A'Real Fury
D.A.R.K L.E.G.I.O.N
D.E.F.I.A.N.C.E
102
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Posted - 2013.06.06 13:58:00 -
[1] - Quote
I think there is a viability threshold for Dust 514. I will not guess at the numbers because I have no clue though I suspect current numbers to be on the low side.
To be viable on a long term basis I believe they will need numbers similar to Eve. This based on the amount of Aurum etc items that need to be bought to pay for the Dust 514 teams and resources. Would anyone like to guess how much CCPs monthly costs are for this game is? Especially when you add in salaries. At a minimum it must be tens of thousands of Gé¼ if not more. Now you could say that there are probably 20k active players in all of the different time zones but we have no idea how many of them actually spend money on this game.
Even if all 20k did spend money every month it would still be close to break even at best. If numbers do not improve then CCP has broadly 2 options:
1. Reduce staff and resources to the point they are making money. This would result in limited expansions at a slower pace but avoids closing the project completly and you have the permanent half life some have mentioned.
2. Go all in for the next couple of years. That is to say ignore current user figures, and the possible losses they may be making at the moment in the hopes that the larger team will improve the game to the point that it is comparable to a AAA game in terms of gameplay and has a more complex and involving back story and function than most of those games.
My hope is obviously with option 2 as it result in me enjoying this game in years to come. However, I can not deny that Dust 514 has to improve in all respects if CCP wants to be able to hold its own against other AAA titles in the years to come.
To those arguing about the PS4 my opinion is as follows. Dust does not need to be on the PS4 in the first year unless there are some dramatic updates to the game. However, I could see Dust 514 PS4 specials appearing for Christmas 2014. 2013 is all about the first adopters willing to pay high prices for the console and take the risk that there may still be issues with the hardware etc that need to be resolved. The major sales will come in the following year when the tech is proven and/or updated and the price is more reasonable and more accessories and games are on the market.
As I see it CCP has 2 maybe 3 expansions to prove that Dust 514 has a viable, and growing, future so long as they fix the actual gameplay mechanics soon, and I do mean soon. Plenty of games have problems but most people will stick it out for a while if they see those problems resolved in a timely fashion.
For me the priorities would be as follows:
1. Gameplay mechanics. If the gun game is not fluid and predictable and comparable to other FPS then you will loose most people before they bother to learn anything else about the game.
2. New modes including some variant of PVE. My preferences would be focused on squad based PVE but some solo would be good as well.
3. Introduction of all racial variants of existing versions. They can work on new models and introduce them with the expansions e.g. Proto tanks, jet fighters etc
4. Better and more profitable links to Eve.
There are plenty of things I have not mentioned, like the open market, but these can be added as part of updating the game.
I do not believe Dust 514 will fail but I have no idea what it will look like in a year. It could be an incredible and complex game or something very niche with a very small budget. |