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EVE Online: CCP Posts $21M in Losses for Fiscal 2013

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  • sketocafesketocafe Member UncommonPosts: 950
    Originally posted by lindenmeyer

    i bet it was because Dust , that fps for console only..

     

    ...set in the same universe as a PC only game.

  • SomeguynamedSomeguynamed Member UncommonPosts: 69

    CCP needs to make Eve Online PvP fun to play for a majority of the people - not just a niche market.  This is the only way for them to become a highly profitable company, instead of staying as a niche market MMO.

     

    Right now the PvP is considered boring by many people, because you either spend 90% of the time playing cat and mouse, or you spend 90% of the time camping a gate.

     

    A cat hunting it's prey is a perfect example of PvP in Eve Online.  You wait, wait, and then wait some more.  When you finally see the perfect opportunity - you go in for the strike, and the action would last only a few seconds.

     

    For us players who want some fun within a shorter time span - how long can you do this before you become totally bored?  A PvP op on the weekend takes 3 - 5 hours, and sometimes you come back with a few frigate kills or no kills at all.  Or maybe you spend 3 hours shooting POS.

     

    I agree that Dust 514 ruined their 2013 financial results, but they also need to make the game more fun for a broader player base, the people who want satisfying action quicker.

     

    Otherwise, they will just lose subscriptions over time as the game gets older - which is inevitable for all MMO's.

     
     
     
     
     
     
  • PrecusorPrecusor Member UncommonPosts: 3,589
    CCP should stick to what they have and build on it and stop wasting time on useless console games or vampire mmos.
  • sketocafesketocafe Member UncommonPosts: 950
    Originally posted by Someguynamed

    CCP needs to make Eve Online PvP fun to play for a majority of the people - not just a niche market.  This is the only way for them to become a highly profitable company, instead of staying as a niche market MMO.

     

    Right now the PvP is considered boring by many people, because you either spend 90% of the time playing cat and mouse, or you spend 90% of the time camping a gate.

     

    A cat hunting it's prey is a perfect example of PvP in Eve Online.  You wait, wait, and then wait some more.  When you finally see the perfect opportunity - you go in for the strike, and the action would last only a few seconds.

     

    For us players who want some fun within a shorter time span - how long can you do this before you become totally bored?  A PvP op on the weekend takes 3 - 5 hours, and sometimes you come back with a few frigate kills or no kills at all.  Or maybe you spend 3 hours shooting POS.

     

    I agree that Dust 514 ruined their 2013 financial results, but they also need to make the game more fun for a broader player base, the people who want satisfying action quicker.

     

    Otherwise, they will just lose subscriptions over time as the game gets older - which is inevitable for all MMO's.

     
     
     
     
     
     

    EVE is a sandbox, you need to make PVP fun for yourself. RvB is pretty good for instant action of any type, ranging from solo to small gang to fairly big fights.

  • ArakaziArakazi Member UncommonPosts: 911
    Originally posted by Precusor
    CCP should stick to what they have and build on it and stop wasting time on useless console games or vampire mmos.

    If all CCP has to offer is EVE, then they company won't survive the next ten years. Eventually people will begin leaving the game. Either they'll make a hash of one of the expansions or a game will come out and do what EVE does but better or people simply get bored and move on. All of these scenarios are not unlikely. Right now the company is in a precarious position which means that they are under pressure not to screw up their one and only revenue stream.

     

  • RylahRylah Member UncommonPosts: 194
    Originally posted by sketocafe
    EVE is a sandbox, you need to make PVP fun for yourself. RvB is pretty good for instant action of any type, ranging from solo to small gang to fairly big fights.

     

    This. For PvP.

    But there is so much more to do in EvE besides PewPew. I still have to try a lot of them.

    But on topic. Please, before posting an opinion on the corporate strategy of CCP or the health of EvE just take the 5 minutes to actually read the financial statement and the notes thereof.

    Helps in avoiding weird statements.

  • IllyssiaIllyssia Member UncommonPosts: 1,507
    The suits who own CCP need to stop buying themselves sports cars, boats and traveling on expensive private planes. That would cut their losses a little bit. Of course, I am betting the new Elite game will take away a lot of their casual gaming crowd. The end is neigh for CCP. Dust 514 was the turkey of their apocalypse and the company will go bust fast, much like an Icelandic bank :)
  • serreniteiserrenitei Member UncommonPosts: 19

    $40m loss for a single game that's been in some level of development isn't bad at all.  

    You have to keep in mind you aren't just paying salary for the developers and artists, but also the producers, the project managers, the QA staff, designers, product managers... JUST from the dev side 

    Then, on top of that you have the administrative folks - Finance, HR, marketing, executive, janitorial, account managers, legal ... Also, all of these people get health benefits, which can be roughly calculated as a yearly cost as 1/4-1/3 of the employees total salary.  

    Indie folks can get away for making a game for much much less because they don't have all the overhead.  Most Indie teams are less than 10 people ... total.  And almost all of them deal with development at some level.  An indie dev doesn't have the finannce, HR, marketing, executive overhead.  

  • toxicmangotoxicmango Member UncommonPosts: 119

    If anyone has read ex-CCP employee testimonials on Glass Door, this latest WoD cancellation is just the latest example of the dysfunctional corporate culture at CCP.  

    In short, they describe a culture of nepotism and cronyism where "bling" projects are pushed through by the person or clique currently in power/favor.  This combined with then a pattern of listening to their own echo chamber of fawning praise and either ignoring or smashing down negative feedback, means they get insulated from constructive criticism which is how the fiasco of Dust 514 got made despite all the warnings about it being a bad idea.  If this clique falls from power before the project completion we get cancellation like WoD and then a new shiny project to chase after a new clique pushes its agenda.  If they don't, after an interminable period of being a black hole for money and resources, they push through a badly put together mess like Dust 514.

    Then when things fall apart one way or another, the clique falls from power, some sacrificial employee heads roll, and the whole cycle repeats with a new shiny "bling" project pushed by the new clique that rises to replace the old.  One can see this pattern from the Walking In Stations/monoclegate to Dust 514, now WoD and no doubt Valkyrie in turn.  In terms of strategy CCP is like a goldfish with ADHD, always chasing after the next shiny thing without really finishing or polishing up what they say they will.  

  • Agent_JosephAgent_Joseph Member UncommonPosts: 1,361
    EVE is ok & healty game ,  but CCP make many wrong investitions in last few years :Dust,Valkyre ... waste millions on DoD what they cant make  & drop at last.
  • Saxx0nSaxx0n PR/Brand Manager BitBox Ltd.Member UncommonPosts: 999
    Originally posted by toxicmango

    If anyone has read ex-CCP employee testimonials on Glass Door, this latest WoD cancellation is just the latest example of the dysfunctional corporate culture at CCP.  

    In short, they describe a culture of nepotism and cronyism where "bling" projects are pushed through by the person or clique currently in power/favor.  This combined with then a pattern of listening to their own echo chamber of fawning praise and either ignoring or smashing down negative feedback, means they get insulated from constructive criticism which is how the fiasco of Dust 514 got made despite all the warnings about it being a bad idea.  If this clique falls from power before the project completion we get cancellation like WoD and then a new shiny project to chase after a new clique pushes its agenda.  If they don't, after an interminable period of being a black hole for money and resources, they push through a badly put together mess like Dust 514.

    Then when things fall apart one way or another, the clique falls from power, some sacrificial employee heads roll, and the whole cycle repeats with a new shiny "bling" project pushed by the new clique that rises to replace the old.  One can see this pattern from the Walking In Stations/monoclegate to Dust 514, now WoD and no doubt Valkyrie in turn.  In terms of strategy CCP is like a goldfish with ADHD, always chasing after the next shiny thing without really finishing or polishing up what they say they will.  

    This...

     

    Yes, Elite will hurt Eve and I'm an old fart who will constantly wipe my ass with the youth that enter the game. It's very little twitch and more brain work to thrive in that sandbox. Brain work and creative problem solving is lost on the youth from the "everybody gets a trophy" generation. Yes, I will take advantage of that weakness in Elite.

    Star Citizen is completely meh at this point and really no threat to CCP. Time will tell with this one but the small general scope and design plans really will keep it from competing for the EvE crowd.

  • riplar65riplar65 Member UncommonPosts: 12
    I agree EVE is a complete Sandbox...which makes for a very different game play...we sub two accounts in EVE because it is a very cerbral game and it is nice to step out of RIFT/DEFIANCE/ESO and plot and plan training take the ship out its a very different experience.  We have not played DUST, I am not much of a console gamer although the other person in the house is so I am not capable of offering an opinion on it.  I do however make a living in the finance world and it is often the case to take a massive hit in a year that you have large revenue to avoid taxes.  From a purely financial standpoint what they did was a good move for the books whatever consequence may arise for the games themselves, I do think buying the Atlanta branch was a bad move and they are paying the price for that.  We will see....they have been around the block a few times and are a solid company...EVE does what they wish for the market they want and they have the revenue to prove that decision.

    Lar

  • Mors.MagneMors.Magne Member UncommonPosts: 1,549
    Originally posted by hfztt
    Originally posted by Mors.Magne

    I cancelled my two accounts this year and I've played Eve Online since 2007.

    I view Elite: Dangerous as Eve Online's successor. Elite: Dangerous will do everything that CCP should have aimed to do - and stuck to.

    Eve Online has partly been a victim of a rabid fan base who don't seem to be able to think straight.

    I'll let the young people with the twitch abilities of my own youth have fun with Elite and SC. I dont assume to have the twitch abilities I had 25 years ago, thus those kids while whipe thier behinds with old farts my age that should be stupid enough to enter those games.

    Fortunately for CCP many of thier players are old farts like me...

     

    I disagree with you completely because:

     

    1) Both Elite: Dangerous and Eve Online require fast twitch abilities in combat.

    2) You could use age as an excuse to stop doing everything - everything declines with age as we die - right at the very end! And until then, if you don't use it, you lose it!

     

    I think you are one of those people who like to dwell on negativity. I don't think this is a healthy state of mind for anyone, regardless of their age. For example, it's a frame of mind well known to Bob Geldof's close relations - and we know what sort of things happen then.

  • TibernicuspaTibernicuspa Member UncommonPosts: 1,199
    Originally posted by Someguynamed

    CCP needs to make Eve Online PvP fun to play for a majority of the people - not just a niche market.  This is the only way for them to become a highly profitable company, instead of staying as a niche market MMO.

     

    Staying niche market is what has made them the SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL MMO ON THE MARKET. I think they're doing just fine.

     

  • rodingorodingo Member RarePosts: 2,870
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by Someguynamed

    CCP needs to make Eve Online PvP fun to play for a majority of the people - not just a niche market.  This is the only way for them to become a highly profitable company, instead of staying as a niche market MMO.

     

    Staying niche market is what has made them the SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL MMO ON THE MARKET. I think they're doing just fine.

     

    What information are you basing that on out of curiosity?

    "If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor

  • GarlonaGarlona Member Posts: 4

    Guys, let me tell you the truth behind everything: CCP cancelled the World of Darkness MMO.

     

    FUck CCP, I despised their marketing approach. I've been following the game for more than 4 years, and after all this time it was ALL VAPORWARE.

    Always the "nothing is set to stone" bullcrap.

    They have one of the best IP in the world. And they threw it out the window.

    To much love for their piece of shit space mmo which is boring, dull and unapealing to almost anybody, unless you want to invest at least 8hs a day in it.

    They left the Atlanta's offices alone, even to the point of not sharing technology. 

    They delayed the game a ton of times, they cut personnel a ton of times.

    They never understood that WoD needed as much love and dedication as EVE. It had a clear potential to be greater than Eve, by much. It could've gone mainstream, but because of quality and not marketability.

    Now it's all in the "what if they didn't screw it up like selfcentered kids?".

    CCP should stick to Eve (now that the third spin off is coming, Valkirye, we know were they mind was set on from the start) and never lay hands on another IP ever again.

    Shame on Hilmar Veigar Petursson.

    Reynir is the only man who loved the game with passion in that company.

    I'm sorry for the angry rant.

     

    Primary Source: http://www.ccpgames.com/en/home

     

  • TibernicuspaTibernicuspa Member UncommonPosts: 1,199
    Originally posted by rodingo
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by Someguynamed

    CCP needs to make Eve Online PvP fun to play for a majority of the people - not just a niche market.  This is the only way for them to become a highly profitable company, instead of staying as a niche market MMO.

     

    Staying niche market is what has made them the SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL MMO ON THE MARKET. I think they're doing just fine.

     

    What information are you basing that on out of curiosity?

    The fact that Eve has grown in subs every single year its been out, and about a year ago it was sitting at 550k subscribers, which, according to all the MMOs we have actual data for, puts it behind WoW and no one else.

  • rodingorodingo Member RarePosts: 2,870
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by rodingo
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by Someguynamed

    CCP needs to make Eve Online PvP fun to play for a majority of the people - not just a niche market.  This is the only way for them to become a highly profitable company, instead of staying as a niche market MMO.

     

    Staying niche market is what has made them the SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL MMO ON THE MARKET. I think they're doing just fine.

     

    What information are you basing that on out of curiosity?

    The fact that Eve has grown in subs every single year its been out, and about a year ago it was sitting at 550k subscribers, which, according to all the MMOs we have actual data for, puts it behind WoW and no one else.

    The majority of MMOs on the market no longer rely on just subscriptions to make money.  Most are now f2p with subscription option with except for maybe now ESO (however long that lasts) and of course WoW.  Most of the other big games that pull big numbers in "players", not just subscriptions, don't even bother putting up subscription numbers to the public anymore becuase those aren't just the sole source of income. 

    So sure, Eve has a high number of subscribers which equals players. Where as some other games have subscribers AND other players that they simply cant count or whose number is too fluid who still make purchases from their respective cash shops.  Yes, CCP sells PLEX, but their customer base for those sales are no bigger than their sub numbers of 550k and the percentage that actually buys those.  But PLEX doesn't increase their money from subs, it just keeps people from buying ISK from third party sources outside of the game.

      If those other games that are pulling bigger numbers than EVE are still turning profits and have met the goals of the publishers, then they are just as successful too.  I'm not saying EVE isn't successful, however subscription numbers hardly mean anything with MMOs these days.

    "If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor

  • TibernicuspaTibernicuspa Member UncommonPosts: 1,199
    Originally posted by rodingo
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by rodingo
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by Someguynamed

    CCP needs to make Eve Online PvP fun to play for a majority of the people - not just a niche market.  This is the only way for them to become a highly profitable company, instead of staying as a niche market MMO.

     

    Staying niche market is what has made them the SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL MMO ON THE MARKET. I think they're doing just fine.

     

    What information are you basing that on out of curiosity?

    The fact that Eve has grown in subs every single year its been out, and about a year ago it was sitting at 550k subscribers, which, according to all the MMOs we have actual data for, puts it behind WoW and no one else.

    The majority of MMOs on the market no longer rely on just subscriptions to make money.  Most are now f2p with subscription option with except for maybe now ESO (however long that lasts) and of course WoW.

    That's because they weren't good enough for anyone to want to keep paying for them.

     

  • rodingorodingo Member RarePosts: 2,870
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by rodingo
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by rodingo
    Originally posted by Tibernicuspa
    Originally posted by Someguynamed

    CCP needs to make Eve Online PvP fun to play for a majority of the people - not just a niche market.  This is the only way for them to become a highly profitable company, instead of staying as a niche market MMO.

     

    Staying niche market is what has made them the SECOND MOST SUCCESSFUL MMO ON THE MARKET. I think they're doing just fine.

     

    What information are you basing that on out of curiosity?

    The fact that Eve has grown in subs every single year its been out, and about a year ago it was sitting at 550k subscribers, which, according to all the MMOs we have actual data for, puts it behind WoW and no one else.

    The majority of MMOs on the market no longer rely on just subscriptions to make money.  Most are now f2p with subscription option with except for maybe now ESO (however long that lasts) and of course WoW.

    That's because they weren't good enough for anyone to want to keep paying for them.

     

    Maybe or maybe not, but that is both opinion and another topic completely.

    "If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor

  • toxicmangotoxicmango Member UncommonPosts: 119

    The number of subs is misleading considering how many players use alt accounts.  There are a huge number with 2 accounts, with some up to 5 or 6 accounts even.  It is probably a safer estimate to divide the number of subs by at least 2 in order to get a better idea of the true number of players.  EVE has a number of die-hard players pushing up the subs count but it is nowhere near as popular as CCP or its fans would like to think.

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247
    Originally posted by toxicmango

    The number of subs is misleading considering how many players use alt accounts.  

    What is your point of comparison for that statement? And without one, aren't ALL subs misleading by that criteria?

    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,498
    Originally posted by toxicmango

    The number of subs is misleading considering how many players use alt accounts.  There are a huge number with 2 accounts, with some up to 5 or 6 accounts even.  It is probably a safer estimate to divide the number of subs by at least 2 in order to get a better idea of the true number of players.  EVE has a number of die-hard players pushing up the subs count but it is nowhere near as popular as CCP or its fans would like to think.

    EVE fans aren't really interested in how popular the game is, we just revel in the epicness of it all.

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

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  • CecropiaCecropia Member RarePosts: 3,985
    Originally posted by Kyleran
    Originally posted by toxicmango

    The number of subs is misleading considering how many players use alt accounts.  There are a huge number with 2 accounts, with some up to 5 or 6 accounts even.  It is probably a safer estimate to divide the number of subs by at least 2 in order to get a better idea of the true number of players.  EVE has a number of die-hard players pushing up the subs count but it is nowhere near as popular as CCP or its fans would like to think.

    EVE fans aren't really interested in how popular the game is, we just revel in the epicness of it all.

    She is one spectacular game isn't she? Sometimes I wonder if I'm going to be playing an insanely updated version of EVE in some old age home decades from now possibly flying some of the same glorious ships that are now sitting docked in my home systems.

    Is that even that far-fetched? :)

    "Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb

  • SheistaSheista Member UncommonPosts: 1,203

    As much as I love EVE and its community's dedication, I have to say that I think the scrapping of World of Darkness was partially their fault.  Incarna (walking in stations) would have allowed for a live testing ground for CCP's new tech.  That beautiful character creator we got?  Wouldn't have happened without their investment in World of Darkness, and that was but a fraction of what their tech was capable of.

    EVE was to be a testing ground for new tech, in a medium that largely wouldn't have affected the meta game much, if at all. Walking in stations would have been a harmless place to test this tech in a live setting.  A place to test it without worrying that bugs would destroy EVE's core experience because it simply wasn't affecting EVE's core experience but merely adding to the total package.

    The EVE community's rebellion was partially CCP's fault for that whole 'greed is good' newsletter which was never meant to see the light of day, but the EVE community is equally responsible for the scrapping of WoD.  I fear that their rebellion forced CCP to reallocate resources when they scrapped Walking in Stations, and likely ruined their entire 5 year development plan for World of Darkness/EVE.

    EVE players basically got butthurt about something that wouldn't have affected the core game at all, due to speculation about it turning into a cash-shp fashion show instead of being about spaceships.  In reality, it would have rounded the entire experience out and made it a much more complete game, and the resources being utilized in Walking in Stations would have benefited their development of World of Darkness directly.

    It was a phenomenal amount of foresight into the development process, ruined by a blunder where-in "Greed is good" was taken out of context and caused their core source of income to flounder.

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