tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787395619953110652.post3089556085747416787..comments2024-03-07T03:26:31.015-06:00Comments on ECTmmo.com- MMO Blog: The Adventures of Kaozz...: SOE Sunsets (Vanguard, Free Realms, Clone Wars, Wizardry)kaozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15058067791146704803noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787395619953110652.post-12445407890141505712014-01-25T17:56:45.290-06:002014-01-25T17:56:45.290-06:00Yes, me too, I do hope they preserve the game at l...Yes, me too, I do hope they preserve the game at least. <br /><br />I know they tried to some extent and I am glad we had the time we did but seeing how this was on a whim it just rubs me the wrong way. Looking through the forums and seeing the all access info and which games are listed, this seems a quick decision and not very thought out. Its just so sad :(kaozzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15058067791146704803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787395619953110652.post-61519282175764029282014-01-25T16:04:01.404-06:002014-01-25T16:04:01.404-06:00The end of Vanguard is ineffably sad and also sadl...The end of Vanguard is ineffably sad and also sadly inevitable. SOE can never do right for doing wrong. They get blamed at every stage regardless. Vigil tanked on getting a game out of the door after five years and a lot of money. SOE first helped them with a distribution deal and later, when it seemed the game was going belly up before it even launched they bought the whole thing and released it themselves. <br /><br />They devoted resources to fixing it up and making it run, after a fashion. They propped it up for years when almost no-one was playing or paying it the least attention. They converted it to F2P when all their other games went that route. They've done more than anyone could expect to keep the leaky old ship afloat.<br /><br />That said, it's still surprising that they chose to close it down, if only because they are on a major, prolonged "please trust us" PR mission right now and they must know what a hit they will take from this. By Smed's own admission they are betting the farm on Landmark/Next and they've spent a LOT of money on those and have no doubt more to spend still. I'd bet they are under heavy pressure from the Home Office right now and it's a case of throwing out everything that isn't bolted down to keep the balloon flying until they get across the mountain range and, they hope, reach clear, calm skies ahead.<br /><br />I just hope someone at SOE is going to take responsibility for mothballing the assets. We may not be able to play VG and FR any more but they are artworks and it would be cultural vandalism to destroy them. In a few decades video games will be part of the Art process, the way movies and TV have become. People are going to want access to this stuff for historical, aesthetic and academic purposes. Let's just hope they realize that, all these game companies.Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.com