PSN/XBL - Ranked Character Usage / "Popularity"

[Airk]

Indeed, you're not, nor are we obligated to listen to your ranting again and again. Put up or shut up: if you don't like how they do business, walk away. Plenty of other people did.

I bought used. Arc Sys saw none of my money this go round. So yeah, I put up.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Circuitous

[mAc Chaos]

The constant updates are what bleed out casual players, more than anything, not the price. Most casual players hate having to relearn everything every 8 months or whatever, so they just take a "what's the point" attitude and don't bother keeping up since they aren't going to put that much time in.

Edited May 9, 2012 by mAc Chaos

[Airk]

The constant updates are what bleed out casual players, more than anything, not the price. Most casual players hate having to relearn everything every 8 months or whatever, so they just take a "what's the point" attitude and don't bother keeping up since they aren't going to put that much time in.

That's a good point, but I think that's more likely to impact the sort of "semi-casuals" who learn enough to do mid-level combos, because the super 'beginner' stuff doesn't really change (If someone is just hammering out 5B>5C>Hell's Fang>Followup, well, pretty sure that hasn't changed since CT). But I don't see the total "newbie" level players paying for balance updates because it doesn't really AFFECT them, so why should they? And Extend didn't really bundle in anywhere near enough story-mode content to justify a $40 purchase from the "I just want to play story mode" crowd.

[Circuitous]

But casuals, story moders, and newbs don't matter in the long run. They're not even the target audience, them ever buying the game was basically a fluke. (Except maybe the story moders as far as BB is concerned.) The players who put up the money and work to stay competitive and appreciate the game for all that it is, they're the target audience, and the fact that that audience is so small but so dedicated might help explain why updates cost what they do.

Maybe if fighters had more casual appeal (see: MK9) they could keep up free updates, but ASW doesn't have that luxury despite their best efforts. P4U might be an exception, though.

[Star-Demon]

But casuals, story moders, and newbs don't matter in the long run. They're not even the target audience, them ever buying the game was basically a fluke. (Except maybe the story moders as far as BB is concerned.) The players who put up the money and work to stay competitive and appreciate the game for all that it is, they're the target audience, and the fact that that audience is so small but so dedicated might help explain why updates cost what they do.

Maybe if fighters had more casual appeal (see: MK9) they could keep up free updates, but ASW doesn't have that luxury despite their best efforts. P4U might be an exception, though.

That's pretty interesting, considering how often BlazBlue is put on blast for being "babehs first Guilty Gear". I think the game is definitely casual friendly, and I definitely think they are target audience because it's been said in interviews that that was the intention.

I will also say it's been pretty successful. 500 thousand people playing CT was actually pretty good as far as games go. That's some Counter Strike and Everquest, right there.

However, with the waning support from the producers and publishers involved, much fewer are playing, and it happens to be a more "core" audience.

If ASW wants more numbers in America they have to step up the international support. A single pot contribution for a Japanese tourney is not going to cut it - if that was their best effort their company needs some fresh blood.

It is not hard if your people actually care about what they do and want to product to succeed.

Anyways, PLAY MORE RAGNAS

Edited May 9, 2012 by Star-Demon

[Airk]

I'd argue that to some extend, anyone who plays online "counts" (Even setting aside the fact that it "counts" anytime someone buys the game because that's money in pocket) because the larger the online pool is, the less you bleed off people because "they can't get a match" or whathaveyou. Larger communities are more self-sustaining that smaller communities. Even just casual newbs mean that if a new player buys the game and goes "Well, let's try my skill online!" that he's more likely to not have to wait 5 minutes for a match to come up and say "Well, screw this then, I'm going back to <whatever game>".

Are casuals as "valuable" as a hardcore player? No, probably not, but I think it's unwise to dismiss them as "not mattering". Even in the long run, there has to be some sort of "conversion" there.

[noxxle]

Can anyone provide us with numbers for the Vita version?