Posted Jun 4, 2010 11:39 pm PT
@Fancelot
Yes, I agree with you on THQ's marketing decision vis-a-vis China. It's a smart move if they are aiming to market this IP in the Middle Kingdom.
But I have doubts whether Company of Heroes Online would succeed in the West, which have already savored the original, full versions. Relic may have to overhaul the game a lot to differentiate it from its predecessors so that it would be a unique experience.
If it does not however, at worst, marketing this game like it is the multiplayer portion of the original games detached will likely cause Relic (& THQ) to receive some very ugly feedback from fans.
Moreover, the Chinese digital goods consumers may have no issues with apparent gameplay imbalances (or at least did not complain loud enough for THQ's or Relic's local customer support to hear), but micro-transactions that allow players to gain artificial and abrupt advantages over others is not a game design that go down well with digital game patrons elsewhere.
It would probably not go down with Relic either, who did design the game to have virtually perfect game balance that won awards such as these after all. (The gameplay balance was cited as a reason for no less than 5 awards.)
P.S. Nice profile pic, dude. Minsc would probably love to be a Hamster Ranger.
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