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How Mail.Ru Group is destroying high-quality and budget MMO-games (ArchAge)
MikePaladin
Member UncommonPosts: 592
A little background:
The market of the gaming industry in the field of MMORPGs in recent years demonstrated a clear crisis of the genre. Most MMORPGs, entering the market in the past two years have failed and have been in demand for small number of users. But few years ago on this joyless fond for gamers around the world shimmered a lonely break in the clouds - project ArcheAge (??) who undertook to develop the South Korean company XLGames under the guidance of Jake Song creator of legendary for gamers of all generations around the world MMORPG Lineage II.
South Korean release of the project showed all gamers that the project really has considerable potential, as it offers the player a huge range of possibilities and diverse activities, from simple collection of resources and sugar beet growing in the fields, to large-scale battles on land and at sea.
In January 2013, it became known that the Russian version of the ArchAge for Russia and the CIS countries (The Commonwealth of Independent States) undertook to localize the Russian company Mail.Ru Group. This news caused a mixed reaction among the ru-community: on the one hand - the joy that the expected massive project will soon be able to play in Russian language , on the other hand - fears: localization company for years of its activity in the gaming market has gained a bad reputation among gamers of the company, by ignoring the interests of community and gamers ready for the most unpopular action for profit. Company representatives were quick to appease the negative sentiment of the ru-community, solemnly promising to make every effort that would take for ArchAge localization project to be fully aligned with the interests of the gaming audience, because they understand the magnitude and importance of the project for the gaming audience.
What was the result:
September 28 at the launch of the Russian version of ArchAge Mail.Ru Group presented to the representatives of the gaming community (to the leading game portals, heads of leading Russian guilds) "new economic model" which plunged all the participants , and then the whole game ru-community in a state of deep shock.
Why - it will become clear if you just acquaint with the principle of this model.
The scheme is as follows: Real Money > Crystals > Arki ( Arki new main game currency, created by skilled workers of Mail.Ru Group).
All (!), the main game action around trade, or payment ,from now on players have to carry through the Arki(new currency) ,and in fact for real currency of - rubles (Russian currency). From now on, players are offered: for making a trade deal on the gaming auction, pay the fee for it, or pay the tax on gaming property, !!!!!> by buying from in-game store for real money -crystals, in order to exchange them for the Arki and then to make settlements or payments through Arki .As result the game values ??in such a scheme gain real value expressed in Real Money (and considerable). And this despite the fact that the Russian Federation does not legally restricted to convert Real Money into the game pixels , and their turnover .But the players has caused outrage not only because they were put before the fact to pay almost for every game action with real money, but also the fact that the whole model of the game, tied in the original version of the ArchAge, as it is common in the MMORPG game currency - the "gold", is now made worthless, not only this game currency, and the majority of the game content based on it.
For example, now it's completely pointless to produce and transport trade packs, entering the path of a fierce battle with the opposing players, as they have completely lost their value.
Action and reaction :
Ru-community (with their best ability and opportunity)responded with a drastic struggle for their interests which were obviously grossly violated.
Was written a petition - address to developers of ArchAge XLGames requesting to affect its partners in Russia - The company Mail.Ru Group and persuade them to return to one of the original versions of the game (p2p, or f2p, but in the original - without Arki new currency).
In a short time, just a few days, the petition has already gathered more than 8,000 signatures as Russian gamers, and gamers from around the world.
Furthermore, the essence of what is happening with the project ArchAge in Russia, as reflected in the petition provoked a strong backlash among gamers in Europe and America (on their game forums) that are waiting for the localization of ArchAge for themselves, which took the company Trion.
Mail.Ru Group negotiated with resources on which was placed the link of the petition to remove it.
On the official forum AA.mail.ru users expressed their outrage through avatars: ArchAge symbol placed with sign of the "dollar" or "mourning ribbon" or "two flowers'' (from Dianthus family ) .
Administration of the official forum responded with "ban" of users with similar avatars, but realizing that it has acquired a mass character has shut off avatars feature to all users .
October 5 on Games Festival "GamingWorld"(???????) where Mail.Ru Group is going to present thair version of the draft ArchAge with a "new economic model" ru-community decided to hold a flash mob - to lay upon the stand of Ru-ArchAge two cloves .
With what repressive actions administration of Mail.Ru Group will respond to this is still unknown ... < out dated info we have a photo from "Gaming World festival "
If you think these two guys are hired as bodyguards for the carpet your wrong they were there to stop gamers flash mob (2 flowers sign of project fail)
Info from http://habrahabr.ru/post/196388/ translated for EU USA gamers
Ru community petition against Mail.ru
All I ask to spend 20 sec to sign up a petition and to try to change MMO industry thinking all over the world.And I'm sure all of you noticed that in last years MMO industry transformed into pure business with very little quality.
Comments
It is just a game. Don't like it. Don't play it.
Plus, the OP is posting on an english website. Do you really care about the Russian version?
It is. May be it will go F2P too then i will give it a spin .. if i can find the time.
That is the problem F2P is for cheap people who don't wont to pay for game for a good game in last 10 years.
Hope Trion realize this and will make it PAY TO PLAY SO cheap kindergarten won't have access to game.
STOP focusing on casuals focus on crazy hardcore players who will stick for a long time to the game, casual are spoiled and worthless especially in Free to play games.
I know Trion is in little trouble now Rift developers had huge expectations about the project and called it WOW killer which i think failed, Defience from my point of view wasn't so successful. Arch age it thair win ticket if they manage to sell it right.
Now Trion have real chance to Win the subscription market especially knowing how many people leave WOW, I my self am a WOW gamers and I love the lore and so on but WOW is old. I think a lot of gamers have huge plans for the Archage .
One bad thing about the game that is poorly promoted TRION wake up or you gona fail it again. Show every one how great the game is !!!!!
While our site is in English and is predominantly visited by English language users, we are by no means "English only". I found the OP's post to be easily understood and know that many of our readers come from Russia and satellite nations. As an aspiring Russian language student, -I- am decidedly interested in the Russian version both to play and for its implications for the Western market.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You don't get it, or don't see the big picture, but that's okay life is much simpler that way.....
If I knew more about the game, I might have a better idea of exactly why Mail.Ru's actions are bad. However, I do remember Allods initial offering, and I remember what a cr@ptastic system it was, so I can only imagine that whatever they are doing with ArcheAge is worse. I'm sure they'll get the whales they want to fund the game, but they aren't going to get a whole ton of players if they're using a system anything like what they had with Allods.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
I didn't expect nothing different after Allods. They care only about money and seems that there are a lot people pumping insane amount of money into their pixels, otherwise they wouldn't exist. On the other hand, Trion already failed with 2 games, Rift went F2P, staff laid off - if they want to go down, be my guest and implement same system for Archeage as Mail.ru did.