Greed is destroying this game : Enlisted

Summary

The video script critiques 'Enlisted,' a free-to-play game marred by excessive microtransactions and poor management decisions. Despite its innovative gameplay and potential, the game's monetization model is overly greedy, charging for features like cosmetics and paratroopers, and requiring extensive grinding or payments to unlock basic content. The script highlights how these practices deter players and contrasts 'Enlisted' with more successful games, urging the developers to respect player time and money.

Takeaways

• ?Í🏼 The game 'Enlisted' was initially a bundle of six games with poor management, leading to a lack of players.
• 📱 To attract more players, the developers decided to release 'Enlisted' on Steam, but made the critical error of charging for a free-to-play game.
• 💵 The game was riddled with aggressive microtransactions, including costly cosmetics that varied by soldier and map.
• 💲 Players had to pay extra for features like paratroopers and even to change the color of their tanks, which was seen as exploitative.
• 💳 The game's economy was heavily skewed, with players needing to grind for hundreds of hours to unlock basic features, which was off-putting.
• 💷 Despite the monetization issues, 'Enlisted' had innovative gameplay mechanics and showed potential to be a great game.
• 📵 The developers showed improvement in planning and updates, but the damage from the initial monetization strategy was already done.
• 📶 The community provided feedback, urging the developers to tone down the monetization and not charge for the Steam version, but this was largely ignored.
• 💶 The game's failure to attract and retain players was attributed to its greedy monetization practices, which overshadowed its positive aspects.
• 💴 The script suggests that for 'Enlisted' to succeed, it needs a complete overhaul of its monetization model and a respect for player time and money.
• 📷 The contrast between 'Enlisted' and other successful games like 'Apex Legends' and 'CS:GO' highlights the importance of reasonable monetization in retaining players.

Q & A

What was the main issue with the game's management according to the script?

The main issue was that the game was poorly managed, with six games bundled into one without enough players, leading to a decision to combine them, which took almost a year and still wasn't perfect.

Why did the developers decide to release the game on Steam?

The developers decided to release the game on Steam to attract more players and hoped to increase the player base.

What was the major mistake made during the Steam release?

The major mistake was charging money for a free-to-play game on Steam, which was seen as greed and deterred potential players.

What is the criticism regarding the game's cosmetic system?

The game charges excessively for cosmetics, even for different soldiers in the same squad, and for the same uniform on different maps.

How does the script describe the game's monetization strategy?

The script describes the game's monetization strategy as 'filthy greedy' and compares it to the American Health Care System, indicating it is overly aggressive and exploitative.

What is the issue with the game's paratrooper feature?

The issue is that paratroopers can only be unlocked through events or by paying money, and if a player misses the event, they are left with no choice but to pay.

What is the criticism about the game's vehicle and weapon customization?

The criticism is that the game charges for customization options like tanks and planes, and even for changing the color of the tank, which is seen as excessive monetization.

What was the community's reaction to the Steam launch?

The community had been warning against the disastrous idea of charging for the Steam version for weeks, but the developers did not listen, leading to a failed launch with low attendance.

What is the script's stance on the game's potential and current state?

The script acknowledges that the game has great potential and is innovative, but the current state is marred by excessive greed and poor management.

What does the script suggest as a solution for the game's issues?

The script suggests that the game needs to completely overhaul its monetization system, respect player time and money, and that the developers need to listen to community feedback.

What is the script's final message to the developers?

The final message is that the developers should learn from their mistakes, stop excessive monetization, and focus on creating good, fun player experiences.