A while back, I read a Reddit thread from players of a certain small MMO who were discussing what the community could do to, well, save the game and give it the prominence it deserves. “Honestly this game is awesome, and has so much potential,” the OP said. “I’d love to see it thrive – what are some suggestions we can come up with as a community to possibly help the game thrive?”
First… wholesome, right? And second… this is a good question. The responses were maybe less helpful, as the overriding opinion seems to be “nothing” – or more specifically, that the community is limited in what it can do if the game itself has issues. I’m not sure I agree. There are quite a few smaller MMOs that have stayed on my radar specifically because of their high-quality communities, which make a quiet but persistent attempt to clean up Reddits and forums, host events, run servers, put together petitions and ideas, tip off journalists, stream the game, and provide a welcoming atmosphere for newbies. It shouldn’t be up to the community to do unpaid marketing for an MMO for the studio, no, but there are certainly ways to help.
How can MMO communities revive a dying playerbase?
Every morning, the Massively Overpowered writers team up with mascot Mo to ask MMORPG players pointed questions about the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre. Grab a mug of your preferred beverage and take a stab at answering the question posed in today’s Daily Grind!
