Discussion Thread: ArenaNet News of 21 February 2019 [Merged]

[Kylden Ar.3724]

@BlueJin.4127 said:

@MoriMoriMori.5349 said:Now, what do we make from Joshua Foreman leaving? If they actually fired him, what does this mean? When you fire your lead level designer/artist, that really sounds like you don't plan to put a lot of emphasis on level design from now on. Like, no more huge DLCs with bunch of exceptionally designed environment, just a simple LWS map once in a while? I don't get it, that's kind of an employee you normally want to keep if you plan to keep growing your project.

It simply means they’re replacing a veteran who gets paid well with somebody else who gets paid less, so the company can pay less for their employees. It doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t care about the product, nor does it mean a decrease in quality. Only time will tell if the people taking over do a better job. A lot of times, newer employees (not necessarily new to the company, can be new to a position) have a lot of different skills that can bring about a positive change. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Could also mean they intend to use instances in existing maps for future LW content to save costs, still deliver story, and save new maps for xpacs.

[Mourningcry.9428]

@Leo G.4501 said:

@Mourningcry.9428 said:

@Ulyssean.1709 said:

@ilovegw.1258 said:

@Ulyssean.1709 said:Why is it NCsofts fault?

Because they sent the lay off message to Anet initially when this storm started?

So if you do not perform to standard and get fired, it's your manager's fault?

To seriously believe this is the main reason for layoffs during a restructuring, one would have to be even more ignorant than such belief would indicate.

Considering you're on the outside looking in with no actual information with the gall to call someone else out on their ignorance...why not just accept that we don't know exactly what's going on and your outbursts are based on emotion?

Perhaps, because experience, knowledge and practice of similar restructuring would allow me to say with a good deal of confidence that an organization, a subsidiary of a publicly traded company simply does not reduce its workforce by 25%, with public notice without being able to justify such action. And "sub par performance" is not gonna hold up as a primary justification for such a large percent population reduction.

And as to emotion, I haven't even played the game in any meaningful capacity since before PoF. So, beyond the empathy for all those caught up in this restructuring, many of which, I can assure you is not due to their particular performance, I don't really have any feelings for the game overall any longer.

[Tiviana.2650]

You know Aaron Linde is gone also right?

[idolin.2831]

@Tiviana.2650 said:

@wetwillyhip.7254 said:

@Tiviana.2650 said:

@"cptaylor.2670" said:With the latest article stating that the game will not be “affected” but will have less developers working on it I think that’s either a hint that we will probably getting some pretty drastic delays with more than just the wvw mount patch. And with so many veterans leaving, likely due to volunteering, I fear that this game while undoubtedly continuing one way or another, will just devolve more and more until it’s merely a shell of its former self.

With many of them leaving in solidarity i think gw2 will be going into maintenance mode shortly. Any living world stories that come out next were already pretty much done, after that who knows. NCsoft just basically killed the game.

if we're not careful, posts like this will help instill the idea to the community that the game is dead and will help kill it off. Please stay positive for now.

Its really hard to stay positive when you look at the devs twitters, many left of their own accord because of this. This is a tragedy many people lost work, sure the really good devs will be snapped up, but CMs and the like will be out in the cold. And to say nothing of the game , with all the talent walking out or getting layed off whos steering the ship?

GW2 is not ANet's only game. This layoff's worst result is that GW2 going into maintenance mode but I doubt that will happen. It's been said there are several (non GW2 related) unannounced projects ANet had been working on, and the layoff means the death of those projects - which can mean ANet can focus better on GW2 now. Let's not be too negative here.

[Tiviana.2650]

@idolin.2831 said:

@Tiviana.2650 said:

@wetwillyhip.7254 said:

@Tiviana.2650 said:

@"cptaylor.2670" said:With the latest article stating that the game will not be “affected” but will have less developers working on it I think that’s either a hint that we will probably getting some pretty drastic delays with more than just the wvw mount patch. And with so many veterans leaving, likely due to volunteering, I fear that this game while undoubtedly continuing one way or another, will just devolve more and more until it’s merely a shell of its former self.

With many of them leaving in solidarity i think gw2 will be going into maintenance mode shortly. Any living world stories that come out next were already pretty much done, after that who knows. NCsoft just basically killed the game.

if we're not careful, posts like this will help instill the idea to the community that the game is dead and will help kill it off. Please stay positive for now.

Its really hard to stay positive when you look at the devs twitters, many left of their own accord because of this. This is a tragedy many people lost work, sure the really good devs will be snapped up, but CMs and the like will be out in the cold. And to say nothing of the game , with all the talent walking out or getting layed off whos steering the ship?

GW2 is not ANet's only game. This layoff's worst result is that GW2 going into maintenance mode but I doubt that will happen. It's been said there are several (non GW2 related) unannounced projects ANet had been working on, and the layoff means the death of those projects - which can mean ANet can focus better on GW2 now. Let's not be too negative here.

Umm go look at whos leaving, they are gw2 devs and staff

[idolin.2831]

@Tiviana.2650 said:

@idolin.2831 said:

@Tiviana.2650 said:

@wetwillyhip.7254 said:

@Tiviana.2650 said:

@"cptaylor.2670" said:With the latest article stating that the game will not be “affected” but will have less developers working on it I think that’s either a hint that we will probably getting some pretty drastic delays with more than just the wvw mount patch. And with so many veterans leaving, likely due to volunteering, I fear that this game while undoubtedly continuing one way or another, will just devolve more and more until it’s merely a shell of its former self.

With many of them leaving in solidarity i think gw2 will be going into maintenance mode shortly. Any living world stories that come out next were already pretty much done, after that who knows. NCsoft just basically killed the game.

if we're not careful, posts like this will help instill the idea to the community that the game is dead and will help kill it off. Please stay positive for now.

Its really hard to stay positive when you look at the devs twitters, many left of their own accord because of this. This is a tragedy many people lost work, sure the really good devs will be snapped up, but CMs and the like will be out in the cold. And to say nothing of the game , with all the talent walking out or getting layed off whos steering the ship?

GW2 is not ANet's only game. This layoff's worst result is that GW2 going into maintenance mode but I doubt that will happen. It's been said there are several (non GW2 related) unannounced projects ANet had been working on, and the layoff means the death of those projects - which can mean ANet can focus better on GW2 now. Let's not be too negative here.

Umm go look at whos leaving, they are gw2 devs and staff

They might be working on the multiple games at the same time.

[Tiviana.2650]

This is good, read the comments from Anet staff. And oo is that a blizzard recruiter in there? Maybe blizzard will snag them up and get some new blood to flood the system.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/we-family-philip-holt/?published=t

Hope they all find a place.

[Healix.5819]

@Zaoda.1653 said:I heard 100 staff laid off? Not sure if numbers are correct but if so, isn't that about a quarter of the staff? That's pretty concerning for the game's future.

GW2 was launched with 270 employees and had grown to around 400 prior to this. The number of people they fired today is basically how many they've hired since launch, and we now know they were focusing on something other than GW2, so GW2 could potentially be better off after this if they refocus on it.

[Jura.2170]

Sorry for asking a silly question, but how is Star Citizen able to raise millions to develop itself, while Arenanet can't?

Is the market for space mmos that much bigger?

If Anet had spent money on improving the game like QoL, making it faster, keeping the guild halls team and improving them, and even improving festivals and adding new ones, surely they would have made more money?

[Obtena.7952]

@"Jura.2170" said:Sorry for asking a silly question, but how is Star Citizen able to raise millions to develop itself, while Arenanet can't?

Is the market for space mmos that much bigger?

If Anet had spent money on improving the game like QoL, making it faster, keeping the guild halls team and improving them, and even improving festivals and adding new ones, surely they would have made more money?

I don't think it's a given that improving QoL leads to more revenue. That's simply improving what already exists (and what people already experienced and gotten used to). I think we have to stop and think; most players are likely to spend cash on the game for the simple reason that there is something they want to buy, not something that they were already given. QoL changes would fall into the 'something given' category.

In otherwords, people more likely spend cash in exchange for something, not as a reward for getting something they like.

[ilovegw.1258]

@"Jura.2170" said:Sorry for asking a silly question, but how is Star Citizen able to raise millions to develop itself, while Arenanet can't?

Is the market for space mmos that much bigger?

If Anet had spent money on improving the game like QoL, making it faster, keeping the guild halls team and improving them, and even improving festivals and adding new ones, surely they would have made more money?

Star Citizen (a game yet to be released) works differently. It's a crowdfunding game and sells expensive stuffs like $27k spaceships which the backers buy (lol).

Anet wanted to taste the water of mobile gaming and now failed miserably. One can only hope the lesson is learnt here.

[RIN.1659]

ok as much as I was looking forwards to this new mount in wvw witch I must admit I don't do much of but that War claw looks bad kittin's I was willing to start doing more of it in light of the things going on I get it you all got it ease could be worse try working for Walmart or Sams club they just shut the doors and don't give it a second thought so take your time War Claw LWS4 ep 6 will happen good luck to every one

[Moonjelly.3742]

@Arkham Creed.7358 said:Two words; Carbine Studios. How about another? Wildstar.We've already seen what NCSoft does when they feel like a game isn't profitable enough.

I'm not defending NCSoft, but the demise of Wildstar was entirely on Carbine's shoulders. That game had so many issues before it even left the gate, I'm honestly surprised NCSoft didn't pull the plug long before it was released, but I suppose the investment was so high they had no choice. Carbine was given multiple chances by NCSoft after release to pull up their big boy pants to get their shit together, and they failed each time, miserably. It's a shame too, because that game really could have been something special with proper direction.

The timing being not too far after that studio being being shut down and Wildstar gone, I'm starting to wonder now if ANet isn't paying for Carbine's incompetence.

[Obtena.7952]

I have no doubt the game will continue to exist; the content we have will always be here in some way. I do anticipate that at some level, we will finally see some pay-to-win things; abilities to fast track long/hard to get items, like +5/+9 infusions, legendary anythings, etc ...

Honestly, if I were NCSoft, I would 'pushing' for a more revenue driven model ... milking the current players by giving them things they want via some purchase. They don't care a flip about anything but the bottom line. It's a shame Anet were tied to them. I think you will see that be a common theme in the evolution of the industry. Games showing long teeth will get their legs knocked out from beneath them and the focus will be to entice veteran players to patronize the games more, even at the expense of the games themselves .. I think SWTOR went that way long ago and it persists because they sell things people want to buy. That doesn't necessary mean we won't see new content, etc ... because that is what will keep us around to spend that money.

I mean ... Anet selling chairs ... THOSE are the kind of decision that would make a parent company pull the rug out. To what end do chairs give players any value? Even if they are for some future housing ... they put the cart in front of the horse.

[Haishao.6851]

And my friend got fired too. He got 3 months of severance. While he's saddened, he's still optimistic because it was his first job as a dev, and he made many friends and contacts. He blame anet's management for this situation but he told me "Start calling it NCSoftNet from now on"

This is depressing. I don't think I'll be playing GW2 all that much anymore.

[BlueJin.4127]

@Kylden Ar.3724 said:Could also mean they intend to use instances in existing maps for future LW content to save costs, still deliver story, and save new maps for xpacs.

I would love this. But, again, I don’t think this is the right time or place for me to go on about this so I’ll hold it off for another time.

[Neural.1824]

@Arkham Creed.7358 said:

@Neural.1824 said:

@Tiviana.2650 said:Its not Anet , its NCsoft pulling plugs, get it right. When the kitten hits the fan know where to point the finger, squarely at NCsoft.

The question is this: After what happened to Paragon, and with this happening to Arenanet (and let's be real, there's no facts/proof, but Arenanet could very well get the same treatment as Paragon sometime soon), what are the chances that people will finally be fed up enough to not purchase any more NCSoft products?

Two words; Carbine Studios. How about another? Wildstar.We've already seen what NCSoft does when they feel like a game isn't profitable enough.

I don't know. I was kind of surprised how long Wildstar lasted. I felt like thy were trying to keep it alive for quite a while. It's a shame, that game, much like GW2 had a lot of potential that was wasted on pleasing investors and small groups.

[Kaiser.9873]

I despise NCsoft, and only bought this game due to friends moving over here in the early days. I get maximizing profits, but this has to stop.

[Kaiser.9873]

@Obtena.7952 said:

@"Jura.2170" said:Sorry for asking a silly question, but how is Star Citizen able to raise millions to develop itself, while Arenanet can't?

Is the market for space mmos that much bigger?

If Anet had spent money on improving the game like

QoL

, making it faster, keeping the guild halls team and improving them, and even improving festivals and adding new ones, surely they would have made more money?

I don't think it's a given that improving QoL leads to more revenue. That's simply improving what already exists (and what people already experienced and gotten used to). I think we have to stop and think; most players are likely to spend cash on the game for the simple reason that there is something they want to buy, not something that they were already given. QoL changes would fall into the 'something given' category.

In otherwords, people more likely spend cash in exchange for something, not as a reward for getting something they like.

I think that QoL improvements lead to player retention. More players = more gem purchases.

[Arkham Creed.7358]

@Obtena.7952 said:

I mean ... Anet selling chairs ... THOSE are the kind of decision that would make a parent company pull the rug out. To what end do chairs give players any value? Even if they are for some future housing ... they put the cart in front of the horse.

Actually that was probably the main thing protecting Arena Net at this point; cosmetic only vanity items sold for real money at a premium, super easy and fast to produce, and hugely profitable...yeah I bet NCSoft LOVED that. All you have to do is look at Team Fortress 2's hats to see why those chairs are probably a cash cow and may be the reason ANet was forced to lay off a quarter of its staff, instead of HALF.

[Gemnaid.4219]

It’s clearly anets fault. All their choices in taking the game in a certain direction has finally caught up to them. They’ve lost a lot of customers over the years and no one has cared until now.

[Tolmos.8395]

Some of this confuses me. I could have sworn I read an article that Arenanet bought the rights back from NCSoft for GW2, and had sole decision making power on it now. Did I dream that, or misread that? I could have... it made me feel a little better thinking that, considering NCSoft's reputation as an MMO killer.

[Palador.2170]

@"Haishao.6851" said:He blame anet's management for this situation but he told me "Start calling it NCSoftNet from now on"

I'm thinking "ArenaSoft" myself.

I do hope that the people leaving find a way to land on their feet. I know it wouldn't surprise me if some of them were thinking of starting up a new group.

[Obtena.7952]

@Kaiser.9873 said:

@Obtena.7952 said:

@"Jura.2170" said:Sorry for asking a silly question, but how is Star Citizen able to raise millions to develop itself, while Arenanet can't?

Is the market for space mmos that much bigger?

If Anet had spent money on improving the game like

QoL

, making it faster, keeping the guild halls team and improving them, and even improving festivals and adding new ones, surely they would have made more money?

I don't think it's a given that improving QoL leads to more revenue. That's simply improving what already exists (and what people already experienced and gotten used to). I think we have to stop and think; most players are likely to spend cash on the game for the simple reason that there is something they want to buy, not something that they were already given. QoL changes would fall into the 'something given' category.

In otherwords, people more likely spend cash in exchange for something, not as a reward for getting something they like.

I think that QoL improvements lead to player retention. More players = more gem purchases.

I'm simply saying that people are more apt to buy gems to get something for them, not as a sign of appreciation for something they got.

Why players stay in the game is a completely different question. Still, QoL issues don't seem like significant reasons to leave either. I mean, we don't have build swapping, and that's a major QoL feature. Do we think many people have left the game because they have to manually change builds? I think it's unlikely. Similarly, any other QoL. Even if we go so far as bugs ... players are tolerant of that to an extent. yeah, players like QoL, but I don't think it's a major factor in what determines if a player stays or leaves.

[ScottBroChill.3254]

Maybe NCsoft is trying to save the game? Most of their newer games died off and maybe they saw guild wars 2 was heading downhill or on a similar path to those other games, especially if Anet was mismanaging seeing as they weren't focusing enough on this game and instead on other projects that never saw the light of day. Maybe the decision to skip the expansion was enough for NCsoft to stop it because investors will see a lack of sales hike at the usual time and it won't necessarily look good if its just small price hikes from living story episodes and gemshop sales, which those gemstore sales will eventually decline because of the lack of substantial content. The living story is neat and all, but they all have to be made individually, they divide the playerbase, become obsolete fast, and they lose the ability to make grand big content that all works together like the expansions do.

We can't really say whether this is a bad or good thing yet. But I honestly wouldn't be opposed to the game going in a different direction if it doesn't mean a new microtransaction and p2w scheme.