Don't buy MOO3

[vee4473]

I gotta say,

If the game is ready and it's just been sitting for weeks because of what the marketing people say would make for a more timely (read, profitable) release, then I would love nothing more than to have zero copies of moo3 be sold. (Please read further..I am BY NO MEANS against profits!!!

Kind of a statement saying that after all your development time, holding the game from your fans (read, money base) for weeks in an attempt to lure others to buy it, is just gonna blow up in yer face.

Of course, that's impossible, because the hard core fans WILL buy it no matter when it's released, which is the weakness I think they are preying upon (and I MAY include myself in this group), and I know that money making is what any business is about, but how can they think that delaying the game if it is ready can be more profitable?

Probably because they know that the hard core fan base will be there with there money no matter when the game gets released, giving them time to say "let's time it for the casual dude, the hard core moo fan is there no matter what".

But, in the case of moo3, I think the hard core fan base is the majority of their sales.

It seems that they are delaying in order to appeal to the casual gamer. Which is at odds with the reviews here, since the reviews indicate a game with much much more depth than any casual gamer would be pleased with.

In other words, I think they are making the hard core fans suffer because they think they can sell more if they wait until the casual guys have had enough of their other releases.

Knowing all along that they can bank on the loyal Moo fans' money no matter how many times they yank yer chain.

I realize that it is very hard for hard core moo fans to not buy the game, but wow, would it be great if no one did and sent a message to IG saying that they cant mistreat their loyal fan base.

I understand all the marketting involved, i'm just expressing something that I have been thinking about.

I could be wrong, but hey, this board is for opinions right?

[leiavoia]

no offense, but i think your conspiracy theory is bunk because you make a lot of assertions without any backup. Why in the world would delaying the game make MORE money for infogrames? Why would it make it more appealing to the casual gamer any more for February 25th than, say, last week? who cares?

i think the real reason is that they want a more-or-less simultanious global release instead of US now and the rest of the world next month.

[Arnelos]

This is utter rubbish...

vee, in the same post where you have proposed this insanity (which would unfairly hurt the designer for the screw-ups of the publisher), you have admitted that it would be meaningless and hollow.

It seems you've defeated your own argument.

As for marketing to the casual gamer, there's always a HOPE that some small and greatly fortunate number of them will awaken from their slumber and realize the superiority of games like this. The addition of each individual convert to the cause of the strategy gamer should be welcomed with open arms

[gunnergoz]

I have no idea, really why the game was delayed. I don't like the delay at all. I have emailed IG and have posted numerous comments about same in several newsgroups where IG/QS folks lurk. I am incensed and feel dissed.

But not buy MOO3?...AREYOUOUTTAYERFREAKINMIND?

A few hundred hard-core idealists not buying this game would have about as much impact on these folks as a Hoboken PTA meeting does upon the price of tea in China.

But, anyway...check your assumptions. We have a lot of rumors and speculation about the whys of the delay but darn few facts.

If IG delayed sales, they probably had their reasons and if you were a shareholder, you'd trust the corporate leadership to maximize profits on your investments.

It's all about the bottom line, lad, not about what a few fans want. Wake up and smell the coffee. Protest will not change the paradigm.

[delmar]

vee4473, based on your post it is perfectly clear to me that you will suffer much more if you don't buy Moo3 than IG would if you don't.

Btw I doubt that the "loyal fan base" (ie. those who take it as a personal offense that the game is delayed) will generate a significant chunk of the Moo3 sales.

[vee4473]

just posting an opinion guys, i appreciate the responses.

sorry if i offended anyone.

[viciouscycle]

@vee4473: Yup... this board is for opinions.

I think you should take into consideration the fact that IG intended to have this game out a long time ago and so they have had to adjust their plans accordingly. No one is happy about having to wait for something that they want which includes IG, QS, and the gamers who have been following the development of MOO3 for all these months. Had everything gone perfectly and according to plan, we wouldn't be here. But almost nothing ever goes according to plan and you just have to make adjustments and do what you can.

IG is a business and they will do what is best for the future of that business. They have to balance out the need to make as much money as possible with the need to satisfy the customer. Have they achieved this? I don't know the answer to that and I don't think anyone on this board can truthfully answer that. Not even, apparently, Chantz.

I'm not saying you are wrong, but I think that there are many more factors out there that should be considered before passing judgement on IG.

[vee4473]

Originally posted by Arnelos
This is utter rubbish...

vee, in the same post where you have proposed this insanity (which would unfairly hurt the designer for the screw-ups of the publisher), you have admitted that it would be meaningless and hollow.

It seems you've defeated your own argument.

As for marketing to the casual gamer, there's always a HOPE that some small and greatly fortunate number of them will awaken from their slumber and realize the superiority of games like this. The addition of each individual convert to the cause of the strategy gamer should be welcomed with open arms

I agree that new gamers are great.

What do you mean I have defeated my own argument?

Do you mean that by me saying that hard core fans will buy no matter what , then i've defeated myself?

tha was my whole point. That IG can bank on the hard core fans' money no matter what. So any boycott would be ridiculous..hence their strategy.

Just proposing a marketing strategy to strategy game fans

[vee4473]

Originally posted by viciouscycle
@vee4473: Yup... this board is for opinions.

I think you should take into consideration the fact that IG intended to have this game out a long time ago and so they have had to adjust their plans accordingly. No one is happy about having to wait for something that they want which includes IG, QS, and the gamers who have been following the development of MOO3 for all these months. Had everything gone perfectly and according to plan, we wouldn't be here. But almost nothing ever goes according to plan and you just have to make adjustments and do what you can.

IG is a business and they will do what is best for the future of that business. They have to balance out the need to make as much money as possible with the need to satisfy the customer. Have they achieved this? I don't know the answer to that and I don't think anyone on this board can truthfully answer that. Not even, apparently, Chantz.

I'm not saying you are wrong, but I think that there are many more factors out there that should be considered before passing judgement on IG.

My only point for this whole thread was to inquire as to why , after all this time, IG would delay the game if it is ready...You would think they would release as soon as possible, not hold the game for weeks if it is languishing in stores stock warehouses.

What possible reason?

And my guess was because they wanted to wait for a timed released to appeal to mass market, knowing that they could bank on loyal fans' money.

I wanted to question what I consider to be their position of "the loyal fans will buy no matter what".

I guess I got my response.

oh well

[viciouscycle]

@vee4473: You want possible reasons? Here goes....

Maybe after all the delays and missed deadlines the distributors have told IG to give them a firm release date and so IG gave them one which they are now bound to.

Maybe they have contracts with distributors that force them to get copies to everyone at the same time so that no one gets a head start in selling the game.

Maybe they are timing the release so as to not to conflict with the sale of other games currently being released.

Maybe they are delaying the release just to spite you.

Maybe there were internal goings-on that have had an effect on the release that we have no way of knowing about.

Maybe they were afraid that a last-minute problem would show up and they wanted to have a cushion of time available to deal with it. Gee... what could possibly go wrong with the development of a game?

Maybe they had other projects hitting critical stages and they just couldn't get the necessary work done to get it out any sooner.

Look, of course they want to appeal to a mass market and sell as many games and make as much money as possible. That is a given and no one will argue that. IG is a business.

You are postulating that IG is intentionally abusing the loyal fans just to make money and therefore that is the only reason the release has been delayed. I am arguing that there are many other, more complex, and better reasons to explain IG's actions. IG can't control everything... they're only human. I would also argue that the primary reason for your opinion about the release is that you are simply tired of waiting for the game and have run out of patience.

Has IG really mistreated the loyal fans? Is waiting four weeks from the time a game goes gold to the time it is available in stores such a huge deal-breaker for you?

[MitchDev]

Originally posted by vee4473

I wanted to question what I consider to be their position of "the loyal fans will buy no matter what".

I guess I got my response.

oh well

We should all get to together and launch an alternate protest, no fan is going to NOT buy MoO3 at all, but if everyone waited a month and didn't buy it until that month was over, that'd send a message...

[gunnergoz]

Originally posted by MitchDev


We should all get to together and launch an alternate protest, no fan is going to NOT buy MoO3 at all, but if everyone waited a month and didn't buy it until that month was over, that'd send a message...

Idealism...sigh...I remember it well.

Life is too short to tilt at windmills. Last time I did, the other guy sat it out and got the girl...I had to wait another 20 years for another right one to come along.

Let me know how it turns out. I'll be playing MOO3.

[MitchDev]

Thanks for supports the a-holes at IG...

They'll think they can contiune to get away with treating their customer base like @&%$ thanks to fanboi's who let them...

[Craterus]

I am going to boycott for exactly 1 week after release

Is it silly? No more so than this waiting a few weeks for release theory thats floating around...

I am also boycotting a week because they didn't release the game last year...

(no not two weeks total - just one)

[Crostoneman]

You're right, I shouldn't buy a MoO3 game. I'll find one of you guys and beat you up in able to steal your copy of MoO3.