It's all about $$$.

Even if they get bad reviews and release a product with tons of issues, as long as they sell enough to cover costs and make profit, then it's worth it from a business standpoint.

Think of it like a sequel to a good movie. Skyrim was a huge console hit. ESO is going to bank on that. Even if they are releasing it with problems i'm sure their sales forecast will dictate that it will be profitable to do so.

An example of how businesses can think: Ford made a car in the 70s called a Pinto. On very rare occasions in the right combination of circumstances they would blow up. Yep. Kaboom. The financial people at Ford decided that the cost of a recall to fix the problem would be more than paying off lawsuits for all the people that would die so they did not issue a recall.

fordpintoethics.webs.com/

Anyways, back to ESO. It's possible that the market and profit from console ESO is their focus. They might squeeze some more cash out of PC players but the big payoff is not us. So why please us? Plus other games are coming out and they are likely to lose disgruntled PC players anyway.

xeoneexb14_ESO wrote: »

I for one don't understand the desire for this game to be put on console.

There are 20 million reasons for why TESO is getting put on console. That is how many copies of Skyrim were sold.

If just 10% of the gamers who purchased Skyrim buy the console version of TESO, that is roughly 2 million copies sold, which is almost certainly more than the number of copies sold for the PC.

I don't really have any special love for Elder Scrolls games specifically.

If the PC version becomes a second class citizen or the game just doesn't really feel right on pc anymore due to console decisions or something, I will simply move to another MMO that I like.

I love my consoles too, I have a ps4 and enjoy games like Destiny and their exclusives but I will never play an MMO on console.

xeoneexb14_ESO wrote: »

I dont think it's a good idea to release this on console. My reasoning is that look at what is happening already. They are delaying content and lord knows what else by postponing everything for console release. Now they are saying that voice chat is going to be the only means of communication? Least that is what I've been seeing on the forum. I love the Elder Scrolls games, I like this one alot. It has potential but it's like, they are dragging their feet in favor of the console release. I saw the video of the UI and I yawned and honestly thought it was nothing special at all. Then I look at the pc version and it honestly makes me wonder why is the PC version so... dull. The UI itself is even more basic than your typical MMO UI. It doesn't stop there either. They were planning so many features and then poof, it's all on hiatus while they get ready for console.

To top this crap off they released p2w... i mean b2p. Lets face it this wouldn't have happened if they hadn't focused solely on PC and skipped console. We might have had spellcrafting, the Imperial City aka Darkness Falls, and probably all kinds of juicy content to binge on. I for one don't understand the desire for this game to be put on console. It wouldn't surprise me if people were expecting the console versions to be better than pc versions. Irregardless if that is true or not, I feel this entire ordeal is ridiculous and unnecessary. It's further proof consoles should have their own games and leave these MMO's out of it.

Let me just say that mmos don't fail just because they are on console. Many PC only mmos fail one year after another. It doesn't matter how big the IP is. You either make a great game full of content out of the gate or suffer the consequences. Just look at SWTOR, Star Wars is one of the biggest IP around and the game was PC only. It still recovered decently switching to F2P though.

This mmo would have probably been better off coming out on consoles first since that is where the biggest piece of it's fanbase is. Or it should have released simultaneously on PC and console instead of the split release. None of that matters now, the chips have fallen. There is no point in should of/could have.

This game can still be great if they play their chips right. I only hope that if ESO sticks to it's barebones, mysterious omission of common mmo fixings/standards, for the sake of immersion, doesn't get them eaten up by reviewers rating down the console reviews for that.

Robotmafia wrote: »

pretty sure it just comes down to this... they didn't make enough money with PC..

And the reason they didn't make enough money with the PC release is because they launched in an unfinished state and STILL haven't addressed all the issues. On top of that they still haven't followed through with important content updates.

When are game companies going to realize that if they make a quality product it's more likely to be profitable? Gamers aren't stupid. They recognize crap when they see it(except console players, who appear to be willing to put up with anything for some reason).

Wait....no wonder Zeni is focusing on the console release. /facepalm

Kalifas wrote: »

xeoneexb14_ESO wrote: »

I dont think it's a good idea to release this on console. My reasoning is that look at what is happening already. They are delaying content and lord knows what else by postponing everything for console release. Now they are saying that voice chat is going to be the only means of communication? Least that is what I've been seeing on the forum. I love the Elder Scrolls games, I like this one alot. It has potential but it's like, they are dragging their feet in favor of the console release. I saw the video of the UI and I yawned and honestly thought it was nothing special at all. Then I look at the pc version and it honestly makes me wonder why is the PC version so... dull. The UI itself is even more basic than your typical MMO UI. It doesn't stop there either. They were planning so many features and then poof, it's all on hiatus while they get ready for console.

To top this crap off they released p2w... i mean b2p. Lets face it this wouldn't have happened if they hadn't focused solely on PC and skipped console. We might have had spellcrafting, the Imperial City aka Darkness Falls, and probably all kinds of juicy content to binge on. I for one don't understand the desire for this game to be put on console. It wouldn't surprise me if people were expecting the console versions to be better than pc versions. Irregardless if that is true or not, I feel this entire ordeal is ridiculous and unnecessary. It's further proof consoles should have their own games and leave these MMO's out of it.

Let me just say that mmos don't fail just because they are on console. Many PC only mmos fail one year after another. It doesn't matter how big the IP is. You either make a great game full of content out of the gate or suffer the consequences. Just look at SWTOR, Star Wars is one of the biggest IP around and the game was PC only. It still recovered decently switching to F2P though.

This mmo would have probably been better off coming out on consoles first since that is where the biggest piece of it's fanbase is. Or it should have released simultaneously on PC and console instead of the split release. None of that matters now, the chips have fallen. There is no point in should of/could have.

This game can still be great if they play their chips right. I only hope that if ESO sticks to it's barebones, mysterious omission of common mmo fixings/standards, for the sake of immersion, doesn't get them eaten up by reviewers rating down the console reviews for that.

First off I never implyed MMO's should NEVER be on console, I'm saying don't mix pc mmo's with console for obvious reasons.

One of the main reasons mmo's now adays fail is because they are too scared to go beyond the standard model, which unfortunatly was set by WoW which ironically enough stole bits and pieces from every other mmo to MAKE that mold in which all other mmo's try to emulate WoW the irony is smelly in this case. Furthermore they don't want to risk it because if they do and fail its almost worse in their eyes.

Lets talk about SWTOR, I was there during beta and at the beginning of that train wreck. The reason that game failed wasn't because of PC only release or anything else of that nature, it failed because of it's garbage engine. They thought they were being smart by using an ALPHA, or was it beta hell if I can remember at this moment, of the engine that wasn't even complete. They cut corners by using the engine in it's alpha or beta state because it allowed them to start world building quicker. In the end it bit them in the rump hard. And their f2p, which is truly a p2w model, is so much a failure I swear if ZOS even THINKS about going that route I will never buy another game that ZOS makes. Microtransactions are KILLING the gaming industry today. Now with the Crown Store at LEAST they are doing it in a manner that doesn't break the game for those that are willing to shell out $100's a week for premium items that give you a big advantage. Luckily the only thing I see that I think is wrong is the motifs that were added. It's also bad that most of the consumables undermines alchemy and that is where I'll draw the line. I don't mind paying for cosmetic items but in the case of SWTOR I do NOT want to have to pay for extra inventory slots, limit how much money I can hold unless you are a "premium" member aka subscriber, have to pay bloody money to unlock the ability to hide your *** helmet, pay to add a 3rd crafting slot, and all sorts of game breaking *** that gives people way too much of an advantage.

Now the bottom line is, I don't want to see this cross platform like that if they can't get the communcation issues down right, and from what I've seen it's GOING to be an atrocious mess with the release and enough whining and crying will cause the devs to change it, in which case I'll facepalm and say it should have been that way from the start.

And to those that are saying they are in the red and all that, I call extensive ***. ZOS may be the sister company but it's still under the Bethesda name and I for one DO NOT except that they didn't have enough money from the amount of money gained by sales and all the subs, even if they did lose subs overall. I KNOW they made money on this. And when it unfortunatly DOES release on console they'll make more but I seriously foresee major problems with doing it that way, and it will only compound the current issues plaguing PC. We already have too many problems and I for one don't want to see console issues thrown in the mix. I love the Elder Scrolls game, but I can JUST as easily pull out my interest in this game, wash my hands of it, and find another game to play just as easily as I play this one now.

I'm not trying to bash the devs, or ZOS. I just think the entire idea of releasing this along side console, and lack of type text on console is a major concern as well, is not a smart move. I know money is involved which makes it all the more of a problem. Everything shouldn't be about money. They will always cut corners to save money and we all know what happens when that happens, you risk catastrophe. The bottom line is, they delayed the release of console and further pushed back development on PC SO they could release on console, that doesn't upset you and make you wish they never intended the game to release on consoles? I for one would be happier if this was the case because then they could focus solely on content. But the release is coming soon and it's going to be a disaster and like SWTOR I'll wait to see if the game floats or sinks to decide if I'll jump ship or not. It pains me to see the routes people go to nowadays. I'm voting more and more on quality Indie Dev than any high end AAA titles or companies anymore. A shame, a real shame.

xeoneexb14_ESO wrote: »

Rescorla_ESO wrote: »

xeoneexb14_ESO wrote: »

I for one don't understand the desire for this game to be put on console.

There are 20 million reasons for why TESO is getting put on console. That is how many copies of Skyrim were sold.

If just 10% of the gamers who purchased Skyrim buy the console version of TESO, that is roughly 2 million copies sold, which is almost certainly more than the number of copies sold for the PC.

Um, this is NOTHING like Skyrim other than them using the UI. This is far far FAR from Skyrim and when people realize this, it's going to cause people to ditch ESO and the game will fail, most will jump ship and I don't know how they will recover. They will just end up making stupid dev/marketing decisions and further their decent down the toilet. This was a bad move going to console. I don't care what anyone says this was a BAD MOVE. PERIOD.

It seems to me that you do not wish to see what others are saying. You are nor pleased with the console release. That is understandably but also take in to consideration that lots of console players don't have access to a PC that can run said game. (not all but most of the ones i have spoken too) and thus ESO will be a change of pace for them, a true mmo and not some lobby based multiplayer PVP FPS. It will get ESO some income, and who's to say how well it will do, i have seen many doom sayers in my day and they have all been wrong. If the game was going to fail it would have pulled an APB by now and closed down. or a tabula rasa.

stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO wrote: »

The console Version of ESO will not only sell a lot more than PC has, but it will also have a bigger population/player base.

We'll find out in a couple of months, I guess. The number of box sales on PC/Mac were actually pretty good, but the number of players that are still active is not that great. With the tainted reputation of the buggy and unstable PC/Mac version, they will need some pretty convincing marketing to attract customers for the console release, and they need to deliver on their promises, not make the same mess of it as they did for the PC/Mac version.

Flip a coin. Hard to say whether the XB1/PS4 versions will outsell the PC/Mac versions at this point. I hope it does because it means more resources that could fund future content. The unknown is how ESO having been out on PCs for 14 months will affect the sales for the console version

If it had been possible to release ESO at the same time on all the platforms then it would have been a surer thing to predict (although that would have delayed the PC release by at least seven months).

ESO is still a good game for ES fans. It just doesn't have that new car smell anymore so that makes it less certain.

drackonir wrote: »

I have played most mayor MMOs since EQ and (few examples):

- WoW - only one that succeeded on long time due to accurate player base predictions
- EQ2 - perfectly timed expansions and new content, game complexity and difficulty killed the player base in comparison to WoW.
- LOTRO - very nice PvE oriented game with a huge potential player base and huge word was released without end game content. Expansions were too late to fix the issue. Too long intervals between expansions with too little content killed the player base.
- Conan - another MMO with potential was released without end game content. Players were able to reach the exp cap in 2 weeks and had nothing to do. PvP was so bugged that it was the last straw to forget about the game.
- Warhammer - Potentially the competitor to WoW, with well design PvEvP system. Big word with endless expansions option was killed very quickly by technical issues that prevent any PvP bigger then 5vs5

Sadly ESO is following the same wrong direction of development. Word that allows the developer to wash players with a hue new area in every few months is being kept without any progression. Technical issues are killing PvP faster then everyone expected.
It is hard not have the impression that ZOS atm is trying t quizzes as much as they can from this "orange" and throw it to the bin.
ESO could be a product that can last for years taking under account the potential player base but the management need to introduce radical changes in the current development plan. Wish they do that but sadly i don't believe anything like that ever happen.

I pretty much agree with what you are saying, I have been playing mmo's since mudz, and have seen the industry and the players change over the years, I just wonder if any game can go in the right direction these days according to the players so many opinions so many personal wants, times have changed and there is so many online games of all kinds these days, so many players want instant gratification, want it for free, no company can pump out content as fast as the content locusts gobble it up and move on to the next shiny, I just wonder if the days of the traditional mmo are numbered.

Games have become so dumbed down over the years, seems like a lot of new gamers really don't know what depth of content really is, a new skin on your horse is not content. ESO is a nice change of pace not as dumbed down as most cookie cutter mmo's but unless they get some of the serious issues fixed, this will just be another game that people say what it could have been, it could have been a contender.

kevlarto_ESO wrote: »

seems like a lot of new gamers really don't know what depth of content really is, a new skin on your horse is not content.

This!

I was starting to think I was the only person who sees just how limited people are getting with their expectations. In this forum I've had a real conversation with someone who honestly believes that there is no way to make an MMO without using the tank/heal/dps trinity. There's no out-of-the-box thinking anymore. Everyone is so stuck on the same simple formula for their games! It's frightening!

xeoneexb14_ESO wrote: »

Microtransactions are KILLING the gaming industry today.

Supercell would like a word with you.

jkemmery wrote: »

xeoneexb14_ESO wrote: »

And to those that are saying they are in the red and all that, I call extensive ***. ZOS may be the sister company but it's still under the Bethesda name and I for one DO NOT except that they didn't have enough money from the amount of money gained by sales and all the subs, even if they did lose subs overall. I KNOW they made money on this. And when it unfortunatly DOES release on console they'll make more but I seriously foresee major problems with doing it that way, and it will only compound the current issues plaguing PC. We already have too many problems and I for one don't want to see console issues thrown in the mix. I love the Elder Scrolls game, but I can JUST as easily pull out my interest in this game, wash my hands of it, and find another game to play just as easily as I play this one now.

Anyone who makes a statement like this is obviously neither an expert in technology nor finances. I doubt most of us have a clue as to how much putting together a game like this costs. If they sold a quarter of a million copies at an average of $70.00 per, they most likely have LOST money over the last year.

As a software developer, it's incredibly, extremely likely they have lost their investors tons of money.