Just got the fileplanet newsletter with some nifty downloads, so I fired up my downloader and noticed down in the lower left corner an ad for Guild Wars and ATI offering Guild Wars for free with every purchase or upgrade of X1950.
Again, same company NCSoft, heck same building even, why isn't the most graphically impressive MMORPG out there not included in such bundles or promoted as it should.
I want to desperatly find a positive reason behind it, but I can't find any :( Please promote the game.
Hate to break it to you, but L2 isn't really all that pretty anymore.
However your point about NC not doing any marketing drive is still valid. Then again I can't see how it would do much good given how new players are greeted mostly with hostility and our automated friends.
Hate to break it to you, but L2 isn't really all that pretty anymore.
Well, what beats it currently?
WoW? LOL
Guild Wars? Close or around the same at best.
Eve? Great looking too, but a space game.
Hello Kitty Online Adventures?
Warhammer Online? Dunno, doesn't look more impressive really.
Hate to break it to you, but L2 isn't really all that pretty anymore.
However your point about NC not doing any marketing drive is still valid. Then again I can't see how it would do much good given how new players are greeted mostly with hostility and our automated friends.
Don't you dare saying anything against Hello Kitty !?!
NCsoft simply is not willing to spend any money on advertising at all. Not a cent, not a banner on fanpages, not a sign in the shops, nothing.
WoW only became the most played MMOG, cause Blizzard is spending more money on advertising than on game development.
While I do agree, that the main money should be with development, there still should be at least a small contingent for ads.
let me guess . Even tho both games are from the same company but they are from different department.
guildwar is from Team A
lineage2 is from Team B
COV/COH is from Team C.
Each different Team got different budget...
Like in most company :
accounts,
IT,
marketing,
got their own budget
It's even more extreme than that.
Lineage2 was developed by NCSoft. Guild Wars was developed by ArenaNet (a subsidiary of NCSoft), and COH/COV was developed by Cryptic Studios (who are not affiliated with NCSoft). NCSoft is the publisher for all three and as such is in charge of advertising though.
Maybe NC thinks no first impression is better than a bad first impression? Or maybe they just feel that advertising would be a costly dificult endeavor here in NA?
This next bit may be a little off topic. =)
Hate to break it to you, but L2 isn't really all that pretty anymore.
L2 still easily blows most western MMORPG out of the water - not because of the graphics engine, but because of the quality of the artwork.
The HAVE TO promote GW. Because it has no monthly fee = no stable earnings from pleayers. Only thing that keeps them alive are new purchases and the need to buy extra datapacks.
Of course they do. But what it does show is that they have the capability and network to advertise these things already, they just chose not to utilize it.
Well, how about the next time a certain plucky radio DJ has one of the bigwigs in the other chair, he drops in a few off the cuff inquiries? *hint hint* :D
Soooo Looks like people are buy Lineage II, whether they advert or not :P
Thats because of Korea. Also remember that Lineage II has worldwide lost a lot of customers.
People are coming to it, but not really in any great numbers. Heck, ask most regular people in the west and they will have no clue as to what Lineage 2 is.
We're only slightly larger than UO and thats an over 9 year old 2D game, who incidently doesn't bother marketting much either or maintain shelfpresence (but still better than Lineage II)
Maybe NC thinks no first impression is better than a bad first impression? Or maybe they just feel that advertising would be a costly dificult endeavor here in NA?
This next bit may be a little off topic. =)
Hate to break it to you, but L2 isn't really all that pretty anymore.
L2 still easily blows most western MMORPG out of the water - not because of the graphics engine, but because of the quality of the artwork.
It's funny because it is sort of true. If you turn EQ II's graphics all the way up, you can actually see that there is more going on with lighting, shadows, etc. But the "Art" is just downright poor (in my opinion)
The Art of L2 Is really some of the best (or even the best) in this genre right now. Guild Wars is as well.