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Steamspy Data - No Man's Sky active players down over 90% in just 2 weeks
- Thread starter Vinsanity.
- Start date
I got an import copy in Japan. Cost $80. Only got $30 trade in. Regret buying the game big time.
Ouch >_< I'm sorry for that, but on the other hand I envy that you live in Japan, haha.
BudokaiMR2
Member
I am glad I was able to have Sony honor my refund request.
I never had expectations as high as some people as I had a feeling Hello Games was overreaching with their goals a bit considering the schedule, and I actually think the game came together better than I expected!
However, it really is just a chore to play. The only tension in the gameplay loop is 'shoot space rocks constantly' thanks to the boring ass flight model and the lack of any real NPC interaction.
The game definitely has some good parts and can be fun at times, but I really think they should have spent more time making the core mechanics feel better.
I personally think they should have dumped the stupid space rocks resource grind as the main gameplay loop and instead have offered a more detailed flight model as an option. Anyone who wanted to enjoy it as a 'survival' game could have played that way, with the main goal being not to crash/damage your ship. The resource grind could have been implemented there if you actually managed to total your ship and get stranded. It would have just been a punishment for bad piloting/decision making instead of a constant unending grind.
In a way Elite Dangerous already does this pretty well, as you really are on your own for the most part if you go exploring past the 'civilization bubble'. That sort of tension could have worked in this game as well, but instead you are basically flying a glorified elevator.
I may pick the game up again on PC if updates/mods look promising, but for now I can thank it for at least rekindling my interest in Elite Dangerous! ^^
I never had expectations as high as some people as I had a feeling Hello Games was overreaching with their goals a bit considering the schedule, and I actually think the game came together better than I expected!
However, it really is just a chore to play. The only tension in the gameplay loop is 'shoot space rocks constantly' thanks to the boring ass flight model and the lack of any real NPC interaction.
The game definitely has some good parts and can be fun at times, but I really think they should have spent more time making the core mechanics feel better.
I personally think they should have dumped the stupid space rocks resource grind as the main gameplay loop and instead have offered a more detailed flight model as an option. Anyone who wanted to enjoy it as a 'survival' game could have played that way, with the main goal being not to crash/damage your ship. The resource grind could have been implemented there if you actually managed to total your ship and get stranded. It would have just been a punishment for bad piloting/decision making instead of a constant unending grind.
In a way Elite Dangerous already does this pretty well, as you really are on your own for the most part if you go exploring past the 'civilization bubble'. That sort of tension could have worked in this game as well, but instead you are basically flying a glorified elevator.
I may pick the game up again on PC if updates/mods look promising, but for now I can thank it for at least rekindling my interest in Elite Dangerous! ^^
It tells us nothing.... other than the fact that this game has lost 90% of its playerbase in 2 weeks.
BigTnaples
Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
Spot on.
I've been playing less since shock, MD released. I'm definitely going to go back though. It's an amazing game.
RPGCrazied
Member
Have they even responded to the backlash yet? The creators I mean.
DrROBschiz
Member
They seem to be throwing themselves back into bugfixing and development
Which is the right call. Worked for Destiny
NHarmonic.
Member
This is kinda sad, the hype train completely crashed...
mrmickfran
Member
Already has 100+ offers on Amazon.
Yesterday, the lowest offer was $40, now it's $36.
Yesterday, the lowest offer was $40, now it's $36.
Council Pop
Member
This never would have happened if players could have seen each other, if giant sandsnakes had been everywhere, and there had been no skyboxes.
/s
DrROBschiz
Member
They should have stayed as a small indie game and iterated over time
Had this launched as a 20-30 follar game with iterations over time (like so many other games in its genre) im sure it would have fared much better
I get how they were tempted by Sony to take the marketing and retail support and it seemed to pay off in sales but whatever benefit they have seen from the decisions is already eroding long term prospects...
Unless they can iterate fast enough
They are far away from the 600+ crew that Bungie has though
Can they turn it around?
Had this launched as a 20-30 follar game with iterations over time (like so many other games in its genre) im sure it would have fared much better
I get how they were tempted by Sony to take the marketing and retail support and it seemed to pay off in sales but whatever benefit they have seen from the decisions is already eroding long term prospects...
Unless they can iterate fast enough
They are far away from the 600+ crew that Bungie has though
Can they turn it around?
Isnt No Mans Sky single player? I dont think that X-Com would be the best comparison. 90% is probably high, but most single player games drop off pretty fast.
PulseONE
Member
Nope, not a word, which only makes things worse
Dee Dah Dave
Member
I doubt there will be DLC released for this game in order to make the game half way decent. Pretty soon there will be no man in the sky and nobody to sell it to.
This will be a hit and run job and Hello Games (and Sony) will try and brush it under the carpet as soon as possible.
This will be a hit and run job and Hello Games (and Sony) will try and brush it under the carpet as soon as possible.
You would be surprised
PC gamers are very particular on types of games and if said game to them has issues they usually move along to the next game.
I have seen games on consoles have better playerbase than pc. Most people are willing to play whatever on there vs PC where I seen people game hope every week to the next best thing or whatever their favorite popular media outlet are currently playing.
I used to be part of this till I realized I just wasn't having fun game hopping all the time
90% of Hype Trains do. That's the problem with them.
Everyone buys a ticket but nobody's driving.
Also, you guys saying that $20 would have been better are crazy. The steam version has sold around 775k copies already. It's not like the price is holding the game back. I highly doubt that they would have pushed 3x as many $20 copies given what most games sell on Steam.
Devs can worry about blowback later. Good post launch support will lessen that.
Devs can worry about blowback later. Good post launch support will lessen that.
DrROBschiz
Member
lol what?
The last thing they need to do is get back in the public eye and stir up more media
Sticking to development is the right and only call to make
Mass_Pincup
Banned
Oh but I thought it was a limitless game with infinite possibilities?
Someone even argued that it'll takes weeks to review it. The hype and defense surrounding this game was like no other.
(My post isn't directed at you, more directed at how the game was presented by Hello Games and fans alike)
Turin Turambar
Member
If anything, PC gamers are more prone to play sandbox open world survival/crafting games than console gamers.
DrROBschiz
Member
Oh geez
Didnt all the threads preceding NMS bring people back to earth WAY in advance? There were plenty of gameplay videos and long discussions about the limits of procedural generation.
What surprised me the most was the move to push this game as a 60 dollar retail game. Otherwise they mostly delivered the advertised experience based on what I was expecting
Not saying that makes it a good or bad game but they clearly have a long path to go to make it any where near as compelling as the games that preceded it
That said shit like Minecraft iterated on themselves for years and years
I absolutely knew the price was going to be a huge factor -- people are still bringing it up! I remember our conversations months ago and people were defending a (then, theoretical) full price tag.
I bought the game day one and I'm really enjoying it. I think the sound design is stellar, the lore is well written (classic sci-fi vibes), and often the visuals are just breathtaking.
I still hate I had to pay 80 CAD, though.
I bought the game day one and I'm really enjoying it. I think the sound design is stellar, the lore is well written (classic sci-fi vibes), and often the visuals are just breathtaking.
I still hate I had to pay 80 CAD, though.
Handy Fake
Member
You may be being glib, but you're probably right.
Hello Games don;t seem the types to rest on their laurels if there's a backlash. There's a Hell of a base to build on at the minute.
I think they're looking at it from a consumer perspective. They've sold the majority of copies based on multiple things that ended up not being in the game. They've achieved financial success but at what cost? There's a dark cloud lingering over the studio and their future projects. They wouldn't have made nearly as much in the short term, but they probably wouldn't have nearly as much backlash either. I'd hate to see this sink the studio but it is always a possibility.
The numbers are already great. IIRC they are past 2M copies on PS4/PC (including both retail and digital).
RUST has about 4M sales on Steam, and it is among the most popular games in the sandbox/survival genre. It also sells for a third the price of No Man's Sky.
We are talking about a developer with the staff of a Japanese team making ultra-niche JRPGs for an audience of 100k people. I think they will make do with over $100M in revenue.
They have that and it has been an established onebfor a number of years.
Funny how people hate cloned games yet will beg for clones of their favorite games.
Mexen
Member
My friends are in one of two camps- absolutely love it and have had a great time exploring and shit; and number 2 group - disappointed in Murray's marketing and the hype that let them down.
Personally, I get what NMS tries to achieve and that's great but the team was better off having even 20 unique planets with everything that was promised. Maybe within those 20 standard template worlds, what would have been procedurally generated would be the unique set of ecosystems in each world.
Here is what I mean. World A is by default a desert planet while world B is by default full of water, right? Each world has a set of assets unique to them. I am not talking about slapping leg asset b234 or body asset f445 because that's how you end up with an elephant thing with wings awkwardly trying to fly.
No, have complete assets but randomize them per visit. You could then procedurally generate terrain from a set of assets that already exist or something but with respect to the unique world that you are in. Game would easily be 40+ gig but even if random, the worlds would have been individually crafted from an asset point of view.
So maybe when I am in world A, I get mountains and desert gorillas... you get quick sand and flying avocados.
Trying to create entire worlds and ecosystems on the go, although possible, is messy stuff. Sure, there have been glorious encounters but trust me, when it's ugly, it's ugly. At least from the screenshots my friend sent to me.
Personally, I get what NMS tries to achieve and that's great but the team was better off having even 20 unique planets with everything that was promised. Maybe within those 20 standard template worlds, what would have been procedurally generated would be the unique set of ecosystems in each world.
Here is what I mean. World A is by default a desert planet while world B is by default full of water, right? Each world has a set of assets unique to them. I am not talking about slapping leg asset b234 or body asset f445 because that's how you end up with an elephant thing with wings awkwardly trying to fly.
No, have complete assets but randomize them per visit. You could then procedurally generate terrain from a set of assets that already exist or something but with respect to the unique world that you are in. Game would easily be 40+ gig but even if random, the worlds would have been individually crafted from an asset point of view.
So maybe when I am in world A, I get mountains and desert gorillas... you get quick sand and flying avocados.
Trying to create entire worlds and ecosystems on the go, although possible, is messy stuff. Sure, there have been glorious encounters but trust me, when it's ugly, it's ugly. At least from the screenshots my friend sent to me.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Almost like it was a shit game that I got bored of in two days.
Unaha-Closp
Member
30 hours in and I fell off. You could say I got value for money if you want to do that weird equation thingy some people do but I left disappointed in the end. I feel they spent so much time on the tech and forgot the game part.
Feel pretty much the same.
RPGCrazied
Member
It would have helped if the game had a story. And that ending? I watched it on youtube, is that really what they call a game ending?
nycgamer4ever
Member
Savage.
blastprocessor
The Amiga Brotherhood
I reckon more words would be like pouring petrol onto flames. Need to let those flames die down. Just look at the twitter response lots of unhappy gamers venting.
If l were Hello Games i'd keep my trap shut, continue polishing the game and releasing patches as quickly as possible. I'd also hurry up any new gameplay features.
royox
Member
My gosh.
Devilgunman
Member
Even from a tech perspective it also fails very hard. From a game that supposed to offer infinite varieties of planets, I feel like I've seen everything on the 3rd planet or so. Giant mushroom-looking plants, spiky-rock caves, illuminating flowers etc. Everywhere just looks the same.
elcuervo75
Banned
Exactly what I was thinking. I knew this game was being overhyped and I planned from the beginning to wait for a $5 steam sale. Now I wonder if I am willing to even waste my time on it.
NingenJanai
Member
Exactly my thoughts as well.
Maybe they can get players back by making more promises.
The Jackdog
Member
i couldnt care any less for hello games at this point.
wild success off of misleading the public with a product.
With both games, the hate both games got was mostly undeserved and overblown. Some of it is deserved but the vast majority of it is not as i've seen.
It really shows the stupidity of some people.
The delusion of people against the game is just as bad.
ReddishGUI
Member
Destiny was a fun game at it's core unlike NMS which is simply not fun to play. No amount of additional yet most likely meaningless content will save the game IMO... especially not with such a small team working on it.
Undeserved hate absolutely. But the games were hyped unbelievably, when something disappoints with this kind of magnitude people are going to overreact.
Weltall Zero
Member
OK, I chuckled.
People disagreeing with you shows all of absolutely anything, least of all stupidity.