I've noticed the Devs start to reach out, but this isn't how it should be.

[GreyFox.8046]

Alright I've been lurking on Reddit and the forums and I've noticed current and former developers talk about the aftermath of this event. I have but 1 question:Why are they focusing on the "toxicity" and not addressing the actual fair criticism or praise for the event by answering the questions, which if answered even vaguely, would start to repair this damage. Like I keep advocating for the team needing better communication, we have successful free to play games out there who always nail the communication and marketing, please it's not wrong to take note of them, no one will bat an eye. I say all this as someone who is passionate. The fixes to all of this backlash which would've been EASILY avoided if you just took a step back and actually saw the bigger picture to this community.We are players in a world YOU made, we are forever grateful, and we are not out here in a secret cult out to get the developers, we want to hear from you, get to know you better, show us the passion you have outside of the game.So basically my point is, we need to hear more from the developers. I understand theirs "broken promises" that can occur if you started announcing stuff left and right, but sometimes simple milestones, little maps of whats to come or hope to achieve will sit better with the players because as we continue to play, we will have in the back of our minds the thought that "New content is coming" constantly, instead of "I wonder if we will get something soon other than a gemstore item".

Thank you for the world you provide us with, and I hope to see more of it in the coming months, and years of course,

[Glider.5792]

@"GreyFox.8046" said:Why are they focusing on the "toxicity"

In their eyes, every form of criticism is "spreading toxicity".

[Randulf.7614]

The devs have spoken about the event?

[RyuDragnier.9476]

@"GreyFox.8046" said:Why are they focusing on the "toxicity"Because there's a lot of negativity going on, both here and on Reddit. The criticism of "you overhyped this" is something we can all agree on, but I've also been seeing quite a few people bashing Anet. Calling them children for not liking the bashing, saying they deserve it, and in general a lot of players acting entitled and angry that an event that was primarily about the new season of the Living World was talking mostly about the new season of the Living World (and not what they wanted).

[ywhl.8592]

repo

Edited October 19, 2022 by ywhl.8592
Removed

[Lincolnbeard.1735]

@Zynk.9015 said:Because the subreddit is brigaded by people who have had their accounts banned for violating forum guidelines so they use the only social site they can and skirt the rules there.

Well, there was a time that any kind of criticism and any post that didn't praise the game was warranted a ban.

[Acheron.4731]

It was pretty bad...I hope it doesnt set a precedence for ignoring all the feedback by saying all feedback is 'toxic'Silos appear to be forming even more b/w the community and the company

[Ashen.2907]

@Lincolnbeard.1735 said:

@Zynk.9015 said:Because the subreddit is brigaded by people who have had their accounts banned for violating forum guidelines so they use the only social site they can and skirt the rules there.

Well, there was a time that any kind of criticism and any post that didn't praise the game was warranted a ban.

This is false.

[Danikat.8537]

One of the talks at PAX was "LUL GAEM SUX: Interpreting Player Feedback". I wonder if anyone at Anet went along? Sounds like it could be useful.

[Dami.5046]

Arena net won't win either way.This is the internet after all.

[Timelord.8190]

So we cannot give feedback any longer unless it's positive? LOL

[Dami.5046]

Those mod comments are way old and trust me I know. They aren't in that format anymore.lvl1 inc(you aren't allowed to discuss the M word)

[b k.1648]

@GreyFox.8046 said:Like I keep advocating for the team needing better communication, we have successful free to play games out there who always nail the communication and marketing, please it's not wrong to take note of them, no one will bat an eye. I say all this as someone who is passionate. The fixes to all of this backlash which would've been EASILY avoided if you just took a step back and actually saw the bigger picture to this community.

Which free-to-play games would be examples of this, in your view? I've got a fairly small list of games I've tried recently (I suppose you could say my search algorithm is depth-first) so I haven't played enough of that type to be sure.

[Erasculio.2914]

@RyuDragnier.9476 said:

@"GreyFox.8046" said:

Why are they focusing on the "toxicity"

Because there's a lot of negativity going on, both here and on Reddit. The criticism of "you overhyped this" is something we can all agree on, but I've also been seeing quite a few people bashing Anet.

You're making the same mistake ArenaNet does - thinking that any kind of negativity equals toxicity.

The players who complain are the players that are so invested in the game they actually bother to try to change it for the better. It would be a lot easier for people to see something they don't like, give up and stop playing the game. Instead, players here try to be heard, to show ArenaNet the problems of the game and how it could be made better.

Is there a part of the community who's toxic? Sure, just like in any community, there are a 0,01% of toxic players who just want the world to burn. But for every toxic post, I could show you one thousand posts offering constructive criticism, all being dismissed by those who think that any kind of comment that is not praising the game is toxic and should be erased.

Trying to be in a happy little bubble where everything is always perfect and ArenaNet is always right is only going to lead to a very little, very lonely bubble.

[Bloodstealer.5978]

The sad thing about the event for me really, aside from not getting very much more out of it that we didn't already know, was that it was such a good opportunity to put those devs front and centre and let them express their creativity, their visons and really make it an opportunity to celebrate the hard work they put in every single day for us.. but having nothing there to talk about or even Q&A with the community made it yet another lost opportunity imo.At a time when the company has bled a lot of talent from the teams, this was a way of not just launching LS5 but to celebrate those devs now tasked with putting forth their creative talents in an effort to take the reins and push onwards, but all we got for the most part of the event was a ranting MoS who was about as funny as a dead donkey, lots of fluffy cosplay merchandising airtime and a marketing chap dressed up on the cheap looking more like the Grim Reaper begging for coin to buy a new scythe.The event was definitely overhyped, underprepared to the point nothing was clearly ready to even begin talking about yet and well sorry, but it felt kind of desperate to me, which is a real shame, an opportunity lost.

[Mewcifer.5198]

@Erasculio.2914 said:

@RyuDragnier.9476 said:

@"GreyFox.8046" said:

Why are they focusing on the "toxicity"

Because there's a lot of negativity going on, both here and on Reddit. The criticism of "you overhyped this" is something we can all agree on, but I've also been seeing quite a few people bashing Anet.

You're making the same mistake ArenaNet does - thinking that any kind of negativity equals toxicity.

The players who complain are the players that are so invested in the game they actually bother to try to change it for the better. It would be a lot easier for people to see something they don't like, give up and stop playing the game. Instead, players here try to be heard, to show ArenaNet the problems of the game and how it could be made better.

Is there a part of the community who's toxic? Sure, just like in any community, there are a 0,01% of toxic players who just want the world to burn. But for every toxic post, I could show you one thousand posts offering constructive criticism, all being dismissed by those who think that any kind of comment that is not praising the game is toxic and should be erased.

Trying to be in a happy little bubble where everything is always perfect and ArenaNet is always right is only going to lead to a very little, very lonely bubble.

While not all negativity is toxic. I do also see a lot of people who assume that if anyone says something is toxic that it means they just don't like negative feedback. And I've been seeing a lot of outright toxic behavior. Things ranging from calling the devs names and making fun of their physical appearance to insulting other players just because that player expressed a positive opinion about something anet did or said.

I think pretending that the toxic people don't exist or that they are a teeny tiny minority in the community and therefore can be ignored is not a good way to go about it. Part of the big draw for GW2 for a long time was that the community was better than the communities in a lot of other games. I don't want that to change. Even if those people are relatively few in number, we need to do our best to shut them down. Do not accept toxic behavior even if you agree with the reason the person is upset.

And this isn't trying to be in a happy bubble with perfection or an ever-right anet. I have my gripes with things the devs have done. I've voiced concerns in the past and will do so again whenever I feel something isn't right.

[mindcircus.1506]

Why do people screenshot and post their warnings as some kind of flex?

[Super Hayes.6890]

The reason you are seeing such negativity on the forums is because the majority of us are having fun playing the game and not posting. Seriously though, I don't see what all you upset people are seeing. My friends and I are still having a great time when we log in and are all excited about the announcement. Yes, we've been around since launch and when there is no new content we... you know... have fun anyway. Everything needed to have a good time in this game is already there. Either have fun or go somewhere else. Those are the only two statements you can make that truly have weight. Everything else is wasting time posting when you could be playing GW2 or something else. You could even do life if playing this game has become so disappointing for you. Please just stop ranting on the forums.

OP I do wish more focus was present from everyone on anything but the toxicity.

[Curunen.8729]

It is a shame that some people are abusing this situation through personal attacks - that is abhorrent/despicable and should be challenged, but it is also a shame if all negative criticism is being bundled together in the same box.

Regarding the criticism, it is justified for many people to be confused and disappointed for such a big live announcement (which in the past has been reserved for more significant news such as expansions) - itself being announced 1 month prior - taking questions on the forum, hinting towards a big reveal - and a hype building countdown timer - to be essentially told "all is going forward mostly as expected" in what has almost all times in the past been sufficient for a blog post, and then to have critical time of their biggest live presentation for ages to be used for marketing merchandise...

Of course, I still love and enjoy the game, and have gratitude and respect for the skilled people who created all this wonderful experience to escape into. None of my criticism is personal (same goes for many other posts, comments and videos I see), it is to underline the 30th event being poorly envisioned from the outset. If the layoffs have had significant impact in terms of productivity or morale this year, speaking for myself I would certainly be in support of those devs to take the time to settle and find a new harmony in the workspace - it is important for everyone to feel at ease to be in a space of flow and create amazing things, and conversely it is not right to crack the whip and lose any compassion towards fellow human beings.

If they had kept this to a blog post plus trailer, usual q&a etc, maybe a streamed dev chat or something to explain the shift from "season" to "saga", there would have been no issue.

Anyway people will continue to play, but I hope Anet plan more carefully when it comes to announcing such "big" announcements in the future.

[AlexxxDelta.1806]

@Super Hayes.6890 said:Either have fun or go somewhere else.

I'm sorry to spoil your perfect community of rainbows and fun but I think I 'll stay right here and voice my opinion on things I dislike (if there are any).

Actually, on second thought, I'm not even sorry.

[gateless gate.8406]

OP is referring to this statement: https://twitter.com/Rubi_/status/1167834718907203584

It's a recent trend in game development. It involves 1) doing something unpopular, 2) cherry-picking the 1% toxic comments while ignoring the 99% of feedback that is simply harsh/negative but untoxic, 3) using social media to bring attention to those 1% toxic comments.

This deflects attention away from the legitimate feedback and garners positive sympathy for the company that did the unpopular thing. Frequently, gaming news sites of a particular flavor (Kotaku, Polygon) will then publish an article or two about the incident (again focusing on the 1% toxic comments) to cement the victim narrative.

Make of it what you will.

[GreyFox.8046]

Which free-to-play games would be examples of this, in your view? I've got a fairly small list of games I've tried recently (I suppose you could say my search algorithm is depth-first) so I haven't played enough of that type to be sure.@"Ben K.6238" Warframe is my primary example. It's a free to play game in and out, however does offer a similar system to the Gemstore in GW2. And the game is MASSIVELY successful, why? They stream weekly. Tell us about the game in an entertaining matter. We root for those Devs, and we truly love them and see them as actual gamers, and not just "Secret Devs behind the scene". Check out "DevStream Warframe" on YouTube, they archive their streams on it, and also they do another weekly stream titled "Prime Time Warframe" which is the beloved community managers playing the game, showcasing fan creations, and having a good time with the players. These little things add up, and I wish ANET had a fraction of that.

[GreyFox.8046]

Alright I've read the replies to this and seen the screenshots that some of you posted. I'm baffled. Truly.Does Arena Net seriously view our voices as "disrespectful"?Let's take a step back Arena Net, please. When people start voicing their opinions it usually comes from passion. Passion from the game YOU made, that THEY want improved. Of course we have people who will say "Either you like it or leave it" "You're not entitled to say your opinion" etc...Yes we are. Everyone that has supported this game has the right to voice their passionate opinions to see the game flourish into something better. No one wants to see their favorite game lose its touch. Obviously each player has their preferences, but ultimately it's up to the Devs to see which opinions should be taken into consideration. However I don't mean being picky and only accepting heartfelt love letters. Let's be realistic here a bit.Yes we understand the team is not the biggest, and yes its game development we can't expect immediate results, but we just want to know that the team listens. That's all.

[Michram.6853]

I think this week is crucial to take people's questions and answer them, no need to be specific, just saying that for example Specializations are still possible, or expansions may still be added, there are ideas for them.

All we need is a vision, do they want to continue GW2 many years forward, or they want to ditch it like GW1?

Those are main questions I would love to get an answer to, because in game I have a lot of goals and i have will to play, but will this game keep evolving or not, are my in game efforts baseless, or not?

I love GW2 and Tom Abernathy is just the most incredible and interactive dev I adore.

But what's Anet's vision for the development moving forward...? We know thanks to the Narrative team Q&A what is the vision for the story, but what about WvW, PvP, Raids, Fractals - what's the vision for them?

What are the plans for WvW when we finally get to play the Alliances, what happens after that?

What are the plans of Anet after introducing Swiss system in PvP?

What are other big, visionary ideas for raids to make them more hardcore, as well what's next of Fractals, will they get CMs, why are they released so slowly, they are way smaller than Raids, we should be getting a fractal every episode...

I only ask for the VISION. A MANIFESTO OF THE FUTURE

[Pirindolo.9427]

What I cannot understand is how those vocal players(?) that are day after day flaming in reddit with how bad GW2 is since XXX, and how ridiculously easy has become and other stuff like that, keep coming day after day to suffer playing this great game. Masochism?