Data Hive (Criticism)

by Claude Errera , Thursday, January 27, 2022, 09:07 (1029 days ago) @ narcogen

I understood that seasons were added because some players wanted content to grind even when there wasn't really any new content (more narrative, novel mechanics, new environments).

I feel like maybe you could replace the word 'players' with 'streamers' and have a more accurate sentence.

I feel like maybe this is an opinion with zero actual (non-anecdotal) data to back it up.

C'mon, Claude.

This is literally speculation about a pretty reasonable conclusion that nobody could have "data" to back it up with because it would require access to private communications between, oh, say, Bungie and the two well-known streamers who have been hired by Bungie in the past to consult on the game and who sign NDAs that cover everything they do while at Bungie and so are prevented from talking about it.

Datto in particular has gone on AT LENGTH during his streams over his frustration that:

* Destiny has not consistently provided enough content to make regular streaming of the game interesting or fun to play or watch;

and

* The vagaries of the algorithm that promotes videos on sites like YouTube and Twitch actively frustrate those who attempt to become "variety" streamers, leading to fewer viewers and less engagement on videos on other topics, meaning he's better off streaming more "challenge" and roll grinding content in Destiny than trying to play other games.

But I'm sure he never mentioned that to Bungie, that they hired him as a consultant without watching his streams, and that they certainly never listened to anything he said, or made any decisions about the design of the game based on things they paid him to say.

Because, of course, even if they did, I don't have "data" to back it up. Because there can't be any without someone breaking an NDA.

Or one could look at the stunningly massive orgy of evidence in the game market right now to the effect that everyone wants a game as a service model, that streaming is part of promotion of that model even more so than other models for gaming, and conclude that there's at least a correlation, if not a causal, connection between the two.

Otherwise it's merely coincidental that the kind of content that this model wants and creates also just happens to be the kind of thing that lets someone run a successful channel-- that encourages them to, in fact-- play only one game on a daily basis.

I'm not arguing that this hasn't been the (vocal) request of prominent streamers. I'm arguing that Cody's belief that it's ONLY streamers that want this is based on... nothing.

I've played with a wide-enough variety of normal, non-streaming players that I understand that a LOT of people enjoy this. I also understand that a lot of people don't. Cody has been complaining about this for quite some time... and to me at least, it seems that over time he's gotten more certain that it's ONLY streamers that feel this way. I wanted to make the point that this is an opinion - not fact. And that it's not based on any real info.

Bungie ABSOLUTELY has data that shows, one way or the other, which side of this argument is more true (you can compare player retention in seasons where the grind has intentionally been ramped up to seasons where it hasn't, for example). They have not shared this data with us explicitly, but I'd argue that they're leaning into the route that gets more players... because that's where the money is.

Cody, I think, would argue that they've gone full exploitative, and they don't really care whether we're happy playing, or just having our hindbrains tickled enough that we can't leave. I simply don't buy that argument.

::shrug::