LOTRO and Community Management
Hanlon’s Razor asserts “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”. Therefore it is a useful tool when applied to politics, business management and public discourse. All of which are rife with contention and rancour. However, this is often due to human incompetence rather than premeditated malevolence. So with this maxim in mind, let us consider the conundrum that is the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online, its developer Standing Stone Games and their ongoing propensity for bad community relations and poor business decisions. Last year, there were major server outages which kept the game offline for a substantial amount of time. Despite SSG enjoying a community that is broadly sympathetic to their cause, they handled the problem appallingly. The community manager at times gives the impression that doing his job is positively distasteful to him. However, the recent acquisition of SSG by Enad Global 7, gave the community hope that 2021 would be a better year. Sadly, nearly a month into the New Year and SSG have managed to upset their customers yet again.
LOTRO: Even More Community Management Problems
Video games are a somewhat unique consumer product, in so far that we, the customers, broadly seem to have a far more personal relationship with them compared to other recreational activities. For example, I subscribed to several online streaming services that produce TV and film content. However, I never worry about how well their business model is performing, nor do I particularly concern myself with their public relations image. I simply “pay and consume” and as long as I have no technical problems that impede my access, then that is the extent of my relationship with them. I also enjoy Hendrick’s Gin but I don’t worry about the manufacturer, William Grant & Sons. But for some reason, my relationship with video games is different. I am far more au fait with the activities of both the developers and publishers, as well as their overall corporate standing. I suppose it’s because video games are an interactive activity and that make things more personal.
LOTRO: More Community Management Problems
Not so long ago, MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online was plagued by server instability and chronic lag. Many of the game worlds had to be closed and there was over a week of downtime. As ever, communication from developer’s Standing Stone Games regarding the nature of the problem and an ETA on a fix were minimal. The issue(s) were eventually mollified but not completely eradicated. However, a recent patch this week led to extended downtime, beyond that which was initially scheduled. Since then the servers have been “unstable”. So it would appear that “the problem” is back. The only difference this time round is that SSG have made a statement sooner, rather than later. Community Manager Cordovan (AKA Jerry Snook) posted the following on the game’s official forums. “The game worlds are experiencing periods of server instability due to external issues outside of our control. We are taking steps to mitigate these environmental and infrastructure challenges, and apologize for any issues you encounter”.
Fans, Community Management and Social Media
When I first read about the furore caused by Jessica Price’s comments yesterday, I knew it wouldn’t end well. There’s a tedious inevitability to the outcome of most video game related “outrages” these days. For example, a senior member of staff from a major developer will same something crass, double down, dig a hole and then finally after being bitten on the ass by reality, will put out a mealy-mouthed half ass apology. The other scenario is that an employee affiliated to a studio says something completely left field, is presented with short window of opportunity to retract it and blame it on over the counter flu medication, before they get fired due to the ensuing PR shit storm. This particular controversy falls into the latter category. However, if you take a step back from the Jessica Price debacle you quickly notice it raises a lot of questions beyond her obvious transgression. Namely, the problem of always being “on the clock” when you work in certain professions, the need to separate your work and personal social media presence and the place “influencers have in the video games industry.