GamesIndustry International recently spoke to David Reid, CCP’s chief marketing officer about both EVE and Dust 514.
“The thing about Dust is not the shiniest guns or the perfect shooting mechanics; it’s about this meta-game, and the persistence, and the customisation, and we do think that we’re doing that better than anybody else. It won’t be for everyone. It won’t be the EVE learning curve, but it certainly won’t be the Call of Duty learning curve, either. It won’t be everyone that figures this out right away, but it doesn’t have to be either.”
Now sure, I’m a bit biased because I’m a card-carrying member of the “CCP are the best” fanclub, but still, how many devs will ever admit that their game is not for everyone. Furthermore, how many will point at the biggest title in a genre and say “we are not like that”?
Maybe if more devs had that attitude and honesty, we would get fewer GW2-style “redefining” of genres and more games that actually move the needle.
Hardcore Casual 
Agreed.
I was just typing up a post regarding the TESO devs who in my opinion are trying too hard not to put people off instead of just being upfront and honest about the game they are designing which leads to very confused/ open ended answers.
Wow, really? Did you just associate David Reid and honesty in same post? David “Tabula Rasa is AAA and here to stay” Reid? The same guy who asserted that Dust 514’s release could make EVE “the biggest game in the world at the end of 2012”?
David Reid is to honesty like Paul Christoforo is to Customer Service.
As someone who was in the audience, he didn’t say EVE would be the biggest game in the world. He said the EVE universe would be the biggest in the world. There’s a big difference as he’s referring to the virtual world, not a game.
I will admit that putting David Reid and honesty in the same sentence does take some imagination, though.
As a long time closed and open beta tester of Dust514 (and member of the dominant corp in game) –
The fact that he admitted that Dust doesn’t have “the perfect shooting mechanics” is a very significant issue.
Dust has had pretty poor gun game to date. The release was an embarrassment.
One reviewer described it as “””For a start controlling your mercenary soldier is like taking control of remote control shop mannequin, as it flails through a swimming pool of extra thick custard. The whole feel of the game is wretched …”””
This is hyperbole but Dust514 released with very very significant bugs in the DualShock3 controls AND the mouse/keyboard aiming.
SOME of this has been patched out.
Sounds like typical CCP. They can’t tell a no go issue from a minor bug.
As a long time EVE player and software developer who has recently started work on his own games – it takes great will power to keep from covering my resume in dozens of tiny pink heart stickers and mailing it to them. Daily.
I suppose it’s in keeping with “our game is not for everyone” theme that exploration was just converted from a viable profession into a cute little mini-game for the masses? That’s my all-in-one lowsec exploration setup and the bulk of my skill points right down the toilet, to say nothing of the training plan. Never change, David Reid, never change.
The Dust concept freaks me out, but my respect for CCP has neva wavered
I think the previous paragraph is more apt:
“There’s certainly a minimum level of quality we need to reach,” Reid agrees. “Below that you’re not a fun game and you’re not worth anybody’s time, let alone their money…”
This strategy is actually quite common.
Mark Jacobs is developing Camelot Unchained on the very premise that it is not for everyone, and he’s letting everyone know it.
I remember when Rift was in development and they specifically called out WoW via advertising campaigns saying “you’re not in Azeroth anymore.”
Positioning oneself as the underdog lowers expectations. When expectations are lower, suddenly exceeding them makes every win better. Politicians do this all the time. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing, just not always a perfect representation.