/rant OMG! Stupid MMO Companies!
I refuse, REFUSE! To be jerked around by MMO companies who say in order to get information, be a part of their community, or enjoy dev access I need to log in at certain times.
I reject that Twitter, Facebook, official forums, fan site forums, promotions, ads, video outreaches, etc., all need to be separate outlets for different types of news. I believe that if you're advertising/promo'ing something on Twitter, it should be mentioned on FB and on your official forums.
I also reject that game companies should post different information to each outlet, because different parts of their market follow the different mediums. Have a message, stick with it. Different messages across different mediums is confusing and honestly, stupid. Players want to see solidarity, consistency, and a team who at least looks like they know what they are doing! If you don't know it - fake it until you can figure it out!! (Don't we all do that anyway?)
I believe your forums are the first and foremost outreach to your current base - who should ALWAYS be treated with the utmost respect, seeing as they are people paying (or soon to be paying) for your game! Ignoring them, treating them with disrespect in the above listed manner, and generally treating them as not important, is simply not acceptable.
Baby your current community (the ones reading your forums - since they are the ones that care) while you actively recruit new folks. *Maybe* the people following you on Twitter are "your community", but you must assume that when you post tidbits to lure those on social media to your site - that your actual whole hearted followers want to hear the same news. And then they want to know why they, as your solid base, aren't being rewarded with information before random jerks on other outlets are!
Twitter and Facebook are social media tools, but they are NOT "Community". Treating them as such is a huge mistake. I say again, because this is so important. Social media is not community. If your community director and/or marketing team....which is, by the way, 99% of the time also not aware of who your community is - they spot potential players and call them community....I digress
If your community director does not know the difference, you're in trouble. And if your marketing team is running your community you're in even bigger trouble. *cough*WarhammerOnlinelaunch*cough*
I also believe that news outlets such as Blues News, MMORPG, Zam, Games Press, Eurogamer, OnlineWelten....these people should at least be carrying your news. How else do you plan on getting on Slashdot?!? ;o
When your game isn't listed on these sites, or it's listed with incorrect information you are screwed! People looking for your game realize no one cares enough to follow up or provide current information and they walk away. Because plenty of MMOs out there have the money, time, and inclination to do it right.
If those who are most excited about your game feel slighted, ignored, or removed from the pulse of what is going on you have lost! And winning them back is not about a small tweak to procedure. Winning people back, once you have lost them, is almost impossible. So don't lose them. It's not worth it!
/endrant
I reject that Twitter, Facebook, official forums, fan site forums, promotions, ads, video outreaches, etc., all need to be separate outlets for different types of news. I believe that if you're advertising/promo'ing something on Twitter, it should be mentioned on FB and on your official forums.
I also reject that game companies should post different information to each outlet, because different parts of their market follow the different mediums. Have a message, stick with it. Different messages across different mediums is confusing and honestly, stupid. Players want to see solidarity, consistency, and a team who at least looks like they know what they are doing! If you don't know it - fake it until you can figure it out!! (Don't we all do that anyway?)
I believe your forums are the first and foremost outreach to your current base - who should ALWAYS be treated with the utmost respect, seeing as they are people paying (or soon to be paying) for your game! Ignoring them, treating them with disrespect in the above listed manner, and generally treating them as not important, is simply not acceptable.
Baby your current community (the ones reading your forums - since they are the ones that care) while you actively recruit new folks. *Maybe* the people following you on Twitter are "your community", but you must assume that when you post tidbits to lure those on social media to your site - that your actual whole hearted followers want to hear the same news. And then they want to know why they, as your solid base, aren't being rewarded with information before random jerks on other outlets are!
Twitter and Facebook are social media tools, but they are NOT "Community". Treating them as such is a huge mistake. I say again, because this is so important. Social media is not community. If your community director and/or marketing team....which is, by the way, 99% of the time also not aware of who your community is - they spot potential players and call them community....I digress
If your community director does not know the difference, you're in trouble. And if your marketing team is running your community you're in even bigger trouble. *cough*WarhammerOnlinelaunch*cough*
I also believe that news outlets such as Blues News, MMORPG, Zam, Games Press, Eurogamer, OnlineWelten....these people should at least be carrying your news. How else do you plan on getting on Slashdot?!? ;o
When your game isn't listed on these sites, or it's listed with incorrect information you are screwed! People looking for your game realize no one cares enough to follow up or provide current information and they walk away. Because plenty of MMOs out there have the money, time, and inclination to do it right.
If those who are most excited about your game feel slighted, ignored, or removed from the pulse of what is going on you have lost! And winning them back is not about a small tweak to procedure. Winning people back, once you have lost them, is almost impossible. So don't lose them. It's not worth it!
/endrant
Labels: MMO
posted by Tovin | 10:43 AM
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