I would suspect steam to be the developers strongest showing. Though freely correct me if this is wrong. (This could be speculation at parts, but not all, especially concern normal business practices.) This was written openly. So those reading if you should disagree then so be it. Keep it civil in retort if its possible. I’ve been around the bend a few times. It doesn’t make me all seeing or all knowing. It does give me a decent base in which to start with. I did however save going too deep. As I do not care to do in-depth, not enough data for it anyways, and I would probably end up putting the lot of people to sleep if I did. So brevity suffices. And the below is my idea of brief.
While it does show a good period of gain some of its losses have also pulled it back a lot as well. If someone says ‘well this is normal’. I can say no its not normal, but can happen. It just means a slow growth, which is better than just a slow decline until bankruptcy etc. Though this only accounts for player numbers and not the income generated, or not generated that’s needed by the business as time moves on. A slow growth with consumers that are not spending as much as a business hopes, a business having increased financial needs or bills. Then yes then that could be a worry. A business that leverages out slowly all the time can also not properly sustain itself over a long haul. Which is what I suspect occurred with all the major changes recently. A hope to drive in a higher volume of players/money and to kick out of this cycle. An extreme change can also suffocate a business. So its a risky thing to do. A more logical pattern is to develop a long term goal and develop a financial plan for this goal. And to seek it out in increments. This allows for stabilization along the way to ensure proper fundamental structuring. While some say ‘it was the publisher who made them’. I’ve had doubts about this coming from having worked in a marketing firm before. We did things in sure ways, and safe ways. We did not take unneeded risks or jumps to accomplish tasks in short periods. And given the publisher has been around a bit, I would say ‘its the publisher’, to being false. Moreover being the chief perspective and/or interest of the developers. Is it wrong? No. Is it risky? Most certainly. Can it work? Yes. So why not? The risk does not always outweigh the reward. And it can essentially for lack of other words be like suicide. So its really not something a business should consider. Only times it was ever considered when I worked at the firm, was when the product or business was already failing or not doing so well. So it was a risk, but if it worked it would help revitalize the product/business. Would you do this for a healthy product/business? No. Very bad idea.
As such it makes me ponder two things :
- If the recent decisions are decisions of people with a lack for logical business
- Or is there some issues with the business, and its not doing as well as it seems
The aforementioned text is redeemable in part if the business is truly having an issue. As there are few options left in trying to dig a product/business out of a spiraling demise.On the other hand if the product/business is healthy and this is done, it does make me wonder. As these would be decisions I would consider of someone who is fairly new at it. And a business doesn’t need to be suicided by someone who is new.
