When Do Player Count Numbers Matter? | Cold Take

Playing an online game at the height of their community engagement is always a fun experience. I wish I was around for the WoW era but recent examples that spring to mind are Helldivers and Hell Let Loose, which I will absolutely take

Gotta say I like the format change without a firm opening/closing credit section, get right to it.

I'm still adjusting to "dead game" also meaning "finished game" sometimes. The whole language is shifting to accommodate a generation of consumers that *expect* reality-as-a-service, while complaining about subscriptions. Looking at you, Hardspace reviewers.

I'm all for regarding data like player count numbers with an eye to the bigger picture and nuance; the player count of a single-player RPG one year later says very different things than one of an MMO with live-service elements. But, especially with so many AAA companies trying to jump on the live-service model, it _does_ matter, and if it's a rolled up newspaper that folks in the trenches can use to smack the dog's nose and say, "No! Down! No live service model for you!", I can't say I'm against it. (No dog in this house getting smacked with a newspaper, by the by, before anyone sics PETA on me.)

you weren't on my second monitor but it did make it pop it out from the patreon embed and minimise the PDF I was leafing through.