The Truth about Online Video Games and Independent Restaurants
In light of all the recent activities, I thought it would be a good time to talk about a stark reality of the online video game business. They function very much like independent Restaurants, often the ones that are considered 4+ Stars in the local area. This means they are niche, and cater to a specific audience that they hope will grow. The stark reality I was talking about is that that online video games and independent restaurants, no matter how successful they look, operate within narrow margins. It is the nature of the industry. There is a law of diminishing returns. Thus, when the patrons of a restaurant start to slacken at an upscale restaurant they DO NOT start some massive campaign to get people back in, have blue light specials or all that jazz. The restaurant (and its owners) milk every last cent they can before they get ready to close that Restaurant (keep the same owners) and open a brand new one, only with slightly different food for the same area to start the cycle over. The only time independent restaurants pour lots of money into their place is when they are doing BOOMING business and constantly growing. They invest then because there is no sign of that diminishing return.
Online video games are the same. We have all seen it time and time again. The owners and operators of these things assume there is a shelf life, and that at some point there will be a diminishing return. They only pour lots of money and effort into it as long as the game is booming and getting ever bigger. The moment people start leaving they start cutting how much they put into it. They will keep it running until it is a damn Ghost Ship to milk every last penny they can out of it, but they are not going to risk massive venture capital. For them, like the restaurant owners, massive capital is only invested in a booming business with growth. The moment the online video game starts to waiver or its market share shrinks, they dial back. It is just good business sense. Why put money into what may be a thing that has past its prime when they can milk it for all the money the can (most of the investment is done so they don't lose anything only gain by leaving it running) and spend their investment in the next game they will release. Do you see where I'm going with this?
These things I'm telling you, they aren't just my opinion; they are facts of this industry. You can fact check it yourself. Think of all those highly successful online video games you used to know. Think about the pattern, i.e. when they invested big and when they stopped. Think about all the ghosts ships, some of them are still afloat right now, but there is nobody there but a skeleton crew of Players who won't give up. The companies that leave them running, do minimal upkeep just as long as the income still keeps ahead of the cost. Eventually, when that fails, they shut them down. My point is that Online Video Games (like the independent restaurants) aren't really moved by certain types of consumer angst and leverage. They make more money moving on than they do trying to meet the demands of the patrons. Video game players are always looking for the next BIG thing, and thus when they suddenly release it... KACHING!
You need to look carefully at where Dead by Daylight is in the stages of video games, how long it has been out, and so on. Your enthusiasm and good will is what drives theirs. Your anger and frustration doesn't fire them up, it rings the "diminishing returns" alarm, and they just get more business-like, so to speak. Like it or not, there are artists and designers in that company and there are people who do the BOOKS. There are people who crunch the numbers. They understand the life a video game, the stages, and when to start turning the tap off. If you want Dead by Daylight to boom, invest more in the game, and all that jazz it has to be growing (not shrinking). It has to be MAKING MONEY for them to reinvest. The penny pinchers that do the books and make their living understanding the trends and stages of video games are not sentimental. Food for thought. If you want to fire up BEhavior about Dead by Daylight, you might try enthusiasm, recruitment, and things which make them feel more benevolent toward us, rather than deciding that perhaps this game has had a good run.
Comments
There is so much truth to OP’s analysis here. I highly recommend you read that post.
I know it’s a little lengthy, but the info is good! TL:DR is that video games have a predictable business arc. Release -> growth -> boom (if lucky) -> stagnate -> shrink -> die. The company is wise to invest early, try to extend the boom as long as possible, and then collect and conserve whatever remains late. Putting money into a dying product is foolish.
As long as BHVR sees GROWTH for DBD, they’ll continue to invest their time, manpower, and money into the game. Growth comes in the form of player base, but more importantly in the form of dollar signs. If they see indications that the boom is ending, then they (rightfully so) will move into the collection phase and let the game fade out while they develop their next product.
All this talk about sending a message to BHVR by hitting their pocket book - well, the effect will be opposite from the desired outcome. We want them to work harder on the game, but right now this talk may have them spooked. You can bet they’re keeping a close eye on revenue for the next few months. Revenue up or down is the difference between “we’ve got a good thing going” and “we’ve had a good run.”
The thing about this analogy is that DbD has a monopoly of the genre so it's a special case. It would be like your local restaurant being the only one in the country that serves pizza. That pizza restaurant will never die and so will DbD. No other game has characters like Michael Myers, Freddy Kreuger, and Ghost face.
Yes and no.
I disagree with the premise that if you're not satisfied with something just move onto something else without giving feedback. Constructive criticism is how people and companies grow. Heck, most companies have exit interviews for this reason.
"The moment people start leaving they start cutting how much they put into it". I think people start leaving BECAUSE they started cutting what they put into it. If things operated as well as it did initially I doubt customers would be this riled up...
Licensed characters. Licenses are typically not cheap, nor are they typically a one-time cost. I’ll admit right now that I don’t know the details of the licensing arrangement between BHVR and these other franchises, but I assume the cost to be significant.
They may have a monopoly of sorts, but that doesn’t mean profit is any less important. If revenue is equal to or less than cost, then you pull the plug. You either cut costs (quality) or you cut your losses. That’s just business.
All of this because of the boy cot?
Yes, but somehow we skipped that whole "constructive criticism" stage and went right to ranting, insults, threats, claims that Dead by Daylight is dying. In short, we worked really hard (as a so-called community) to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. I'm all for constructive critiques. I give my two cents to the DEV off and on. I've been pretty vocal about what I think is causing most of the balance problems and how to fix it. However, I don't take it as a personal insult when they don't take my advice. I give my theories, support my conclusions, and put forward my advice. What they do with it is up to them. It has no bearing on whether I will continue to play or spend money. It isn't "my way or the highway" or anything so dramatic. People play games until they no longer find them fun. Then they move on; all things must come to dust. What I am suggesting, based on a pretty reliable track record in the video game industry, is that the recent activities (which I will not go into) do not work. They actually have the opposite effect. It is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Some industries can be moved in this way, but the online video game model isn't one of them. You have to approach them from a different angle.
And let's tell the truth and shame the devil, even if they did EVERYTHING the majority of people are calling for, there would still be a very vocal crowd of people spewing bile because we aren't really speaking with one voice, or wanting the same things. Even if they did fix all the problems, gave the majority what they want, this game might still have already run its course. It is a ritualistic chase game which amounts to a modern day version an 80s arcade game. Without significant changes in complexity, it can only go so far on new skins, cosmetics, and variations of a monster slashing you. Thus, when we attack the DEV and make them feel unappreciated and ring those "diminishing returns" alarms, we are only hastening the destruction of the thing we claim to love. I'm not arguing for the sake of arguing. I'm not trying to win points in this MEANINGLESS forum. I'm stating this, taking the time to explain things, because I enjoy this game and I've been down this road before. I know where it ends. I'm betting most of you do too. The strength and community of Dead by Daylight is in OUR hands, our organization to promote play, recruit people, setup our own formats and leagues (by use of custom games), creating our own sites where we track said stuff. We could be tutoring new Players ourselves. Those are signs of a healthy, ongoing hobby with many years left in it. That is the kind of organization and activism that will get you somewhere.
Yes, but somehow we skipped that whole "constructive criticism" stage and went right to ranting, insults, threats, claims that Dead by Daylight is dying.
You kinda hit the nail on the head there, chief.
There are tutors on the DBD discord if I'm not mistaken. I've never seen or heard anyone talk about them, so not much of a big deal.
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@Moundshroud you always intrigued me.
Mind I ask what kind of education you have and what line of work you do?
If the performance issues on my system (that started recently) stay bad, then I have to stop playing.
I don't care about boycotts or anything. I just can't play the game in its current state for long.
I do think they shouldnt do things just because the community says they should. We all remember how well Freddys release went after PTB feedback... That said theres a lot of things they've said they would do and never did, nor did they comment on it ever again. And I'm not talking about game balance things. Optimization, etc. Things that are needed for the game to simply function. I feel people have tried the feedback thing and its just not working. Their silence is doing more harm to them now. Insults and threats are never appropriate. Do I think the current plan is the right one? No. Do I have any better ideas on what should be done? Also no.
These are fair observations. But I want to delve a little deeper here; who has a greater vested interest in making the game work, us for whom this is just diversion, a break from our day? Or is it the people whose very jobs rely on it. It puts food on the tables for their children. It pays their bills. It gives them job security. I've researched this, going back to when the DEV were far more transparent and open with us. The reason they aren't now is because they payed a heavy price, getting kicked in the groin repeatedly by the so-called community every time they tried to be nice guys. There is only some much aversion therapy that one can take before one stops doing something. If we want the DEV to open back up WE have to give them a reason. Can it be done? I don't know. This Forum is worthless, just another cesspool of mostly entitled Trolls who have nothing better to do. And yes, I recognize the irony involved in the fact that I am a regular poster. I flatter myself that I do try to be constructive and I do it for a purpose. The problem is most people here have no social skills, understanding of the real world, or simply don't care to grant other people (or the DEV) simple courtesies. This Forum is "white noise" and really doesn't provide them with any useful information because it is all conflicting.
One of the reasons I suggest Players organizing Leagues on their own, utilizing the Custom Game Format, creating their own sites and perhaps streaming and building it up is because that promotes tutoring new Players, recruitment, and growing the game. If that took off, the people doing those things would have some weight behind what they say. it is a positive feedback loop. It is one of the few things that works on the video game business model as far as leverage. But it involves effort beyond just posting. It requires walking the walk. It means organizing and setting up sites and leaderboards and teams and leagues and all that jazz. Do I think there are enough motivated people to do it? I don't know. I would, but I can't do it alone.
I'm not trying to generalize but I've noticed people with Myers as their profile pic on here usually have good opinions and are based af LOL