Originally Posted by Vancha
The problem is that they're completely blind to what the community doesn't want.
The community doesn't want ProSieben. I'm glad that we'll get to play together again, but I'm not sure if two steps back, one step forward is something to be commended? For any other company that wouldn't count as progress, but for SOE? I'm not really sure...
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Unfortunately, SOE doesn't really exist in Europe, which is why Planetside was distributed by Ubisoft over here. It's the same issue which resulted in The9 handling WoW for Blizzard in Asian territories. These companies are not as global as we would like them to be.
SOE are not in the position to become a proper operating entity in Europe, especially after the downsizing announcements last year.
In order to get their games to locations outside of the US, and to do so in a way that they don't hemorrhage money, they need to turn to companies that specialise in data storage and network integration. Customer Service comes into it as well.
HOWEVER, to sign a deal, or discuss a deal and not fight tooth and nail to prevent regional segregation, to not think that it was an important enough issue to cancel that deal and go with someone else? That's an issue I have.
The future of MMOs is meant to be grander. Get as many players playing together as possible. It's the whole point of MMOs. Social gaming. This agreement, regardless of it being overturned or not, is not something ANY games publisher should accept from their partners. Sony, EA, Square-Enix, Activition, none of these companies should ever have their entire product listing announced as part of such a giant backwards step.
The agreement implies that the MMO industry is in a regression, it's not. This honestly feels like a bunch of old guys in a directors meeting just accepting what is infront of them without a second thought. Dismissive. The individuals with SOE, or SCE who honestly thought that this was not an issue needs to have all these comments tatoo'd on the insides of their eyelids. It's as if no one consulted anyone in a marketing position.
Bad for the Players.
Bad for SOE.
Bad for the MMO industry.