Remember why we play - or decide not to anymore

Having seen many things that have happened over the past few months it makes me wonder, why do we play the game?

I started to play because it was fun, rewards happened, it was exciting to see what offers might be coming and the game was a source of entertainment to me. Over the past few months I have seen multiple alliance members leave because they got tired / bored. Of course change is part of life but one of the key words that almost all the Youtube folks talk about with MCOC is "grind". You have to grind for this and that, if I was Kabam this word would horrify me, I want my game to be associated with words like "fun" and "entertaining" and not a negative word. AW / AQ use to be fun but now with 6 stars if you don't have solid 5 stars you are on the bench even with the matching and now seasons. Now I have a strong roster and am part of a great alliance but many others don't have god tiers and yet the game in it's modes seems to go from too easy to insane in a snap and that removes the fun unless you want to pay and why pay for something that is a "grind". Now if it was fun that changes everything but that is what is missing. All the issues with nerfs and other issues somewhat disappear if the game is "fun" because it's about enjoyment and we need to get back to that.

A second point is how many folks have a huge collection of 2 and 3 star champs that we never use unless we want to grind in arena (there is that word again). Could you imagine a 2 star only AW / AQ events? We would get to play with champs we never use because we don't have them as 5 stars. Make AW / AQ events based on 2 stars for 4 star shards, make 3 star AW / AQ for 5 star shards. Bring back the fun across the board for everyone on equal footing. I'm not suggesting getting rid of the current AW / AQ events but introduce events that everyone can play in and not just the folks at the top tier. Level the field and encourage people to have fun (again). Because if it doesn't happen more and more people will continue to ask "why do I play this game?"

I hope a few folks take this to heart, nothing is beyond correcting and the community is strong here. The key is too remember why the game is here to begin with and work to replace the word "grind" with the word "fun"...

Comments

Blax4ever

Excellent post

shchong2

thank you for your sharing

DaMunk

I absolutely love the game but toying around with the idea of quitting. There's so much that's great about the game but I get tired of being treated like a wallet. It's almost like Kabam is trying to make us mad. Seriously try treating your customers with a little respect. If you think you can treat people badly and they will continue to show up you're mistaken. I love my wife but if she starts cheating on me it's over.

TheLegend27

DaMunk wrote: »

I love my wife but if she starts cheating on me it's over.

Buddy, have I got news for you...

DaMunk

TheLegend27 wrote: »

DaMunk wrote: »

I love my wife but if she starts cheating on me it's over.

Buddy, have I got news for you...

Lol

unknown

This content has been removed.

GSTAR21

I've literally just taken a step back from the game right before this nerfing and boycotting fiesta and I totally agree. This game turned into a total grind of the same thing over and over. This game used to be so much fun 2 years ago, the game felt fresh and entertaining. Now everything just feels like a total money grab and the rewards don't live up to the effort put in most of the time.

I really hope Kabam see your post, your second point about creating content for these useless 2 and 3 star champs that everyone has sitting around is just amazing and would make the game feel fresh and new again without much development being required.

Bodhizen

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/104817/#Comment_104817

Shiva_1

I hear some of the same topics about unblockable attacks, I'll agree that it ruins the fun out of it. I have spent money on the game in the past and was play with it because I felt I was having fun so it was okay. I have not spent in a while now I doubt I will anymore unless the fun aspect comes back. This is a "game" after all, doesn't that mean it should be about fun and not frustration?

Shiva_1

One of the frustrating things with this all is not addressing the game play for all, I have a healthy number of 5 stars but get wiped out by 6 stars in AW / AQ because I still have to use some 4 stars. Sure I could leave my alliance for one lower tier but that is not "fun" then. The moment the 6 star was released a champion gap was created (similar to the wealth gap) and what we are seeing in most aspects of the game is the top 1% being able to move forward and the rest struggle. The difference here is I don't have to play this game...I have a choice here and Kabam your forcing my choice.

OxC

I think this is a very valid post. I have been playing since 2015 and have slowly watched my fellow alliance members disappear. I've also not encountered a single player who has not as some time uttered the words "I hate this game".

Nor, have I ever experienced another game that makes its' players hate it.

Personally, I have quit twice and have come back encouraged by friends who play and through 'fear of missing out' (fomo). I know that a month away from the game can make a significant impact to your roster (I have one r4 5* and players who were on the same level as me before I left now have 6* and r5 5*'s).

Both times I left the game I was surprised by the feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I had more energy, more time and was generally happier. This is not something Kabam should be taking likely.

They have designed a game (purposefully or not) that is addictive in nature and compels players of whom the game has had a negative impact upon their lives, to return and keep playing.

The 'grind' as you put it has become so intense, I have witness various alliance members experience relationship issues due to the amount of time they have to play in order not to fall behind.

We are not at the very top either - we are a 12 mil alliance, running map 5 - I dread to think what the people at the very top feel like.

I would have so much more respect for Kabam if they apologised for not listening to its' customers (except when there is a boycott) and started picking random players to become a soundboard on how they can improve the in-game experience for the masses and decrease its' negative impact upon the real lives of players.

Panchulon21

Great post, strong energy.

I enjoy the game a lot, but some of the stuff going on is making me want to join a friend of mine alliance and just drop the “grind” I’ve been in 5x5 tier 3-5 for over a year and it takes a toll. If kabam didn’t make all these changes and all these server issues I wouldn’t mind it. But it could be time to hang up the grind and do some map 3 for those dreaded alphas and take my 1/25s to 2/35. Lol.

Shiva_1

Rather than simply add new folks to the roster or a different level for some award take a little time and see what makes the game fun again. Could you imagine a 2-star only war or AQ where basically everyone is the same? Instead of the energy grind paths do mini-runs that are free for resources that can be used for the larger paths. Get people to play the game, talk about how much fun they have and encourage others to play and enjoy. That is missing Kabam and if you don't bring it back some other publisher will.

krauserhunt

I think everyone who's reached a peak and has been playing for 2 years feels this way.

This game is still very fun and entertaining for ppl like me, who are just into 8 months playing. Also, ftp games are ALWAYS a grind, we just perceive it to be fun because we are grinding for a really good spot/rewards.

Valid post but with a caveat.

DrZola

All very good, valid points. It is amazing how stepping away from the non-stop crush of the game enables you to understand how much time and energy you devote to it. In light of that devotion, it is equally amazing how poorly the game team seems to understand and treat its customer base.

Mutamatt had a great post on his Class Advantage blog about sustainability as it relates to MCoC. Put bluntly, the current model of MCoC isn’t sustainable—burnout and boredom will win out eventually.

Dr. Zola

mostlyharmlessn

There are a lot of different things which people find fun.

I used to enjoy spending in the game to climb the ranks faster, and get a lot of really highly desired champs. Although not a whale, I did a good amount of spending.

I used to find that going for that 300 arena win streak to be fun, or hitting the double digit basic arena points to be fun. After a while though it became habit, and after a habit it became a grind.

Same with AW, it was fun, it helped build the friendships in the game that I have today, but even that, with the low rewards, it too eventually became a grind (although admittedly it never really became habit for me).

AQ was fun till more recently. When doing a line became too repetitive, I'd just get a different line assigned. Then came the sentinels which made so many of the fights exactly the same which then made AQ a grind.

When I add in that it seems that Kabam views the players, the customers a commodity, it really has sucked much of the last bits of fun I was having out the game.

So I went to a retirement alliance. As many others have said, talk about a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders. Now I play more when I'm bored, not because I feel like I have to. I play arenas to get some stuff for ranking up, not because I'm trying to get points for an alliance event, no one is ever waiting for me or chasing me down. So while it's not exactly "fun" like it was, it is more enjoyable then it was.

Bahamut

Solid and well written OP

RedBaron99

Good post.

Regardless of what Kabam now do, everything is viewed as suspicious, money grabbing or simply not good enough.

This is the product of relentlessly rushing out 'new' content and champions, without fully testing the implications of each on the current game meta (and now on players' devices), coupled with probably some of the worst communication, support and customer services I have ever experienced.

If you just take a step back a look at the sheer magnitude of all the things they have ballsed up and deceived us about, it's not hard to see why. It was around before, but for me the turning point was the offering of 4* awakening gems and crystals, just days before the v.12 debacle. From then on, everything this company has done has been viewed through a cynical lense...

...which is a great shame, because at it's heart, this really was a great game that indulged the inner geek in many of us.