[2021] Regarding my commentary in discord on New World

I agree my commentary was unprofessional and I will endeavor to be more tempered in my response on issues I care a lot about. Sometimes it’s difficult when, as a player, I was excited for their MMO and what it brought to the mmo space. Which desperately needs new successful products.

I also have a strong view that cosmetics and subs are a good monetization strategy for maintaining content updates on MMORPGs. We all know what free to play causes and b2p causes a high barrier to entry (though I’m not AS opposed to b2p). The optimal business model imo is a sub with cosmetic only shop.

Reasoning;

Subs supply the developers with a steady income to make content. And MMOs live and die from their content. It also incentivizes the team to perform with that content. Meaning the content will need to be good to retain users over a period of time, not just during that content launch.

In a buy to play game, companies already have your money and their interest in retaining the user is diminished to a degree (of course they still wish to retain the user, but when that user leaves they aren’t dropping their sub and b2p games can consider the next revenue event aka an expansion etc, as an opportunity to win back the user).

On the shop side; I cannot express my opinion on this any stronger;

Like many in the gaming community I have experienced great games die because the company introduced pay 2 advantage. Whether that advantage is a winning one or a “quality of life” one. It undermines the content, the playerbase’s efforts, the core gameplay loops and lessens the sense of reward a player feels when they ACHIEVE something.

Cosmetics imo can supply additional revenues in a respectful way SO LONG as there are in-game achievable visuals that match and EXCEED the ornate/complexities of what’s offered in the cosmetic shop AND purchased cosmetics aren't tradable. That is key. And I know we have taken our own flack for our preorder system, of which I have tried my best to engage and explain how our packages work, and how our cosmetics offered are used in variants to actually help build our world. Furthermore, cosmetics must be actual SKINS. Meaning, the player must first achieve the actual mount or building or armor in game, and THEN can apply the skin they purchased.

Bottom line, the mmo community is diverse and has many opinions on the aspects of monetizations, so of course we will each have our own opinions. And that’s fine! But the best thing a company can do is be UPFRONT about their monetization intents from the start. And do their absolute best to stick to what they’ve said, and if changes are needed explain WHY. Announcing the changes that were announced, and in the way it was announced I felt was disrespectful. And it saddens me as a player and member of the mmo development industry to see that. So I spoke unfiltered. And for that I apologize. Shall not happen again 👍