Let’s not get Carried Away
January 3, 2013 at 5:59 pm | Posted in Guild Wars 2, mmorpg | 17 CommentsTags: Guild Wars 2, MMO, mmorpg
In an interview in December Colin Johanson commented on future updates to Guild Wars 2. It’s his job in these interviews to hype Guild Wars 2, talk big, be energetic about the future and generate excitement.
We had a huge Halloween update in October, we just had a big one in November, we have a giant Christmas update coming in December, and all of those have gone over really well, and I think in December people are going to be really excited. But January and February are actually are biggest updates to date. They’re even bigger than all the stuff we did in October, November and December. And I think that when people see how much stuff they’re gonna get for no monthly fee in January and February, they’re probably going to be blown away. These two months combined are basically an expansion’s worth of content for free.
So for the past month I’ve run into several people where the first words out of their mouth were something along the lines of “have you heard that we’re getting an expansions worth of content?” And I think people are getting the wrong idea. It’s fine as long as people keep their expectations reasonable but we will not be getting an expansion worth of content, not by any traditional standard anyway, until an actual expansion comes out. This is just typical enthusiasm from Colin.
He even commented further on the official forums.
In saying this will be an expansions worth of stuff in these releases, we’re talking about the number of new features that will be rolled out across PvE, WvW, and PvP in early 2013, which usually you’d only find in an expansion for a traditional MMORPG.
I’m sure we’ll be getting a lot of things in the upcoming updates I just wish the word expansion wasn’t thrown around so carelessly. I think most people expect a fair amount more content from an expansion than we might actually end up getting.
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I agree. I think people need to realize from his post that he means features as much as content. I feel most people think content first, features second for expansions. So there may be more fractals, Southsun fun, etc…. but it’s not a new zone or new class. Stuff to keep in mind.
Comment by Ravious— January 3, 2013 #
That’s a good distinction between content and features, wish I’d thought to underline that.
Comment by Hunter— January 3, 2013 #
I would say using the word “content” was perhaps just as damaging as “expansion.” An expansion’s worth of *features* sounds awesome (and I think would even set the right expectations,) but that’s just not what he said in the GamingBolt interview. Content heavily implies “new stuff to do” which is apparently not what we should expect.
Comment by Optimus Maleficus— January 3, 2013 #
There may be some content but generally speaking you’re probably right.
Comment by Hunter— January 3, 2013 #
He needs some help to keep people calm. I’d be surprised if we get any pve content and I bet that’s going to upset a lot of people. Who’s left? A lot pvpers have gone and wvw people too. Interesting times.
I thinks we are getting heaps of features like matching, guesting etc. not actual content in what people tend to think he means by content. Thus a lot of upset is coming… Again because they talk too early, they say they don’t want to talk about it specifically cause they aren’t sure they can deliver; and then go on to say this sort of generic stuff which makes people even more upset later on. Doesn’t make sense…
Comment by Melski— January 3, 2013 #
They definitely need to be more transparent. You’re right about how they hint at things and then pull back creating tons of disappointment and drama.
Comment by Hunter— January 5, 2013 #
In other words, Colin is a marketing droid, hired based on the perception that he is a young hip gamer and he is fed marketing scripts which tend to promise the moon regardless of what is actually planned. I don’ find it charming or acceptable. It is just crass bait and switch. Most of the gimicky ‘free’ new content has been hopelessly bugged and not the kinds of content I bought the game for.
Comment by Buffer Swanson— January 4, 2013 #
That’s ridiculous. Part of his job is talking about what he’s doing, and he clearly loves and is enthusiastic about his job. Getting worked up about it is pointless. We’re the ones who have to keep realistic expectations and as a community tend to not do that.
Comment by Hunter— January 5, 2013 #
hope·less (hpls)
adj.
1. Having no hope; despairing. See Synonyms at despondent.
2. Offering no hope; bleak.
3. Incurable.
4. Having no possibility of solution; impossible.
It’s a game. Anyone who buys a game expecting something more than a game is setting themselves up for disappointment. It’s also a game that’s provided more content and updates than I personally saw playing games with an actual sub fee. An expansion’s worth of content? No. Flawless, bug free content? No. But quite a bit of content for $0. And certainly nothing that warrants dehumanizing another person over.
Comment by Aly— January 10, 2013 #
Well, we problably will have a one time event at january (and maybe at february) and they will make a lot of fixes to wvw, spvp and fractals. Problably they will add more jumping puzzles and DE. It will be a lot of content.
When the expansion come (one year? two years? at GW1 was one year each expansion), we will problably see new player races and new zones.
Comment by João Carlos— January 4, 2013 #
Yeah I don’t know what they’ve got planned but there will be something. Some content of some kind.
Comment by Hunter— January 5, 2013 #
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When Colin Johanson said, “Basically” he was casually saying “close to but not exactly”. Such as, “Are you coming home straight afterwork?” “Basically, yes.” People get up in arms of the dumbest of things, the other keyword quickly forgotten is “free”. Regardless of what the content is and how much of it there is, people don’t have to pay for it.
Comment by ChainmailDress— January 6, 2013 #
Yeah, I agree, basically.
Comment by Hunter— January 6, 2013 #
Haha, love it.
Comment by ChainmailDress— January 6, 2013 #
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