How Pixel Gun 3D Lost 98% of its Players

Summary

Pixel Gun 3D's journey from a popular childhood game to one of the most despised titles is chronicled in this video. It details the game's initial failure, its rise to fame with the introduction of multiplayer and innovative game modes, and its eventual decline due to developer greed, a lack of innovation, and an overemphasis on monetization. The script highlights how the game's neglect of its player base and the introduction of overpowered weapons led to a massive player exodus, leaving behind a dwindling community and a tarnished legacy.

Takeaways

• 😀 Pixel Gun 3D initially struggled to gain traction but eventually became popular with the introduction of multiplayer mode in update 1.2.
• 📈 The game's player base grew exponentially after the addition of multiplayer, leading to the introduction of new game modes like Capture the Flag and The Hunger Games.
• 💸 The game's monetization strategy shifted from purely cosmetic items to purchasable in-game items, which initially did not significantly impact gameplay.
• 🎮 The addition of Clan feature in update 6.0 amplified the competitive aspect and community engagement.
• 📉 Despite the game's success, a lack of significant updates and an overemphasis on adding overpowered (OP) weapons led to a decline in player satisfaction.
• 🔍 The introduction of Duels mode was a positive step towards skill-based gameplay, but it also widened the gap between new and experienced players.
• 🔄 The game's developers focused on adding more purchasable items rather than innovative updates, which led to a decrease in player base and an increase in pay-to-win elements.
• 🚫 Attempts to save the game, such as adding skill matching and changing the clan system, were too little, too late, and sometimes upset the player base.
• 🔄 The game tried to capitalize on trends like Battle Royale and Squid Game, but these efforts were seen as desperate and profit-driven.
• 🗑️ The removal of original maps and items, along with an influx of microtransactions, further alienated the player base and contributed to the game's downfall.

Q & A

What was the initial state of Pixel Gun 3D's popularity?

Pixel Gun 3D initially flopped, not even reaching a thousand players in its first month, as it was repetitive and had no replay value.

What significant update helped turn around Pixel Gun 3D's fortunes?

Update 1.2 introduced multiplayer, which allowed players to compete with others, including friends, in the FFA game mode, and this competitive aspect led to a dramatic increase in popularity.

How did the game's growth lead to the development of its community?

The game's growth promoted the growth of communities as players had a reason to grind and engage with the game, leading to the formation of dedicated groups and later, clans.

What were some of the iconic game modes introduced in Pixel Gun 3D?

Some iconic game modes introduced were Capture the Flag and The Hunger Games, which became popular and were key to the game's success.

How did the introduction of purchasable in-game items affect the game's balance?

The introduction of purchasable in-game items initially caused a slight annoyance as it allowed players to buy their way to the top, potentially disrupting the balance of skill-based gameplay.

What was the impact of content creators on Pixel Gun 3D's popularity?

Content creators played a significant role in increasing the game's popularity by making videos about it, which attracted more players and contributed to the game's community growth.

What was the main issue with the Duels game mode introduced in update 11.0?

The Duels mode, being skill-based and one-on-one, increased the skill gap between new and experienced players, leading to a higher entry level and making it difficult for new players to keep up.

How did the developers' focus on adding new weapons affect the game?

The developers' focus on adding new weapons rather than innovative updates led to a decrease in game quality, as it made older weapons obsolete and increased the advantage for players willing to spend money.

What were some of the attempts made by the developers to save the game's declining player base?

The developers tried adding skill matching, changing the clan system, and even removing the Duels mode, but these changes did not reverse the decline and upset the player base.

Why did the game fail to maintain its initial success in the long term?

The game failed to innovate and relied too heavily on its initial features. The developers prioritized monetization over improving the game, leading to a decline in player satisfaction and an increase in hackers, ultimately damaging the game's community.

Outlines

00:00

📉 The Rise and Fall of Pixel Gun 3D

Pixel Gun 3D, once a popular childhood game, has seen a dramatic decline in popularity over the past decade. Initially, it failed to gain traction but found success by combining elements of Minecraft and Counterstrike for mobile, appealing to a younger audience. The game's turning point was the introduction of multiplayer mode in update 1.2, which added a competitive aspect and spurred community growth. However, the game's developers began to focus on monetization, introducing purchasable in-game items that undermined the game's balance and fairness. Despite attempts to innovate with new game modes like 'Capture the Flag' and 'The Hunger Games', and features like clans, the game's direction shifted towards greed, neglecting the community and original charm that made it popular. The lack of significant updates and overemphasis on monetization led to a player exodus, leaving behind a dwindling, disgruntled community.

05:02

🔫 The Impact of Duels Mode and Weapon Updates

The introduction of the Duels mode in update 11.0 was intended to level the playing field by focusing on skill-based gameplay. However, this shift led to a widening gap between new and experienced players, as the latter could afford powerful new weapons that gave them an unfair advantage. The developers' response was to introduce more weapons at a rapid pace, which, while profitable, further alienated the player base. This strategy not only failed to bridge the skill gap but also rendered previously earned weapons obsolete, leading to a decline in player satisfaction and engagement. The game's developers seemed to prioritize short-term gains over long-term community health, ultimately contributing to the game's downfall.

Keywords

💡Pixel Gun 3D

Pixel Gun 3D is a mobile game that started as a beloved childhood game but eventually became one of the most hated games due to various issues. It is the central subject of the video, with the narrative focusing on its rise and fall. The game initially failed to gain traction but later experienced a surge in popularity with the introduction of multiplayer modes and new game modes like 'Capture the Flag' and 'The Hunger Games'.

💡Market Gap

The term 'market gap' refers to an unmet demand or opportunity in the market that a product or service can fill. In the video, Alex Kov identified a market gap in the mobile gaming industry for a game like Counterstrike, which was popular on PC but not available on mobile platforms. This led to the creation of Pixel Gun 3D, combining elements of Minecraft and shooter games to target this gap.

💡Multiplayer

Multiplayer is a game mode where multiple players can interact and play together in the same game environment. The introduction of multiplayer in Pixel Gun 3D's update 1.2 was a turning point for the game, as it allowed players to compete with friends and others, which significantly increased the game's popularity and community engagement.

💡Competitive Aspect

The 'competitive aspect' refers to the element of competition within a game that motivates players to improve their skills and perform better. The video highlights how the addition of multiplayer modes and game modes like 'Capture the Flag' and 'The Hunger Games' introduced a competitive aspect to Pixel Gun 3D, driving player engagement and community growth.

💡In-Game Purchases

In-game purchases are transactions where players buy virtual goods or enhancements within a game using real money. The video discusses how Pixel Gun 3D initially only offered cosmetic items for purchase but later introduced the option to buy in-game items that affected gameplay, leading to a pay-to-win model that some players found annoying.

💡Content Creators

Content creators are individuals who produce and share content, often videos, related to games and other topics. The video mentions that as Pixel Gun 3D gained popularity, content creators started making videos about the game, which further increased its visibility and player base.

💡Clans

Clans are player groups or communities within a game that often compete against each other. The video discusses how Pixel Gun 3D introduced clans in update 6.0, which amplified the competitive aspect of the game and fostered a more dedicated community.

💡Pay-to-Win

Pay-to-win refers to a game design where players can gain a significant advantage by spending real money on in-game items or features. The video criticizes Pixel Gun 3D for moving towards a pay-to-win model, especially with the introduction of overpowered (OP) weapons that could be purchased, which devalued the efforts of players who had 'grinded' for previous weapons.

💡Skill-Based Gameplay

Skill-based gameplay emphasizes the importance of player skill over luck or other factors in determining the outcome of the game. The video contrasts the FFA mode, where various factors could influence the outcome, with the Duels mode, which is purely skill-based and requires players to rely on their abilities to win.

💡Greed

Greed, in the context of the video, refers to the excessive pursuit of profit at the expense of other values, such as game quality or player satisfaction. The video criticizes the developers for focusing on adding more purchasable items and cashing in on trends rather than innovating and improving the core gameplay experience.

💡Innovation

Innovation in gaming refers to the introduction of new ideas, features, or improvements that enhance the game experience. The video argues that Pixel Gun 3D's initial success was due to innovation, such as the addition of multiplayer, but that the game later failed to innovate, instead relying on adding more weapons and items to generate revenue.

Highlights

Pixel Gun 3D's player count dropped significantly from 500,000 daily players to sometimes not reaching 1,000.

In 2013, Pixel Gun 3D was created to fill a market gap, combining elements of Minecraft and Counterstrike for mobile.

The game initially flopped, being repetitive and lacking replay value.

Update 1.2 introduced multiplayer, which revitalized the game and increased player count to over 10,000 daily.

The game's growth was supported by the addition of iconic maps like Heavenly Garden and Pool Party.

Update 0.89 brought Capture the Flag, and Update 0.92 introduced The Hunger Games mode, enhancing the game's appeal.

The game's success led to content creators like Exotic Gaming and Esoteric joining, further boosting its popularity.

Update 6.0 introduced Clans, amplifying the competitive aspect and community dedication.

The game reached over 50 million players, becoming a staple in mobile gaming.

Lack of significant updates and over-reliance on adding OP weapons led to game stagnation.

Update 11.0 introduced Duels mode, focusing on skill-based gameplay and increasing player proficiency.

The introduction of better weapons for new players backfired, making the game pay-to-win and devaluing older weapons.

Developers prioritized monetization over innovation, adding more items and pets to encourage spending.

Attempts to save the game included skill matching and changes to the clan system, but they were too little, too late.

The game's decline was also due to a lack of innovation and clinging to outdated features.

The game now struggles with a small active player base, hacker issues, and an overwhelming focus on monetization.

Transcripts

over the last 10 years Pixel Gun 3D went

from a beloved childhood game to one of

the most hated games of all time

dropping from an impressive 500,000

daily player count to sometimes ning

being able to reach a th000 players

recently so where did it all go wrong

well to understand that we need to go

back to 2013 at the time games like

Counterstrike and the shooter genre in

general was starting to blow up but the

thing was it was only accessible on PC

and had an older audience now with that

Alex kov saw opportunity he saw that the

whole concept was working on PC and

there were no other games like that on

mobile meaning there was a clear Market

Gap what other games were blowing up at

that time that's right Minecraft so hi

and some shrooms probably he thought H

let's just combine the two so combining

Minecraft CS go some random [ __ ] and

adding a story line to the whole thing

we got Pixel Gun 3D in theory the

perfect

game yeah it completely flopped not even

reaching a th000 players as first month

the game was repetitive and had no

replay value but here is where things

started to take a turn you see over the

next couple of months the game would see

very little growth the game was clearly

missing something and Alex needed to

come up with something fast over the

next coming updates he added new guns

items and other shiny objects but one

update stood up from the rest update 1.2

apart from featuring more unnecessary

junk it had a single feature that would

change the game forever multiplayer with

this update you were now able to play

with other people including your friends

in the FFA game mode the point of the

mode was simple you were thrown into a

freefor all we know with about 10 other

players and the personal got the most

amount of kills won the game nothing too

crazy right but this is exactly what the

game was missing it introduced a

competitive aspect meaning you now had

an actual reason to grind the game also

promoting the growth of communities keep

this in mind for later the game

immediately skyrocketed in popularity

going from a couple of hundred players

per day to over 10,000 this is probably

around the time you were introduced to

the game where Maps like Heavenly garden

and pool party were first added over the

next coming months the game would

continue growing exponentially and with

that the developers added more updates

to support the exponentially growing P

base update 0.89 introducing the new

Capture the Flag game mode two teams

competing against each other with each

team assign their own side with a flag

and point of the game was to bring the

enemy's team flag onto your own

territory update 0.92 adding The Hunger

Games game mode which is already a

popular thing back 10 players thrown

onto a map with loot chest all scattered

around and the last man standing one and

these are all things that became iconic

stes of the game the updates had actual

meaning and purpose making the game

genuinely better and fixing real

problems but behind the scenes things

were starting to Bubble with the new

active player base Alex saw an

opportunity to make money you see

previously similar to other games you

were only able to buy cosmetic items for

real money which didn't affect the game

playay but with this update he added the

op option to purchase coins for which

you could purchase in-game items going

from that everyone had an equal chance

of Victory to now adding the possibility

to buy yourself to the top without any

more skill but this was only a slight

annoyance to the player base since the

items you could purchase weren't even

that hard to get without paying so the

game continued to grow and now content

creators started to pick it up as well

the game was fun replayable and was

popular making it literally perfect to

make videos on creators like exotic

gaming and esoteric inir the first up on

us and now with videos being made about

pixel gun it took the game to a whole

another level at that time as well

update 6.0 was released the community

aspect of pixelgon was one of the

biggest reason for the game success so

they added Clans which was very well

received and new clans quickly started

forming further amplifying the

competitive aspect of pixel gun making

the community even more dedicated the

game had now surpassed this newcomer

status having over 50 million players

and being a tight end Mobile gaming the

game had a core player base community

and dedicated fans large content

creators making videos about the game

and an established developer team the

game was on top of the world it showed

no signs of slowing down but from this

point on things would start to take a

weird turn a couple of months go by and

the game is still rapidly growing and

you would think the game's features

would do the same but there were barely

any significant updates made except the

addition of more op weapons which we'll

get into in a bit the game got stagnant

meanwhile the player base was still

growing and understandably so the more

experienced players were starting to get

bored forget the players there was a way

bigger issue at stake pixel gon content

creators were relying on the constant

supply of new content in the game and

things to make videos about but without

that there were a lot less videos being

made about the game so the developers

had to come up with something quick to

freshen up the game and keep the players

engaged so they decided to follow in

their old footsteps update 11.0 now this

update added duels a new game mode they

learned from the mistakes and finally

added a new core feature to the game

good right but they didn't account for

one thing you see in the duels mode

you're placing in a map with one other

person and the point of the game is to

kill your opponent you know the deal

compared to the similar FFA mode you're

with 10 other players one person may

snipe you from the back one may have a

higher position than you giving them the

upper hand point is there were so many

factors determining who won making

players less focused on skill and more

so on the game playay and just having

fun dual Arena on the other hand players

with one other person the map is

completely the same for both players on

each side the mode has a scill matching

system and your focus is 100% your

opponent a complete 50/50 for both

players making the match completely

skill Reliant there was no luck involved

it was purely skill-based this mode

introduced a completely new real to the

game players all of a sudden became a

lot better and I mean way better now the

players who weren't willing to grind the

game couldn't keep up with the pro

players the scale gap between new

players was was growing by the day and

that understandably raised the entry

level the developers noticed this as

well and they did something about it but

not in the way you would expect remember

how I told you earlier that pixel gun

was Notorious for adding new weapons to

the game well that's exactly what they

did now and pixel gun you start with a

certain amount of coins which you can

buy weapons for so they thought all

right why not just introduce better

weapons so new players can buy them and

have a chance against pros and that's

what they did they started to add

weapons literally at one point every

weak this resulted in them earning more

money than ever but it did one thing

that would completely destroy the game

first it did the opposite of what they

were intending Pro players were now

buying up these weapons making them even

more op and second of all the weapons

that old players had grinded for in

previous Seasons now became completely

useless against the new OP weapons but

why would they care they were now making

more money than ever and why even waste

money developing intuitive updates

genuinely making the game better and

more fun when you can just add add more

guns and make 10 times more money than

an actual update ever would so that's

what they did more guns more items Pets

the [ __ ] this is more and more things

you can spend money on and so on and so

on and guns that were previously easy to

get now took days of grinding further

incentivizing the players to spend money

this is where everything started going

downhill players started leaving by the

second even recently joined players were

now leaving after realizing how PID to

win the game is the Developers made some

attempts at saving the game like adding

skill matching and changing the clan

system and at some point even removing

the duels mode altogether but the damage

was already done and ironically the

changes they made ended up upsetting the

player base even more but after that

nothing more happened they also tried

hopping on some trans like squid game

and the Battle Royale mode to make a

quick book further showcasing their

greed and lack of care for the community

one more thing to mention as well is

that they removed like 70% of the OG

maps and items from the game for some

reason and at that point the game was

truly unsavable skipped to present day

and the game is left with about only a

couple of thousand active players per

day consisting of try hards that grind

the game 10 hours a day and spend

thousands on it and uh seven-year-olds

that have way too much time on their

hand the game is hacker infested and

it's just genuinely a mess when you open

up the game you get bombarded with about

30 different popups begging you to spend

your parents' retirement in font of some

[ __ ] dragon pet and apart from the

developer greed I think there was one

more thing as well which made the game

completely fall off the game did not

innovate they tried Clinging On to the

features that made it successful in the

first place but they didn't realize that

Innovation is truly why pixelon blew up

it's because Alex DED to take that risk

of adding multiplayer not knowing if it

will work or not so yeah that's it

please sub

bye