the content. How is that fair to everyone?

[Garkus.2183]

As gaming became more and more a shining star for investors so did the downside of investors needs to constant and ever increasing returns,.as soon as that falters or hiccups the fickle nature of investors means less risky implementation of ideas and more the 'feed them the dopamine sales' type situation,no risk high return but ultimately bad in the long run.This will change when the next visionary game makes it's name,but the existing ones are very unlikely to make that transition,so telling anet 'what they need to understand' is about as pointless as it gets

Unless you just needed to get something off your chest then 'i fully agree and good luck' :)

[Obtena.7952]

> @"Adry.7512" said:

> Ok.....never did I mention NCSoft nor other games. I am implying a FAIR and profitable implementation that will help a company that (I hope) most of us support. Why implement it now? Why implement a free to play option over 2-3 years after launch? Because they can.

 

Um, just because they can is a terrible reason to do something. I'm not sure you can assume your ideas help them out. Good intentions, but that's where it ends. I'm thinking that the people who know the best way Anet can make revenue ... is Anet.

[zengara.8301]

> @"Trise.2865" said:

> > @"Turkeyspit.3965" said:

> > > @"Adry.7512" said:

> > > Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money.

> >

> > According to whom? It's a 6+ year old (now) free to play game that still posts a profit every quarter. What are you trying to fix, exactly?

>

> If I might add to this: It's not merely posting profits, but posting *significant* profits. In fact, according to the recent financial reports, Guild Wars 2 has far surpassed well-entrenched subscription Lineage 2 as NCSoft's top-earning MMO property. Only the amalgamated clump of NCSoft Mobile games (of which there are a great many) earned more, and I'd be willing to wager no single Mobile game outperformed either of them. Guild Wars 2 is quite possibly the strongest business model NCSoft has.

 

Could you send a link? http://global.ncsoft.com/global/ir/quarterly.aspx

 

This is the official NC-soft quarterly earnings release, both in Korean and English. Does not look like amazing sales from Gw2, specially in Q4 (Obviously because there is a limit to what they can get as income, as stated on this thread), but not the worst on NC-Softs list

Is there another site that goes a bit deeper in earnings, or income?

[Trise.2865]

> @"zengara.8301" said:

> > @"Trise.2865" said:

> > > @"Turkeyspit.3965" said:

> > > > @"Adry.7512" said:

> > > > Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money.

> > >

> > > According to whom? It's a 6+ year old (now) free to play game that still posts a profit every quarter. What are you trying to fix, exactly?

> >

> > If I might add to this: It's not merely posting profits, but posting *significant* profits. In fact, according to the recent financial reports, Guild Wars 2 has far surpassed well-entrenched subscription Lineage 2 as NCSoft's top-earning MMO property. Only the amalgamated clump of NCSoft Mobile games (of which there are a great many) earned more, and I'd be willing to wager no single Mobile game outperformed either of them. Guild Wars 2 is quite possibly the strongest business model NCSoft has.

>

> Could you send a link? http://global.ncsoft.com/global/ir/quarterly.aspx

>

> This is the official NC-soft quarterly earnings release, both in Korean and English. Does not look like amazing sales from Gw2, specially in Q4 (Obviously because there is a limit to what they can get as income, as stated on this thread), but not the worst on NC-Softs list

> Is there another site that goes a bit deeper in earnings, or income?

 

Guess I was wrong. Turns out the site had misprinted its graphic. Welp, game's dead. Off the bridge with me then. Fuck you all very much.

[zengara.8301]

> @"Trise.2865" said:

> > @"zengara.8301" said:

> > > @"Trise.2865" said:

> > > > @"Turkeyspit.3965" said:

> > > > > @"Adry.7512" said:

> > > > > Arenanet needs to understand that they need a better strategy for making money.

> > > >

> > > > According to whom? It's a 6+ year old (now) free to play game that still posts a profit every quarter. What are you trying to fix, exactly?

> > >

> > > If I might add to this: It's not merely posting profits, but posting *significant* profits. In fact, according to the recent financial reports, Guild Wars 2 has far surpassed well-entrenched subscription Lineage 2 as NCSoft's top-earning MMO property. Only the amalgamated clump of NCSoft Mobile games (of which there are a great many) earned more, and I'd be willing to wager no single Mobile game outperformed either of them. Guild Wars 2 is quite possibly the strongest business model NCSoft has.

> >

> > Could you send a link? http://global.ncsoft.com/global/ir/quarterly.aspx

> >

> > This is the official NC-soft quarterly earnings release, both in Korean and English. Does not look like amazing sales from Gw2, specially in Q4 (Obviously because there is a limit to what they can get as income, as stated on this thread), but not the worst on NC-Softs list

> > Is there another site that goes a bit deeper in earnings, or income?

>

> Guess I was wrong. Turns out the site had misprinted its graphic. Welp, game's dead. Off the bridge with me then. kitten you all very much.

 

Lol. not the best, but its not the worst either. If you look at 2018 as a whole, its not bad, they havent been releasing any other game at Q4 so their primary income comes from new players or income through cosmetic items. I just thought you might have an actual full earnings release from a MMORPG sites or something that is showing a pretty huge boom in Gw2 earnings because of for new players , since this is just a presentation of all of NC-Softs products, and is in no way meant to be analysed. (According to NC-Soft)