Bluetracker

Tracks Blizzard employees across various accounts.

Why do Blizzard put so much care into "returning" players as opposed to their "currently" playing customers

Time and again one of their go to excuses why something cant be done is because of returning players but if they have left they should no longer be the consideration if they ever return anyway

On top of that I feel Blizzard may be missing one part of why players leave which is waning interest in the current game design

Should a developers interest not be in keeping their current customer happy not a customer that may never come back?

  • Ben Brode
    Posted 9 years, 7 months ago (Source)

    Inconsistencies are generally understood by the engaged playerbase. Players know Wild Growth gives an extra card at 10 mana, for example.

    Inconsistency is worse for players seeing cards for the first time, usually. But you're right, card wording is almost entirely the domain of new players. Experienced players know what a card does just from looking at the art.

    Either way, Druid of the Claw's wording has been updated. You'll see the change in a patch later this year.

  • Ben Brode
    Posted 9 years, 7 months ago (Source)

    Often I give several reasons for doing something or not doing something. Sometimes we think about our returning players. But I don't think we've ever made a decision at the expense of current players exclusively because of returning players. People see that one bullet point and assume that's the whole reason.

    Part of the reason to keep them in mind is that it helps us find solutions that are good for everyone. If we never think about new and returning players, we miss opportunities to make the game better for them at the same time we are making the game better for current players.

    We just take them into account.

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