Dear Turbine, why no advertising?

[Tahlyn]

I keep seeing posts where people say if Turbine would only do this or that more people would play. Everyone thinks if the game where better (better being op) then people would start playing it.

I think this overlooks the most obvious problem with getting new blood to the game.

Where is the advertising?

Where are the games displays in stores?

Where is the marketing for this game?

Dead? Asleep? Sabotage? Thumbs up rearends? WHAT GIVES?

We need boxes of DDO for sale in stores. How can you get new people if no one sees it? If no one knows it's there? Everywhere I go, I see an 8' run of WOW for sale. Game cards, books, and box upon box of the game. THEY EVEN HAVE GUILDWARS ON THE SHELF. They even have Neverwinter Nights on shelves.

WHERE IS DDO? NO WHERE.

You have to be looking for it and then only on the net. I have NO IDEA why DDO is still online. I have NO IDEA why Turbine is supporting this game at all, since Hasbro seems determined to keep it a secret from the public while the few gamers who do know about it slowly drop off from old age one by one.

(not the first stupid move by Hasbro, I mean, just look at GI Joe)

(by old age I mean they've done it all, get tired and bored and move on) I love this game. I love playing this game. I do not want this game to go away. But how can you get new people with no marketing. No ads in the paper, no ads on TV, no boxes on shelves, no place to find it. I asked for a copy at a local game store last week to buy to send to a relative out of state and the manager of the store said "Oh, that game isn't around anymore." and suggested I buy, you got it. WOW. I asked why DDO was not around anymore and he shrugged saying, "oh, the company that put it out dropped it."

Who knows if this guy thought he was telling the truth or not, point is, if I didn't know better, if I weren't already playing DDO, I would think it's gone.

You want more players? It pays to advertise. (geesh, who didn't know that?)

[Borror0]

Because they can't afford it.

[terascque]

Isn't Atari actaully responsible for that anyways? Turbine just hosts the game if I recall correctly. Can anyone confirm that?

[BattleCircle]

I kind of wonder if they don't want an influx of new players right now.

Possibly since most of the original developers seem to have gone on to new things, the current crop wants a chance to makeover the game to fit their vision of what DDO should be.

In other words, They are not quite ready yet....

Just an opinion, and actully not one I truly believe in but just to play devils advocate, there has to be a reason. And I don't believe it is money.

[Griphon]

See the MANY threads in the forums that demonize Atari for not doing a darned thing it.

It's their responsibility to do so.. Unless somehow, Turbine buys the rights or figures a way around their contract.


Atari = Noobs in the MMORPG arena...

[BattleCircle]

Isn't Atari actaully responsible for that anyways? Turbine just hosts the game if I recall correctly. Can anyone confirm that?

Log in screen lists WoTc, Atari, Hasbro, and Turbine....... if that helps any

[Borror0]

In other words, They are not quite ready yet...

It's not because they have new developers. Developers have not a say in that decision.

It has more to do with waiting for Module 9. Once they got level 20 done, it will be easier to attract more players.

[cardmj1]

In a recent interview, Kate Paiz mentioned a new advertising push at the end of the year or the beginning of 2009. They want to get all the bugs in hireling fixed before the ads go out. Hence, the new player experience area and hirelings.

[Borror0]

It's their responsibility to do so.. Unless somehow, Turbine buys the rights or figures a way around their contract.

This post and this post explains how this is not accurate. I'm not an expert, but tekn0mage's explanations make a lot of sense.

[Verlock]

DDO is in hasteings, or atleast it is here

[Rickpa]

I think too much is broken in DDO to consider any ad campaigns right now.

[moorewr]

This post and this post explains how this is not accurate. I'm not an expert, but tekn0mage's explanations make a lot of sense.

I've read this post over and over, but I keep reading it as "tekn0mage's explanations make a lot of sense." That just CAN'T be what you meant.

[Beherit_Baphomar]

Y'know, about a year ago on these here forums there was a lotta whining and crying about Turbine not putting out any advertising.

Then we found out Turbine cant put advertising out (or so some said) so we whined about Atari.

Then nothing was done.

So we whined a little more.

Still nothing.

Then someone whined.

Nothing.

Then the whining stopped...

And here we are over a year later, with someone posting about no advertising.

Welcome to the world of DDO....the best known game that doesnt exist.

[Borror0]

I've read this post over and over, but I keep reading it as "tekn0mage's explanations make a lot of sense." That just CAN'T be what you meant.

After 2000+ posts, he can at least get something right.

[Kistilan]

Because they can't afford it.

I again would be willing to go to a paypal account linked directly to Turbine from thier front page and donate $5, $10, $20 or $XXX towards advertising. I believe a lot of players that love this game for what it is would indeed do that.

I would feel better about donating if they promised to keep the game more like the core rules of D&D where a WISH SPELL is a ridiculously powerful (and not easily acquired) spell. /lobby off

[Do'Urden]

Good thing we got Mod 8: New Player Experience (i.e. shafted on meaningful cap content) just in time for the influx of new blood

That Korthos Island stuff ROCKS for the entire 2 hours I'm under level 4

Oh well, I still need Shroud items. I'll just go run that

[Borror0]

Good thing we got Mod 8: New Player Experience (i.e. shafted on meaningful cap content) just in time for the influx of new blood

They are going to advertise after Module 9.0, it had to come out one day. Earlier the better.

That Korthos Island stuff ROCKS for the entire 2 hours I'm under level 4

After the four first hours I played this game, I had yet to see level 3.

[Do'Urden]

They are going to advertise after Module 9.0, it had to come out one day. Earlier the better.

After the four first hours I played this game, I had yet to see level 3.

I get it BorrorO...Mod 8 isn't for me or players like me. Compare how much time most people you know spend at low levels vs. at cap. The NPE is a strategic move only worthwhile if 1) they actually make an effort to attract new players 2) the new players they attract stick around and 3) they keep enough current players that the net result is an increase in revenue / profit to keep the thing going.

IMHO Turbine/DDO hasn't had a banner year in terms of customer satisfaction. Just venting.

[Borror0]

IMHO Turbine/DDO hasn't had a banner year in terms of customer satisfaction.

Oh, I agree. I feel (read:am hoping) that the meat will be in Module 9. With the enhancements we have seen to far, it seems to point at that.

Rant away. You got good reasons for it. Hopefully Module 9 will justify the wait.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

Somewhere (no I'm not looking for the link for you) Katie said that an Atari ad blitz with a new retail box was supposed to happen along with the NPE...but it fell through and they were concentrating on other things for now but would get back to that in the future.