Something to think about...

Based on the info we have weeks before PoE2 release GGG choose the same/safe formula in designing PoE2, which is go through the campaign then the maps and whatever theme park/content (new boss + league mechanic) and this design isn't why PoE got my attention, because there's hundreds of games like this.

The steamcharts demonstrates further how GGG loses a significant percentage of the playerbase consistently after the first month and IMO the delays of new leagues are less to do with PoE2 and more with the declining PoE revenue.

Poe + PoE2 are similar, using the same or outdated formula, well where do you see GGG future when faced with the type of competition that didn't exist for a long time, starting with 2025 in the "online / live service" games with GTA6, Star Citizen and others.

We saw the financial report from last year and the next should be revealed soon. Investors/share holders and companies adjust based on financial (often quarterly) report on the direction/future of their product, which is why I do feel bad for those that overpaid initially with their generous support, a support that's diminished and it's why IMO contributed the most for PoE to release two leagues this year.

Voting with our wallet still dictates what the industry will have and more of what will be coming years later, while individuals (game developers) who follow their "vision" and being the first or one step ahead like Chris Wilson with his "garage" team did get rewarded the most at the cost of others like Activision-Blizzard that choose or couldn't adapt/adjust.

The PoE formula isn't just more of the same or outdated now, but costly as well and ultimately the company decided that the current returns/revenue didn't justify and made sense to continue spending on PoE, especially when they project and want the majority of the PoE player base to purchase, play and follow PoE2 during the holiday season.

I can understand why some of the biggest supporters may be also most disappointed for GGG to become or feel pretty much the same like Activision-Blizzard or any other once highly successful company, especially after Chris Wilson sold it to investors, so if you're disappointed be at yourself in the way you've supported this and other companies.

The rise in MTX is contributed to the impulsive and initial overspending and it has hurt games that are spending needless resources related to MTX and the F2P monetization. The best you can do for PoE or any other game is spend the next $600+ through a decade with $5 monthly support and your fav game will be in a much better place, especially when the majority would follow the same.

If a game has a $50 B2P model with a $10-15 monthly subs it's still totally worth depending on how much of your free time you enjoy playing it consistently.

nothing outdated to see here, also no one needs games made by developers with no vision.

the only mistake they made so far is uniting the console realms with the pc ones, that's like mixing go cart with formula 1 racing. now we have a go cart game.

it's the same fallacy of developers first designing a singeplayer game and then "attaching some multiplayer part". it will never be a good multiplayer game except they redisign it from scratch later on

Straight away you're talking out of your ass: it's the same revenue in '22 as it was in '23. I'd hazard a guess they'd be within 15% of that, perhaps even up by 5% in FY24 thanks to affliction.

Every single business of this scale has monthly financial meetings. You feel bad for people who invested in 2011-2013 and that's why there's only been two leagues this year? What are you even talking about? This paragraph meanders like an ant in a depravation chamber.

The payouts received at blizzard through the years eclipse what the directors at GGG have received. Again, the rest of this paragraph is just nonsense.

...

"be disappointed in yourself for supporting this free game". Ok, guy.

There was no "rise in MTX" in PoE. It was the equivalent of their basis for payment from the get-go.


GGG cannot operate under the model you suggested at the bottom because there's basically no multiplayer.

For a guy that constantly whine about events/races "encouraging unhealthy behavior", you have a surprisingly hard time grasping the fact that season-based games have - and will always have a drop-off of players, and the fact that it's healthy for both the games and the players, or at least it can be.

The OP of this thread is filled with nonsense and non-issues, even more than your regular Kopogero thread. It's just an example of someone trying to force an issue that doesn't exist.

Retention is retention there's no further arguments that can be made there, like how it "could be" healthy for the company and players to not be "engaged" consistently.

There's disappointments and costs between certain markets for certain decisions. GGG understands better the disappointment and cost that comes with what they release and when. There's quantity and quality and GGG for a while no longer could meet both based on where PoE1 has been this year, especially when they start "cooking" PoE2 and for longer than they intended.

Whatever happens GGG did miss an opportunity to make/earn significantly more from the playerbase and that will be reflected within the next and especially next financial report. Given the F2P monetizing model GGG is using, well it will take longer before public relationship are improved to again be in a position to earn the most from its playerbase.

Finally, stagnation or worse a decline on annual revenue isn't "growth", which is where GGG and its investors like most companies would want to be.

Their FTP model isn't dependant on player retention, and it benefits heavily from league cycles. Spikes in attention are what motivate spending.

Taking your own example - $50 price tag + ($10+$15)/2 subscription fee.

To be impossibly, and unreasonably generous, let's just take the biggest peak players they've ever had for a new league and pretend that's how many players they always have for your example. Let's pretend they're all new players every 3 months too! We'll be using Steam here.

Buying the game
- 228,398 new players every 3 months
- $50
- $11,419,900 every 3 months
- $45,679,600 revenue

Subscriptions
- 228,398 people playing
- $12.50 subscription fee
- $34,259,700 annual revenue

Total
- $79,939,300

So, if they completely changed their business model, even in the most favourable conditions that cannot exist in the real world, they lose money. Even if they have 20x the average players they have currently - around 11k - your model costs them money.

Please go on

Let's all sit back, take a moment, and celebrate the fact that Kopogero made a post without using the word "ladder" in it even once, or ever talking even a little about how hypercompetitive events are the sole and ultimate key to success, love, and immortal life.

Well done, Kopo! I'm glad to see you improving!

I think there is only one post better than this one for telling GGG how to run a business.

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3488268

PoE isnt aging well. After playing a modern game like D4, PoE feels very bland.

I hope PoE 2 is more fun and less gamble sim.

"

superbomb1967 wrote:

PoE isnt aging well. After playing a modern game like D4, PoE feels very bland.

I hope PoE 2 is more fun and less gamble sim.

Please play D4 then, and let those of us who love the current version of PoE enjoy it. You have your game it seems, let us have ours!