Before I start I want to make clear that this isn't a negative thread, but I'm just going to be realistic in terms of MxO and funding.
We know MxO is a unique online experience that had great potential. The premise was something special. Instead of bashing orcs and elves in EverQuest, you can be apart of the continuing storyline of one of the greatest sci-fi trilogies of all time. Combat was also something special with the variety of the free-fire system and the one-of-a-kind Interlock system. And so on...
I can continue describing the great aspects of MxO and why it has failed at a marketing and success aspect, but pretty much we all know know this by now. What I continue to see though are people clamoring for more support and funding from SOE. This would be nice, but let's take a step back and see a reasonable "what if" scenario:
SOE has decided to further fund MxO by a "disclosed amount". This funding will provide 10 more Devs, a 10-man consistent LET that will work with LESIG 2.0, re-release of the game packaged to stores nationwide, and ad and online marketing throughout the media outlets. To have this, would probably bring tears of joy to everyone here. How much $$$ do you believe this would all cost? You would have the extra salaries of 20 new employee's for MxO, the expenses of the re-release, and the marketing. This would cost SOE quite the penny, but it's SOE, they have the money to make this happen, but just because they do, doesn't mean they will. They run a business first and foremost, they won't throw away 5-6 digit figures at a game that holds less than 1,000 subscriptions. They just won't.
Now, let's go back to the scenario. With the increased Dev team, they release an expansion pack which features two new MegaCity districts, graphical enhancement, added clothing and weapons, PvP updates, personal constructs, new Archives, I mean a serious, serious update that would really have the punching power of a WoW update or expansion pack. A real heavy hitter. Now, honestly, how many more subscriptions do you think MxO would get in the first month of this "MxO 2.0" overhaul? 10,000? 20,000? 30,000 new subscribers? Yeah right. I say even with all of this done, MxO wouldn't see an extra 1,000 subscriptions, and even that is being pretty generous, IMO. Thus, SOE has just put a ridiculous amount of cash into revitalizing the MxO project and they see less then 1,000 new subscriptions enter the game, they lose a ton of money and they will never see it back from this game.
You have to realize 2 strong factors as to why this would happen, regardless of how much SOE would ever fund this game.
1. The Matrix name is just not as buzz worthy and popular as it once was. It's almost 2008. Revolutions came out in 2003, and it generally received poor reviews. We have to face the facts, besides everyone here and some other scattered along the internet, most people just aren't interested in The Matrix anymore, and will not buy it because of this.
2. MxO already has a bad reputation from reviewers to just past subscribers. Regardless of anything, first impressions will always stick to people the most. If someone tried MxO and didn't like it, do you think adding in new areas and weapons would really bring them back? It would please us, but the average consumer or past subscriber probably wouldn't care.
So basically, I think we all know deep down that MxO will never change. We continue to strive for SOE to fund the game, hire more Devs, get an animator, a LET, updates, etc. and we nag SOE on their forums and e-mail on this fact and despise them for neglecting the game, but we all know deep down why MxO is in the state it's in. So instead of beating a dead horse, just play the game and enjoy. It's inevitable people will get bored and move on, to the point when MxO will have to shut down one day, sadly. This game will never change too drastically from what we have now, and we just have to accept that fact, whether you choose to believe it or not.
We know MxO is a unique online experience that had great potential. The premise was something special. Instead of bashing orcs and elves in EverQuest, you can be apart of the continuing storyline of one of the greatest sci-fi trilogies of all time. Combat was also something special with the variety of the free-fire system and the one-of-a-kind Interlock system. And so on...
I can continue describing the great aspects of MxO and why it has failed at a marketing and success aspect, but pretty much we all know know this by now. What I continue to see though are people clamoring for more support and funding from SOE. This would be nice, but let's take a step back and see a reasonable "what if" scenario:
SOE has decided to further fund MxO by a "disclosed amount". This funding will provide 10 more Devs, a 10-man consistent LET that will work with LESIG 2.0, re-release of the game packaged to stores nationwide, and ad and online marketing throughout the media outlets. To have this, would probably bring tears of joy to everyone here. How much $$$ do you believe this would all cost? You would have the extra salaries of 20 new employee's for MxO, the expenses of the re-release, and the marketing. This would cost SOE quite the penny, but it's SOE, they have the money to make this happen, but just because they do, doesn't mean they will. They run a business first and foremost, they won't throw away 5-6 digit figures at a game that holds less than 1,000 subscriptions. They just won't.
Now, let's go back to the scenario. With the increased Dev team, they release an expansion pack which features two new MegaCity districts, graphical enhancement, added clothing and weapons, PvP updates, personal constructs, new Archives, I mean a serious, serious update that would really have the punching power of a WoW update or expansion pack. A real heavy hitter. Now, honestly, how many more subscriptions do you think MxO would get in the first month of this "MxO 2.0" overhaul? 10,000? 20,000? 30,000 new subscribers? Yeah right. I say even with all of this done, MxO wouldn't see an extra 1,000 subscriptions, and even that is being pretty generous, IMO. Thus, SOE has just put a ridiculous amount of cash into revitalizing the MxO project and they see less then 1,000 new subscriptions enter the game, they lose a ton of money and they will never see it back from this game.
You have to realize 2 strong factors as to why this would happen, regardless of how much SOE would ever fund this game.
1. The Matrix name is just not as buzz worthy and popular as it once was. It's almost 2008. Revolutions came out in 2003, and it generally received poor reviews. We have to face the facts, besides everyone here and some other scattered along the internet, most people just aren't interested in The Matrix anymore, and will not buy it because of this.
2. MxO already has a bad reputation from reviewers to just past subscribers. Regardless of anything, first impressions will always stick to people the most. If someone tried MxO and didn't like it, do you think adding in new areas and weapons would really bring them back? It would please us, but the average consumer or past subscriber probably wouldn't care.
So basically, I think we all know deep down that MxO will never change. We continue to strive for SOE to fund the game, hire more Devs, get an animator, a LET, updates, etc. and we nag SOE on their forums and e-mail on this fact and despise them for neglecting the game, but we all know deep down why MxO is in the state it's in. So instead of beating a dead horse, just play the game and enjoy. It's inevitable people will get bored and move on, to the point when MxO will have to shut down one day, sadly. This game will never change too drastically from what we have now, and we just have to accept that fact, whether you choose to believe it or not.
"The End is Near, the Time is Now." | W4rbl4de | Reviled Restoration-CYPHERITES